Book Description
PowerShell replaces cobbled-together assemblies of third-party management tools with an elegant programming language and a powerful scripting shell for the Windows environment. In the tradition of Manning's ground breaking "In Action" series, this book comes from right from the source. Written by Bruce Payette, one of principal creators of PowerShell, Windows PowerShell in Action shows you how to build scripts and utilities to automate system tasks or create powerful system management tools to handle the day-to-day tasks that drive a Windows administrator's life. Because it's based on the .NET platform, PowerShell is also a powerful tool for developers and power users.
Windows PowerShell in Action was written by Bruce Payette, one of the founding members of the Windows PowerShell team, co-designer of the PowerShell language and the principal author of the PowerShell language implementation. The book enables you to get the most out of the PowerShell environment. Using many examples, both small and large, this book illustrates the features of the language and environment and shows how to compose those features into solutions, quickly and effectively.
This book is designed for anyone who wants to learn PowerShell and use it well. Rather than simply being a book of recipes to read and apply, this book gives you the deep knowledge about how PowerShell works and how to apply it.
Customer Reviews:
Geeked Out on Powershell.......2007-08-06
As a both a Windows and Linux system administrator, this book overall made me frustrated initially, as I really don't want to delve into the introspective nature of compiler design miracles, but rather have a practical book on applying PowerShell. Nevertheless, once I sat down and reviewed key chapters, I was able to learn how to better utilize Powershell and apply it to some chores relating to the nature of system administration.
One of the things I high agree with another reviewer is that the book does indeed delve too much into the "gears and cogs" of Powershell, and many times too much. Sometimes we delve into how behind the scenes, the language takes measures to behave like any other language or shell, and we're scratching our heads, why did I have to understand what I always knew to work and behave. Good example is page 62 on string expansion, where once something is assigned is doesn't changed when accessed. Like that's how everything is suppose to work. Though, then he mentions how to override the behavior, but never drops any code examples for that side note.
Though this book seems more oriented to software developers, rather than system administrators, I would still recommend this book, as you can become really well versed in the Powershell and understand its advantages as it relates to the .NET platform on the recent Windows OSes.
Clearly a Winner.......2007-08-06
Not only does this teach you powershell, it answers all kinds of questions about why Powershell is the way it is, and why certain decisions were made. Ever want to know why we use -eq instead of == ? The answer is in here. This books simply rocks. This book not only shows you how to use Powershell, it teaches you Powershell works, from the inside out. Completely worthwhile. I would highly suggest reading it multiple times, as you learn more and more each time through.
PAGE 205 ... PAGE 205.......2007-07-28
This book gives you the goods and helps you become very productive very fast. As a service ... I'm pointing out that PowerShell is installed in a somewhat crippled state which allows for interactive scripting only. You know, security, security, security.
Most of us, of course want to put the script into a file and execute it and this won't work until you set an 'execution policy'. This information can be found starting on page 205 and further directions on page 451.
Just thought you'd like to know.
Besides that a very good book that stands on it's own. If you've been around the programming track a couple of times you won't need the 'for the absolute beginner' book ... this one will do the trick!
I wish all technical books were written this well.
Don't Make This Your First Purchase.......2007-07-09
Consider this book the Definitive Reference for PowerShell. Written by one of the designers of the PowerShell environment, the author knows all the ins and outs, back-alleys, hidden rooms, and secret handshakes the language offers - and isn't afraid to grab you by the hand and drag you along (like it or not!) for the tour of your life.
Therein, however, is the reason I can't recommend this as your first PowerShell book. The book is very logically planned out, the information very well presented in relatively easy to understand language, there is an abundance of script snippets to demonstrate what is being talked about, and the writing style itself is entertaining to read. But the author knows too much on the subject, and like any proud parent, often "too much information" is given, delving too deep into the gears and cogs of PowerShell and the underlying .NET framework for the (often basic) building block component, which might overwhelm the new PowerShell user, especially if the user does not have programming, let alone scripting, experience.
So although I say don't make this your first purchase, make it your second - and probably your last. Start with an "Introduction" style book (like Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner) to get used to the complex environment (even if you've only had VBS/JS experience), get comfortable with the basics of the shell, then move up to this title. You'll soon find out that every aspect you thought you knew has much more to the story than you thought, and you'll walk away from this read able to do just about everything you want.
Everything you ever wanted to know about PowerShell.......2007-05-12
I don't ever remember reading a computer book from cover to cover, but I got hooked on this book and "can't put it down"... Plus, who ever thought that the history of a program could be as interesting as this one is. After all, the book begins by asking "why another shell language?" By the time you are into a few chapters you realize the question should have been "what took you so long?"
The book is peppered with valuable code examples that show off everything from the basics to the most advanced concepts, and the examples are built incrementally so you can see how and why every character in a command line works. Since PowerShell is object oriented, you easily learn why this is important, and how to extract the power of an OO shell.
I've already put PowerShell to work at the office using it for WMI, Active Directory, and file management tasks and have incorporated it into my AutoIT scripts as well. This book was a great help in getting me up to speed as fast as I have.
Book Description
Now the best-selling book on DVD Studio Pro is even better. Fully updated for DVD Studio Pro 4 and with complete coverage of the new version of Compressor, the industrial-strength encoder that dramatically speeds up encoding of MPEG-2 and H.264 HD DVD video, this self-paced guide is the fastest way to learn to author professional, interactive DVDs. Master trainers Martin Sitter and Adrian Ramseier begin with the basics of DVD authoring and take you all the way through DVD Studio Pro’s powerful advanced features. Each chapter presents a complete lesson on an aspect of DVD creation, with hands-on projects for you to complete as you go. All the files are included on the accompanying DVD.
After learning how to storyboard a DVD and plan its interactions, you’ll set chapter markers, build still, layered, and motion menus, and add subtitles and Web links. You’ll also learn sophisticated techniques for juggling multiple audio tracks and camera angles, creating custom transitions, building advanced overlays, and scripting. By the end of the book, you’ll have created four full DVDs.
The Apple Pro Training Series is both a self-paced learning tool and the official curriculum of the Apple Pro Training and Certification Program. Upon completing the course material in this book, you can become a certified Apple Pro b taking the certification exam at an Apple Authorized Training Center. To find an Authorized Training Center near you, go to www.apple.com/software/pro/training.
Customer Reviews:
Good read ...BUT.......2007-04-11
Good illustrations but not that easy for a DVD STudio Pro 'Dummy'. I found that I had to go to the Apple DVD Studio Pro manual from the net to work out what to do. Then, after I had a basic understanding, and a few hours of fiddling on the computer,this book came to life for me and was very useful. Particularly the project workshops.
Not Worth the money, but still pretty good.......2005-12-08
I've been in a fight w/ Apple and Peachpit over this 'new' version of DVDSP4.
I'm an Apple cert. instructor for this and other ProApps. When I started reading the new book I found the same mistakes from version 3 had been copied over to version 4.
Granted, the new compressor app is great but nowhere does it explain the new features of DVDSP4 like support for external video, VTS editing and the whole HD support. I was told by Apple and Peachpit that this version of the book was intended to be an 'revision' of the old book; however, the general advertising of this book says 'Fully Update' instead of 'Fully Revised'... a bit misleading to the people who thought this version would help instruct students on how to best use the new features. We'll have to wait.
Average customer rating:
- Title may be misleading
- A book for the advnaced
- Good book
- A recording studio masterpiece
- Have you got time?
|
Master Handbook of Acoustics
F. Alton Everest
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics
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Similar Items:
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Sound Studio Construction on a Budget
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Critical Listening Skills for Audio Professionals
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Home Recording Studio: Build It like the Pros
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Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science
ASIN: 0071360972 |
Book Description
The goal of this book is to apply the principles of acoustics to the audio arts. This involves serving as an interpreter of major trends and the literature for students and practitioners in the audio field. Along with covering the more theoretical aspects of acoustics, the book applies the theory to the design of specialized audio spaces such as the home listening room, the control room, and the multi-track-recording studio.
Customer Reviews:
Title may be misleading.......2007-07-25
There are two common definitions of the word "acoustics." The most general is "an area of physics dealing with sound and sound waves" and the second is "the qualities of a room that determine audibility and fidelity of sound in it." This book is a very good reference for the latter, but if you're looking for the former, look elsewhere. Also, I'm not sure I would describe it as a Handbook, but rather as a reference text.
It is good for what it does cover and is relatively easy to read.
A book for the advnaced.......2007-07-09
A great book, but can be too advanced for some. A lot of physics is included - which is great - but perhaps some previous knowledge or some side reading is a good idea.
Over all, excellent book, and a goldmine to buy.
Good book.......2007-05-11
It is nice REFERENCE book for practicing sound engineer. If you in a process of setting up your home studio and need quick and meaningful start get Acoustics for producer and musician, includes SoundsAcademy Certification and it will take you inside the subject fast and straight to the point.
This book addresses room acoustics and in this regard is superb reference but many music related aspects of acoustics aren't there. For room acoustics treatment this book is very useful though.
A recording studio masterpiece.......2006-04-27
OK, so this does not cover ALL acoustincs. If one is interested in recording or playback acoustics, this is THE BEST. As an engineer and producer who has been involved in the construction of a dozen studios, I have the clients and architects read this before we start hard design parameters. For lay listeners, the chances are good your audio budget is better spent on acoustic treatment rather than a more exotic cable. For all of the above, this book will explain the what, why and how to get results. For professionals, it explains how to obtain designable results. I find it an easy read, and I refer to it occasionally, particularly when discussing room acoustics with neophyte "sound men" and audio engineers. I'd read it if I were you.
Have you got time?.......2006-03-27
Despite its title, this book should better be called Master Handbook of Room Acoustics, as it is primarily and almost solely dedicated to the acoustics of enclosed rooms. With its over 600 pages you will need a large hand, and plenty of time to read. But the information you gather when reading the main text, could have been presented in less than half the number of pages. Despite - or is it because - the abundance of words and excursions into anecdotes, the explanations are sometimes missing the clue. The last few chapters have been written by others authors, and are more to the point. Besides, these co-authors use the SI system, while the main text is using American units. A bit out of time, I would say.
Average customer rating:
- Overcomplicated
- Best reference for the core language with plenty of examples
- Great reference book
- Excellent reference
- excellent
|
C++ in a Nutshell
Ray Lischner
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STL Pocket Reference
ASIN: 059600298X |
Book Description
To-the-point, authoritative, no-nonsense solutions have always been a trademark of O'Reilly books. The In a Nutshell books have earned a solid reputation in the field as the well-thumbed references that sit beside the knowledgeable developer's keyboard. C++ in a Nutshell lives up to the In a Nutshell promise. C++ in a Nutshell is a lean, focused reference that offers practical examples for the most important, most often used, aspects of C++. C++ in a Nutshell packs an enormous amount of information on C++ (and the many libraries used with it) in an indispensable quick reference for those who live in a deadline-driven world and need the facts but not the frills. The book's language reference is organized first by topic, followed by an alphabetical reference to the language's keywords, complete with syntax summaries and pointers to the topic references. The library reference is organized by header file, and each library chapter and class declaration presents the classes and types in alphabetical order, for easy lookup. Cross-references link related methods, classes, and other key features. This is an ideal resource for students as well as professional programmers. When you're programming, you need answers to questions about language syntax or parameters required by library routines quickly. What, for example, is the C++ syntax to define an alias for a namespace? Just how do you create and use an iterator to work with the contents of a standard library container? C++ in a Nutshell is a concise desktop reference that answers these questions, putting the full power of this flexible, adaptable (but somewhat difficult to master) language at every C++ programmer's fingertips.
Customer Reviews:
Overcomplicated .......2007-07-11
Hi,
I'm a recent graduate B.Sc CS and used this book extensively for a month+ as to prepare for a c++ job interviews.
Unfortunately I can't say I loved this book. I found the examples to be overcomplicated by irrelevant information and language to be ambiguous at the times.
As an example, from page 160 (classes/ covariant return types):
"In a derived class, a covariant return type is a pointer or reference to a class type that derives from the return type used in the base class" ?!
Code examples are contaminated by the irrelevant programming techniques and irrelevant code. Page 158, "declaring and using virtual functions", the code example extends over two pages. In it, author uses concepts of templates, complicated operators overloading, constructor and destructor, pure virtual functions (its different topic in the book, much later) as well as a very complicated programming code. And all of this extra information used to explain a rather simple virtual functions.
If the reader is not very familiar with some concepts of programming language, reader might face a difficulty to understand the topic illustrated, as it would be polluted with much unrelated code technique.
I wouldn't recommend this book for the beginners, and would proceed with caution if you are an intermediate programmer. This is a great start but author need to maintain focus on the particular topic and not to make it more complicated then it's already is. After all it's a reference book and not the collection of the brain teasers.
Best reference for the core language with plenty of examples.......2007-06-23
Many implementations of C++ extend the language and standard library. Except for brief mentions of language and library extensions in the appendixes, this book covers only the standard. The standard library is large, but it omits much that is common in computing today such as concurrency, network protocols, database access, graphics, and windowing. However, Appendix B contains some information about nonstandard libraries that provide additional functionality.
This book is a reference, not a tutorial, thus those unfamiliar with C++ might find portions of this book difficult to understand. Although each portion of the book contains some advice on idioms and the proper use of certain language constructs, the main focus is on the reference material. This book is divided into two interleaved sections that cover the language and the library, and a couple of appendixes. Roughly speaking, the language is the part of C++ that does not require any additional #include headers or files. The library is the part of C++ that is declared in the standard headers.
Chapter 1 through Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 12 cover the language itself. The first seven chapters form the main language reference, organized by topic. It is customary for a programming reference to contain a formal grammar, and this book does so in Chapter 12, which is organized alphabetically by keyword with some additional entries for major syntactic categories, such as expressions. Chapter 11 is a reference for the preprocessor. Chapter 13 is the library reference, organized alphabetically by header. Chapters 8 through 10 present an overview of the library and introduce the topics that span individual headers. A detailed accounting of each chapter follows:
Chapter 1. Language Basics - describes the basic rules for the C++ language.
1.1. Compilation Steps
1.2. Tokens
1.3. Comments
1.4. Character Sets
1.5. Alternative Tokens
1.6. Trigraphs
Chapter 2. Declarations - describes how objects, types, and namespaces are declared and how names are looked up.
2.1. Declarations and Definitions
2.2. Scope
2.3. Name Lookup
2.4. Linkage
2.5. Type Declarations
2.6. Object Declarations
2.7. Namespaces
Chapter 3. Expressions - describes operators, precedence, and type casts.
3.1. Lvalues and Rvalues
3.2. Type Conversions
3.3. Constant Expressions
3.4. Expression Evaluation
3.5. Expression Rules
Chapter 4. Statements - describes all the C++ statements.
4.1. Expression Statements
4.2. Declarations
4.3. Compound Statements
4.4. Selections
4.5. Loops
4.6. Control Statements
4.7. Handling Exceptions
Chapter 5. Functions - describes function declarations and definitions, overload resolution, argument passing, and related topics.
5.1. Function Declarations
5.2. Function Definitions
5.3. Function Overloading
5.4. Operator Overloading
5.5. The main Function
Chapter 6. Classes - describes classes, unions, structures, members, virtual functions, inheritance, accessibility, and multiple inheritance.
6.1. Class Definitions
6.2. Data Members
6.3. Member Functions
6.4. Inheritance
6.5. Access Specifiers
6.6. Friends
6.7. Nested Types
Chapter 7. Templates - describes class and function template declarations, definitions, instantiations, specializations, and how templates are used.
7.1. Overview of Templates
7.2. Template Declarations
7.3. Function Templates
7.4. Class Templates
7.5. Specialization
7.6. Partial Specialization
7.7. Instantiation
7.8. Name Lookup
7.9. Tricks with Templates
7.10. Compiling Templates
Chapter 8. Standard Library - introduces the standard library and discusses some overarching topics, such as traits and allocators.
8.1. Overview of the Standard Library
8.2. C Library Wrappers
8.3. Wide and Multibyte Characters
8.4. Traits and Policies
8.5. Allocators
8.6. Numerics
Chapter 9. Input and Output - introduces the I/O portion of the standard library. Topics include formatted and unformatted I/O, stream buffers, and manipulators.
9.1. Introduction to I/O Streams
9.2. Text I/O
9.3. Binary I/O
9.4. Stream Buffers
9.5. Manipulators
9.6. Errors and Exceptions
Chapter 10. Containers, Iterators, and Algorithms - introduces the suite of container class templates, their iterators, and generic algorithms. This is the portion of the library that has traditionally been called the Standard Template Library (STL).
10.1. Containers
10.2. Iterators
10.3. Algorithms
Chapter 11. Preprocessor Reference - an alphabetical reference for the preprocessor, which is part of the language, but with a distinct set of syntactic and semantic rules.
Chapter 12. Language Reference - an alphabetical reference for the language and grammar. Backus-Naur Form (BNF) syntax descriptions are given for each keyword and other language elements, with pointers to the first seven chapters for the main reference material.
Chapter 13. Library Reference - a reference for the entire standard library, organized alphabetically by header, and alphabetically by name within each header section.
Appendix A. Compiler Extension - describes ways that some compilers extend the language: to satisfy customer need, to meet platform-specific requirements, and so on.
Appendix B. Projects - describes a few interesting, open source C++ projects. You can find information about additional projects on the book's web site.
The book illustrates the descriptions and definitions it covers with plenty of examples - some quite short, and then some longer ones as you get further into the book. If you need a good desk reference on C++, this is definitely the one to buy and keep by your side.
Great reference book.......2007-01-10
This is a great reference book. You definitely need to know something about c++ to get the full benefit of it. I would recommend it.
Excellent reference.......2006-03-19
I always like O'Reilly books and are usually what I purchase. The "In A Nutshell" may be misleading to some. Just think of it as "C++ A Language & Library Reference." If you are a beginner looking for a how to, this isn't the one for you. "Thinking in C++" by Bruce Eckel (great book), or "Practical C++ Programming" would be the one a beginner would want. However, when you are ready to explore the inter-details about what C++ classes provides, this would be a good one to add to your collection. The first half describes C++ in general, while the last half details the language reference. I like how the reference is structured, grouped by the easy to find header declaration at the bottom of the page. Quickly finding what you need is a great feature here. You can only do so much "std::cout
<
< "hi"
<
< std::endl; without a reference and this one covers the missing details. Not for beginners, but an excellent reference.
excellent.......2006-01-14
I found this book is excellent. It concisely covers many finer
points of c++ language, which are not fully explained
in many other similar books. Of course, your understanding of
this book will be greater if you have already studied c++ for
a while.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent as a Historical Text Book
- Not very good...
- A very useful beginners guide to American film.
- Movie spoiler
|
American Cinema/American Culture
John Belton
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Anatomy of Film
ASIN: 007004466X |
Book Description
Developed to accompany the Annenberg-funded telecourse American Cinema, and written under the aegis of The New York Center for Visual History, this text offers a fascinating look at the interplay between the movie industry and mass culture in America.
Ideal for film appreciation and film and culture courses found in Cinema Studies, English, History, American Studies, or other departments, American Cinema/American Culture first examines the industry, its narrative conventions, and its cinematographic style.
Following this introduction, students are exposed to the sweep of film history in the U.S. using five genres as the bases for discussion and focusing on the point at which each had the greatest affect on the industry, film aesthetics, and American culture.
Finally, the book concludes with a look at Hollywood post World War II, giving separate chapter coverage to the effects of the Cold War, television, the counterculture of the Sixties, directors from the film school generation, and the trends of the Eighties and Nineties.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent as a Historical Text Book.......2007-03-24
So, I expected this book to be a bit more fun. Unfortunately, the fun element is missing. However, in fairness, the book serves as a thorough textbook for the history of American Cinema and its techniques and various genres. I did enjoy reading about the early studio system and the vast amount of control this oligopoly held. There were some very good critiques and studies of specific films, and a bit about specific actors and actresses. Even a bit about directors. Though packed with information, the book just lacks an entertainment value that it could and should have pulled off based on the subject matter.
The different genres studied include:
Westerns
War Movies
Silent Films
Film Noire
Screwball Comedies
As well as an overall dissertation on Classical Hollywood Style and its various techniques.
Not very good..........2005-03-05
I got this book for a class on the history of cinema. Unfortunately, as the title implies, it only deals with American Cinema. If this is a book for school, check out the class to see if foreign films and film history will be discussed. This book is, again, as the title implies--one-sided. Most of the movies it discusses, gives away crucial plot-points and endings. Some movies that I've been dying to see were ruined in just one or two sentences. This book is also very puffed-up and biased (I don't know any other way of explaining it). Many times throughout the book, Belton seems like James Lipton of "Inside the Actor's Studio", and goes on and on about the greatness of Hollywood, actors, director's, and films with nothing negative to say. It's not at all critical of anything and the author frequently inserts his own interpretation of films into the general text, which I found a little pompous. The book does offer up some interesting facts about the early history and the birth of cinema, but there's something about the way this book was written that makes it hard to stay interested. I think the chapters about film genres exaggerate the importance of some of them, and neglects other genres completely, ie. Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Sci-fi, Animation, Epics, etc. Again, question the instructor and/or look at the class syllabus before siging up if this is the only book for this class. I don't believe this is a comprehensive and unbiased view of cinema and it's history.
A very useful beginners guide to American film........2003-01-08
Years ago I took an intro-level film class at a community college. This was the text for the class. It was accompanied (at least in my class) by a PBS video series that combined film clips with interviews and historical information. Going into the class I had little more than a passing interest in film and film history. But after taking that class, my passion for film has grown exponentially with each year. But back to the book, I really liked this book and highlighted my way from the front cover to the back cover. There are of course limitations to this book. Firstly, it deals only with American films. Secondly, this book barely breaks the 300-page mark - hardly a comprehensive volume. You aren't going to get any information on John Cassavetes here or anything. Now if you have a chance to use this book in conjunction with the PBS films, I think you'll do much better (in fact I think the vids even give a nod to Cassavetes), but even then please note that this material is for an INTRO-level film class, and won't be much good for someone who already knows a fair amount about American film. But with that in mind, the book still has a lot to offer someone looking to introduce themselves to film history.
The first third of the book starts with the birth of film, moves quickly on to the Hollywood studio system, and walks us through the basics of film style (camerawork, lighting, editing, etc.). The second third covers the basics of film genre; there is a chapter about film noir, one on comedies, one on war films, and one on westerns. This second section was particularly useful to me. I could read each chapter, jot down a list of promising titles, hit my local video store, and I was good to go. The third section covers American film after World War II. In this section things seem a little compressed. 110 pages for 50 years of film? A lot is lost on the cutting room floor. But there's lots to dig into all the same. There's a chapter on Hollywood during the McCarthy years (yikes!), one on film's evolution during the emergence of television, a chapter on 1960s counterculture films, one on the film school directors of the 1970s and 1980s, and finally a pretty weak chapter on film in the 1990s. Oh yeah, and at the end of the book there's a handy glossary (in case you're ever stuck on what point-of-view editing is) and a pretty thorough index.
Again, not a book for someone who already has a good feel for film history. But definitely a great resource for someone new to film studies, or for someone who has trouble finding a movie at Blockbuster on Fridays. It did a great job getting me excited about movies, and I imagine its done the same for others.... A good companion to this text (or possibly an all-out replacement of it) is Scorsese's VHS/DVD, "A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies."
Movie spoiler.......2002-10-08
This would be a great book to read if you have no intention of watching the films discussed within, or if you've already seen them. On quite a few films, it tells the whole plot, in detail, from opening to end credits.
I also don't like the prose of the author, as he excessively uses sentences "in quotations". The writing structure is very formulaic and boring. The "5 paragraph essay" format is good for high school students learning to write, but imagine an entire book written that way. I can only read it for 15 minutes before losing interest.
The book does, however, provide plenty of examples from a variety of films.
This book is a companion piece to the PBS series by the same name. The series is much more interesting. Don't bother with the book. A much better film text is "Film: An Introduction", by William Phillips, ISBN: 0312258968.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Experience.......2007-06-23
This book is an excellent well of experience for budding project managers out there. It focuses on the "Why" and while short on the how, never pretends to be a 'how-to' book. I learned something from every chapter.
The First VSTS Book You Should Read.......2006-08-30
This book is a terrific high to mid level introduction to Visual Studio Team System, Microsoft Solutions Framework, and the overall philosophies and strategies behind Microsoft's ambitious undertaking. It provides terrific VSTS coverage, but it's also one the best overviews of modern software development approaches available today.
It's required reading for our instructors and mentors, and I recommend it to every one of our class and workshop participants.
Highly Recommended.......2006-08-09
Gives a nice peek into the "why" as opposed to the "how". I have read all the VSTS books that are out there right now and I appriciated this one very much. It was an easy read, but very informative.
Wealth of theory and practices.......2006-08-09
This book provides wealth of theory and practices for software development. It throughly explained the ideas behind Visual Studio Team Studio, just like the author said, it's not a how-to book, but will let you know why VSTS provides those functionalities, and what benefit would you get if you follow the practices.
All in all, it's a must before you use VSTS to run your projects.
A great intro into building business software.......2006-07-09
Forget the production mention in the title; this is a true book on Software Engineering. This book actually addresses the real problems that occur in development: vague requirements, changing scope, not enough time to test all the features, warts and all.
The beginning discussion includes an overview of traditional project management techniques, such as gannt charts, earned-value-analysis, and task breakdowns. The author then explains how software products are intangible and unique, and goes on to cover agile methods. I was particularly impressed with his explanation of the 'value up' technique, which pulls together all of the agile concepts like measured running tested features and quick software releases.
Perhaps the best explanations are in the area of software metrics; how to measure bug count, code coverage, and work products completed vs. the product backlog. The view of metrics proposed in the book is surprisingly mature; the book discusses tradeoffs of various metrics and the concept of dysfunction. I was particularly surprised to find myself taking mental notes as I read the book, tracking all the new ideas to try in the office.
Of course, the title is "Software Engineering With Microsoft Visual Studio Team System", and all of the graphs and charts are generated using Microsoft Software. The book is not tutorial in nature; it concentrates on the essence of development, and not how to click what wizard to generate what graph. Instead, the examples demonstrate how the metrics are integrated within the Microsoft tool, and how much easier it would be to gather metrics within the team system. (Given the title, that has to be expected.)
Overall, I would recommend this for new college graduates without a background in software engineering, 'traditional' software engineers seeking an introduction to agile methods, or Quality Analysts seeking an introduction to Agile Metrics. Surprisingly enough, Team System is not a requisite; but if you are developing in MSVS Team System, I would upgrade it the review to 'highly recommended', or 4.5 stars.
Book Description
- A team of Microsoft insiders shows programmers how to use Visual Studio 2005 Team System, the new suite of products from Microsoft that can be used for software modeling, design, testing, and deployment
- Focuses on practical application of the tools on code samples, development scenarios, and automation scripting
- This timely book serves as both as a step-by-step guide and as a reference for modeling, designing, and coordinating enterprise solutions at every level using Team System
- The book begins with an overview of Team System and then offers nuts-and-bolts guidance on practical implementation
- Code examples are provided in both VB.NET and C#
Customer Reviews:
Good book, but lacks integration.......2007-04-04
This is a very good book, and covers a lot of information and has a very easy to understand language.
But it could have a sample project covering all steps from the beggining to the end.
Too much overview, no real life examples.......2007-03-23
This book is just one of those books covering everything, and actually nothing in detail.
A Big Book on a Big Software System.......2006-07-03
Big software systems such as an operating system, a database, or an integrated business package have grown where they cannot be the product of a single individual. Hence programming teams have been forced to develop. Teams have been forced to further divide into specialties such as architect, developer and tester. With all this has come the problems associated with integrating the output of the members of the team who may well be geographically dispersed (Did anybody mention India?) and may have communications difficulties.
Microsoft's answer to this is the Visual Studio Team System. It's a quite sophisticated system for the record keeping and organizating of a team programming system. Neither the software nor this book is aimed at the complete beginner who has other problems rather than team efforts.
This is one of Wrox's Programmer to Programmer books. It is written by professionals with a view to its use by other professionals.
The one complaint I have, and it's a complaint about the software, not about the book, is that this software system is very Microsoft dependent. Microsoft wants to supply all the system you have on your computers, so instead of standards like UML, Microsoft has re-invented the wheel to use their own technology.
This is a big book, about a big software package. If Visual Studio Team System is what you have decided (or been told) to use, this book is an excellent place to start.
Deep-dive technical usage on implementing and maximizing VSTS.......2006-06-01
This is the book for leverage the power of VSTS. It covers setup and install of VSTS, specific Visual Studio tool enhancements, implementing methodology, extensibility, and overall team integration.
Each of the authors are experts in specific technologies/methodologies that VSTS addresses and they take you through the insides of all the major components of VSTS.
- Sam Guckenheimer's book "Software Engineering with Microsoft Visual Studio Team System" is focused on software engineering and project management using VSTS.
- Richard Hundhausen's "Working with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team System" is an introduction to "What is Team System?"
This book is the technical ins and outs of Team System.
Book Description
How would you like to create your own impressionist landscape, a van Gogh still life, or a surrealist Salvador Dali dream world? Or perhaps a classic Ansel Adams photograph of Yosemite or an authentic-looking 19th century Daguerrotype? You can do all of that and more with Photoshop Fine Art Effects Cookbook.
The book tells you all you need to know to turn your original digital photographs into images that mimic the styles of great photographers and painters. From advice on how to develop an eye for appropriate subject matter to 62 detailed recipes that demonstrate exactly how to create an "original" van Gogh, Vermeer, Edward Weston, or Andy Warhol (among others), this book is an authentic guide to understanding and simulating the work of great artists-and a whole lot of fun.
- Analyzing the styles of great artists: format, composition, angles of view, color palettes, and image textures
- Shooting for digital manipulation, working non-destructively, making your own brushes and patterns
- Creating Daguerrotypes, cyanotypes, stop-motion photographs, cross-processed images, Polaroid transfers, and infrared effects
- Mimicking photographic styles from the pre-Raphaelites and the Naturalists to Jerry Uelsmann and David Hockney
- Exploring painting and printmaking techniques from Rembrandt to Warhol: Dutch portraits, 18th century landscape painting, Japanese woodblocks, Impressionism, Pointillism, Fauvism, Art Nouveau, Cubism, Futurism, Surrealism, and Pop Art
Packed with step-by-step instructions, an inspirational selection of full-color digital imagery, and authoritative information and advice, Photoshop Fine Art Effects Cookbook is the ultimate guide to creating convincing digital masterpieces in the styles of many of the world's greatest artists.
Customer Reviews:
Rhondda Boy.......2007-06-11
I would like to thank John Beardsworth for writing this book as it has given me much pleasure in replicating his creations and following his recipes are so easy. The quality of the printing of the book is superb.I look forward to hours of enjoyment making my own paintings.
Lots of errors.......2007-04-15
The concept is interesting & it is fun to try the different recipes, but many many errors mar the book. Also, some the instructions are less than clear.
Waste of money.......2007-04-04
There are many web sites with better information. Take a look on them.
Great recipes, easy steps, wonderful results........2006-07-09
This book puts you on the fast track to grafting the styles of famous artists into your own work through more than five dozen easy-to-follow recipes. Not surprisingly, you'll find yourself learning more than you originally expected to about Photoshop.
not-so-fast ..........2006-05-04
Earlier this year I reviewed what many will see as the companion volume to this book ("Photoshop Blending Modes Cookbook for Digital Photographers"), written by the same author. Unfortunately, the newer publication is less useful. It seems to have been written on a pretext that it's clever to be able to duplicate what traditional artists can do. This seems - from my own personal viewpoint - to be greatly undervaluing the power of Photoshop (and similar software). Practitioners of digital fine art should (really, constructively) be looking to explore what the principles of prior and traditional art can mean within a new domain.
Plus, the book gets off to a definitely poor start. The second and longer of two introductory sections is titled "The Tricks of the Trade". Well it would be better if just some of the "tricks" had been explained in full and more accurately. Say, how to make a selection in Photoshop from the best available precursor (a black-and-white alpha channel). Or say again, how to make tonal corrections to the original photograph using a luminance mask. Then again, the first (and shorter) of the introductory chapters, titled "The Artist's Eye", is just a teaser. This topic - pre-visualizing what can be achieved as an output image when composing the original photographic input - could have benefited from a much more detailed explanation/argument. Indeed, it could even merit an expansive concluding chapter (but the book doesn't have one of those at all ....). This is, after all, at the very core of what the user could harness to any given artistic objective.
Additionally, I think that it's strange that a book such as this simply makes no reference at all to what could be printed from the recipes it contains. Some of the finished (output) images might look quite intriguing as 3 by 5 inch reproductions in the book - but does the methodology hold up if you're targeting a 20 by 36 inch output (say) on a large format printer? And what to do if that's not the case? Finally, and in common with the earlier companion volume, this book suffers from strange and inconsistent layouts of screenshots and text, plus all sorts of technical and editing omissions/errors (which include, for example, having the wrong screenshot in the wrong recipe - see p.108).
Average customer rating:
- Will get you started, but...
- Nice book to integrate UML/Visio/dot net skills
- UML yes, but
- developer
- You're in for much confusion
|
Professional UML with Visual Studio .NET
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ASIN: 0764543768 |
Book Description
What is this book about?
If you want to use Visio to create enterprise software, this is the book for you.
The integration of Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect and Visio for Enterprise Architects provides a formidable tool. Visio offers powerful diagramming capabilities, including such things as creating UML models, mapping out databases with Entity Relationship diagrams, and aiding the development of distributed systems. Its integration with Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect means that C# or Visual Basic .NET code can be generated from the UML diagrams, and Visual Studio .NET projects can be reverse engineered to UML models.
For the developer already familiar with UML and looking to get the best out of Visio, the Visual Studio .NET and Visio for Enterprise Architects combination is weakly documented, and the quality information needed to realize the time-saving features of Visio just does not seem to be available, until now.
This book presumes that you are already familiar with the basic concepts of UML notation — this book will
not teach you UML. Instead, this book will take you forward into the Visio environment, showing you how to make the most of its software related features.
What does this book cover?
In this book, you'll learn how to
- Diagram business components in Visio
- Generate code from a UML model
- Reverse engineer Visual Studio .NET projects into a UML model
- Reverse engineer into a UML model without source code
- Document the project with UML and Visio
- Design distributed applications with Visio's diagrams
- Work with Entity Relationship database modeling, and round-trip engineering for database design
Download Description
What is this book about? If you want to use Visio to create enterprise software, this is the book for you. The integration of Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect and Visio for Enterprise Architects provides a formidable tool. Visio offers powerful diagramming capabilities, including such things as creating UML models, mapping out databases with Entity Relationship diagrams, and aiding the development of distributed systems. Its integration with Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect means that C# or Visual Basic .NET code can be generated from the UML diagrams, and Visual Studio .NET projects can be reverse engineered to UML models. For the developer already familiar with UML and looking to get the best out of Visio, the Visual Studio .NET and Visio for Enterprise Architects combination is weakly documented, and the quality information needed to realize the time-saving features of Visio just does not seem to be available, until now. This book presumes that you are already familiar with the basic concepts of UML notation this book will not teach you UML. Instead, this book will take you forward into the Visio environment, showing you how to make the most of its software related features. What does this book cover? In this book, you'll learn how to Diagram business components in Visio
Customer Reviews:
Will get you started, but..........2007-03-11
...maybe not the fault of the book, but Visual Studio support for UML isn't that great. In practical use, it is very frustrating and limited. Break out of Visual Studio and get Sparx Enterprise Architect for UML work.
Nice book to integrate UML/Visio/dot net skills.......2004-10-09
There are better books to train developers in individual skills - UML, Visio, dot net. But this book does a nice job tying them altogether - it won't teach you how to model, etc. but does a very good job in applying and integrating all the skills. There are some annoying typos, but no showstoppers.
UML yes, but.......2004-06-19
I do not think that the title of this book is appropriate. The book is about UML but i question the professional bit in the title. The writing is okay but you can tell that different authors worked on the book. Had the book been a little more coherent I would have opted for 4 stars.
developer.......2004-02-13
It is a total mystery to me why this book was written in the first place. From UML standpoint it covers only very basic scenarios. From software perspective it does not cover topics like "..how the hell do I specify .Net attributes and do not lose them in reverse engineering..." or "...why C# documentation is totally incompatible with what Visio produces...". The only thing this book teaches is how to do basic operations, which you probably can figure out on your own after 2 days of pocking around. DO NOT waist you money (I would use 0 star option if it was available)
You're in for much confusion.......2003-12-26
In the best... excuse me---worst tradition of WROX this book is yet another example of incoherent fragments and inconsistent writing. The reason I broke my rule and bought a WROX book is because there's hardly any (if any at all) decent documentation on Visio and it's *real-world* applications by and for developers. No, this book is not a complete waste of money, but it could be a thousand times better. Read on.
The funnies thing about this book is that right from the outset one of the authors promises that the book would cover *one* and only one real-world solution as opposed to other books who feed you different examples all the time. I read this book from cover to cover and yet... every chapter laid out a different example! ? Note to authors: can you guys at least talk to each other? Let along sync up content.
As far as editing goes... Was there editing done at all? You'll see a number of annoying typos and strange grammatical errors. I also found errors in a few diagrams which is worse than typos.
Chapter 1 starts off with a brief introduction and overview of UML and its basic concepts. It's neither comprehensive or clear enough for beginners, nor is it useful for those who are not new to UML.
Chapter 2 is a nice "tour of Visio" even though they messed up a couple of diagrams so don't count on their accuracy. Very much for beginners.
Chapter 3, "Diagramming Business Objects" is worth the money you paid for this book.
Chapter 6, "Documenting the Project" is totally out of place. It goes back to the basic UML diagram, and whoever wrote this chapter, drew the diagrams in a pretty unorthodox way. A bizarre chapter to say the least.
Chapter 8 is another reason you might want to own a copy of this book. It presents a short yet informative introduction to ORM, creating a database from a model and reverse engineering an existing one.
To sum it up, two stars for the effort and *some* useful content. To those who wrote Chapters 3 and 8 thank you. Other than that---a very sloppy job by WROX yet once again. Not worth the money at all. Get it from bookpook.com for much less or download for free from Usenet.
Book Description
Mac users everywhere--even those who know nothing about programming--are discovering the value of the latest version of AppleScript, Apple's vastly improved scripting language for Mac OS X Tiger. And with this new edition of the top-selling AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, anyone, regardless of your level of experience, can learn to use AppleScript to make your Mac time more efficient and more enjoyable by automating repetitive tasks, customizing applications, and even controlling complex workflows.
Fully revised and updated--and with more and better examples than ever--AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition explores AppleScript 1.10 from the ground up. You will learn how AppleScript works and how to use it in a variety of contexts: in everyday scripts to process automation, in CGI scripts for developing applications in Cocoa, or in combination with other scripting languages like Perl and Ruby.
AppleScript has shipped with every Mac since System 7 in 1991, and its ease of use and English-friendly dialect are highly appealing to most Mac fans. Novices, developers, and everyone in between who wants to know how, where, and why to use AppleScript will find AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition to be the most complete source on the subject available. It's as perfect for beginners who want to write their first script as it is for experienced users who need a definitive reference close at hand.
AppleScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition begins with a relevant and useful AppleScript overview and then gets quickly to the language itself; when you have a good handle on that, you get to see AppleScript in action, and learn how to put it into action for you. An entirely new chapter shows developers how to make your Mac applications scriptable, and how to give them that Mac OS X look and feel with AppleScript Studio. Thorough appendixes deliver additional tools and resources you won't find anywhere else. Reviewed and approved by Apple, this indispensable guide carries the ADC (Apple Developer Connection) logo.
Customer Reviews:
A book to be read again and again -- or not at all!.......2007-05-09
No, don't start with "AppleScript: The Definitive Guide." Although I was highly motivated, diligent, and intelligent (if I may say so), Neuburg's exigent, articulate, and idiosyncratic "guide" defeated me, and I had to buy and work all the exercises in another book (Kochan's "Beginning Applescript") to obtain the background needed to appreciate this one.
The highly praised chapter in the first edition about conquering FrameMaker has been moved to an Appendix in the 2nd Edition, but since Neuberg sends the reader there on page 75, it is still useful and timely. It would have been more useful had he chosen a scriptable application that is on every Macintosh, or one, at least, that is shipped with Tiger, so that readers could follow his adventure rather than simply read about it. The worst that would have happened is that a newer modification of the application might have come out, in which case, as with FrameMaker, the reader could read about, but not experience, the process.
'Introductory' books in the liberal arts ("The Discarded Image" by C.S. Lewis comes to mind) are larded with quotations in Greek, Latin, French, and German, not to mention others. In exactly the same spirit, Neuburg shifts shamelessly from AppleScript to Perl, especially, but also to Unix, Objective-C, Python, and JavaScript, not to mention others. If you can't follow such examples -- he tells you that is all right -- you get the point that AppleScript is compatible with these and more, and he has the chutzpah to mention his own JavaScript book if that is your deficiency.
The effectiveness of good programming books diminishes as you move away from the computer. Programming is learnt at the keyboard, not in the lecture hall. That said, this book has an astonishing amount to offer to someone perusing it in an easy chair and mulling things over, rather than trying a succession of incorrect guesses at the keyboard. Kochan's book taught me, quickly and easily, how to move a Finder window around the screen, but when I decided that the window I wanted to move was the one holding the AppleScript program, Kochan left me without a clue. The "Oh, yeah" that finally got it moving occurred to me over a sausage biscuit in a fast food place with Neuburg's book in front of me. He didn't tell me what to do, but his dictionary exposition got me to where I could figure it out for myself.
As other reviewers have pointed out, Neuburg's emphases are upon the obscure, the contradictory, and the difficult. To explain these, he has not bothered with the obvious, the consistent, and the easy. They do not interest him, and he pays us the high (too high) compliment of implying that the obvious, the easy, and the consistent need not be explained at all.
If you wish to learn AppleScript and must learn it on your own, begin with a book (Kochan's, for example) that will make you reasonably competent in a hurry (three months, in my case). Then, when you have discovered that AppleScript is not as easy as you thought, you are ready for Neuburg to confirm your worst suspicions about its intricacies, devastate your casual assumptions about obvious solutions, and give you pride in beginning to learn AppleScript.
If you buy this book, you must read it several times, or you will not learn much of what it has to say.
Excellent book, but even better with Amazon or O'Reilly "search".......2007-04-08
Matt Neuburg's AppleScript book is an excellent overview of AppleScript. Alas, it is limited, as all such books are, by AppleScript's peculiar nature.
The problem is that AppleScript is primarily useful when it interacts with scriptable Applications; this means that many important commands one may think of as belonging to AppleScript belong to Applications instead [2]. If you working to extend an existing script, and decide to research a command in the excellent book index Matt built himself [1], you'll often be frustrated. The command, you see, belongs to the Application, not to AppleScript.
On the other hand, there's a good chance Matt used in the command in one or more examples. In the absence of a companion book entitled "AppleScript for Applications" [3] you'd like to find those examples. Alas, that's where you want a full text search engine.
The good news is, there are two. The even better news is that O'Reilly could make their engine much more visible and useful, with advantages for everyone.
Consider the case of the 'Duplicate' command, which is supported by iTunes (among others) and the Finder (in slightly different ways, no doubt). When I tried Amazon's "search within the book" I discovered several illuminating references. Similarly, O'Reilly allows one to search within the book as a promotion for its Safari eBook library.
The Safari search works well, but they don't want to give away too much for free. You can only read a snippet of information in the search results. A snippet that doesn't, currently, include the page or section number. If you click further you get to the 'buy safari' screen, but you also get to see the section number. Now, you can return to the book and read the information.
O'Reilly could make all of us (and themselves) happy by keeping Safari just as closed as it is today, but merely adding a section reference to the search results they freely expose already.
Here's the win-win for O'Reilly, Matt, Amazon and us:
1. Include the section reference in the initial search results screen.
2. Promote the search facility in every published O'Reilly book and explain how to use it on the O'Reilly book page.
3. If need be, request readers register to obtain this service. O'Reilly doesn't do spam, but they can suggest email subscriptions, RSS feeds, etc during the registration process.
Let us count the wins:
1. Matt's book is suddenly a better book. Readers get more value from it. They use it more. They like it and O'Reilly more.
2. O'Reilly gets ongoing visits from its customers.
3. O'Reilly gets free, regular, promotion of Safari services.
4. Amazon sells more books.
5. O'Reilly does not reduce the value of Safari, they enhance it by introducing users to it without giving it away.
It's a win-win for everyone. I just hope someone at O'Reilly can see the profit in it for them.
john
[1] In my real life I'm a knowledge representation/informatics geek. I have a lot of respect for the unrecognized intellectual labor that goes into producing a truly excellent index. In this case Matt did the work himself!
[2] Many applications may use the same string to refer to somewhat similar functions with slightly different syntax and semantics. This "ontologic dilemma" is a kind of uncontrolled overloading, and it makes AppleScript very challenging to use.
[3] If Matt decides to sell an "AppleScript for Applications" as a Tidbits eBook I'll pay for mine in advance!
Not helpful to a beginner.......2007-02-19
It seems like key pieces of information have been left out of this book, which is very atypical for any of the Definitive Guide series from O'Reilly, and of O'Reilly books in general. I picked up this book because it was the most recently published on the topic, and I'm still confused even after reading it. The first three chapters were on very basic subjects such as why you would want to use Applescript in general, where you would want to use it, and basic concepts. Next, part two is all about the syntax of Applescript, piece by piece. This is all very nice, and it probably is complete and correct, but it is like handing someone a maintenance manual on a washing machine who has never seen one before. Now that I know how to fix a broken one, what do I do with the actual machine itself? Part 3, "Applescript in Action", at first looked promising, but actually it just tells you how to fine tune your applications and shows some advanced features without ever really showing you specific problems that Applescript could solve and then solving them using the language. This is probably a good reference for someone who already is an experienced Applescript programmer, but I didn't find it helpful. I've ordered "Beginning Applescript" by Kochan to try to get some more remedial help on the subject. Hopefully, between these two books I can really learn Applescript, rather than just dabbling in it, which is what I've been doing for some time.
A great book for intermediate or advanced users..........2007-02-13
I'm frankly surprised by some of the reviews which suggest this is a great beginner's book... I really don't think so. It covers a lot of conceptual material which isn't going to help you figure out how to write a basic applescript function. In my opinion, this is a book for moderately experienced scripters who would like to know the inner workings of Applescript, and the critical little items that can cause a script to fail. It provides excellent insight into script objects, recursion, polymorphism, parenting, variable scope, closure, objects, targets/nested targets, references, dereferencing, raw appleevents, and other advanced topics. If you need a book to teach basic programming, I'd recomment Hanaan Rosenthal's book instead. Buy this one after you've finished that one.
Great for top-to-bottom understanding.......2007-02-09
Matt Neuburg has written a great text. It's easy to read and understand, and it's great a for a thorough understanding of the language. The first section of the book doesn't discuss code very much; moreso the practical application for the language in a real-world environment. The second section delves right into code, giving practical examples and helpful tips. After reading the first two chapters of the second section, I was writing simple programs to control applications. Great book for a beginning AppleScript programmer; even better book for a person completely new to programming.
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