Saturday, January 31, 2009

The Little Mac Book Tiger Edition or Geek Silicon Valley

The Little Mac Book, Tiger Edition

Author: Robin Williams

Adopting a back-to-the-basics approach, this best-selling little Mac classic has been revised and overhauled to introduce users to Tiger, Apple's newest version of its revolutionary operating system.

In the gentle, friendly, funny style that generations of computer users have come to know and love, author Robin Williams shows readers how to dive in and start working with the Mac and OS X 10.4 Tiger. Readers will learn how to find their way around the interface; use the desktop, Dock, Finder, and icons; control the mouse; manipulate windows; search with Tiger's new Spotlight feature; save and print documents; and more.

Using straightforward, jargon-free explanations delivered in logical, easy-to-follow sections, Robin is a new user's personal guide, coaching and encouraging users as they learn their way around the magic of the Mac.



Book review: Urban Picnic or Why Some Like It Hot

Geek Silicon Valley: A Circuitry of Places and People--And the Stories That Created Today's High-Tech Lifestyle

Author: Ashlee Vanc

Silicon Valley veterans and newbies alike will want to explore this book that delves into the rich history behind the region that birthed the world's most important industry. Technology journalist Ashlee Vance has captured almost every aspect of the area stretching between San Francisco and San Jose, California, starting with the eager radio and electronics enthusiasts of the early 1900s and ending with the computing powerhouses of today such as Google and Apple. Along the way, the book profiles the people and places that have elevated Silicon Valley to an almost mythic pedestal.
This book delivers Silicon Valley, taking us from success story to failed startup and back again as we drive the roads from San Francisco to Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and San Jose. It's full of profiles of the larger-than-life characters that pioneered the processor, computer, and Internet revolutions. The book's vibrant design includes "Silicon Valley Soundbytes" packed with insider information and trivia, and "Click Here" sidebars, which suggest places to eat, drink, and shop.

Place by place, readers get the inside scoop on all the addresses that count, which include Microsoft research centers; the headquarters of Google, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Sun Microsystems, and Oracle; research powerhouses such as Stanford University, NASA Ames, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; the Computer History Museum and The Tech Museum; the Shoreline Amphitheater; the Churchill Club; and many more.



Table of Contents:
Outline

Introduction: Shockley brings silicon to Silicon Valley

Chapter 1: Palo Alto and Menlo Park
· Federal Telegraph Company
· Stanford University/Stanford Research Park/The Stanford Dish/Silicon Valley Archives
· University Avenue and Stanford Shopping Center: collegiate eateries contrast with high-end mall
· Hewlett-Packard: HP history and background with headquarters address
· HP Garage: Thousands of people a year come by the house to try to see the garage, which a historic market designates as “Birthplace of Silicon Valley”
· Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) – Menlo Park: Fun with high-energy physics. Provides tours daily and hosts thousands of visitors each year
· Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center). Campus located on beautiful, hilly bit of land in Palo Alto.No tours, but it offers talks open to the public every Thursday.
· Sand Hill Road/3000 Sand Hill Road: Where everyone goes to get venture capitol
· SRI International, Menlo Park
· Fairchild Semiconductor

Chapter 2: Mountain View
Shockley Semiconductor Computer History MuseumFenwick & West quintessential SV law firmMicrosoft’s Silicon Valley Campus: SGI: Silicon GraphicsThe Stevens Creek Trail: NASA Ames: SETI Instituteetscape HQGoogle/Googleplex
Chapter 3: Santa Clara andSunnyvale
Intel/Intel Museum/Intel HeadquartersLockheed Martin SunnyvaleSun Microsystems/Sun’s Headquarters AMD Advanced Micro DeviceYahoo Sunnyvale
Chapter 4: San Jose
World’s First Broadcasting Station: KQWIBM’s Almaden Research Center/Magnetic Disk Heritage CenterSan Jose City HallSantana RoweBayWinchester Mystery House/Tours. Thousands go each yearSan Jose State UniversityPulgas Water TempleLick ObservatoryCisco Systems The Tech Museum of Innovationhildren’s Discovery Museum
Chapter 5: San Francisco
Green Street LabThe ExploratoriumThe Wave OrganThe Letterman Digital Arts CenterMoscone CenterThe MetreonCraigslist.orgGolden Gate Yacht ClubSilicon Justice: San Francisco’s courthousesElectronic Frontier FoundationMicrosoft Research CenterGenetechCalifornia Academy of SciencesBay Area Laboratory Co-operativeTechnology Publishers RowAT&T ParkMonster/Candlestick Park

Chapter 6: Out and About in Silicon Valley: The Surrounding Scene
Windy HillOracle, Redwood ShoresHiller Aviation Museum, San CarlosJoint Genome Institute, Walnut CreekAtari, SunnyvaleElectronic Arts, Redwood CityLawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Discovery CenterSandia National Laboratories, LivermoreExcite@HomeAlviso: Home of Tivo Drawbridge (ghost town)Apple Computer, Cupertino
Drive the Valley: Best Routes for Seeing it All

Suggested Reading

Surf the Valley

Index

Friday, January 30, 2009

Advanced VBScript for Microsoft Windows Administrators or Joel Whitburn Presents Songs and Artists

Advanced VBScript for Microsoft Windows Administrators

Author: Don Jones

Get the in-depth guidance you need to take your Windows scripting skills to the next level. Enterprise-level Windows administrators who have experience with Windows scripting will learn advanced VBScript techniques, including Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) scripting, security scripting, building hypertext applications for script graphical interfaces, remote scripting, database scripting, and scripting for Group Policy. You will continue to build your skills by creating scripts to work with Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Operations Manager, and Microsoft Virtual Server. Coverage also includes the latest scripting updates for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Each chapter highlights powerful, ready-to-run, enterprise-level scripts, and the companion CD-ROM includes sample scripts and utilities to help you put your advanced scripting skills to work right away.



Interesting textbook: Malman Sugin Solomon and Heschs the Individual Tax Base or American Capitalism and the Changing Role of Government

Joel Whitburn Presents Songs and Artists: The Essential Music Guide for Your iPod and Other Portable Music Players

Author: Joel Whitburn

Be a song expert with this handy book from renowned archivists Record Research that lists all the significant songs and essential hits from 1955 to the present. Also included are recommended playlists of each half-decade's biggest hits, as well as compilation suggestions for many types of events, activities, and moods, including road trips, stadium/sports, weddings, workouts, Christmas, and much more. New categories this year includes Hot Video Clips and new artists that charted in 2006-07.



Thursday, January 29, 2009

Going Digital or Total Global Strategy II

Going Digital: Simple Tools and Techniques for Sharing and Enjoying Your Digital Photos and Home Movies

Author: Alex L Goldfayn

Get digital prints that look better than film, create amazing photo and video DVDs, and even learn to use your camera phone to its maximum potential with this non-technical, easy-to-understand guide

Imagine displaying your photos on your television in big-screen glory, set to your favorite music. Imagine digitizing your old home movies, editing out unwanted parts, and sharing them on DVDs. And imagine sharing photos and movies of your child's first steps moments after they happen -- online, over the cell phone, or even on an electronic picture frame half a world away.

With today's technology, all that is possible -- and more! Going Digital will arm you with the tools and techniques you need to share your digital memories with friends and family -- online and offline, on the computer, and in the living room. Written in down-to-earth language for people with all levels of technological knowledge, it's a user-friendly guide that will change your life -- and your family's.



New interesting textbook: Sociology or Outrage

Total Global Strategy II

Author: George S Yip

Written by the subject's leading academic authority on global strategy. George S. Yip, this edition of Total Global Strategy II addresses the most challenging task faced by multinational companies: how to deal with globalization and the resulting need for globally integrated strategies. Total Global Strategy II covers every aspect of global strategy and global integration and provides a systematic framework for evaluating which elements of strategy to globalize and by how much. This edition also contains numerous examples of global strategy and end-of-chapter questions.

Booknews

Yip (strategic and international management, London Business School) addresses global strategy and global integration challenges faced by multinational companies, and provides a systematic framework for evaluating which elements of strategy to globalize and by how much. This second edition reflects changes occurring in the field over the past 10 years, and contains examples of global strategy and chapter questions, plus worksheets for evaluating core strategy. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)



Table of Contents:
Preface to the Second Edition
Preface to the First Edition
Ch. 1Understanding Global Strategy1
Ch. 2Diagnosing Industry Globalization Potential28
Ch. 3Building Global Market Participation64
Ch. 4Designing Global Products and Services90
Ch. 5Locating Global Activities107
Ch. 6Creating Global Marketing140
Ch. 7Making Global Competitive Moves171
Ch. 8Building the Global Organization182
Ch. 9Regional Strategy222
Ch. 10Measuring Industry Drivers and Strategy Levers238
Ch. 11Conducting a Global Strategy Analysis253
AppWorksheets for Evaluating Core Strategy272
Bibliography276
Company Name Index287
Subject Index291
Author Index297

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Everquest 2 or Getting to Know ArcView GIS

Everquest 2: Kingdom of Sky: Prima Official Game Guide

Author: IMGS

Your Guide to the Highest Levels of Everquest II

· Detailed Kingdom of Sky maps and zone descriptions
· Complete tutorials & walkthroughs
· Redesigned class abilities, tactics & strategies
· Complete zone connection flowcharts
· All-new achievement system revealed



Table of Contents:
Gazetteer4
Realm of Twilight4
Tenebrous Tangle notes4
Tenebrous Tangle quests4
Tenebrous Tangle map5
Halls of Seeing map7
Halls of Seeing notes7
Lyceum of Abhorrence notes8
Lyceum of Abhorrence map8
Sanctum of the Scaleborn notes9
Sanctum of the Scaleborn map9
Sanctum o.t. Scaleborn quests10
Temple of Scale map11
Temple of Scale notes13
Temple of Scale quests13
Realm of Dawn13
Barren Sky notes13
Barren Sky map14
Barren Sky quests16
Ascent of the Awakened map15
Ascent of the Awakened notes18
Nest of the Great Egg map17
Nest of the Great Egg notes20
Palace of the Awakened map19
Palace of the Awakened notes20
Palace of the Awakened quests20
Vaults of El'Arad map21
Vaults of El'Arad note23
Realm of Night23
The Bonemire notes23
The Bonemire quests23
The Bonemire map24
Blackscale Sepulcher map25
Blackscale Sepulcher notes28
Deathtoll map26
Deathtoll notes28
Den of the Devourer map27
Den of the Devourer notes30
Laboratory of Lord Vyemm map29
Laboratory of Lord Vyemm notes30
Upper Halls of Fate notes30
Upper Halls of Fate map31
Hallmark, Language, Miscellaneous Quests32
Zone Connection Charts33
Qeynos/Freeport33
Overland & Adventure Packs34
Desert of Flames35
Kingdom of Sky35
Races36
Race Highlights36
Barbarian121
Dark Elf85
Dwarf129
Erudite149
Froglok36
Gnome145
Half Elf165
Halfling161
High Elf89
Human109
Iksar93
Kerra125
Ogre141
Ratonga105
Troll133
Wood Elf137
The Queen's Colony37
Queen's Colony quests38
Queen's Colony map39
Outpost of the Overlord43
Outpost o.t. Overlord quests44
Outpost of the Overlord map45
Travel48
Mariner Bells48
Horses & Carpets48
Griffon Towers48
Voyage By Sea49
Desert of Flames49
Kingdom of Sky49
There and Back Again (changing recall points)49
Traits, Tactics, Training & Traditions50
Personal Traits50
Enemy Tactics50
Specialised Training50
Racial Traditions50
Experience, Mentoring & Death51
Soloing, Grouping & Raiding52
Heroic Opportunities55
Player vs. Player58
Arena Champions60
Battling as a PC60
Battling as an Arena Champion60
Arena Champion List60
Arena Awards61
Guilds62
Forming a Guild62
Ranks Within a Guild62
A Tale of Two Cities62
Guild Tool62
Guild Bank63
Basic Guild Commands64
Guild Levels, Writs & Status Points64
Guild Rewards65
Housing66
Access66
Visiting66
Customizing66
House Vaults66
Selling From Your Home66
Housing Costs & Features67
Moving to a New Home68
Pets68
Classes69
Spells & Combat Arts70
Costs70
Spell Versions & Upgrades70
Ranges (In General)70
Spell & Art Stats70
Adventuring Professions71
General Skills71
Equipment Skills & Proficiencies71
Abbreviations71
Mage
Warlock72
Warlock Abilities (stats)74
Wizard76
Wizard Abilities (stats)78
Conjuror80
Conjuror Abilities (stats)82
Necromancer84
Necromancer Abilities (stats)86
Illusionist88
Illusionist Abilities (stats)90
Coercer92
Coercer Abilities (stats)94
Scout
Ranger96
Ranger Abilities (stats)98
Assassin100
Assassin Abilities (stats)102
Swashbuckler104
Swashbuckler Abilities (stats)106
Brigand108
Brigand Abilities (stats)110
Dirge112
Dirge Abilities (stats)114
Troubador116
Troubador Abilities (stats)118
Fighter
Berserker120
Berserker Abilities (stats)122
Guardian124
Guardian Abilities (stats)126
Paladin128
Paladin Abilities (stats)130
Shadowknight132
Shadowknight Abilities (stats)134
Monk136
Monk Abilities (stats)138
Bruiser140
Bruiser Abilities (stats)142
Priest
Templar144
Templar Abilities (stats)146
Inquisitor148
Inquisitor Abilities (stats)150
Warden152
Warden Abilities (stats)154
Fury156
Fury Abilities (stats)158
Mystic160
Mystic Abilities (stats)162
Defiler164
Defiler Abilities (stats)166
Achievements168
Mage
Sorcerer (Warlock, Wizard)169
Summoner (Conjuror, Necromancer)170
Enchanter (Illusionist, Coercer)171
Scout
Predator (Ranger, Assassin)172
Rogue (Swashbuckler, Brigand)173
Bard (Dirge, Troubador)174
Fighter
Warrior (Berserker, Guardian)175
Crusader (Paladin, Shadowknight)176
Brawler (Monk, Bruiser)177
Priest
Cleric (Templar, Inquisitor)178
Druid (Warden, Fury)179
Shaman (Mystic, Defiler)180
Crafting & Recipes181
Techniques181
Abbreviations181
Harvesting Guide182
Recipes (Levels 61-70)183

Book review: Get Healthy Get Happy or Muybridges Human Figure in Motion

Getting to Know ArcView GIS: The Geographic Information System (GIS) for Everyone

Author: Editors of ESRI Press

This book was a team effort. At ESRI our reputation is built on contributing our technical knowledge, special people, and valuable experience to the collection, analysis, and communication of geographic information. This book was written in an easy to follow format that will give you a better understanding of what ArcView GIS can do for you.

Please read the chapter excerpt section of this page for more information.



Monday, January 26, 2009

Poly Modeling with 3ds Max or Digital Collage and Painting

Poly-Modeling with 3ds Max: Thinking Outside of the Box

Author: Todd Daniel

Poly-modeling is a modeling technique used in 3d modeling. Unlike box modeling, or other forms of modeling where you start out with a basic form or primitive object that determines the mass of an object, artists can use the polygon (the basic building block of all of the primitives available in 3ds Max). This approach allows for more control over the flow, placement and detail of the meshes that are built. Placement of vertices/points, edges and all other sub-elements that build our models is determined by the user, rather than pre-determined by a computer generated primitive.

This book is a collection of tips, tricks and techniques on how to create professional models for advertising on T.V and the web. The author has tons of industry experience using Max toward this end, and he shares the secrets of his trade. As Production Modeler for GuerillaFx, one of today's hottest studios, Daniele has high-profile clients that include Coke Zero, MTV, Old Navy, Nike, Target, and HP. Todd Daniele brings this real-world experience to the book. Daniele teaches the technical aspects of poly-modeling, while showing how to ultimately create content in a dynamic, efficient manner.

Associated web site offers instructional files that show the models in progressive stages of development; plus a supporting internet forum: readers can log-on to this forum to ask questions or comment on anything covered in the book.

--Official Autodesk technique series book. We have the Autodesk green light for inclusion in the series.
--Collection of tips, tricks and techniques on how to create models for advertising, T.V and the web.
--Unique focus on polymodeling over box modeling.
--Quick techniques for deadline crunch - to speed workflow.
--Detailed exercises to take you step-by-step through the process of creating high quality models in a short amount of time.
--Author Todd Daniele (who is himself professionally generating Max assets for some of today's hottest studios) shares his insider secrets.



Look this: Introduction to Information Technology or Globalization and Social Policy

Digital Collage and Painting: Using Photoshop and Painter to Create Fine Art

Author: Susan Ruddick Bloom

Digital Collage and Painting proudly showcases the work of twenty-one talented digital artists. Each artist walks you through the creation of a piece of their art and lets you in on their secrets about equipment, software, favorite papers, and how their creative process begins. The artists included are:

Audrey Bernstein Paul Biddle Leslye Bloom
Stephen Burns Luzette Donohue Katrin Eismann Paul Elson Steven Friedman Ileana Frómeta Grillo Bill Hall Julieanne Kost Rick Lieder Bobbi Doyle-Maher Ciro Marchetti Lou Oates Cher Threinen-Pendarvis James G. Respess Fay Sirkis Jeremy Sutton Maggie Taylor Pep Ventosa

* Discover how the computer can be used to paint on photographs, incorporating other visual materials into images
*Learn from step-by-step examples for painting, collage, and panoramics
* The associated website contains the art samples used in the book so that you can practice the different techiques



Table of Contents:
Ch. 1Concept3
Ch. 2Important considerations before you begin11
Ch. 3Inspiration31
Ch. 4Painting in Photoshop with your photos185
Ch. 5Painting in painter239
Ch. 6Assembling a collage in Photoshop331
Ch. 7Assembling a collage in Painter375
Ch. 8The paradox : the absolute truth and the exquisite lie - creating a panorama in Photoshop401
Ch. 9Filters437
Ch. 10Experimentation491
Ch. 11Projects for you509
Ch. 12Essential Photoshop and Painter techniques to master531
Ch. 13Resources581

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Tom Clancys End War or Spring Recipes

Tom Clancy's End War: Prima Official Game Guide

Author: Prima Games

• Maps for each battlefield
• Complete walkthrough of the single player campaign
• Battle-tested combat tactics for the 21st Century
• Proven strategies for the Theater of War persistent online campaign
• Details on all units complete with upgrades



Table of Contents:

Command Training—21st Century, Weapons of War, Advanced Strategy and Tactics, Prelude to War Campaign (tutorial walkthrough), World War III Campaign (single player walkthrough), Theatre of War (online campaign walkthrough), Battlefield Maps, Appendix (Tips from the Team, Xbox 360 Achievements, PlayStation 3 Trophies)

See also: ALS Security Certification or Approaching Quantum Computing

Spring Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach

Author: Gary Mak

Spring addresses most aspects of Java/Java EE application development and offers simple solutions to them. By using Spring, you will be lead to use industry best practices to design and implement your applications. The releases of Spring 2.x have added many improvements and new features to the 1.x versions. Spring Recipes: A Problem–Solution Approach focuses on the latest Spring 2.5 features for building enterprise Java applications.

Spring Recipes covers Spring 2.5 from basic to advanced, including Spring IoC container, Spring AOP and AspectJ, Spring data access support, Spring transaction management, Spring Web and Portlet MVC, Spring testing support, Spring support for remoting, EJB, JMS, JMX, E–mail, scheduling, and scripting languages. This book also introduces several common Spring Portfolio projects that will bring significant value to your application development, including Spring Security, Spring Web Flow, and Spring Web Services.

The topics in this book are introduced by complete and real–world code examples that you can follow step by step. Instead of abstract descriptions on complex concepts, you will find live examples in this book. When you start a new project, you can consider copying the code and configuration files from this book, and then modifying them for your needs. This can save you a great deal of work over creating a project from scratch.

What you’ll learn

  • Installing the Spring framework and Spring IDE, using the Spring IoC container and the Spring application context.

  • Understanding AOP concepts, using classic and new Spring AOP, integrating Spring with AspectJ, andload–time weaving aspects.
  • Using Spring to simplify data access (with JDBC, Hibernate, and JPA) and manage transactions programmatically and declaratively.
  • Building web applications and portlets with Spring Web MVC and Portlet MVC, and integrating Spring with Struts, JSF, and DWR.
  • Understanding the unit testing and integration testing concepts, and Spring’s unit and integration testing support (on JUnit 3.8, JUnit 4, and TestNG).
  • Using Spring’s support for remoting technologies (RMI, Hessian, Burlap, and HTTP Invoker), EJB, JMS, JMX, E-mail, scheduling, and scripting languages.
  • Understanding security concepts (authentication, authorization, and access control), and securing web applications using Spring Security.
  • Managing complex web application page flows using Spring Web Flow, and integrating Spring Web Flow with JSF.
  • Exposing contract–last web services using XFire, and developing contract–first web services using Spring Web Services.

  • Who is this book for?

    This book is for Java developers who would like to gain hands–on experience rapidly on Java/Java EE development using the Spring framework. If you are already a developer using Spring in your projects, you can also use this book as a reference, and you’ll find the code examples very useful.

    You don’t need much Java EE experience to read this book. However, it assumes that you know the basics of object–oriented programming with Java (e.g., creating a class/interface, implementing an interface, extending a base class, running a main class, setting up your classpath, and so on). It also assumes you have basic knowledge on web and database concepts and know how to create dynamic web pages and query databases with SQL statements.



    Saturday, January 24, 2009

    Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition or Cortez Peters Championship Keyboarding Drills W Home Software and Users Guide

    Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition

    Author: Prashant Dhingra

    SQL Server Compact Edition is a slimmed down version of SQL Server that you can use on Pocket PCs, Smart phones, Tablet PCs, and Desktops. With this book, you will learn how to build applications for resource constrained devices. You'll discover how the SQL Server Compact Edition database can also be used as an embedded in-proc database for desktop-based applications. You'll learn how to manage the SQL Server Compact Edition database using SQL Server Management Studio, Visual Studio, and Query Analyzer.

    Laptops, Tablet PCs, and mobile devices enable information workers to access enterprise data from remote locations. With the step-by-step exercises provided in this book, you'll learn how to synchronize data between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact Edition. You'll also learn Remote Data Access - a lightweight method to exchange data between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact Edition. Also in this book are code samples to help you write database applications for mobile devices and for desktop PCs. Throughout the book you'll find expert tips for building and deploying enterprise applications.

    Understand how to:
    -Build mobile and desktop applications using SQL Server Compact Edition
    -Set up the development and production environment with Visual Studio, SQL Server, and SQL Server Compact Edition
    -Optimize performance and plan for security
    -Manage databases using SQL Server Management Studio, Visual Studio, and Query Analyzer
    -Develop applications using ADO.NET and OLEDB provider for SQL Server Compact Edition
    -Upgrade from earlier versions of SQL CE, .NET Compact Framework, and Visual Studio
    -Use Merge Replication to synchronize data between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact Edition
    -Exchange data between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact Edition using Remote Data Access



    Table of Contents:
    Introduction    1


    1              Getting Started with SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition    7


    2              Platform Support and Installation    35


    3              Getting to Know the Tools    63


    4              Managing the SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition Database     109


    5              Defining Database Structure    131


    6              Manipulating the Database     175


    7              Programming SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition with ADO.NET    205


    8              Introducing Native Access     247


    9              Using Operators in SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition    279


    10            Using the Built-In Functions    295


    11            Upgrading from a Previous Version     327


    12            Synchronizing Data with Merge Replication     345


    13            Synchronizing Data with Remote Data Access    411


    14            Securing the SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition Database    459


    15            SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition Performance Tuning    505


    Index     551

    New interesting book: InStyle or Demystifying Anorexia Nervosa

    Cortez Peters' Championship Keyboarding Drills W/ Home Software and User's Guide

    Author: Cortez Peters

    Developed by world champion typist Cortez Peters, Cortez Peters Championship Keyboarding Drills, 4/e presents an effective, individual, diagnostic/prescriptive approach to building keyboarding skills. This program can be used as a five-week to one-semester skill building course or as an adjunct to any keyboarding course.



    Friday, January 23, 2009

    Introduction to Information Systems or Fast Track UML 20

    Introduction to Information Systems: Supporting and Transforming Business

    Author: Efraim Turban

    WHATS IN IT FOR ME?

    Information technology lives all around us-in how we communicate, how we do business, how we shop, and how we learn. Smart phones, iPods, PDAs, and wireless devices dominate our lives, and yet it's all too easy for students to take information technology for granted.

    Rainer and Turban's Introduction to Information Systems, 2nd edition helps make Information Technology come alive in the classroom. This text takes students where IT lives-in today's businesses and in our daily lives while helping students understand how valuable information technology is to their future careers.

    The new edition provides concise and accessible coverage of core IT topics while connecting these topics to Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management, Human resources, and Operations, so students can discover how critical IT is to each functional area and every business.

    Also available with this edition is WileyPLUS - a powerful online tool that provides instructors and students with an integrated suite of teaching and learning resources in one easy-to-use website. The WileyPLUS course for Introduction to Information Systems, 2nd edition includes animated tutorials in Microsoft Office 2007, with iPod content and podcasts of chapter summaries provided by author Kelly Rainer.



    Table of Contents:
    Chapter 1. The Modern Organization in the Global, Web-Based Environment.

    Chapter 2. Information Systems: Concepts and Management.

    Chapter 3. Ethics, Privacy, and Information Security.

    Chapter 4. Data and Knowledge Management.

    Chapter 5. Network Applications.

    Chapter 6. E-Business and E-Commerce.

    Chapter 7. Wireless, Mobile Computing, and Mobile Commerce.

    Chapter 8. Organization Information Systems.

    Chapter 9. Managerial Support Systems.

    Chapter 10. Acquiring Information Systems and Applications.

    Technology Guide 1. Computer Hardware.

    Technology Guide 2. Computer Software.

    Technology Guide 3. Protecting Your Information Assets.

    Technology Guide 4. Basics of Telecommunications and Networks.

    Technology Guide 5. Basics of the Internet and the World Wide Web.

    Glossary.

    Index.

    Book review: Wanderlust or Art of the Palate

    Fast Track UML 2.0

    Author: Kendall Scott

    "I was looking for something that would quickly bring me up to date with UML 2.0, while still serving as a good reference manual into the future... This is that book."

    — Dirk Schreckmann, JavaRanch Sheriff (Read the 8 horseshoe review )

    The Superstructure portion of the UML 2.0 specification is 632 pages long! This book is a distillation of the contents of the UML Superstructure document and captures the essential information for you. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a set of tools and techniques for capturing the analysis and design of the software development process.

    Through the use of standard diagrams for such concepts as use cases, interactions, and collaborations, among many others, Fast Track UML 2.0 explores the modeling techniques and the changes since the UML 1.3 standard. Kendall Scott presents a new look at the contents of the UML Superstructure document without overloading you with details.



    Thursday, January 22, 2009

    Microsoft Office Project 2003 Bible or Microsoft Office 2000 9 in 1 for Dummies Desk Reference

    Microsoft Office Project 2003 Bible

    Author: Elaine Marmel

    * A comprehensive, soup-to-nuts resource that shows business people how to master the latest version of this popular project-management software
    * Begins with an overview of project management basics and moves on to showing how to create a new project, track a project's progress, and work in groups
    * More advanced topics discussed include customizing Project, using macros, and importing and exporting information
    * Includes coverage of building tasks, using views, modifying the appearance of a project, and resolving scheduling and resource problems, plus new sample projects and a new chapter on using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and VBScript with Project
    * Provides expanded coverage of Project Server-installation, hardware and software requirements, and software configurations-all needed to ensure that Project Server is administered and used effectively
    * CD-ROM includes sample projects, bonus appendixes, and demo software.



    Go to: The End of the Professions or Printing Estimating

    Microsoft Office 2000 9 in 1 for Dummies Desk Reference: 9 Books In 1: Windows 98, Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, FrontPage, Publisher, PhotoDraw

    Author: Alison Barrows

    Microsoft Office 2000 9 in 1 For Dummies Desk Reference contains all the great things that you need to know when using Windows 98 or any of the Microsoft Office 2000 products. You can go out and buy a different book for Windows 98 and each of the Office products, but who’s going to carry them home for you? This guide doesn’t pretend to be a comprehensive reference for every detail of these products. Instead, it shows you how to get up and running fast so that you have more time to do the things that you really want to do.

    This book is for you if



    • You’ve never used a Windows-based computer but you want to get started in Windows 98 and all those Office 2000 products

    • You have used a Windows-based computer before as well as some Office programs, but you never really got the hang of them

    • You have no idea what Microsoft Office really is, but you’ve been told that it's the software you need

    • You heard about all those power users who can take full advantage of the integrated products from Microsoft Office and you want to join their ranks

    • You think that you know everything about Windows and Microsoft Office but you need a good reference for when your memory fails you



    If you want to help yourself quickly and easily, this guide can help.

    Each section of Microsoft Office 2000 9 in 1 For Dummies Desk Reference has handy thumb tabs so you don't get lost. The sections fall into a rough order of popularity among Office users, including:



    • Windows 98

    • Word 2000

    • Excel 2000

    • Access 2000

    • Outlook 2000

    • PowerPoint 2000

    • FrontPage 2000

    • Publisher 2000

    • PhotoDraw 2000



    Without being cumbersome, Microsoft Office 2000 9 in 1 For Dummies Desk Reference strives to include in one book all the important details you can probably locate in individual books but would really like to have in one source. What a deal!



    Table of Contents:
    Introduction.

    Book 1: Windows 98.

    Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Windows 98 Desktop.

    Chapter 2: Getting Started (And Stopped) in Windows 98.

    Chapter 3: Working with Windows (Within Windows).

    Chapter 4: Dealing with Toolbars.

    Chapter 5: Dialog Boxes and Menus.

    Chapter 6: The Lowdown on Files and Folders.

    Chapter 7: File and Folder Management.

    Chapter 8: Getting Involved with the Active Desktop.

    Windows 98 Index.

    Book 2: Word 2000.

    Chapter 1: Word 101.

    Chapter 2: Saving, Naming, Deleting, and Exiting.

    Chapter 3: Changing the Look of Your Document.

    Chapter 4: Editing Made Easy.

    Chapter 5: Basic Formatting.

    Chapter 6: Advanced Formatting.

    Chapter 7: Envelopes, Labels, and Form Letters.

    Chapter 8: Making Your Work Go Faster.

    This Time.

    Chapter 9: Getting Really.

    Chapter 10: Constructing the Perfect Table.

    Chapter 11: Drawing and Inserting Things into Your Document.

    Chapter 12: Doing Some Desktop Publishing.

    Chapter 13: Web Publishing.

    Word 200 Index.

    Book 3: Excel 2000.

    Chapter 1: Getting to Know Excel 2000.

    Chapter 2: Working with Workbook Files.

    Chapter 3: Working with the Worksheets in Your Workbook.

    Chapter 4: Entering Worksheet Data.

    Chapter 5: Editing the Data You Enter.

    Chapter 6: Making Your Work Look Good.

    Chapter 7: Selecting, Copying, and Moving Your Data.

    Chapter 8: Using Formulas and Functions.

    Chapter 9: Managing and Analyzing Your Data.

    Chapter 10: Taking Advantage of Pivot Tables.

    Chapter 11: Charting the Excel Way.

    Changing a chart's location.

    Chapter 12:Getting Your Work on the Web.

    Excel 2000 Index.

    Book 4: Access 2000.

    Chapter 1: Access Basics.

    Chapter 2: Creating and Navigating a Database.

    Chapter 3: Tables: A Home for Your Data.

    Chapter 4: Getting Your Tables Just Right.

    Chapter 5: Working with Fields.

    Chapter 6: Manipulating Your Data.

    Chapter 7: Queries: Getting Answers from Your Data.

    Chapter 8: More Fun with Queries.

    Chapter 9: Using Aggregate Calculations and Building Expressions.

    Chapter 10: Reporting Results.

    Chapter 11: Changing the Look of Your Report.

    Chapter 12: Forms for Displaying and Entering Data.

    Access 2000 Index.

    Book 5: Outlook 2000.

    Chapter 1: All About Outlook.

    Chapter 2: Getting Going with E-Mail.

    Chapter 3: Reading and Replying to Your Mail.

    Chapter 4: Making Your E-Mail Life Easier.

    Chapter 5: Using the Calendar.

    Chapter 6: Tasks for Everyone.

    Chapter 7: Working with Your Contacts.

    Chapter 8: Tracking Activities with Journals.

    Chapter 9: Managing Outlook Notes.

    Outlook 2000 Index.

    Book 6: PowerPoint 2000.

    Chapter 1: Getting Started with a PowerPoint Presentation.

    Chapter 2: Sliding into Your Presentation.

    Chapter 3: Laying the Groundwork with Templates.

    Chapter 4: Using and Abusing Masters.

    Chapter 5: Adding Text to Your Presentation.

    Chapter 6: Making Your Text Look Presentable.

    Chapter 7: Getting Visual.

    Chapter 8: Manipulating Your Multimedia.

    Chapter 9: Making a Graph(ical) Presentation.

    Chapter 10: Planning the Presentation.

    Chapter 11: Showing Off Your Work.

    Chapter 12: Publishing Your Presentation.

    PowerPoint 2000 Index.

    Book 7: FrontPage 2000.

    Chapter 1: Getting to Know FrontPage 2000.

    Chapter 2: Starting Your Webbing .

    Chapter 3: Getting Organized Before It's Too Late.

    Chapter 4: Laying the Groundwork for Your Web Pages.

    Chapter 5: Getting the Basics on Your Page.

    Chapter 6: Giving Your Pages Something to Look At.

    Chapter 7: Image Editing for Everyone

    Chapter 8: Publishing Your Web Pages.

    FrontPage 2000 Index.

    Book 8: Publisher 2000.

    Chapter 1: Publisher 101.

    Chapter 2: Working with Pages.

    Chapter 3: Objects and Frames.

    Chapter 4: Getting the Word.

    Chapter 5: You Ought to Be in Pictures.

    Chapter 6: Spinning a Web Site.

    Publisher 2000 Index.

    Book 9: PhotoDraw 2000.

    Chapter 1: Your Personal Tour.

    Chapter 2: Getting Pictures into PhotoDraw.

    Chapter 3: Fixing Photos.

    Chapter 4: Adding Text and Dressing Up Photos.

    Chapter 5: Dressed Up and Someplace to Go.

    PhotoDraw 2000 Index.

    Appendixes.

    Appendix A: Starting, Surviving, and Getting Help.

    Appendix B: Printing an Office 2000 Document.

    Appendix C: Binding Office 2000 Documents Together.

    Index.

    Book Registration Information.

    Wednesday, January 21, 2009

    Microsoft Office Live or Poser 7 Revealed

    Microsoft Office Live: Take Your Business Online

    Author: Katherine Murray

    Learn how to use Microsoft Office Live-and take your business online! In this tutorial, well-known author and columnist Katherine Murray gives you an insider's look at the features and capabilities of Microsoft Office Live offerings: Office Live Basics, Office Live Collaboration, and Office Live Essentials. Small businesses with fewer than 10 employees finally have the online capabilities they need to more easily and more affordably establish an online presence, automate key business tasks, and collaborate. With this practical tutorial, you'll discover how to create, manage, and track statistics for your business Web site; manage and store critical business information; and improve business processes. You'll even learn how to stay in touch-from synching up with Office Live Mail, to using on-demand business applications to collaborate and accomplish tasks from anywhere in the world with Internet access. Part inspiration and part "how-to," this guide offers real-world techniques you can use to hit the ground running with Microsoft Office Live!
    Key Book Benefits:
    • Offers an expert overview and exclusive insights from a well-known author, with input from the Microsoft Office Live product group
    • Includes practical tutorials, case studies, and real-world techniques for managing your small business
    • Helps you choose the offerings that are right for your business
    • Shows you how to take your business online-create and manage a Web site, market your site, and track site statistics



    Read also What Works for Bipolar Kids or Pharmako Dynamis

    Poser 7 Revealed: The efrontier Official Guide

    Author: Kelly Murdock

    Poser 7 Revealed: The Official Guide offers a thorough introduction to Poser, explaining how to use the latest version. It is ideal for the beginning reader, using conceptual discussions and elementary, engaging tutorials to explain each topic. Poser can be intimidating for new users. This book tackles the difficulties of working with Poser and includes coverage that explains each amazing Poser feature. The growing popularity of Poser is making it a frequently used program across the globe in a variety of outlets, including design schools, gaming companies, and movie production companies.



    Table of Contents:
    Revealed Series Vision     xxiii
    Author Vision     xxiii
    Learning the Poser Interface     2
    Learn the Interface Controls     6
    Explore the Pose Room     13
    Use the Document Window     21
    Discover the Other Rooms     29
    Configure the Interface and Set Preferences     34
    Get Help     38
    Using the Poser Library     44
    Work with the Library     48
    Load Library Figures     53
    Discover the Library Categories     57
    Save Content to the Library     65
    Remove Content from the Library     72
    Use Content Collections     74
    Editing and Posing Figures     78
    Position Figures Within the Scene     82
    Set Figure Properties and Style     86
    Select Figure Elements     91
    Use the Basic Editing Tools     96
    Use the Parameter Dials     104
    Use Symmetry, Limits, Balance, and Inverse Kinematics     121
    Work with Hierarchies     127
    Working with Files and Accessing Content Paradise     124
    Work with Poser Files     128
    Import 3D Objects into Poser     132
    Import OtherContent     137
    Export from Poser     142
    Access Content Paradise     146
    Load Custom Content     152
    Dealing with Props     160
    Import External Props     164
    Select, Position, and Edit Props     167
    Attach Props to Elements     170
    Replace an Element with a Prop     175
    Create Props from a Selected Group     178
    Use Prop and Conforming Hair and Cloth     181
    Establish a Scene-Cameras and Backgrounds     188
    Learn the Available Cameras     192
    Work with Cameras     197
    Change Camera Parameters     204
    Aim and Attach Cameras     209
    Change the Background     213
    Adding Scene Lighting     220
    Learn Basic Lighting Techniques     224
    Work with Lights     227
    Enable Shadows and Ambient Occlusion     233
    Set Light Materials     239
    Use Image-Based Lighting     242
    Creating and Applying Materials     248
    Learn the Material Room Interface     252
    Create Simple Materials     258
    Create Advanced Materials     264
    Learn the Various Material Nodes      269
    Use Wacros     275
    Create Smoothing and Material Groups     279
    Add Atmosphere Effects     284
    Creating a Face and Facial Expressions     288
    Learn the Face Room Interface     292
    Create a Face from Photos     297
    Change Texture Variation     303
    Use the Face Shaping Tool     307
    Add the Face to the Figure     312
    Work with Expressions     315
    Adding Hair     320
    Learn the Hair Room Interface     324
    Grow Hair     328
    Style Hair     333
    Use Hair Dynamics     339
    Change Hair Material     342
    Working with Dynamic Cloth     346
    Create a Cloth Simulation     350
    Create Cloth     354
    Create Cloth Groups     359
    Simulate Cloth Dynamics     363
    Rigging a Figure with Bones     368
    Access and Edit Existing Bone Structures     372
    Create and Name Bones     375
    Group Body Parts     379
    Use Inverse Kinematics     381
    Use the Joint Editor     387
    Animating Figures and Scenes     392
    Work with Keyframes      396
    Use the Animation Palette     399
    Edit Animation Graphs     407
    Use Animation Layers     414
    Define an Animation Set     417
    Create a Walk Path     420
    Morphing Figures and Using Deformers     426
    Morph Figures     430
    Create Morph Targets     433
    Use a Magnet Deformer     438
    Add a Wave Deformer     441
    Add a Wind Force Deformer     444
    Lip Synching with Talk Deformers     450
    Use the Talk Designer Interface     454
    Work with Sound     459
    Rendering Scenes     464
    Render Images     468
    Access Render Settings     476
    Use the Sketch Designer     483
    Set Render Dimensions     487
    Render Animations     490
    Use Rendering Effects     494
    Using Poser with Other Software     500
    Use Poser with Other e frontier Products     504
    Use Poser with 3D Packages     510
    Retouch Images in Photoshop     514
    Writing Python Scripts     520
    Access Pre-Built Scripts     524
    Edit Python Scripts     530
    New Features in Poser 7      534
    Poser 7 Keyboard Shortcuts     538
    Glossary     544
    Index     550

    Monday, January 19, 2009

    Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 Illustrated Introductory or Microsoft SharePoint

    Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 ? Illustrated Introductory

    Author: David Beskeen

    This Microsoft Office 2007 Illustrated Series book covers the essential information that you need to know about how to use Microsoft PowerPoint 2007. Our signature two-page spread design has been updated and refreshed to take full advantage of the new features of the Office 2007 software. This practical, easy to navigate book provides you with the essential knowledge you need to succeed at both work and beyond.



    Table of Contents:
    Getting Started with Office 2007 Unit A: Creating a Presentation in PowerPoint 2007 Unit B: Modifying a Presentation Unit C: Inserting Objects into a Presentation Unit D: Finishing a Presentation Unit E: Working with Advanced Tools and Masters Unit F: Enhancing Charts Unit G: Inserting Illustrations, Objects and Media Clips Unit H: Using Advanced Features

    Read also La nuova condizione industriale

    Microsoft SharePoint: Building Office 2007 Solutions in VB 2005

    Author: Scot Hiller

    Microsoft SharePoint: Building Office 2007 Solutions in VB 2005 is the third edition of Scot Hillier's market-leading SharePoint book. The new version includes extensive updates from the previous editions, with a complete focus on SharePoint 2007 and its integration with the 2007 Microsoft Office System. This edition also features new approaches for using SharePoint to improve business efficiency, plus new workflow solutions for SharePoint and BizTalk, as well as a brand new chapter on building a SharePoint solution from start to finish.

    With this book, you'll gain intermediate-level guidance to design and deploy business solutions based on Microsoft SharePoint 2007 technologies. And Hillier carefully defines the business cases and scenarios for these new technologies. He reviews the installation, configuration, and administration of business solutions based on Microsoft SharePoint technologies, and provides programming instruction, guidance, and examples for custom web parts and solutions.



    GIMP2 for Photographers or The Artists Guide to GIMP Effects

    GIMP2 for Photographers: Image Editing with Open Source Software

    Author: Klaus Goelker

    Image Editing has become a key element in the photographic workflow. Image editing tools, most notably Photoshop, are usually sophisticated and deep applications - and fairly expensive. The only open source tool in this market is the GIMP, which has developed into a powerful multiplatform system, running on Linux, as well as OS X and Windows.
    This book has evolved from the classroom materials the author developed and used in courses and workshops on Image Editing with the GIMP. It covers the basics of image editing and guides the reader through the functions and tools of GIMP from simple adjustments to more advanced techniques with layers and masks. The more important editing functions are presented in individual workshops. Moreover, the book covers the stitching of panoramic images and preparation of high-quality black and white images.



    New interesting textbook: Your Bodys Red Light Warning Signals or Behind the Smile

    The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects: Creative Techniques for Photographers, Artists, and Designers

    Author: Michael J Hammel

    The GIMP, an image editor whose power and ease-of-use rivals that of Adobe Photoshop, is one of the world's most popular free software projects. Artists and designers have relied on the GIMP since 1995 to retouch photographs, composite multiple images, and create new artwork from scratch.

    The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects shows you how to harness the GIMP's powerful features to produce professional-looking advertisements, impressive photographic effects, as well as logos and text effects. And author Michael J. Hammel, who has used the GIMP since its first public release, won't mince words or waste your time. His extensively illustrated, step-by-step tutorials are perfect for hands-on learning and experimentation.

    After a crash course in using the GIMP's interface and core tools (such as brushes, patterns, selections, layers, modes, and masks), you'll learn:

    * Photographic techniques to simulate ripped edges, create sepia-toned antique images, swap colors, produce motion blurs, alter depth of field, and even fix rips in an old photo
    * Web design techniques to create tiled patterns, navigation tabs, rollovers, and fancy buttons and borders
    * Type effects to create depth, perspective shadows, metallic and distressed text, and neon and graffiti lettering
    * Advertising effects to produce movie posters and package designs; simulate clouds, cracks, cloth, and underwater effects; and create specialized lighting
    * Interface design tips for creating textures, navigation bars, and buttons

    Whether you're new to the GIMP or you've been playing with this powerful software for years, The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects is sure to teach you somenew tricks.



    Sunday, January 18, 2009

    Multimedia or Problem Based Learning for Math and Science

    Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual Reality

    Author: Randall Packer

    The first book to address the true history of computer-based multimedia. Web sites, CD-ROMs, video games, interactive television, virtual reality, touch-screen kiosks, 3D architecture design programs . . . these and other forms of computer-based multimedia will be as important to the twenty-first century as film and television were to the twentieth. But what is multimedia, where did it come from, and how does it work? Multimedia presents the fascinating dialogue between the arts and sciences over the last half-century that made today's multimedia possible. Scientists like Vannevar Bush, Douglas Englebart, Norbert Wiener; artists like John Cage, Nam June Paik, and William Gibson--their groundbreaking visions are brought together here for the first time, given historical context, and embedded in a clear explanation of the core concepts behind multimedia. Multimedia will be required reading for anyone who has built a Web site, studied computer graphics, or wondered at the rapid birth and evolution of the new media now changing every aspect of our lives. Introduction by William Gibson.

    Douglas Rushkoff

    This book may be the Primary Source for years to come. —author of Coercion : Why We Listen to What 'They' Say

    Sara Diamond

    [O]f great value to novices to the field and to serious theorists and educators....testimony to the human imagination.

    Jon Katz

    The best guide yet on a subject of central importance to anyone interested in the future of media.... historically significant. —SlashDot

    Wired

    An evocative whirlwind tour through 100 years of work [of] artists and scientists [in] the field of computer-human interaction... Excellent.

    Boston Globe

    [A]n important book....For anyone who wants to know where multimedia technology is going,or where it has been.

    Annick Bureaud

    Not 'just another reader' but a key source book in the field of art, science and technology history... excellent in all respects. —Leonardo

    Publishers Weekly

    "What we need is a computer that isn't labor-saving but that increases the work for us to do, that... turns us... not `on' but into artists," writes John Cage in his essay in Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual Reality, edited by Randall Packer and Ken Jordan, with a foreword (and an excerpt) by William Gibson. Surveying various artistic disciplines, the editors uncover the intersections of the avant-garde and strict computer science with inclusions like Tim Berners-Lee's 1980s prospectus for the World Wide Web, titled "Information Management: A Proposal," and ignored by his colleagues until he made the software, and his fortune, independently. Contributors include Bauhaus luminary L szl Moholy-Nagy, Cage prot g and performance artist Nam June Paik, and artist Lynn Hershman. Photos and illus. (Norton, $26.95 416p ISBN 0-393-04979-5; Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

    Booknews

    An anthology of 32 reprinted short pieces demonstrate collaborations between art and science, mostly since World War II, but also back into the 19th century. Many are manifestos by artists in a wide range of media. The arrangement is not chronological, but by the thematic integration, interactivity, hypermedia, immersion, and narrativity. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

    Kirkus Reviews

    A comprehensive and ambitious anthology chronicling the history of "the multimedia revolution." With this collection, multimedia experts Packer and Jordan present a sampling of seminal articles by the artists, writers, scientists, musicians, and architects who engineered the 20th century's communication revolution. Each of these authors, from composer Richard Wagner to multimedia artist Nam June Paik, Douglas Engelbart (inventor of the mouse, windows, and e-mail), and beat writer William Burroughs, envisioned modes of artistic expression that penetrated "the fourth wall" dividing art from audience. Each imagined new modes of synthesis or communication that would enable people actively to engage with art, literature, music, and vast stores of information in their everyday lives. Most of these visionaries believed that technology was the key to their efforts—that computers could transform the passive appreciation of art into an active, participatory discourse. Many of these works are very technical, and most require a basic understanding of contemporary debates in art and science. The editors have done readers the invaluable service of providing pithy, astute, contextual summaries of each essay so that readers can pick and choose from among them. In fact, picking and choosing is an appropriate way to read this collection, since Ted Nelson (who coined the terms "hypertext" and "hypermedia" in 1963), William Gibson (to whom we owe the term "cyberspace"), and many others believed that nonlinear reading and writing are ideal (because these forms better mirror the nonlinear workings of the human mind). Gems include Vannevar Bush's 1945 Atlantic Monthly essay that led to the development ofthe "hyperlink," Tim Berners-Lee's 1989 proposal for a decentralized information network that was the foundation for the development of the World Wide Web, media artist Lynn Hershman's description of her groundbreaking multimedia projects, and Marcos Novak's piece about virtual architecture in cyberspace. An unusual exploration of a quiet revolution that changed the world.

    What People Are Saying

    Douglas Rushkoff
    This book may be the Primary Source for years to come.
    — (Douglas Rushkoff, author of Coercion : Why We Listen to What 'They' Say)


    Sara Diamond
    [O]f great value to novices to the field and to serious theorists and educators....testimony to the human imagination.
    — (Sara Diamond, artistic director, media and visual arts, The Banff Centre)




    Interesting textbook: Some Like It Hot or Alabamas Historic Restaurants and Their Recipes

    Problem-Based Learning for Math and Science: Integrating Inquiry and the Internet

    Author: Diane L Ronis

    "Teachers looking for a concise guide to implementing problem-based learning in math and science classrooms: This book is for you!"
    —Debra Gerdes, Professional Development Leader
    Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

    "The purpose of problem-based learning is to emphasize meaning making over fact collecting. With this method, Diane Ronis has written a book that is well equipped to produce self-motivated and independent lifelong learners!"
    —Katie Morrow, Technology Integration Specialist
    O'Neill Public Schools, NE

    Increase students' skills and content retention in math and science!

    What's the best way to create a real-world instructional environment where students are involved in firsthand experiences and where important ideas are connected to meaningful life events that help deepen learners' understanding?

    Diane Ronis demonstrates how the problem-based learning (PBL) method gives students the opportunity to actively explore and resolve authentic problem simulations and student-identified problems in the community while strengthening their problem-solving skills. Updated throughout, this second edition illustrates how to use the PBL inquiry process with Internet resources to create an integrated instructional environment, and also provides:

    • Problem-based learning activities relating to math and science in each chapter
    • Projects that correlate to national science, mathematics, and technology standards
    • Student handouts, evaluation forms, and all the information necessary for successful project completion

    Problem-Based Learning for Math and Science,Second Edition, is the perfect resource for educators who want to expand their teaching repertoire and shift instruction from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered perspective.



    Table of Contents:
    Preface     vii
    Introduction     ix
    The Concepts Explored in This Book     x
    The Standards Used in This Book     xi
    The Goal of This Book     xiii
    Acknowledgments     xv
    About the Author     xvii
    The Integration of Mathematics, Science, Technology, and Problem-Based Learning     1
    Redefining Literacy     2
    Using Problem-Based Learning to Increase Literacy     6
    Relating Technology to Math and Science     10
    Integrating Problem-Based Learning With Cyber-Age Math and Science     13
    Integrated Inquiry Project, Middle Level: Meteorology     15
    Problem-Based Learning and Constructivism     25
    Why Problem-Based Learning Is Brain Compatible     25
    Problem-Based Learning and the Constructivist Model: The Five E's     28
    Teaching in the Problem-Based Learning Classroom     33
    Integrated Inquiry Project, Middle/Secondary Level: Developing Entrepreneurial Excellence     38
    Aspects and Approaches of Problem-Based Learning     45
    Phases of Implementation     45
    Problem-Based Learning Techniques     47
    New Roles for Teachers     56
    Integrated Inquiry Project 1 Middle/Secondary Levels: The RollerCoaster     59
    Integrated Inquiry Project 2 Secondary Level: Building Bridges     71
    Planning Problem-Based Learning for the Classroom     79
    Planning for Integrated Learning     79
    Guidelines for Implementing a Problem-Based Learning Project     81
    Questions to Promote Problem Solving     84
    Integrated Inquiry Project, Multilevel: The Mississippi Delta     87
    Evaluating and Assessing Problem-Based Learning     93
    Alternative Assessments     94
    Types of Authentic Assessment and Evaluation     96
    Integrated Inquiry Project, Multilevel: Architectural Design     108
    Integrating Community Learning Activities Into the Classroom     117
    The National Association of Partners in Education     118
    Organizational Partnerships in Education     125
    Helping Experts Become Teachers     126
    Community Connections: Multilevel Car Project     128
    Cyber Sources for Math, Science, and Technology     137
    Bibliography     143
    Index     149

    Saturday, January 17, 2009

    Cisco CallManager Fundamentals or PowerPoint for Teachers

    Cisco CallManager Fundamentals: A Cisco Avvid Solution

    Author: John Alexander

    Exposes the inner workings of CallManager to help maximize the Cisco IP Communications solution

    • Includes new content on Q.SIG, SIP trunks, video support, hunt lists and line groups, time-of-day routing, new features added in CallManager releases 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.0, and 4.1, and more
    • Updates the only documentation available that details CallManager's inner workings so readers can understand the role each component plays and how they interrelate
    • Fosters a full understanding of how CallManager processes information; how it manages media resources for conferencing, transcoding, annunciation and more; how it interacts with the various protocols; and much more
    • Written by CallManager authorities -- the engineers and technical writer who developed the software and its documentation from CallManager's beginnings

    Cisco CallManager Fundamentals, Second Ed., provides readers with examples and reference information on Cisco CallManager, the call processing component of the Cisco IP Communications solution. It is the only available book and documentation that describes the architectural layers of CallManager and their functionality. With this detailed information, readers learn how CallManager processes calls and manages resources and features. The second edition of Cisco CallManager Fundamentals covers the latest software releases through release 4.1. With this book, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the system and find answers to questions not available through any other source. The book is organized by the major pieces of CallManager: Chapter 1 discusses architecture and provides a history of CallManager evolution; Chapter 2 details call routing; Chapter 3 addresses station devices; Chapter 4 describes voice gateways; Chapter 5 explains how CallManager processes media; Chapter 6 explains manageability and monitoring tools; Chapter 7 describes call detail records. The Appendixes describe CallManager features, solutions that integrate with CallManager, and the signaling protocols CallManager employs.



    New interesting textbook: Frantic Family Cookbook or Cooking and Dining in Medieval England

    PowerPoint for Teachers: Dynamic Presentations and Interactive Classroom Projects (Grades K-12)

    Author: Ellen Finkelstein

    PowerPoint for Teachers is written for especially for teachers like you, who want to use PowerPoint in the classroom to enhance your presentations, teach your students how to use the application, and create interactive educational projects.

    No matter what your level of expertise—just getting started or seasoned pro—PowerPoint for Teachers gives you the step-by-step information you need to introduce PowerPoint into your classroom and offers a great selection of creative projects for your students.

    PowerPoint for Teachers includes the dos and don'ts for best results and



    • shows you how to use PowerPoint most effectively for classroom presentations

    • demonstrates how to use PowerPoint to create interactive applications—including clickable maps, interactive quizzes, and games—all through simple steps, with no programming knowledge needed

    • offers tips on how best to teach PowerPoint to your students

    • contains suggestions for creating the most effective presentations and projects for different age groups.


    In addition, this handy resource includes sample customizable presentations and interactive games and activities that are available for free from the companion website.



    Table of Contents:
    Introduction.

    Is This Book for You?

    Structure of the Book.

    Conventions.

    Icons.

    Fonts, Symbols, and More.

    Companion Web Site.

    Enjoy!

    PART O N E Why PowerPoint?

    ONE Supporting All Aspects of Learning.

    TWO Creating Your First Presentation.

    THREE Multimedia and Learning with PowerPoint.

    FOUR Understanding Best Practices.

    PART TWO Creating Great Projects Using PowerPoint.

    F I V E Interactive Reviews.

    S I X Interactive Maps.

    SEVEN Menu-Based Projects.

    EIGHT Class Games.

    NINE Graded Tests.

    PART THREE Projects and Resources.

    TEN PowerPoint Projects for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 1.

    ELEVEN PowerPoint Projects for Grades 2 to 5.

    TWELVE PowerPoint Projects for Grades 6 to 12.

    T H I RTEEN Online Resources for Teachers Using PowerPoint.

    PART FOUR Teaching PowerPoint to Students.

    FOURTEEN Teaching PowerPoint in Elementary School.

    F I F T E E N Teaching PowerPoint in Middle and High School.

    S I X T E E N Teaching and Using PowerPoint at the College Level.

    APPENDIX A Research on Multimedia and Learning.

    A P P E N D I X B What’s on the Companion Web Site.

    INDEX.

    Adobe Illustrator CS Classroom in a Book or Web 20 and Beyond

    Adobe Illustrator CS Classroom in a Book

    Author: Adobe Creative Team

    Classroom in a Book, the bestselling series of hands-on software training workbooks, helps you learn the features of Adobe software quickly and easily. Classroom in a Book offers what no other book or training program does -- an official training series from Adobe Systems Incorporated, developed with the support of Adobe product experts. Adobe Illustrator Classroom in a Book contains nineteen lessons. The book covers the basics of learning Adobe Illustrator, and countless tips and techniques to help you become more productive with Adobe Illustrator. You can follow the book from start to finish or choose only those lessons that interest you.



    Table of Contents:
    Getting Started1
    A Quick Tour of Adobe Illustrator5
    Lesson 1Getting to Know the Work Area29
    Lesson 2Selection Basics51
    Lesson 3Creating Basic Shapes67
    Lesson 4Drawing with the Pen tool93
    Lesson 5Painting129
    Lesson 6Applying Transparency and Blending Modes153
    Lesson 7Working with Layers169
    Lesson 8Transforming Objects195
    Lesson 9Working with Placement and Order of Objects227
    Lesson 10Applying Appearance Attributes, Styles, and Effects249
    Lesson 11Working with type281
    Lesson 12Blending Shapes and Colors311
    Lesson 13Working with Symbols333
    Lesson 14Working with Brushes and Scribbles353
    Lesson 15Creating Airbrush Effects393
    Lesson 16Using the 3D Effect419
    Lesson 17Printing Artwork and Producing Color Separations447
    Lesson 18Combining Illustrator Graphics and Photoshop Images479
    Lesson 19Creating a Web Publication503
    Working with Version Cue549
    Index557

    Interesting book: Nutrition and HIV or New 8 Week Cholesterol Cure

    Web 2.0 and Beyond: Understanding the New Online Business Models, Trends, and Technologies

    Author: Tom Funk

    "Web 2.0" has taken on buzzword status. It's now shorthand for everything that is new, cutting-edge, and gaining momentum online. Web 2.0 can describe particular Web sites; cultural trends like social networking, blogging, or podcasting; or the underlying technology that makes today's coolest Web applications possible. Many Web 2.0 innovations were pioneered by behemoths like Google, Amazon, Apple, YouTube, and MySpace. But even the smallest, leanest companies can take advantage of the new trends, new and open-source programming tools, and new networks. This book will present a wealth of ideas for any business to quickly and affordably deploy Web 2.0 best practices to gain customers and maximize profits. Web 2.0 is more a series of trends than a basket of "things": --More and more, power is in the hands of individual users and their networks. --Web content is distributed, sorted, combined, and displayed across the Web in formats and places not anticipated by the content creators. --New technology now makes rich online experiences and complex software applications possible, and at a low cost. --Integration is breaking down walls between PCs and mobile devices. Web 2.0 is a landscape in which users control their online experience and influence the experiences of others. Business success on the Web, therefore, now comes from harnessing the power of social networks, computing networks, media and opinion networks, and advertising networks. Web 2.0 takes advantage of higher bandwidth and lighter-weight programming tools to create rich, engaging online experiences that compete with television and other offline activities. With examples and case studies from real businesses, this bookdemonstrates what makes a successful Web 2.0 company, regardless of its size or resources. A non-technical guide, it is aimed squarely at the marketer or business manager who wants to understand recent developments in the online world, and to turn them into practical, competitive advantages.



    Friday, January 16, 2009

    Pivot Table Data Crunching or Ultimate Robot

    Pivot Table Data Crunching

    Author: Bill Jelen

    Become a savvy Microsoft Excel user. Pivot tables are a great feature in Excel that help you organize and analyze data, but not many Excel users know how to use pivot tables. Pivot Table Data Crunching offers a comprehensive review of all the functionalities of Pivot Tables from author Bill Jelen, otherwise known as Mr. Excel from mrexcel.com, and Michael Alexander, a Microsoft Certified Application Developer. The authors' practical scenarios and real-world advice demonstrate the benefits of Pivot Tables and how to avoid the common pitfalls of every day data crunching. Each solution presented in the book can be accomplished with resources available in the Excel interface, making Pivot Table Data Crunching a beneficial resource for all levels of Excel users.



    Table of Contents:

    Introduction.

    1. Pivot Table Fundamentals.

        What Is a Pivot Table?

        Why Should You Use a Pivot Table?

        When Should You Use a Pivot Table?

        The Anatomy of a Pivot Table

          Data Area

          Row Area

          Column Area

          Page Area

        Pivot Tables Behind the Scenes

        Limitations of Pivot Table Reports

        Next Steps

    2. Creating a Basic Pivot Table.

        Preparing Your Data for Pivot Table Reporting

          Ensure Your Data Is in a Tabular Layout

          Use Unique Headings That Occupy Only a Single Row of Data

          Avoid Storing Data in Section Headings

          Avoid Repeating Groups as Columns

          Eliminate Gaps and Blank Cells in Your Data Source

          Apply Appropriate Type Formatting to Your Fields

          Summary of Good Data Source Design

          Cleaning Up Data for Pivot Table Analysis

        Creating a Basic Pivot Table

          Introduction to the PivotTable Wizard

          Drag Fields to the Report

          Adding Fields to the Pivot Table

          Rearranging the Pivot Table

          Revenue by Market and Model

          Watch the Mouse Pointer to Learn Where You Are Dropping a Field

          Redisplay the Pivot Table Field List

          Redisplay the Pivot Table Toolbar

          Activate the PivotTable Wizard

        Keeping Up with Changes in Your Data Source

          Changes Have Been Made to Your Existing Data Source

          Your Data Source's Range Has Been Expanded with the Addition of Rows or Columns

        Next Steps

    3. Customizing Fields in a Pivot Table.

        The Need to Customize

        Displaying the PivotTable Field Dialog Box

        Customizing Field Names

        Applying Numeric Formats to Data Fields

        Changing Summary Calculations

          One Blank Cell Causes a Count

          Using Functions Other Than Count or Sum

        Adding and Removing Subtotals

          Suppress Subtotals When You Have Many Row Fields

          Adding Multiple Subtotals for One Field

        Using Running Total Options

          Display Change from Year to Year with Difference From

          How Much Does Each Line of Business Contribute to the Total?

          Seasonality Reports

          Revenue by Line of Business Report

        Next Steps

    4. Formatting Your Pivot Table Report.

        Using AutoFormat

        Applying Your Own Style

        Setting Table Options

          Grand Totals for Columns

          Grand Totals for Rows

          AutoFormat Table

          Subtotal Hidden Page Items

          Merged Labels

          Preserve Formatting

          Repeat Item Labels on Each Printed Page

          Mark Totals with *

          Page Layout

          For Error Values Show

          For Empty Cells Show

          Set Print Titles

          Formatting a Pivot Table

        Next Steps

    5. Controlling the Way You View Your Pivot Data.

        Showing and Hiding Options

          The Basics of Hiding an Item

          Showing All Items Again

          Showing or Hiding Most Items

          Hiding or Showing Items Without Data

          Hiding or Showing Items in a Page Field

           Showing or Hiding Items in a Data Field

        Sorting in a Pivot Table

          Sorting Using the Advanced Options Dialog Box

          Note the Effect of Layout Changes on AutoSort

          Sorting Using the Manual Method

          Sorting Using the Sorting Buttons on the Standard Toolbar

        Producing Top 10 Reports

        Grouping Pivot Fields

          Grouping Date Fields

          When Grouping by Months, Include Years

          Grouping Date Fields by Week

          Grouping Two Date Fields in One Report

          Order Lead-Time Report

          Grouping Numeric Fields

          Grouping Text Fields

          Grouping and Ungrouping

        Next Steps

    6. Performing Calculations Within Your Pivot Tables.

        Introducing Calculated Fields and Calculated Items

          Method 1: Manually Add the Calculated Field to Your Data Source

          Method 2: Use a Formula Outside of Your Pivot Table to Create the Calculated Field

          Method 3: Insert a Calculated Field Directly into Your Pivot Table

        Creating Your First Calculated Field

          Summarizing Next Year's Forecast

        Creating Your First Calculated Item

          Creating a Mini-Dashboard

        Rules and Shortcomings of Pivot Table Calculations

          Order of Operator Precedence

          Cell References and Named Ranges

          Worksheet Functions

          Constants

          Referencing Totals

          Rules Specific to Calculated Fields

          Rules Specific to Calculated Items

        Managing and Maintaining Your Pivot Table Calculations

          Editing and Deleting Your Pivot Table Calculations

          Changing the Solve Order or Your Calculated Items

          Documenting Your Formulas

        Next Steps

    7. Creating and Using Pivot Charts.

        What Is a Pivot Chart Really?

        Creating Your First Pivot Chart

        Rules and Limitations of Pivot Charts

          Pivot Chart Layout Optimization

          Scatter, Bubble, and Stock Charts Off Limits

          Limitations on Element Size and Location

          Certain Customizations Aren't Permanent

          Create a Dynamic Year-Over-Year Chart

        Alternatives to Using Pivot Charts

          Avoiding Overhead

          Avoid the Formatting Limitations of Pivot Charts

        Next Steps

    8. Using Disparate Data Sources for Your Pivot Table.

        Working with Disparate Data Sources

        Using Multiple Consolidation Ranges

        The Anatomy of a Multiple Consolidation Range Pivot Table

          The Row Field

          The Column Field

          The Value Field

          The Page Fields

          Redefining Your Pivot Table

          Consolidate and Analyze Eight Datasets

        Creating a Pivot Table from an Existing Pivot Table

        Next Steps

    9. Using External Data Sources for Your Pivot Table.

        Building a Pivot Table Using External Data Sources

          Working Around Excel's Data Management Limitations

          About MS Query

          Analyze a Dataset with More Than 83,000 Records with a Pivot Table

        Importing and Using External Data Without the PivotTable Wizard

        Creating Dynamic Pivot Table Reporting Systems

          Create a Standalone Dynamic Pivot Table Reporting System

        Pivot Table Data Options

        Next Steps

    10. Leveraging the Power of OLAP Cubes.

        Defining OLAP?

        Benefits of OLAP Cubes

        Introduction to Data Warehouses and OLAP Cubes

          Operational Data

          Warehousing Your Data

          Enter the Cube

          Cubes Offer Prebuilt Data Views

        Connecting to an OLAP Cube

          Make the Connection to a Local Cube

          Make the Connection to a Server Cube

        Working with an OLAP Pivot Table

          Arranging the Data

          Drilling Into the Cube

          Using Page Fields

        Comparing OLAP Cubes' Pivot Tables to Excel Data

          OLAP Handles More Data, Faster

          Dimensions or Measures

          OLAP Measures Are Already Grouped

          Drill-Through of OLAP Data

          Calculated Fields with OLAP

          Other Pivot Table Features Operate the Same

        Other Considerations When Using OLAP Cubes

          Viewing an OLAP Cube Online

          Writing Back to a Cube

          Setting Actions in a Cube

          Combining Cubes

          Building a Local Cube

        Next Steps

    11. Enhancing Your Pivot Table Reports with Macros.

        Why Use Macros with Your Pivot Table Reports?

        Recording Your First Macro

        Creating a User Interface with Form Controls

        Altering a Recorded Macro to Add Functionality

          Synchronize Two Pivot Tables with One Combo Box

        Next Steps

    12. Using VBA to Create Pivot Tables.

        Introduction to VBA

          Enable VBA in Your Copy of Excel

          Visual Basic Editor

          Visual Basic Tools

          The Macro Recorder

          Understanding Object-Oriented Code

        Tricks of the Trade

          Write Code to Handle Any Size Data Range

          Use Super-Variables-Object Variables

        Versions

        Build a Pivot Table in Excel VBA

          Getting a Sum Instead of a Count

          Cannot Move or Change Part of a Pivot Report

          Size of a Finished Pivot Table

        Revenue by Model for a Product Line Manager

          Eliminate Blank Cells in the Data Area

          Control the Sort Order with AutoSort

           Default Number Format

          Suppress Subtotals for Multiple Row Fields

          Suppress Grand Total for Rows

        Handle Additional Annoyances

          New Workbook to Hold the Report

          Summary on a Blank Report Worksheet

          Fill Outline View

          Final Formatting

          Add Subtotals

          Put It All Together

        Issues with Two or More Data Fields

          Calculated Data Fields

          Calculated Items

        Summarize Date Fields with Grouping

          Group by Week

        Advanced Pivot Table Techniques

          AutoShow Feature to Produce Executive Overviews

          ShowDetail to Filter a Recordset

          Create Reports for Each Region or Model

          Manually Filter Two or More Items in a PivotField

        Control the Sort Order Manually

        Sum, Average, Count, Min, Max, and More

        Report Percentages

          Percentage of Total

          Percentage Growth from Previous Month

          Percentage of a Specific Item

          Running Total

          Special Considerations for Excel 97

        Next Steps

    A. Solutions to Common Questions and Issues with Pivot Tables.

        What does "The PivotTable field name is not valid" mean?

          Problem

          Solution

        When I refresh my pivot table, my data disappears.

          Problem

          Solution

        When I try to group a field, I get an error message.

          Problem

          Solution

        Why can't I group my month fields into quarters?

          Problem

          Solution

        My pivot table is showing the same data item twice.

          Problem

          Solution

        Why are deleted data items still showing up in the page field?

          Problem

          Solution

        When I type a formula referencing a pivot table, I cannot copy the formula down.

          Problem

          Solution

        How can I sort data items in a unique order that is not ascending or descending?

          Problem

          Solution

        How do I turn my pivot table into hard data?

          Problem

          Solution

        Is there an easy way to fill the empty cells left by row fields?

          Problem

          Solution

        Is there an easy way to fill the empty cells left by row fields in multiple columns?

          Problem

          Solution

        How do I add a rank number field to my pivot table?

          Problem

          Solution

        Why does my pivot chart exclude months for certain data items?

          Problem

          Solution

        Can I create a pivot chart on the same sheet as my pivot table?

          Problem

          Solution

        How can I turn my pivot table report into an interactive web page?

          Problem

          Solution

    Index.

    Interesting book: Procedimientos de Matemáticas Comerciales Prácticos

    Ultimate Robot

    Author: Robert Malon

    Ultimate Robot is both a visual feast of the robot in pop culture and a reference guide for collectors of toy, kit, and warrior robot memorabilia - the first definitive guide for all readers fascinated by these amazing mechanical wonders. Packed with over 500 color photographs of all types of robots, from classic tin toys and film androids to Battlebots and futuristic fantasy robots, Ultimate Robot covers the history of robotics, the innovators who made robots possible, a glossary of useful terms, and the robots of tomorrow.

    Author Biography: A chairman of the Automation Hall of Fame and founder of Automation News, Robert Malone has been a leading player in the field of automation for more than 30 years.