Channels and Networks Books

I have studied many books on Digital Communications but the style of the authors from Digital Receivers point of view is quite nice. It starts from very basics and builds up things gradually... I would recommend this book to every Communication Engineer who is interested in Estimation and Detection !

This is an extremely useful book for any Digital Communication System designer or engineers who wish to develop digital transmitters and (especially) receivers for a given system. Covers all aspects, including recent developments and classic algorithms used for synchronization of digital communication systems. Phase synchronization, timing offset estimation, and frequency offset synchronization are treated in detail. A particularly interesting section about effect (degradation) due to non-synchronized receiver is given. I could not quantitative and intuitive treatment of this topic anywhere else. However, this book is recommended only to those who understand the basic communication theory very well.

The purpose of this book, along with its companion (Synchronization in Digital Communications vol.1, published in 1991), is quite ambitious: a comprehensive coverage on the theory of synchronization in digital communications. Compared with its companion, the treatment presented in this book is quite practical and technical, so the audience may be very limited -- only for communication system engineers and students doing researches on sync theory. The valuable part of this book is the treatment on sync problems over the fading channels, which only can be found sporadically in journal or conference papers. The introductory chapter on the necessary background is quite concise but informative. It is highly recommended for people who want to know more details on the design of digital communications.

This book is an excellent learning tool for those who are already familiar with communication theory and are interested in communication over fading channels. This book also contains very recent work that has not been covered anywhere else, for example, relating estimation theory and information theory. This is highly recommended, but only for those with a strong background in communication theory.

Floyd Gardner has written a comprehensive review in the IEEE Communications Magazine, September 1998, Vol.36 No.)on two recent books on the subject. (one being the book discussed here)

Excerpts "These books are massive, authoritative expositions of synchronization;their authors are long-time researchers in the field. Heretofore there has been no book, to my knowledge that provides a comprehensive up-to-date account of sync.of data signals-until now"

"Both books are directed at advanced graduate students, seasoned practicioners, or active researchers"

(About the book' Digital Communication receiver') "(But) this book is without peer for someone who wants to probe into the underlying foundations of data signal reception, or to cope with difficult fading channels" "

I was just beginning to read about Irish history, and was looking for a good book to start with, when I saw someone buying this handy little introduction. I promptly bought & read it myself, and wasn't in the least disappointed. I finished the book in a day, and yet, when I was done, I knew 10 times more about the subject than I had previously, enough to completely revise what I thought were my opinions.

This is a concise, well-written, and readable summary of the general course of Irish history. It's not quite "in-depth," but it's too thorough to be dismissed as a rough outline or anything similar. It's a sound elementary primer on a complex subject, and the perfect starting point for further, more detailed learning.

A REALLY GOOD BOOK TO GET THE GENERAL HISTORY OF IRELAND FROM A MORE OR LESS IMPARTIAL SOURCE. PROVIDES A VERY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE SHAPING OF IRELAND'S PAST AND HOW IT INFLUENCES THE PRESENT.

If you're interested in FC protocol detail this book is right for you. After reading through the whole book you will find it's easiler to understand FC standards... Hopefully the author can include more figures especially flowcharts in next edition.

I think this book will help me program something small and not complicated.

What distinguishes this book from other neuronal modeling books? Firstly, it contains a solid quantitative flavor necessary for real advances in neural networks. Secondly, it places an emphasis on neuronal models not encountered in computational neuroscience. Thirdly, it is written with authority by some well known names in the field. Each chapter is self-contained and written in a didactic fashion with a future perspectives section and a problem set. The contents range from stochastic fluctuations of ionic channels to morphologically realistic neural networks. Some features include: Lanczos matrices to construct fully equivalent cables, application of Maxwell equations to derive the cable equation, and a chapter devoted to nonlinear cable theory co-authored by one of the founders of theoretical biophysics. This book is thoroughly recommended to anyone who is serious about neuronal modeling.

This book presents a very complete overview of the physiology of thalamic neurons. It covers both single neuron and circuit properties. It explores the mechanisms underlying normal and pathological oscillations in which the thalamus is involved. I liked very much the last chapter which speculates about the role of oscillations in memory consolidation. The book is very clearly organized, goes in the detail. The only criticism is that it is rather for a specialized audience with a solid background in electrophysiology.

This book is a very good overview of the field. The information contained therein is a little dated, but most of it still applies to today. It is well written and concise.

A good overview of SAN technology. My first exposure to SANs and Fiber Channel switches was the Web interfaces for the devices we have. I bought this book and it made much sense of what I saw in the Web pages. While not perfect (and not vendor specific), it covers the topic concisely and throroughly.

Good details description very easy to read, facts and information from the very basic to very technical. A definite good technical read.

This book is quite dry, no question about that, but not as dry as the standards published by organizations in charge with Fibre Channel standards. Yet, as a SAN designer or SAN administrator you can find in it all the information you need to understand the inner details of a Loop Insertion Primitive or how an Alternate buffer-to-buffer credit model works. Compared with other books on the subject is remarcably error free and I was nicely impressed by Mr. Clark's considerations upon what should be the customer' role in steering vendors in developing products that are more open and interoperate better.

This was a very good overview of the many varied components and technologies that make up a storage area network. It goes into a lot of detail about things like standards, protocols, speeds, etc. If you want to understand the differences between iSCSI and FCIP, for example, this is the book for you. The word "Reference" in the subtitle is accurate. It's not a guide on how to administer a SAN day-to-day in the real-world; it's about the concepts and details of what a SAN really is. The writing style is a little dry, but I didn't expect it to be a page-turner. My only disappointment was when I realized that over 1/4 of the book is devoted to appendices, glossary and index instead of written content.

Analyses why and how the agenda of Al Jazeera Television seems so opposite to what is shown on mainline western news shows. You will gain from this book at least a few more diverse opinions about why diversity in media is healthier than uniformity, and why there will always be a need for other perspectives on how social events in the Middle East are portrayed.
The author does attempt to compare and contrast western with Middle Eastern media portrayals of the same events, but could have done more to show not just "truth" as broadcast, but rather, "perceptions of that truth" as received by the audiences.

British Hugh Miles writes one of the most comprehensive and compelling books presently available on the store shelves about the sudden Arabic media sensation known as Al-Jazeera ("the island").

Brilliant and elucidating in spots, a day after finishing it I admit that I'm mostly unclear on which position Miles takes regarding the classic debate that has sprung up around the controversial station.

Is Miles "for" Jazeera, the station's professed mandate, and the sort of coverage -- often provocative and incendiary (according to Al Jazeera's motto of "the opinion and the OTHER opinion") -- or is he "against" it, the manner in which it is funded (mostly by the Emir of Qatar's endless riches), and in disagreement with the kinds of staff Jazeera employs?

It's hard to get a read on Miles' position, and I didn't appreciate that as a reader. As his hypothetical shrink, perhaps that might have been more preferrable, but lives are won and lost on the strength of such punditry, Mr. Miles, so please take a more clearcut position with your next go. I bought your book on the strength of an incisive interview you gave to NPR's "On the Media" program. Though you didn't disappoint me there (nor inside the pages of your book), I thought you could have aimed for a wee bit nore clarity.

Having said that, I continued to read until the end because I thought such uncertainty to be one of the book's more intriguing aspects.

Look, you all know me for my reviews of fictional works and Amazon Shorts, for the most part. Unlike some of my excellent reviewing colleagues here on the site -- and those who have posted reviews to this title previously (two previous, as of today) -- I don't want to go into a labourious discussion about the contents of this book. I don't want to supply dates, memorable details from my read, nor recollections of the experiences Miles relates as part of his research. That's for *you* to enjoy, given how wonderfully exhaustive Miles' work was. I commend him for having taken the time to explore this fully. Still, there were other things...

Small details, however, certainly indicate on which side of the "Al Jazeera" divide Mr. Miles stands. I made some mental notes which I'll rehash for your reading pleasure now:

** Miles makes reference to the notion of "Occupied Territories" as opposed to "the West Bank and Gaza" or more plainly, the "Territories." This term, "Occupied Territories," has been used so often in the media and by Arab and other Muslim stakeholders, that it's impossible to parse out the hype from reality. With a scholarly read as erudite as Mr. Miles' otherwise painstaking work, the deceptive nature of such nomenclature isn't as instantly noticeable. Sneaky, sneaky, Mr. Miles. Tisk, tisk!

** Mr. Miles wears a moustache, in his own admission. To be sure, this could be a mere coincidence. The fact that such things occur -- coincidences -- is evidenced by the fact that such a word exists for the phenomenon. I don't know. He was born in Saudi, raised in Libya, speaks near-fluent Arabic...does that necessarily entail a "John Bagot Glubb"-esque predilection towards all things Arabesque, in addition to the macho 'stache, another very Arabesque feature? Not sure...but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it takes one to know one. For how else would he be able to write about the subject so exhaustively?

** the book is filled with all manner of references to "Palestine." I know of know such place which exists. Do you?

~~~

However, none of these omissions distracts from the quality of this book. I know this sounds like a kick in your keyster, Hugh, but we are still friends.

To be sure, Al Jazeera, the station, supplies an essential service. It must be commended for -- only lately -- expanding the purview of its coverage, for instance by awarding interviews to senior-placed Bush Administration officials and to Israelis, for example, on its various, sometimes incendiary, magazine shows.

Several things have happened in the world since the completion of Miles' book, so a reissue would best include how some of these developments either mitigate or exacerbate some of the positions he puts forth so convincingly. As well, the author himself appends the following conclusion to his tome, claiming that depending on what happens politically in Qatar, and with the strong looming possibility that -- through media conglomeration -- the network may be bought out, the once-cozy Jazeera that we've all come to know and love may no longer soon exist.

Time will tell...

I couldn't award a perfect score because Miles' obfuscation of his essential position on the matter -- wafting between overt identification with the suggested Jazeera agenda, and critcism of its so-called innovative newsmaking approach (tilting more towards the former than the latter, in my estimation).

This wasn't the objectivest of perspectives to take, journalistically-speaking, of course.

Still, it's worth getting your hands on this because it'll teach you things you only thought you knew, but which Miles knows better, by virtue of his superior and time-lapsed research, even if he does wear a moustache and uses peculiar (is that in the English language?) terms like "Palestine" and "Occupied Territories." (ADM -- I hope I've spelled these right, they sounded more phonetic to me).

Hopefully we'll see more from this author soon. Amen.

-- ADM in Prague. Out.

Hugh Miles, a Saudi-born British journalist, analyzes the twenty-four-hour Arab television news channel Al-Jazeera. Observing the Qatar agency, Miles concludes that "the story of this news network is, in fact, the story of the upheavals that have taken place in that troubles region in recent years." He discusses terrorism, Iraq, Afghanistan, and free speech.

This is written as you would expect of a journalist and not a novelist. A narrative of its history since its inception. I learned a lot from this report and enjoyed it, even though Miles bias can be seen in the book. But anyone reading this book had to know that before picking it up. There is no other way to get the access Miles did in order to write this.

For those fortunate enough to have seen Jehane Noujaim's fascinating 2004 documentary, "Control Room", Saudi-born British journalist Hugh Miles provides an intriguing if sometimes biased complement that delves deeper into the history of the renowned Arab news channel and its rise to global prominence. Launched just a decade ago in late 1996, the station has never turned a profit and continues to be subsidized by the Qatari government. Yet, the author shows that many Arabs seem indifferent to this fact and do not view al-Jazeera as a biased news source for the current regime. In fact, Miles shows how the station displays more objectivity than many of its American counterparts such as the Fox News Network. Miles shares this perspective with vigor throughout the book and describes an organization that elicits opposing viewpoints to their coverage.

There is a great deal of credence to Miles' opinion as he shows how the station went to great lengths to cultivate intractable relationships with the Taliban and the Bin Laden organizations. This strategy turned out to be invaluable after 9/11 when al-Jazeera was the only one able to provide taped communiqués from Bin Laden and conduct a clandestine interview with two planners of the 9/11 attacks in Karachi in 2002. Miles also shows how critical al-Jazeera's role was in reporting the start of the second Palestinian intifada in 2000 and the U.S. response to 9/11 with the Afghani invasion where the station has the only bureau in Kabul. After initially expressing condemnation, the Western media giants have begrudgingly embraced the intelligence uncovered by al-Jazeera in central Iraq where embedded journalists have otherwise faced escalating degrees of risk. This level of dedication and exclusive access has brought the station a great deal of loyalty among its viewers, and the U.S.-sponsored al-Hurra network has done little to tarnish al-Jazeera's hold on the public.

Even with the praise he heaps upon the station, Miles does make it clear by the end of the book that al-Jazeera does maintain a viewpoint in their coverage that is less than objective. For example, Osama bin Laden is seen not so much as a terrorist mastermind but as a revolutionary with a commitment to face down Western imperialism and pro-Israel support. In fact, he knows he is seen legitimately by al-Jazeera and exploits the pervasive sense of rage and helplessness in the Arab world in light of what the public sees as Western-based oppression. While fascinating from a journalistic standpoint, this line of thought is compromised somewhat by Miles' own disdain for the Bush administration. The author is unable to be completely fair-minded in highlighting the network's significant lapse in not promoting greater responsibility in their coverage and reporting more on bin Laden's weaknesses.

Miles also does not heavily criticize al-Jazeera's deliberate use of gory images from Iraq, the West Bank and Gaza that add fire to the Arab world's anger and resentment. In a move that would make Charles Foster Kane proud, al-Jazeera does not initiate the rage but rather manipulates the visuals that bolster such feelings. The author reserves his vitiol for the U.S. attacks on al-Jazeera offices, first in Kabul on November 12 2001 and then on April 8 2003 in Baghdad, where their journalist Tareq Ayyoubi was killed. He ends his narrative prematurely in late 2003 before the onslaught of masked kidnappers and their cowering captors dominated the airwaves. Such images could have allowed a stronger sense of introspection and balance to Miles' account. However, it is perhaps best to look at his take on al-Jazeera as a reflection of the Arab people who view honor above all else. Consequently, it is not the spread of democracy that the station is espousing but rather a stronger sense of nationalism. Within this context, Miles shows how a discriminating use of propaganda can be tolerated toward that end.

The book serves up only what the blurb promises - a detailed account of how Al-Jazeera was set-up and its turbulent growth - and nothing more. But I suspect that most people who pick this one would look for more than that, as otherwise its just a sequence of events that anyone would forget after the last page is turned. Hugh Miles is a journalist and as befits his profession, he just reports on the events and leaves out in-depth analysis that would have made this book much more enjoyable.

As for the judgement on if Al-Jazeera is biased, it is obvious where the authors sympathies are. But one thing is for sure - given the nature of the news Al-Jazeera handles, it is a case of damned if they do and damned if they don't. Beyond this, what you will make out of it is entirely based on your political view.

Given the nature of the middle-east politics, the channel is truly a pioneer in the media world and for that alone, the book deserves to be read.

This book gives great description of SANS and NAS. In addition, a clear comparison of SANS and NAS technologies is given which is helpful in deciding what is right for your own organization. This book is not exhaustive on the subjects, but do point the reader in the right direction. I thought the time spent on the topic of backups was especially nice.

I found this book to be very helpful in sorting out the differences between the two technologies that have started to blur in many ways. I read this book from cover to cover and the layout was great. The book starts with a good overview of the past technologies that most IT people know and then begins to compair them to NAS and SAN and shows how those old technologies are evolving to fit into the new design.

As someone who has not had exposure to Fiber Channel hands on the book did a great job of explaining the technology and what part it plays. It gives a real nuts and bolts explination of the peices and what they all do.

The book then goes into describing SAN. It gives some typical uses along with the advantages and even the disavantages of SAN. In the next chapter it describes one of the major advantages to SAN in terms of Backup and Recovery. It doesn't go into detail and tell you what the commands are to do these things but more what you need to get the job done and what role each part plays.

The next three chapters are on NAS. The first one gives an overview of NAS and goes into uses along with the advantages and disadvantages of it. The second chapter gives information on how to manage NAS and is a bit too specific but does give a good foundation for the things that you need to look for to get the most out of NAS. The thirst chapter is on Backup and Recovery in a NAS environment. It gives a good overview of the technologies that exist but again gets into a little too much detail and is hung up on specific technologies.

Overall I would suggest this book to any IT people who have a solid background in server and network technology but are looking for what storage solutions exist and how they can be leveraged.

This book focuses on general concept and structure. No vendor specified information is included. It is a good entry-level book. But serious SAN/NAS users will need more detailed information.

Hi,

This books serves as good introduction to SAN and NAS. It covers backup and recovery for SANs very nicely and at appropriate level. As far as NAS is concerned, it skims the topic.

Its a good introduction to various technologies. The details will have to found elsewhere.

Overall review - worth reading it.

This book has a good 10K foot overview and basic groundings for beginners. Also is good at comparing and contrasting SAN vs NAS. But, very light on detail especially in the area of NAS. If you don't know anything about SAN/NAS give it a read. If you've much experience it'll be mostly review.

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is an overlooked means of communication in this era of instant messaging, texting on cell phones, networking sites and the like. Yet IRC remains a great source for on-the-spot and authoritative technical knowledge and help; leisure time socializing and just observing how many nutty people there are online. (Some of the poltical, religious and other IRC channels are absolutely hilarious to observe.)

Relatively few of the tips and hacks in this book will be of use to the ordinary IRC user. Most presume a modest proficiency in programming Java or Perl and a more than modest understanding of how IRC works. Still, even though the book will not be of great use to most IRC users, it is still worth a read if for no other reason than to expand your own knowledge of IRC and what can be done with it.

Jerry

IRC Hacks
100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools
By Paul Mutton
First Edition July 2004
Series: Hacks
ISBN: 0-596-00687-X
432 pages, $24.95

I found this book to be fairly interesting and somewhat useful. Being quite familiar with IRC already, some of the introductory material was information that I already knew, but I did learn a few things about the more technical aspects of the IRC protocol and IRC servers/networks. Much of this book has to do with writing and using IRC channel "bots", which I think most casual IRC users would not be all that interested in.

The first four chapters introduce what IRC is, and how to connect to an IRC network and begin chatting with others. Various IRC client applications are described, including the most popular ones for Linux, Mac, and Windows. Other topics here include how to register your nickname, configuring your client, how to join servers/channels, and some nice customizations to add functionality and enjoyment to your use of IRC. I would think that these first chapters would be very useful to a newcomer to IRC, and allow them to get up and running quickly.

Chapter 5 introduces the concepts of "bots", and how to write your own bots in various languages, including Perl, Python, and Java. Some of it is fairly technical, and may appeal mostly to programmers and more serious IRC "hackers". Also mentioned is the idea of bot "ethics" and the policies that many IRC networks have regarding their use.

The next several chapters (6 - 12) provide numerous ideas and examples of making and using your own bots. IRC bots can perform many functions, some of which can be very useful, and others that have primarily an entertainment value. Much of the content of these chapters is actual code examples for many different types of bots, including Logging, Social, Search & Query, Announcement, Network and Channel Management, and Fun bots.

Chapters 13 - 15 go a little further into the technical side of how the IRC protocol works, encryption, web access to IRC, and even how to run your own IRC server. Many readers will find these subjects more complex than they care to get involved in.

Overall, I think this book is best suited to IRC users who are somewhat more than beginners, and are fairly technically oriented. I was surprised by the large amount of bot programming examples, which actually make up the majority of the book. I am not sure there will be that many users who really want to code their own bot. The first few chapters are helpful for IRC beginners, although there are probably better books for that purpose. I did get some ideas for modifying an existing bot, which I presently use occasionally in our LUG's IRC channel for entertainment (trivia contests). All in all, this title is best suited for more experienced users who may enjoy programming and "hacking" around with IRC bots.

I was first introduced to IRC back in 1997, with a co-worker who spent a lot of his time typing away at a text-based IRC client. He told me later he had some very good friends on IRC, one of which my co-worker never met in person until this friend came to my co-worker's wedding. I ventured into some IRC channels myself, but always felt a little "behind the curve" in terms of understanding what was going on beyond the basics of just participating in a discussion.

Many who are new to IRC may feel the same way, and often those accustomed to the medium are less than accomodating of newbies. Fortunately O'Reilly's IRC Hacks comes to the rescue. O'Reilly uses the term "hacks" here in the positive sense of a clever way to use a particular technology, or an elegant way to solve a certain problem.

The first couple of chapters constitute an introduction to IRC. Various IRC clients for Windows, Linux, and Max OS X are covered, along with ways to enhance these clients. That might be enough for many users of IRC, but to be true to its title, the book proceeds to describe several frameworks you can use to write your own IRC bots in Java, Perl, and Python. No less than 7 chapters follow outlining a wide variety of different bots that can be used to enhance your IRC experience.

The remaining chapters give an in-depth look at the IRC protocol, describe ways in which you can connect to IRC via "other" means (such as from a mobile phone), and also provide coverage on setting up your own IRC server.

Overall IRC Hacks is very informational, and a good introduction to IRC. Perhaps one of its greatest strengths is the large number of "starting points" it provides to allow you to do just about anything with IRC. One complaint I have about the book is that in the chapters offering samples of bots you can write, the vast majority of them are written in Java. I would like to have seen more Perl in the mix. It's there to some extent in the beginning chapters, but Java examples dominate the latter part of the book.

I have just read an article on slashdot on how the author has "analysed" IRC networks and concluded 99.9% of the traffic from the top 60 channels is illegal. What I wonder is, the top 60 channels all belong to warez groups and have nothing to do with the countless legit constructive channels around. Its like generalizing the internet to one particular field like pornography or illegal file-sharing.

Overall, I think this author is unqualified to write without bias and wouldn't recommend his work to others. Sincerity begets appreciation and this author deserves none.

This book opens up a whole new dimension of functionality for instant messaging. There are about fifty recipes dedicated specifically to helping you get automated access to information through IRC. Most of the examples are in Java, but there is some Perl and Python as well.

As Hacks books go this is a little looser than the others. I would have liked less time spent on the user interface twiddling, and I'm not sure what the artificial intelligence hack was about. But overall the book is great.

For anyone who loves instant messaging and wants to allow access to their applications through IM, this is the book. If you are a hardcore IRC user you will also want to have a look at this book.