Programs Books

If you do nothing more than read the initial 4 chapters you will probably learn something. If you can get through Part II and Part III you will improve your knowledge of Windows programming and good general debugging techniques no matter how experienced you are. This is one every developer should have sitting by his PC.

This book provides excellent coverage of the subject. I found it to be accurate and to contain the details I needed.

I have little to add to the effusive praise of previous reviewers. This is a one-of-kind book. An instant classic.

Beware, however. As others have noted, this is definitely an _advanced_ book. If you're not comfortable with arcane command syntax, bits and bytes, and such this will be painful to incomprehensible for you. On the other hand, I dare say you will never be a true Master Debugger until you have a good grasp of this material.

You would do well to start with Debugging Microsoft .NET 2.0 Applications or the now-unavailable Debugging Applications for Microsoft .NET and Microsoft Windows. Both will give you an easier introduction to WinDbg. The latter, older volume has much more information on native code debugging than the newer version. As they also cover the Visual Studio debugger in detail, most developers need go no further than one of these.

Note that WinDbg _can_ be used with SOS and ADPlus to do some pretty fancy .NET debugging that isn't possible with Visual Studio alone. For that matter, the .NET CLR on Windows is implemented using the same Windows API as any native application. I've seen WinDbg used to trace bugs through C# application code down to find that the defect was actually in the CLR or Windows itself. John Robbins (author of the previously mentioned books) states in Chapter 6 of the latest version that "in our consulting work at Wintellect, which as you know works on the toughest bugs, we use WinDBG nearly 70 percent of the time."

Don't ignore this book just because you program in .NET!

Watch out for the font used in the listings though. Not being a master myself, I've been stumped for quite a while because the letter 'l' looks like the number '1' in the font they use. (I've been assiduously following the examples line-by-line).

I also recall being stumped because of an error or two in the text, though I admit I can't find them now. These as you can imagine could be a serious problem given the arcane and undocumented nature of quite a bit of the material. Just make sure you check the errata periodically. Ironically, the errata web page for the book is not functioning at the moment...

Chapters on debugging heap/stack corruptions are simply invaluable. Worth reading even if you think you know everything about those issues, this book will easily prove you wrong.

This book has completely smashed every possible expectation I had when I set out to read it.

Let me put it simply. There comes a time in every software developers' life when he contemplates the age old question of, "If I were to be stranded on an island and I could bring only 3 things with me, what would they be?" Well, this would be one of the 3 items. (The other two would be Windows Internals by Russinovich and some other obvious classic like the Windows via C/C++ by Richter, or UNIX Network Programming by Stevens). This book is easily on the same playing field as such classics as those, and its only flaw is that it is not 1,000 pages because when a book like this comes along, you really just don't want it to end. There is so much useful information in here.

The chapter on LPC debugging is worth the price of the book alone, as LPC is completely undocumented and you literally will not find this type of information anywhere else. Every single chapter in this book is filled with gems, and with the plethora of average books being released recently, it really took me by surprise to read such a well thought out book that hits all the right topics in all the right ways.

That being said, it is advanced. Yes, I realize the title says it, but too many books come out with the word Advanced in the title that are merely Intermediate. You need some assembly language, you need to be comfortable with native code, you need to not be frightened at the thought of debugging something for which you have no source code. But for those that meet the pre-requisites, this is a must-have in every sense of the word for the serious developers' bookshelf.

I've been through alot lately, and was looking for some comfort. This was too over the top - things can't possibly be this way. Way too corny for me. Too happy - whose happy to die and see their loved ones suffer???? The things that the angels "do" - are too far fetched. Sorry, this one went back and I don't send many back, but this was such a waste of money.

Angel On Board was a page turner of positive energy from start to finish. Even when it brought tears to my eyes, those tears were followed by a smile. Though a complete work of fiction, I still feel as if this is a MUST READ book for everyone who has or will experience loss. It lightens your heart and gives you hope. I truly believe in the author's experiences which led her in her journey to write this literary masterpiece. No one imo can write such a beautiful, emotional and heart tugging book without a divine hand of guidance. I applaud E.J. Thornton for giving readers such hope in the form of this fun read. With the world of darkness that surrounds us in these troubled times, more beauty in books such as these are desperately needed.

Most books are written from a first-person perspective. Not this book, it is written from the angel's point of view.

It's opening line alone will grab you and the rest of the book will keep you turning page after page. It is an unusual and fresh way to engage the reader. If you're looking for something original to read. This is it!

I recommend this book highly...

I read all this hype about taking the 'not' and 'no's out of this book. I was like - so what, but the way it read is hard to describe. It flowed so well and even though there was some negative things being depicted - like death, alcholism, infidelity, etc - I wasn't ever on edge.

Reading is always relaxing to me, but this book took that to a whole new level. It felt good to read. So, I've gotta give this book the thumbs up on the positive claim.

I highly recommend this book to fiction fans, angel enthusiasts and generally people who want to feel better and can easily imagine another beautiful plane of existence all around us. I sure hope I've got an angel on board!

Of course they do! This book is one of them! Oh my gosh!!!

I loved this book. It took me to a whole new dimension of living. I could see the angels around me (not literally of course) just the presents they leave behind.

This is an inspired work of fiction! Everyone needs it! It's fun, it's tear jerking, it's thought provoking! It's AWESOME!!!

Read it - you'll be glad you did!

I won't do a lengthy review... just read the other 5-star reviews and you'll get the drift. This book is so easy to understand you can learn without a PC in front of you (if you're a VB6 developer looking to understand .Net). The explanation of what ADO.NET is all about is worth purchase price alone. No chapter is super comprehensive, but it's a great text to get you rolling in VB.Net right quick. As an MCSD and MCDBA certified developer, I wouldn't write such a great review on just any book. Buy it.

There is so much that is lacking in this book. First, it is not user friendly. It is difficult to follow. Second, it simply does not cover enough information that one needs in order to truly be able to use .Net technology.

Cover to cover this book sails through the hype dispensing nuggets not to be forgotten!!! .Net and C#-aholics had breathed so much hot air, I was having trouble find a place to start. Once received I put everything else aside. I used to use arrays, types, RDS, and ADO to get the plumbing done but now its OOP, and serialization from now on!!! I got so many good pearls from this book its ridiculous.

I have been programming in VB since 1992 and decided to move to VB.NET when it was released but found the learning curve was immense - until I bought the book of VB.NET. This book is my Bible, it sits besides my computer all the time. Without delving into the VB language, it simplifies the transition to VB.NET for the experienced VB Programmer. It's not for VB learners nor does Matthew propose that it is. If you know VB this is the book to ease the quantam leap from VB to VB.NET - explained in logical steps with excellent examples. I have had to EMail Matthew with a few queries and the response is always prompt and helpful.

There are certainly other books you need in your arsenal - such as Francesco Balena's Microsoft Reference - but this one is a must.

This book has a very good intention and concept - to introduce VB6 developers to VB .Net. In general it is a very good book. Not very deep, but good enough to start working with VB .Net and bee reasonably productive. So, if not for sloppy writing, I would probably give that book all 5 stars.
What do I mean by sloppy? For once, author uses terms object and class interchangeably throughout the book. Sometimes it is contextually understandable what he means, but often it might be very confusing, especially for people relatively new to OO. Then there are errors and typos in code examples. Some of them are also very confusing. For example: on page 80 author introduces the new VB concept - delegates. For VB6 folks this is something fundamentally new and strange.
In code example author defines delegate type and calls it ProcessFunction. Then he defines variable of this type and calls it ProcessDelegate. After that on the same page he shows how to use delegates and assigns value to ProcessFunction and retrieves value from ProcessFunction.
From the context one should understand that in the last two cases the variable ProcessDelegate should be used instead, and that this is just a typo. Yet, given that VB .Net now supports shared properties and methods, when Class (Type) name can be used where one expects to see Object (Variable), this types of mistakes are very confusing and annoying.
I would not go here into more examples of books imperfections. There are some more. Not terribly many, but enough to frustrate.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, if you have patience and some other VB .Net book to resolve inevitable confusions.
This could become a great book in its next edition if author takes time to make it a bit more accurate and precise.

Nelson and Michael have put together an extraordinarily useful compilation of articles dealing with the causes and treatments of HIV wasting and the host of maladies that accompany it. The current acceptance of steroid, exercise and nutrition therapies to treat HIV can be directly attributed to the good work done by these activists.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly...it has profoundly effected my life for the better and is an important tool in my health care.

In 1988 I was told that I was seropositive, four years after Nelson Vergel learned of his status. For eight years I obediently followed doctors' orders, assuming with them that only prescriptions would be of help. After nearly dying in 1996, I discovered the website Medibolics, which evolved into this book. Following Vergel and Mooney's suggestions about supplementation and bodybuilding, in addition to the prescriptions, I am now again a healthy man, in fact probably in better shape than in my thirties before the infection. All lab counts are now within the recognized normal range, and there have been no opportunistic infections in five years. The authors' recommendations are thoroughly referenced for those who will read the original research for themselves. It was especially courageous for the authors to recognize the usefulness of anabolic steroids at a time when government policy has been severely restrictive. I remain profoundly grateful for Vergel and Mooney's work in a field that has been decisive for my own health. The information is relevant for the health of all, and serves as a concise starting point in a bewildering battery of literature.

thanks for your great work, since i followed your program i gained > almost TEN POUNDS in less than 2 MONTHS. Being on steroids is a great > asset in my life.....It changed my life...well, i mean NOW i have a > life. thanks very much for being there, we need you !!!! Bruno.

Just recently purchased and read this book. Excellent reference guide not just for anabolic steroid use, but for nutrition, supplements, exercise and much more. This is a must have and must keep resource book! A valuable treasure I will constantly, be able to refer to.

Mooney and Vergel are committed. They have spent thousands of hours researching lecturing and in the case of Vergel living with their subject. The book provides in laymens terms but backed with numerous scientific citations, how to use exercise, supplements and steroid agents to make living with HIV bearable.

The advent of HAART has meant a change in the life expectency of HIV patients. As a result the toxic effects of the HIV drugs are seeing many complications and side effects. This book discusses many of these and provides hands on suggestions for dealing with them.

Even if you just exercise you will feel better and you may just slow some of the side effects. You may even reverse some.

I have followed this book very casually since I bought it in July last year up until April 2001. I noticed that my "blood" results (other than Viral Load) were getting better and despite 'failing' a drug combination, my overall health was great. For the last 3 months I have followed some of the books recommendations RELIGIOUSLY. Despite having to change drugs due to resistance, my health and fitness has increased amazingly. And as an added benefit friends say I look the best I have in 10 years. My waist has gone from 38" to 31". My chest, arms and legs have all increased in size. My CD4's both in real and % terms are the highest in 4 years and all my other blood works are excellent. I am 40 years young. 2 weeks ago I completed a Vitality and Longevity Analysis and my Doctor advised that I had the Celular Health of a 26 year old.

I am so confident of the book and the authors that I bought my Doctor a copy.

This book tells it all, breaking everything down about the show, you name it, this book tells it.
A wonderful way to celebrate an anniversary!

This book is something special in that it combines the usual prose of a "Making of..." with a wealth of large-size images and illustrations as well as a detailed guide to the seven seasons of TNG. Included are sections on "Generations", "First Contact" and, in the newest edition, "Insurrection". Although some of the images are already known from The Art of Star Trek, this is another great look behind the scenes. More than the rather loosely arranged images in the The Art of Star Trek, this book really tells the story of a series that is developed through seven seasons.

The Continuing Mission is probably the best book about TNG with all of its aspects. It was obviously written to be entertaining in the first place, so it never gets too profound. Nevertheless, we learn a great deal, for instance, where Guinan's name comes from, how many writers mingled together the script for "Yesterday's Enterprise", or how a shuttle may become a big starship. The only slight criticism I have about it is that the text is mostly separate from the images. Although there are captions, I would have liked to know more about several of the images.

The sub-title of the book is "A Tenth Anniversary Tribute", and it is a worthy tribute in any respect.

This book is essential reading for any Star Trek fan. Even if you may not be a big fan of TNG (I myself prefer DS9), this beautiful tribute will surely improve your understanding of the days before, during, and after the creation of TNG series.

The text is written in a very amiable, intimate and lively manner, obviously showing the authors' love and dedication to the TNG world. Content-wise, the book is utterly fascinating: there is everything from the stories behind the casting ("But he's bald!"), to the creation and incarnations of the spacecraft of the show, to interesting anecdotes both clever and funny, highlighting special episodes, audience reaction, notes on production; even clear and non-technical explanations of various financial aspects of producing TNG and the movies. Absolutely nothing comes across as overly technical.

The book is divided into chapters tracing each season and movie involving TNG cast; each "season" also includes episode-by-episode synopses by the side - very helpful not just as an episode guide, but as a way of guiding the reader throughout the TNG journey. In fact, one of the best things about this book is its strong sense of chronological unity - reading the book from front to back, you are surely and rapturously guided through the entire TNG history - it feels like getting to know an old friend anew.

The book is made even better by the tons of colour photos throughout - ranging from pictures of props to sets, to ships, production designs, cast, scenes, costumes, production... it's just fantastic.

A lot of intelligence and dedication has gone into producing this book. I really can't praise it enough except to say: now I admire Star Trek: The Next Generation even more.

A pure celebration of Star Trek The Next Generation! A tenth anniversary tribute that does justice to the show and to all three movies through it's date of publication. It give some very good details on all the shows, some insights from a lot of the people that made The Next Generation. The pictures and drawings are stunning to say the least. If you're a fan of Star Trek, this is definitely essential to your collection.

First of all, this book is huge. Really. It is tall and wide as well as being hefty. It does the amazing task of covering 7+ years of television history regarding the show responsible for renewed interest in science-fiction.

The history is indeed an interesting one. Many tidbits are revealed, and if you are a trivia junkie, it will fill the endless void nicely.

The pictures are great, as well as commentary and brief interviews of folks. The only thing I felt that could have been done better were episode summaries. They fell by the wayside a bit; but the sheer volume of information contained in the book makes up for it.

It is well-constructed, and has lasted repeated flipping and reading. That and its size make it an excellent coffee table book. People who have no interest in Trek pick it up and are fascinated by the information. It makes a great gift, for yourself or the TNG fan in your life. Or even, the television trivia buff as well.

Any sports fan who picks up "Eagle Blue" will not be disappointed, although you should like this one even if you could care less about hoops....Basketball is the stage for the story, but not the story itself. This isn't your typical book depicting some world-weary NBA star or jaded coach. D'Orso makes you care about the players and coaches at a tiny school literally in the middle of nowhere, thus their wins (and losses) somehow become your own. If that were as far as this book took you, it would be satisfying just on that basis. But it doesn't end there.

By the time you're done reading "Eagle Blue", you'll likely become sympathetic with the people populating its pages. Theirs is a culture that has been decimated, and you can see very real defeat among many tribal members. Note: D'Orso interjects his own politics when he talks about ANWR, but it's not as much a distraction as it could've been. The real story is how a group of teenagers galvanizes a town with nothing else to cheer about despite the efforts of some people, mostly outsiders, to kill what they have, and he thankfully keeps the focus on that.

If you're at all like me (and God help you if you are), you'll fight to stay awake until 3AM because you literally do not want to put this book down and fall aleep.

Boldly honest, "insiders" perspective from an outsider. Interesting insight into modern Native life in Arctic Alaska.

D'Orso's honest, unembellished presentation of everyday life for the characters - team members and townspeople of Fort Yukon - allows the reader to gain an open true look at what everyday life entails in this part of Alaska. It brings out the difficulties of living in the outposts of Arctic Alaska, Native vs. modern culture, politics vs. the land/natural resources/hunting/etc., and of course the tale of a group of young men and women representing their town as members of high school basketball teams. The pressures faced by these young men as individuals, family members, and town members and how each deals with it and grows shows a great view of life as it unfolds for them. Their daily lives are woven around the story of the basketball team and the course of a season sharing the success and adversity over the course of the year. A wonderful mix of human interest and basketball.

Highly enjoyable read.

This review of a basketball team's season is about an entire culture and about life. You'll be rooting on the Eagle Blue as you read this true story.

I've read many books about a sports season that, in a boring way, review game highlights. D'Orso reviews the entire culture, what basketball means in bush country, Alaska, in prose that is wonderful and intelligent.

Excellent book on life and sports. I'd recommend this to everyone, especially players and coaches at all levels.

This book is excellent on several levels. It is an extremely useful way to approach sitcom scene analysis through eight archetypal characters, and it has the added bonus of being both funny and fun. I mean, how often does a book help you to become a better bastard? Great for writers and actors - this book is an important resource if you are passionate about sit coms.

The book provides an excellent resource for anyone writing comedic material, whether sitcom based or not. These characters are timeless.

I was so impressed with this book. It is written mostly for actors, but is a gem for writers as well! This guy breaks down comedy like nothing I've ever seen.

Buy the book. It really is worth every dime - and no, I don't know the guy.

As an actress and a writer, I was thrilled that this book helped me out in both fields. You get great ideas and inspiration for characters to write, as well as great tips and tricks for acting out very specific characters. It's also fantastic how the author talks about "types" of actors and characters and knowing yourself well enough to know who you will pull off well. Which I think applies to more actors than we actors would like to admit... I found myself discovering things about myself, not only as an actress, but as a person, which can only help in my portrayal of certain characters! Great read!

The "Eight Characters of Comedy" by Scott Sedita was absolutely fantastic! The book was incredibly informative to a writer and an actor, but also gives the audience/reader such an insight to how tv shows and film are created. It's a wonderful book. I recommend it to all!

I recommend this book to anyone who works with Windows Web Servers. Now that IIS 7.0 is out this book is still a great reference because IIS 6.0 and IIS 7.0 are so very different. Even if you have never worked with IIS before this is a great book. I have never been disappointed with the Administrator's Pocket Consultant series of books.

I got this book because i need it when i am working in my intern. This book is good for beginners and little above. It is easy to understand and the quality is great. It worth more than it cost.

This is an excellent book! Stanek's Pocket Consultant books go far beyond the typical. He always uses his comprehensive knowledge to weave a fabric that balances the aim of a program with the fiddling details that drive admins crazy. As soon as I had skimmed the IIS book I set it aside and read one section a day. Nothing escapes his eye, every section clears up something that I had always wondered about. Great stuff!

This book is really worth every penny it costs. It is packed with useful information, well written, intelligent, and enjoyable to read. Just the chapters on IIS applications, side by side .NET configurations, and pooling are worth the whole book: it goes through every detail.

The in-depth coverage of every other subject is as accurate as it gets. I particularly appreciated the chapter about customization. But the book goes as far as covering in perfectly understandable terms the metabase, and more. Not to mention the incredibly accurate chapter about optimization.

This is an easy to read book with the detail you would expect from a pocket consultant. The author doesn't waste time with the basic chit-chat and does a good job of laying out the useful material.

Content includes initial setup, backup, performance monitoring/tuning and more advanced features such as registry and metabase settings. Advanced readers will eventually want to search for further information on some of these topics (scripting for example), but this is to be expected. The books leaves you feeling comfortable with what you've learned and with a good feel for where you might want to expand your learning in the future.

Most of my computer books end up getting re-sold or trashed, but I'll be keeping this one on the shelf for myself and others to use in the future.

I have purchased this bible for many friends and everyone loves it. They say it really helps them to understand the bible in everyday life. I would recommend this to everyone, especially those who shy away from reading other bibles.

For those recovering from alcoholism this is a great aid. I find it wonderful for relating my 12 Step AA program to my Christian religion. It is a great gift.

This is an excellent resource for anyone that is working through the traditional 12-STEP program, which was first introduced with Alcaholics Anonymous and now numerous groups. If you choose to read the Bible from cover to cover, you will find daily meditations to accompany your reading that will use Scripture to explain and give application toward your recovery. In the columns next to the Scriptures, numbers indicating the various STEPS are listed to show their relevance to the 12-STEP program. This powerfull tool comes in the New International Version of the Bible, which I believe is the best modern English Bible. Of course, there are many more valuable treasures that are within this great resource, but you will have to discover them for yourself.

Connects the Holy Bible and the 12-steps. Throughout you find easy to understand analogies that explain how this or that verse of the bible relate to recovery along with notations in the margins of which steps relate to which verses. I have this bible and use it at a recovery-friendly bible study held at my home - it makes the Bible easy to read and encourages discussion for deeper understanding.

My sponser loaned me her Recovery Bible. I went online and brought my own. It has been by my side on my journey, Today, words have a new meaning from my Bible..

This is the only yoga book I have ever been able to read and do the exercises. Raquel Welch is amazing. I grew up with her yoga. My mom did it every day. There are some good diet ideas in there as well. I've learned a lot from her book.

This is a fantastic book with the Bikram yoga sequence, presented in a much more clear, easy to follow way (step by step), unlike Bikram's book which is essentially useless for home exercisers, since it has only one photo for each pose with the finished move, without showing how to get there.

Raquel Welch has surprisingly good form. This book is a must have for yoga lovers who dislike endless sun salutations - not a single one here! highly recommended!

I purchased this book back in 1984 and have never found another yoga book with as much detailed written and visual instruction. The next best thing to Raquel's book is taking a class with an experienced instructor. In her book there is a diagram, "A Chiropractic View of the Spine," which explains what areas of the spine effect certain aspects of your health. My favorite part of the book is the "Benefits." Under each pose is a benefit section which tells what that position does for the body and which conditions it can help to relieve.... I have yet to find this information in another yoga or pilates book. After the pose, there is an "Extra Help" section that is really beneficial to newbys. Every detail is covered in her instruction. Would love to see this on DVD(have the video and love it). Bought a second book because the pages are coming out of my original one. The poses in her book are more advanced than in many of the other yoga books. Not necessarily a lot harder, but more bang for your buck.

I've been practicing the yoga in Raquel's book since I was in junior high. When I started going to yoga class, instructors were impressed with my "beginner" yoga. Altho I have loved many of my yoga classes, I've longed for a class that features the same balance of postures that Raquel demonstrates.

I recently moved to California and tried Bikram yoga. I surprised to find it is the exact same sequence! I couldn't take the heat, so I'm back at home with Raquel. Now if only I could find a class that had the same postures sans heat!

The book is great in that it details the benefits of each posture and the specific steps and breathe within each posture. Each posture is followed by an explanation of common challenges.

I've purchased many yoga books over the years. Raquel's book and Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati are the best that I've found.

I bought this book when I was in college in 1987!! The poses are difficult, but Ms. Welch's instruction, and the excellent, un-retouched photos are very easy to follow. The food-combining section is simple to learn and gives immediate results. After doing both the yoga and eating plan for several years, I was in the best shape and lowest weight of my life. Now, nearly 20 years later, I plan to go back to my "old friend" to take off baby weight and get back in shape. I've never found a better book or VHS tape on Bikram yoga.