Software Books

This is a fanastic topics book in approximation algorithms. The problems and proofs are challenging and concise, but written in a very accessible manner. It is a great reference book, and also a convenient place to grab a lecture from if you need something to fill our a course. I have found it extremely useful, and even fun to read. I highly reccomend it for any person interested in theoretical computer science.

Very good, it is easy to read the book if you have a good level
of knowledge and the experience to think some details in the
proofs of the theorems.
I think it is a very good book for a graduate student.

Vazirani's book seems well suited for a computer science researcher who has had a rigorous background in pure maths. The level of difficulty can be quite advanced. Also, it is not the sort of book that gives algorithm examples in an actual programming language. Not that this should be a handicap to a skilled reader. The algorithms are usually described in high level pseudocode. You have to manually instantiate these in the language of your preference.

The 30 chapters span a wide variety of computational topics. Some are simpler than others to understand. Like the chapter on finding the shortest vector from the integer lattice made from a set of linearly independent vectors. That requires only a year or so of introductory linear algebra.

There are exercises for each chapter. Some exercises are formidable. Essentially like little research problems in their own right. Another plus for the book.

I have been looking for books related to solving NP-complete and NP-hard problems approximately. There is another book by Hochbaum and I have that too. Unfortunately, that book is more of a research oriented book as it is written by several researchers. It's like reading several research papers within two hard covers. This means that one needs to have a sort of intermediate level of experience with approximation algorithms.

For a beginner, one would expect a book that starts from ground-up and that has been written as a textbook rather than as a set of research papers. The book by Dr. Vazirani, is the only book that is written by one author with a step-by-step evolution of concepts and ideas related to approximation algorithms.

This is a quite nice book by an author who is well-known in the field. The book is not thematic, instead it presents certain problems in each chapter along with the main approximation algorithms and correctness proofs. Yet, each new concept is well introduced with the problems. For instance, the author presents LP-based techniques on the same problem (set cover) in the second part of the book. This makes it quite easy to compare and understand different techniques. The last part of the book is a little bit advanced compared to the first two parts which uses combinatorial or LP-based analysis of the algorithms. The presentation of the PCP theorem- arguably the deepest theorem of computer science- and its consequences are also in the last part.

A warning though: The book is quite terse at times, which enforces a dense reading. This may not be suitable for an undergradute study. My only complaint is that the PCP theorem might well be introduced with a little more intution.

Overall, I rate this book as excellent. If you are interested in algorithms, you should definitely buy it. Also, buy the "Complexity and Approximation" by Ausiello, Crescenzi and others. They provide a more comprehensive and thematic treatment. It also has an excellent bibliography and list of NP-hard problems. These two will make a great couple. The book edited by Hochbaum (Approximation Algorithms for NP-hard problems) on the other hand presents detailed information on the algorithms.

GIMP, or the GNU Image Manipulation Program to give it its proper name, is a graphics-editing program broadly similar to Adobe Photoshop in terms of functionality. The GIMP is an open source program that can be freely downloaded and installed on most computers, including maps. But on the downside it doesn't come with a manual, so figuring out how to use GIMP can be tricky.

But 'The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects' isn't simply a book explaining what all the different tools and features do. Michael Hammel pitches this book quite a bit higher than that, focusing instead on how to use GIMP to perform a variety of useful and common tasks. From trick photography to building graphics for web sites, Hammel leads the reader expertly through nicely illustrated tutorials. The end result is more than simply a better understanding of the program, but a richer appreciation of what the program can be used to do.

There are six chapters, the first of which introduces many of the basic concepts. Although there is some attention given to where the relevant tools are found and how to use them, the focus here is on what they do and why you need them. Fundamental to success with any graphics program is understanding how different tools work when applied together, and Hammel finishes off this chapter with a set of multi-function tutorials that underline this point.

The second chapter concentrates on manipulating photographs. These include softening images, adding motion effects, and creating reflections. In each case the process is taken step-by-step, with clear text and relevant screenshots. At this point it's also worth mentioning something about the layout of the book. No Starch has really done a good job here. The book is wider than it is tall, and each page holds two columns of text. The flexible binding lets the book stay open at any page. As a result, it's an easy book to use alongside the computer.

The next chapter is about creating artwork for web sites. These include things like tiles for web page backgrounds, buttons, tabs, and menu bars. The first tutorial in this batch is all about creating glossy, gel-like buttons of the type Macintosh users will be familiar with. One of the later tutorials looks at the ubiquitous rollover buttons, though from the perspective of creating the actual artwork required rather than the necessary JavaScript or CSS coding. That said, if you use a WYSIWYG web page layout program like Freeway, you probably won't need to manually any of that sort of code to your page anyway; all you need are the graphics.

Like all the other chapters, the web design chapter finishes with a collection of useful tips. Some of these should be required reading for any web designer, and it's great to see the author lay them out fair and square.

The fourth chapter is very unusual but actually makes a lot of sense. It's a chapter devoted to creating advertising. While no substitute for a degree in marketing, there's some great stuff here for anyone who needs to produce things like packaging and posters. Small businesses attracted to GIMP by its low cost will likely find this chapter worth the price of the book alone. On the other hand, some of the tutorials in this section are only incidentally useful for advertising purposes though, and could be just as relevant to anyone creating computer artwork. Again, there's a wrap-up section with a slew of useful tips and tricks.

Chapter five brings text into the mix. This chapter kicks off with some tutorials covering things like neon, metallic, and gel-like text, among other typographic effects.

The last chapter is specifically for software developers, and illustrates the ways in which GIMP can be used to design and prototype application interfaces. While a clever and potentially useful chapter, what was obviously missing from this section of the book was something on designing icons for programs. The book then rounds off with a detailed index.

For $45 this isn't a cheap book, especially when you consider that GIMP itself is free and comes with its own online guides and tutorials. The question is whether having things laid out clearly and logically in a nicely illustrated book justifies the cost. In the opinion of this reviewer at least, the answer is yes. For the GIMP user looking to go beyond simply cropping and resizing digital images, this book is highly recommended.

Should have purchased this book months ago. Not for the absolute beginner, but a must have for the advanced beg or int user who wants to learn more about using gimp.

The GIMP is an image editor whose power and easy use rivals the industry standard Photoshop - and is a popular free software item. While The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects could've been explored in our Computer Shelf area, it's reviewed here to alert every artist working with computer images. It shows how to use the GIMP's powerful features to apply to ads, photos, and business pursuits, and comes from an author who has used GIMP since its first public release. From specialty photographic techniques available within the GIMP model to advanced web design features for special effects, no photo artist using the computer should be without THE ARTIST'S GUIDE TO GIMP EFFECTS - and any collection strong in Photoshop-type books needs it.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

In my opinion, there can never be too many books like this one by Michael J. Hammel. This project-based book has great examples of how the graphic designer can use the GIMP software to get the job done. Each tutorial in this book is an individual project, allowing the reader to pick which tutorials best meets his or her needs. But read them all. Each technique is not presented in a vacuum. Hammel discusses these techniques in a way that prepares the readers to reproduce the results in their own projects.

Besides being a project-based book, I also liked that Hammel did not waste the reader's time, and his own, discussing every detail about each panel, menu command and keyboard shortcut. Instead, he commits those pages to more information that you can really use. Don't get me wrong, he does give a short overview of the GIMP workspace in order to orient the novice to the software. But he does a good job of giving the readers only the information that they will need for the rest to the book.

So what does Hammel cover in this book? He writes each project-based tutorial from the point-of-view of the graphic designer. He begins with a short description of the design criteria for the project and ends each tutorial with suggestions for other projects where the reader might apply these techniques. He divides the book into six chapters and each chapter covers a different area of graphic design. Once he covers the basics, he moves on to techniques for the photographer, web designer, advertising designer and UI designer. Throughout each chapter, he discusses how type applies to the project and he also devotes a chapter to type effects.

For the photographer, he begins with some simple techniques for adding steam to a photo and creating a vignette. Then he covers more advanced techniques such as simulating depth of field. Have you ever wondered how graphic artists get type to look so good on top of any background? Hammel shows you how this is done, along with some other nice text effects. Also, he has one of the best techniques for converting a photo into a sketch that I have seen so far. His technique goes beyond the usual examples that you find in books and on the web.

Moving from photography to web design, Hammel states that "color is king" on the web today. Only just a few years ago, books were preaching just the opposite. But now with the better monitors, Hammel can share some of his techniques for creating mood, simulating 3D and reflections, and "popping" an image. He also has some great techniques for creating folds from texture and gradients and for creating the popular Toon style.

With the advent of widgets and other ways to create your own desktop applications, graphic designers are being asked to design user interfaces (GUI) for these applications. Hammel devotes the last section of his book to take you through the design process for creating a UI for a video player. He starts with the face plate and designs each part of the UI individually. However, these same techniques could be used to create environments for digital games and other design applications.

Hammel has been working with GIMP from its beginnings in 1996. He has authored and co-authored many GIMP related books and articles.

If you don't know what GIMP is, it's an alternative to Photoshop that allows you to do the same things (essentially) but is free.

I was impressed and surprised (in a good way) on the depth of tutorials in this book. I was really looking for something that would give me a good overview of using GIMP from the top, and was surprised at how many things you can do creatively that I hadn't even thought of. My only criticism is the paper used is flat and it would be nice to have something a little glossier for the images. The images are in color, which is nice though. I've used photoshop and now GIMP from probably a pretty basic level (I'm not a graphic artist) for album coverwork for compilation CD's for myself and friends, posters, and just playing around with abstract art to frame and hang on my own wall. I've been impressed with GIMP as an alternative to Photoshop and I think this book is a great companion to help me get the most out of it. If you've tried GIMP, which is free to download, and want to get more out of it, I would recommend this book.

As a Java developer who is a true beginner with Groovy and Grails, I found Beginning Groovy and Grails an excellent starting point. The book's strength is providing a core structure for the Groovy language and the Grails framework, then building on them.

I had read other Groovy books, and still use them as a reference. But BGG kept Groovy at the right level for me to start -- showing the core features without getting bogged down in the details. I was able to work through the examples and get an excellent feel for the power and elegant simplicity of the language.

The Grails overview is an excellent start to understanding the framework. I appreciated the step by step introduction to setting up and evolving a simple web application.

In terms of writing, I found this book very readable. I wish that the copy editors had helped out a bit more in spots, and the errata pick up some glitches in code, but overall I truly appreciated the authors' efforts and have learned a great deal.

I concur with the previous reviews. I've been looking to dive deeper into Groovy and Grails for a while now. I'm hoping this is the first of many new titles to come on this subject. I would really like to see the language and the framework take off as it should. There are many people out there doing cool things with both like Graeme Rocher, Guillaume LaForge, and one of the above reviewers (Scott Davis....you gotta see this guy talk about Groovy if you can!). People who work in the Java space really should give these technologies a look. This book should really get you going. I would also suggest looking at some of the book offerings by the contributors mentioned above. Good stuff. Buy this book!

I found this book to be a great introduction to both the use of Groovy and Grails, and also introduced the implementation of these technologies into a more mainstream architecture present in modern corporate America. It offers great insight, and hands on exposure to the benefits of Grails as a means to reducing development cycle time, and has allowed me to convince senior management where I work to fund a 'Proof of Concept' implementation of a Grails application deployed on a WebLogic Application Server.

While this book certainly covered a wide range of topics, it served to only increase my desire to delve deeper into Grails and Groovy, so now I must continue onward - but thankfully, this book leads nicely into The Definitive Guide to Grails by the same publisher.

Whether you're new to web application development or an experienced veteran, Beginning Groovy and Grails will be a great addition to your tech. library. The book highlights the power of the Groovy language and the Grails framework while providing a great deal of breadth and practical information on topics important to web application developers, i.e, presentation, persistence, security, and reporting. Developers will get a good handle on Groovy and Grails and more importantly will understand how to locate additional resources on advanced topics. This book has given me a strong appreciation for the advantages offered by dynamic languages like Groovy and the unbelievable productivity gains introduced by Grails. This book is an excellent compliment to Groovy in Action and the Definitive Guide to Grails.

Let me start by saying "Beginning Groovy and Grails" is the book that the Grails community has been clamoring for. Two very good books kicked off the Grails revolution ("Definitive Guide to Grails" and "Getting Started with Grails"), but both predate the 1.x version of Grails by many dot-versions and many years (as of the time of this review, August 2008). BGG will certainly have worthy competition on the bookshelf before long, but right now it is the book that we all have been waiting for. Luckily, it easily lives up to the heightened expectations.

After reading BGG cover to cover, it seems to break naturally into three sections: Core Groovy, Core Grails, and Ancillary Grails. This division is mine, not the authors; the table of contents lists 13 chapters with no explicit section breaks. (Whether the three sections correspond to the three authors is an interesting question -- the tone of voice and writing style is consistent across the entire book.)

The first three chapters do an admirable job of covering the Groovy language from the basics to advanced topics. Groovy offers lots of syntactic sugar that might initially catch a Java programmer off-guard. These features, once you've seen them, dramatically reduce the lines of code you have to write. But more than that, there are some fundamentally new features in Groovy that don't have an easy match in Java. Builders, Expandos, metaprogramming, and DSLs are all discussed in these early chapters. While you don't have to use these features yourself to be successful in Grails, it certainly helps the reader understand how much of the Grails "magic" occurs under the covers.

The next three chapters (Introduction to Grails, Building the User Interface, and Building Domains and Services) hit the Core Grails features hard. These 150 pages do a great job of walking you through the basics of getting a Grails application up and running with a minimum of effort. They also make testing feel like a natural part of the development process (which it should be!). Rather than having a single chapter dedicated to testing, each new topic organically includes testing as a way to validate that the new code does what it promises to do.

The remaining chapters (Security, Ajax, REST, Reporting, Batch Processing, Deploying, and Alternative Clients) make up close to half the book. Each chapter covers the subject material as advertised, including working sample code. Not every Grails application will use every feature discussed here, but I still found a clever snippet of code here or a nice explanation of a general concept that rewarded me for reading every chapter.

Overall, "Beginning Groovy and Grails" delivers on its title -- if you are new to either (or both) technologies, you will be up and running before you know it. But don't be fooled by the title; even though it has "Beginning" in it, this book doesn't shy away from the advanced topics, either. This isn't a completist volume. Rather, it is a broad survey of the Groovy and Grails ecosystem. Christopher, Joseph, and Jim covered a lot of ground in an easy, readable way. I highly recommend it.

For someone who started teaching in the days of spirit duplicators, long before copiers, computers, and the internet, I found this book to be both useful and very inspiring. It is clearly written, full of clear illustrations, tips, and resources. I've been looking for ways to incorporate more technological tools into my U.S. history course, in ways that further my teaching and my students' understanding. This book provides a clear path to follow. It is, by far, the most practical text on the use of technology in the classroom that I've read. As I work on new course materials and lesson plans, Best Ideas is always close at hand.

This book does a great job of giving ideas that are both practical but still ambitiously tackle some of the most exciting trends in ed tech today. Inviting tone and supporting resources. Great work.

As a teacher, nothing frustrates me more than knowing tools exist, even what the tools are, but not knowing how use them to increase students' learning. Daccord and Reich, both top-notch teachers, have done a superb job of solving this problem through clear but imaginative explanations and suggestions for recruiting the extraordinary possibilities presented by recent developments in technology, especially via the Internet.

Rather than being daunted by all these possibilities, picking just one or two great ideas from this book and folding them into one's teaching practice can have salutary effects on student learning and teacher enthusiasm for new ideas and approaches, and once those become habitual, one can return to dip again into this cornucopia of great ideas, exercises, and activities.

If you are a teacher or educator looking to develop ideas to utilize technology into your classroom this is a must have book. There are 10 chapters ranging from Enhancing Teaching and Learning with Multimedia to Class Management. Each chapter features one or two tools with specific directions (simply written) on how to use the tool as well as hundred's of web site's that are relevant to education. If you are someone who is looking to take technology into the classroom or want to learn more this is a well written, well researched book. I highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed!

The title of this book says it all. This book provides great background information and simple strategies for teaching WITH technology. As a professional development provider, I often see teachers struggle with how to use technology in their classrooms. Best Ideas for Teaching with Technology not only gives the background knowledge that teachers need, but it also shows teachers how to use technology as a tool to engage students in the classroom. Even better, the book is well-organized and an easy read - a great time saver for all busy teachers!

I bought this book for general project evaluation purposes, for a project that I was called in on that was in trouble.

Well worth the read - a lot of it is just good common sense, straightforward project management process, but it provided a great roadmap for validation of my plan to put the project back on track.

Definitely would recommend it - it's an easy read; I finished it in under 5 hours on the flight out, complete with note-taking. Kudos to E.M. Brennatan for writing this in a straightforward fashion.

It is a law of nature, grouped under the general name of entropy, that it is easy to mess things up and very hard to straighten them out. In fact, it is the natural state of nature to tend towards increasing disorder. This law also applies to software projects, since they are naturally very complicated entities; they easily reach a point where difficulties compound to the point of dysfunction. The author calls this state a catastrophe, although in my opinion that is an overstatement.
A catastrophe is a major disaster, far beyond what most software development projects actually are. Granted, there are problems, but most of the situations described in this book are ones that can be recovered from with more effective planning and focused execution. The author puts forward a ten-step plan for disentanglement:

1) Stop the project - not permanently, just long enough to examine the project in detail before things get worse.
2) Assign an evaluator - a disinterested party is assigned to perform an honest and unbiased appraisal of the project and what is going wrong.
3) Evaluate the project - the evaluator takes the lead in doing a complete dissection of all aspects of the project, what is being done right and what is going wrong.
4) Evaluate the team - examine the people working on the project and determine if all are suited to their jobs and if all are performing at the appropriate level.
5) Define minimum goals - determine what is considered to be the minimum level of achievement that will be considered a success.
6) Determine if the minimum goals can be achieved - if the minimal level of success is not possible, then the decision must be made to terminate the project.
7) Rebuild the team - this step has two basic components. Personnel changes if necessary and reinvigorating those who are going to remain part of the team. One of the greatest tasks is to overcome the defeatist mindset.
8) Risk analysis - attempt to identify all possible risks and assign a reasonable probability of occurrence to all of them.
9) Revise the plan - as circumstances change, modify the plan to reflect the different conditions.
10) Create an early warning system that will flag the appearance of problems when they are not yet serious.

These ten steps are each the topic of a chapter. Exercises for further practice are included at the end of each chapter, although no solutions are given.
I enjoyed the book; it contains a lot of sound advice on how to right a rudderless software project. Most of the advice will work only on a project that is not yet seriously out of control. Quite frankly I don't believe that a ten-step plan like this is powerful enough to get the most dysfunctional death marches back to a point of potential profit. Therefore, while I believe that the advice is sound, it is limited in scale, where the measurement is of the level of dysfunction in the project. On that basis, I can recommend the book.

Catastrophe Disentanglement : Getting Software Projects Back on Track teaches the kind of skills you hope you never have to use. It's something like taking a CPR class for project management. You hope you never have to administer CPR in real life, but when you do get put in that position, you're really glad you have that training to fall back on. That clear, logical list of steps can mean the difference between life and death. In the world of project management, the skills taught in this book can save projects and careers.

This book differs from traditional project management books in that it focuses on corrective rather than preventive measures. The author teaches two critical things. First, he presents a set of criteria used to recognize a project that is in need of rescue. This is an important step! Once a project is identified as seriously out of control, you can apply the steps presented in this book to bring it back on track and guide it to a successful completion. This book will give you the reasoning and courage necessary to make hard decisions.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 An Introduction to Catastrophe Disentanglement
Chapter 2 When Is a Project a Catastrophe?
Chapter 3 Step 1--Stop
Chapter 4 Step 2--Assign an Evaluator
Chapter 5 Step 3--Evaluate the Project
Chapter 6 Step 4--Evaluate the Team
Chapter 7 Step 5--Define Minimum Goals
Chapter 8 Step 6--Can Minimum Goals Be Achieved?
Chapter 9 Step 7--Rebuild the Team
Chapter 10 Step 8--Risk Analysis
Chapter 11 Step 9--Revise the Plan
Chapter 12 Step 10--Create an Early Warning System
Chapter 13 Epilogue: Putting the Final Pieces in Place

I would recommend this book to anyone involved in software projects.

Good book, good subject, well covered. The book builds an organized process around the rescue of a failed (or failing) software project. The steps are easy to read and understand, and seem well thought out. Some good methods for identifying projects headed for serious trouble. Also, some useful guidance on how to handle political (not just technical) problems. Obviously, the result of significant experience. Well recommended.

There are plenty of books that try to help you keep your project on track. But what happens when you are sitting on a catastrophe and you don't know how to salvage it? E. M. Bennatan fills a necessary niche with the book Catastrophe Disentanglement : Getting Software Projects Back on Track.

Contents: An Introduction To Catastrophe Disentanglement; When Is A Project A Catastrophe?; Step 1 - Stop; Step 2 - Assign An Evaluator; Step 3 - Evaluate The Project; Step 4 - Evaluate The Team; Step 5 - Define Minimum Goals; Step 6 - Can Minimum Goals Be Achieved?; Step 7 - Rebuild The Team; Step 8 - Risk Analysis; Step 9 - Revise The Plan; Step 10 - Create An Early Warning System; Epilogue - Putting The Final Pieces In Place; References; Glossary; About The Author; Index

If you're in IT for any length of time, you'll be part of a project that is massively over budget or late. Rather than just continue the death by 1000 cuts or a quick mercy killing, Bennatan presents a ten step process that allows an organization to take a (hopefully) objective look at the project and decide what can possibly be saved from it. I was impressed that it wasn't a long drawn-out procedure either. The plan calls for an evaluator (or a small team for huge projects) to come in and quickly assess the environment... what's been done, the climate of the team, and what could be redefined as a "minimum system". At the end of this process, the organization should be able to either kill it off with the knowledge that it can't be saved, or continue on with a redefined set of deliverables that are achievable. It won't be everything that was originally wanted, but it will be more than you'd get by letting it die. I was also impressed with the "What Can Go Wrong (And What To Do About It)" section in each step. He doesn't present this as some cut and dried panacea that will flow smoothly every time. It may not be an easy task, but the book will give you the help you need to make it all work.

Definitely a book that is worthy to be on every IT project manager's bookshelf, as you *will* need it some day...

Good for someone who is just starting to use CATIA V5

It is an excellent book for beginner. It lets you get into Catia easily. It is important to make things simple for beginners. This book does a good job of making things simple.

This book offers the principles needed for any Catia user, both experienced and new, to be able to obtain a firm understanding of Catia V5. It teaches through easy-to-follow examples and illustrations. It was well worth the money.

A good book is the one that doesn't require an engineer to understand. This book is excellent! It slowly guides a beginner step by step away from frustration and closer to satisfaction. However, the minus side is that it doesn't cover any electrical application. I would pay triple the price if this book had electrical coverage.

This book is a good introduction to Catia. The steps taken and the end result of the book is good and successfully takes you through the basic workbanches. However much of the book is waisted with repetition and over worded explinations for the simplest tasks. The illustrations, typography and loayout are typical home-word processor stuff (clearly an accademic project) after the first chapter the lengthy explinations take far to long to get through and you find yourself skipping them and just getting on with the task. At the end of the day there dont seem to be any other books out there so this is probably your best bet, but I was still left with a few basic problems that were not covered. This book could probably have been edited down to half its size if the wordy introductions were cut out and you would be able to get though it much quicker - after this work book you are left with both a need to learn all the workbenches covered in more depth and many many more workbenches to learn.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think it's definitely worth considering if you're interested in how stories can be told in video games. I've bought plenty of books about video game design and storytelling. (I'm a programmer who's been making video games professionally for about 10 years -- I wish more people would include their personalbackground in their book reviews...) Some books on game design are written by people who obviously have more "static media" backgrounds like books or movies, and don't understand the fundamental problem of making a story in a situation where the audience has freedom to do what they want. Another problem that a lot of people don't understand is that people playing a video game don't necessarily WANT a story, in the sense that they are playing a video game because of the interactivity, and not to watch a 10 minute cutscene to learn some back story. If they wanted to watch a movie they'd pop in a DVD.

I think the author really understands these difficulties. You want to make an emmersive worl, but you need to do it very quickly. So he talks about dialog, and how to convey as much information as possible in as few words as possible. He talks about how to get the player to sympathize with a chaacter, from the situation that characetr is in, to the design of the character art, to the words that the character says. All of the information is very practical, not like some books that leave you with a bunch of high-level nonsense that doesn't work in a real game. I really appreciated that he wasn't one of these "video games are mindless because they don't tell a story" type of guys. Or acting as if video games need to learn how to tell a story in order to "grow up" like movies or TV have. In a straight up action game or fighter, you don't need as much of a story as you do in a more adventure game. Playing a video game is a just a different experience, and the story has a different role, it's NOT the holy grail like some people think. Rather than trying to tell you how to convert video games into novels, he describe ways that you can inject story without taking away from the inetraction. I think he makes a good case that in almost any game, you can introduce just a bit of characetr depth and relationships, without stopping for a ten minute cutscene, and it adds value to the game.

This author's background was originally in TV, but he also has considerable experience in video games. I felt like he has a good background to be writing the book, and was speaking from experience.

The only negative comment about the book is that I found several of the chapters to be very similar. Like you'd be reading a chapter, and you'd think, "Hey, didn't I just read this exact same thing a few chapters ago?" Actually, you didn't, this chapter is covering a very slightly different topic. In other words, I think he could have consolidated a few chapters, which would have saved me some time. I suppose this makes it easier to jump around, since you don't rely on information from previous chapters. But I found it a little repetitive.

All in all, a really good book for anybody interested in video game design or storytelling in general.

I've known Lee Sheldon for several years. He is one of the most pleasant and knowledgeable people I've met in the game industry, so I was very much looking forward to this book. Suffice it to say that I wasn't disappointed.

Writing for games has a lot in common with writing for other media (e.g., character and theme) and a lot that is unique to itself. Lee does an excellent job of covering both aspects - so much so that I would recommend this book to writers with absolutely no interest in interactive media. (I've read my share of writing books over the years, and this one stands at the top of the heap.)

Of particular interest to me were chapters 3-6 on character and chapter 14 on modular storytelling, the most elegant way I've seen of organizing a linear experience into a non-linear structure. The book also does an excellent job of discussing storytelling in massively multiplayer games and provides extensive background material, much of which is intended to set up and justify Lee's modular storytelling model - rather more background than necessary, actually, since you should be sold on the need for something like modular storytelling long before he gets around to explaining it.

The book's does have a few faults. For example, a couple of the later chapters feel out of place, and the text is dusted with a handful of puzzling and sometimes repeated typos (Eowen? Kalishnakov?) But these are of little consequence and should not detract from your enjoyment.

Highly recommended.

Cons: The book seemed slightly long for what it was, kept reusing the same semi-obscure examples from the writer's experience, and didn't always go in the directions I wanted it to go (for example more detail on world building, settings, or individual story scenes would have been appreciated).

Pros: It didn't matter that it didn't go where I wanted it because it was still very entertaining and unexpectedly beneficial to follow the writer on his path. The book is solid from start to finish and doesn't have a false air of superiority about it; everything is very practical and friendly. Definitely a good read that rewards the effort.

This book is excellent. Sheldon is witty and insightful and his book is a joy to read. I can't really think of anything negative to say, although I should perhaps mention that this book is pretty focused on RPGs and adventure games, since these are the genres which have traditionally relied most on story. Anyone interested in developing their understanding of storytelling in games should definitely pick this book up.

I am working on forming a game development studio, and our team is in the middle of producing our flagship title, an RPG entitled "Revolution's Dawn." I am the main writer of the script, and I just recently finished reading this book. Where I thought my duties as a writer were finished, I now see new openings to provide dialogue and sidequests to fill in the backstory, plot gaps, and other means of enrichment that I didn't see before. Because of having read this book, my team and I can now take this game and bring it into the realm of what we intended it to be-a vehicle for telling a story.

While the title of the book is "Character Development and Storytelling for Games," the book really focuses more heavily on the latter. I was expecting the former, but by no means am I complaining! I have been able to break through blocks in my own role as a writer for this project.

If you are looking for the "right" way to write your story, you won't find it here. What this book does instead is to open doors, and then let you decide whether to walk through them or not. And even then, you still have to choose for yourself what to do once you've walked through them. If you are looking for new openings in crafting your game _and_ writing your story(and synthesizing them both together), this is the book for you.

I read this book and was able to configure two 1720 routers to communicate over a WAN without any problems. I would suggest getting one of the CCNA books for a reference guide. This book does not go into great details about the commands.

The author did a great job of presenting the relatively basic information on configuring Cisco routers. You will find quite a few useful IOS commands discussed in the book that will want to keep it as a handy reference. I would also suggest looking into getting "Cisco IOS for IP Routing" by Andrew Colton. That book would take you deeper into mechanics of modern routing protocols (EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS, BGP), along with a discussion of Cisco IOS commands.

These authors know how to write technical literature that did not confuse me!

Our company uses IPX and Appletalk for various departments although we are moving with haste to an all IP shop. I found this book to help me with building a multiprotocol network and to better understand the details of IP routing. The book covered IP routing in depth and covered enough of IPX and Appletalk to help me optimize my network. I found the example network with the full IOS configuration files quite useful.

There is the CCNA certification which takes you down the path to learning about routers, LANs and WANs, but what if you don't want that you only need to know how to configure the router. The Cisco Pres has put together the book that tackles that very subject.

In 350 plus pages you'll begin with a good breakdown of the OSI model followed up with the basics of how to configure the router. The information has screen shots to show you what things should look like.

After that you move in the always challenging world of TCP/IP with routing protocols and access lists. This section has a great deal of information but you may want to check other sources for more detailed information.

You also go into areas like AppleTalk with LAN and WAN configuration, IPX, SAP and basic management of the router including time control. While most of the book is geared towards the beginner all skill levels should be able to find some useful information within the book.

I found that the information seems to be up to date including topics like Network Time Protocol and Simple Network Time Protocol. Overall a very good value for the money.

Who would have thought that a 350 page book on routing could be so comprehensive? This book is a perfect place to start for MCSE's who want to move onto the 'good stuff' - routing with Cisco routers. Use this and the Sybex CCNA Study guide and you'll get through the test no problems.

I think you must buy this excellent book about grasses with a lot of good photos.

Excellent and complete information about ornamental grasses. A great book.

Thirty pages on the botany, anatomy, and classification of grasses. Twenty pages on native habitat, thirty pages on designing with grasses, and twenty pages of growing and propagating grasses. 170 page encyclopedia listing 400+ species / varieties of grasses. Each species is described in a paragraph or two of text along side a clear photograph of the plant. In the back of the book, you find a 2 page glossary, 5 page bibliography, 2 page grass nursery listing, USDA and European hardiness maps, and a complete index of all grasses by common name. Very complete book.

As a bonus, the book is also filled with awesome photography.

If you garden with ornamental grasses, this book is a must buy. Excellent information, well worth the money!

This is such a wonderful informational book... AND ... a gorgeous coffee table book. It is terrific from beginning to end! If you like or are interested in, or even thinking about Ornamental Grasses ... then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! I can't imagine anyone who has an interest in Ornamental Grasses NOT LOVING THIS BOOK, and would be delighted they purchased it. My only concern is that it is going to look dog-earred from my reading it over and over and over again ... which frankly takes away from its beauty on our coffee table.

This book is structured, written, photographed and edited with parallel purpose and effect: communication of the author's respect and regard for the book's subject and for its readers. Mr. Darke sets out to inform and does so with enconomy but in full course; when he instructs, he teaches the novice and gives pause to the critic; when he photographs he shows his passion and inspires with the nature and wonder of his subjects. The book is encyclopedic, yet its prose is always to the point with the agreeable dryness of a good, well-bodied wine. Credible, trustworthy, enlightening. This is the best gardening book I have ever read. Negatives? Only one: Mr. Darke's standards are unimpeachable; those of the book's typographer and designer, however, are not.

Rick Darke's book is typical of his work. It is extremely well written, a detailed, very thorough guide to ornamental grasses, full of helpful pictures as well as information on growing and maintaining grasses. This book should be a classic for decades to come.

The book contains a common-sense approach to software process improvement strategies for most organizations to follow. Wiegers takes the mystique out of the Software Engineering Institute's CMM and offers the CMM as one way of many to accomplish process improvement. He balances technology and process-focus against real-world people issues. Must reading for anyone involved in a Software Engineering Process Group or for senior managers trying to figure out what all this stuff is about. Text is well illustrated by case studies and examples from the author's experience at Kodak

This is a great overview of all the elements of a successful software project - from project planning to system design on up to testing and project postmortem. Many of the topics are covered too lightly to allow a practitioner to use all of Wieger's advice right out of the gate. But that's fine - the book is meant to be a handbook of great ideas from which practitioners should choose, study and implement. Pay particular attention to the discussion on determing project drivers and constraints during the project planning phase - an area usually breezed over, with devastating consequences.

This is a good book for software leaders who need ideas on how to improve the engineering culture in their organization. I thought the Culture Builders and Killers in each chapter were particularly useful.

A practical guideline for building strong and successful software development methodologies.

Wiegers' experience in a relatively small group at Kodak and his practical approach embodied in this book provide sound and strong encouragement for anybody to improve their software processes. There may be no silver bullet, but this book comes awfully close.