Computer Science Books

This is a great textbook for people wanting to learn the basics of programming computers.It logically presents ML,Java and Prolog.The first sentence states,"Computer programmes are practical magic.".It absolutely is ! You will enjoy reading the historical background on programming too.The ideas really are not difficult to fathom .If you have a desire to learn the foundations of computer language design.For an advanced computer student,this book will be repetitive and frivolous.Yet,i found this basic programming book to be enjoyable and insightful.

This is one of the most clear and enjoyable Computer Science books I have ever read -- and being a CS Ph.D. student I've read quite a lot! The examples are at the right level of complexity, and the exercises at the end of each chapter are actually (gasp) fun! Alternating theoretical and practical chapters makes for a very balanced reading, where abstract concepts are explained by linking them to real language features.

The book smoothly moves the reader through Standard ML, Java and Prolog in a concise and pleasant manner. Although it doesn't go deep in any of these languages, it provides the reader with enough background to create simple programs and utilize the power of each language; the interested reader can go on to learn advanced language features with the confidence that all the basics have been covered. The book draws clear distinctions between all three languages, each of which represents a different way of thinking about programming. If you are looking for an excellent book on programming languages, or you just want to get a feel about different programming paradigms, this is your book!

I just finished using this book teaching our Programming Languages course. We easily covered the entire book in a 15 week semester while adding additional material on Formal Semantics and Concurrent Programming. I really loved the book; the writing was engaging (I'm not kidding, this is the best textbook I've ever seen) and the supporting materials were extremely helpful. The greater-than-usual attention to functional programming languages (Webber covers ML, Java and Prolog) was initially the most important feature for me.

The only possible complaint about the text is that it doesn't go into more detail on a number of topics. The next time I teach the class, I would be happy to use it again while providing supplemental material, although I am considering Friedman et al's Essentials of Programming Languages.

This is the extension to the first book, Process Patterns, and covers the testing, release and production milestone processes in the system development life cycle.

Highlights:

- All processes are cataloged by life cycle milestone and presented in pattern format for quick reference and consistency.

- The author provides an excellent tutorial on patterns in the front of the book.

- Will work with any life cycle model (waterfall, spiral, iterative, etc.).

The material is well thought out and complete. I was impressed at the depth and detail in each of the patterns, and am gratified that someone has taken the time to write a book that covers what happens after development. If you are working in the Rational Unified Process environment you may want to consider, instead, the author's newer book titled "The Unified Process Transition and Production Phases" (ISBN 0521652626), which contains the same material, but aligns it to the Unified Process (the book calls it the Enterprise Unified Process, but it's essentially the RUP).

I was really impressed with this book. When you first read the description of it - it's about releasing software and then maintaining and supporting it - you wouldn't guess how valuable it really is to developers. Writing the greatest software in the world won't do you any good if you can't get it in the hands of your users, and the author tells you exactly how to do this. Gems of wisdom permeate the book, for example you need to plan to rework your software once you've tested it and that you should take the time to do an assessment, what I would consider a post-mortem, to learn from your mistakes (the author says experiences but call it like it is). The material in the book isn't rocket science, which the author is quick to point out, but it is something that is key to the success of your project.

I really liked his idea of assessing your staff once your software is baselined for his "testing in the large." I think its exactly as he says, that developers will stick it out until the current release is ready to go out the door and then leave for greener pastures. By assessing them and investing the time to do career management you increase the chance of keeping your staff.

I also liked his treatment of how to release the software, he's one of the few people that seem to recognize that you have to release software to your operations department, your support department, and to your end users. Once again, not rocket science but something that is often overlooked until the last minute.

A strength of the book is the Maintain & Support phase. I've done software support before and it's a bitch. It's about time somebody finally wrote about it and told people how hard it actually is. Including Maintenance & Support in your software process is really important in my mind.

Just like the author points out, the best developers take maintenance into consideration, the best project managers must also take into consideration how their software will be supported too. This philosophy is a big strength over the Unified Process in my mind because the full spectrum of the software lifecycle is taken into account, not just development. The author's "Identify Defects and Enhancement" stage process pattern is really just basic change control once your software is out the door but once again he did a really good job of saying how to do it.

Another strength of the book is that it is based on real-world experience -- this stuff sounds to me like it would actually work. The book also has a solid foundation in theory, bringing both proven and theoretical practices together in an effective manner.

I also liked chapter 10 because it summarizes key project management issues, such as training and education of your staff, risk management, metrics, quality assurance, and risk management from both Process Patterns and this book, More Process Patterns. These are all important issues that must be taken into account to succeed. In fact, for many people this book is a good buy just to get this chapter alone.

The one thing that I don't like is that you really do need to buy two books, this one and the one before it, Process Patterns, to get a full picture of the overall software process. However, both books are pretty big and they both contain excellent information so its not such a bad thing in the end.

This book provides set of well designed patterns from which to develop service delivery processes. This is the only book I have come across that manages a clean, seamless segue from application delivery to service delivery.

First, to appreciate this book's approach it is important to know what OOSP and patterns are - this will set your expectations about the book and what you can get from it.

OOSP stands for Object-Oriented Software Process. It is an approach to software development within the context of object-orientation. Put another way, it is an object oriented approach to application delivery. Both of my definitions fall short, but if you are familiar with the unified modeling language (UML) or the Rational Unified Process (both of which are nearly inescapable judging from the sheer volume of literature on both subjects) then you will get the idea.

Patterns are like templates for actions and activities. Using a pattern assures a high degree of consistency in presenting a collection of activities, and also allows you to distill the key elements of a particular process into a succinct format. What I especially like about the concept of patterns is that provide a "container" into which you can capture best practices for any process.

This book presents a set of patterns for the final stages of application delivery (i.e., software development)and segues directly into service delivery. The patterns grouped into phases that roughly follow the Rational Unified Process, and the phases are further grouped into stages.

From the application delivery point of view, the processes are: test and rework. The bridge to service delivery is provided in the release stage processes. From there the processes are firmly in the service delivery domain, starting with the assess stage, and moving into the maintain and support phase. One of the best parts of this book from a service delivery practitioner's point of view is the "Identify Defects and Enhancements". This if often overlooked in the body of literature for applications and service delivery (but is a key process in software quality assurance). The patterns associated with this stage are an ideal vehicle to communicate operational requirements from service delivery back to application delivery.

I also liked the project and cross-project tasks that are presented in this book. As the co-developer of the Tarrani-Zarate Information Technology Management Model one of the fuzzy areas was the link between maintenance and support and the project-related tasks. This section clarified some of the dependencies and linkages.

What did this book do for me? As a service delivery practitioner it gave me a clear understanding of the potential synergies that can be achieved if application and service delivery are treated as a coherent whole. It also heavily influenced my thoughts when developing the Tarrani-Zarate model, and refined my view of service delivery. It also showed the value and power of employing patterns for capturing best practices. As such, this book is probably of value to knowledge management practitioners.

What does this mean to you? It depends on your role. If your role is project manager, in development or QA/test, then the process patterns provided will underscore the fact that development is not complete until the product is in production. If you are in production control, production support or applications support (help desk, tier 2 or 3), then this book provides some excellent ideas on how to "connect" service delivery to application delivery. If you are a project sponsor or business process owner, the defects and enhancement stages are a good starting point for understanding your role on a configuration control board at the project or product management level.

The author sums up the key point of this book with a quote from his web page: "A good developer knows that there is more to development than programming. A great developer knows that there is more to development than development." To paraphrase, development isn't what it is about - it's about delivering functions to business users so they can do their job. This book provides ideas and tools to do this.

William Liu (SML Modeling Expert/DMTS) has recently authored an excellent text on the BSIM3 and BSIM4 SPICE models. It is a "must have" text for modeling engineers, designers, or PIs who would like a deeper understanding of the BSIM3/4 models. William's sense of humor is evident throughout the text which makes the deep technical aspects even more fun. Check out "Mosfet Models for Spice Simulation."

This is clearly the best and newest book on MOSFET models. It's Liu's third book, and it's delightful. That's a strange word for a technical book, but it's true! This book is both practical (down to earth) and occasionally funny.

I must admit... I haven't read all 588 pages yet, but the sections I have read are all clearly written, well illustrated and there is just enough background information to make the topics interesting. For example when he discusses the possibility of BSIM3 calculating a negative back-gate transconductance, gmb, or a negative mutual transconductance, gm, he points out that a negative gm has actually been reported in a real device, and gives the reference. Then he gives a checklist you can use to help prevent the negative gmb problem in your model.

I was particularly interested and amused by his explanation of the "Killer NOR Gate" in section 4.2 "Problems with the 40/60 Partition." This circuit caused a lot of interesting e-mail discussion a couple of years ago.

His chapter 3 contains a very good 130-page "ALPHABETICAL GLOSSARY OF BSIM3 PARAMETERS." Anybody who works with BSIM3 knows you need a handy list of all the model parameters and what they mean. Liu devotes a couple of paragraphs to each, and he recommends leaving many of them equal to zero!

I'm more of a SPICE model user, not so much a theorist, and I found this book to be exactly what I needed.

The other recent classics on this subject are Cheng & Hu's MOSFET Modeling & BSIM3 User's Guide (1999), Arora's MOSFET Models for VLSI Circuit Simulation (1993) and Foty's MOSFET Modeling with SPICE (1996).

I am the author William Liu. I notice there is no link to the book content (as of May, 2001). Therefore, I thought I would add that here. I am sorry to have to rate my own book a five star before I can put put forth the book content in this review space. Nonetheless, it is indeed my view that the book is a five star, an opinion which I believe, can be justified by the content shown next.

Anyway, here is the content:

CHAPTER 1 MODELING JARGONS

1-1 SPICE Simulator and SPICE Model 1-2 Numerical Convergence 1-3 Digital and Analog Models 1-4 Smoothing Function and Single Equation 1-5 Chain Rule 1-6 Quasi-Static Approximation 1-7 Terminal Charges and Charge Partition 1-8 Charge Conservation 1-9 Non-Quasi-Static and Quasi-Static y-Parameters 1-10 Source-Referencing and Inverse Modeling 1-11 Physical vs. Table-Lookup Models 1-12 Scalable Model and Device Binning

CHAPTER 2 BASIC FACTS OF BSIM3

2-1 What Is and What's Not Implemented in BSIM3 2-2 D.C. Equivalent Circuit and Leakage Current 2-3 Large-Signal Equivalent Circuit 2-4 Small-Signal Equivalent Circuit and y-Parameters 2-5 Noise Equivalent Circuit 2-6 Special Operating Conditions: VDS < 0, VBS > 0, VGS < 0, or VBD > 0

CHAPTER 3 BSIM3 PARAMETERS

3-1 List of Parameters According to Function 3-2 Alphabetical Glossary of Parameters 3-3 Flow Diagram of SPICE Simulation

CHAPTER 4 IMPROVABLE AREAS OF BSIM3

4-1 Lack of Robust Non-Quasi-Static Model; Transient Analysis 4-2 Problem with the 40/60 Partition: The "Killer NOR Gate" 4-3 Lack of Channel Resistance (NQS Effect; Small-Signal Analysis) 4-4 Incorrect Transconductance Dependency on Frequency 4-5 Lack of Gate Resistance (and Associated Noise) 4-6 Lack of Substrate Distibuted Resistance (and Associated Noise) 4-7 Incorrect Source/Drain Asymmetry at VDS = 0 4-8 Incorrect Cgb Behaviors 4-9 Capacitances with Wrong Signs 4-10 Cgg Fit and Other Capacitance Issues 4-11 Insufficient Noise Modeling (No Excess Short-Channel Thermal Noise) 4-12 Insufficient Noise Modeling (No Channel-Induced Gate Noise) 4-13 Incorrect Noise Figure Behavior 4-14 Inconsistent Input-Referred Noise Behavior 4-15 Possible Negative Transconductances 4-16 Lack of GIDL (Gate Induced Drain Leakage) Current 4-17 Incorrect Subthreshold behaviors 4-18 Threshold Voltage Rollup 4-19 Problems associated with a nonzero RDSW 4-20 Other Nuisances

CHAPTER 5 IMPROVEMENTS IN BSIM4

5-1 Introduction 5-2 Physical and Electrical Oxide Thicknesses 5-3 Strong Inversion Potential For Vertical Nonuniform Doping Profile 5-4 Threshold Voltage Modifications 5-5 VGST,eff In Moderate Inversion 5-6 Drain Conductance Model 5-7 Mobility Model 5-8 Diode Capacitance 5-9 Diode Breakdown 5-10 GIDL (Gate Induced Drain Leakage) Current 5-11 Bias-Dependent Drain-Source Resistance 5-12 Gate Resistance

5-13 Substrate Resistance 5-14 Overlap Capacitance 5-15 Thermal Noise Models 5-16 Flicker Noise Model 5-17 Non-Quasi-Static AC Model 5-18 Gate Tunneling Currents 5-19 Layout-Dependent Parasitics

APPENDIX

A. BSIM3 Equations B. Capacitances and Charges for All Bias Conditions C. Non-Quasi-Static y-parameters D. Fringing Capactiance E. BSIM3 Non-Quasi-Static Modeling F. Noise Figure G. BSIM4 Equations INDEX

Most books on Multimedia either deal with specific applications of multimedia or offer an analysis of just one Multimedia standard, but this book establishes the fundamentals of multimedia signal processing, introducing generic concepts and then offering a more detailed analysis of the underlying mathematical concepts.

The language is simple and the author does not try to confuse the reader with technical jargon. The material on audio and video compression and various standards is especially intensive. The example programs in the MATLAB CD are well written and give the user a clear understanding of the practical aspects of digital filtering, compression algorithms and the basics of multimedia signal processing. I would strongly recommend this book to someone who wants to know the `whys' as well as the `hows'.

Most books on Multimedia either deal with specific applications of multimedia or offer an analysis of just one Multimedia standard, but this book establishes the fundamentals of multimedia signal processing, introducing generic concepts and then offering a more detailed analysis of the underlying mathematical concepts.

The language is simple and the author does not try to confuse the reader with technical jargon- a very good read. The material on audio and video compression and various standards is especially intensive. The example programs in the MATLAB CD are well written and give a clear understanding of the practical aspects of digital filtering, compression algorithms and the basics of multimedia signal processing. I would strongly recommend this book to someone who wants to know the `whys' as well as the `hows'.

It is not easy to find a textbook on multimedia for upper level undergraduate and graduate computer engineering students. This book has filled the need, and has presented an excellent and interesting introduction to multimedia in fifteen chapters. Although, it has been assumed that the readers have knowledge about discrete-time signals and systems, a chapter has been included to review basic transforms and filter theory, as well as to present advanced theories such as discrete cosine transform and wavelets. The signal processing theories have been explained and demonstrated with simple examples. A strong point of the book is the accompanying CD that contains MATLAB codes for all relevant examples. The readers can easily run these codes and verify the results of the audio/image/video experiments presented in the book. For those who are not familiar with MATLAB, the processed audio/image/videos for several examples are provided in the CD. These readers can just play the audio file or display the image to verify the subjective quality. Instructors should also find the Power Point figures and tables provided by the author useful.

The authors with rich academic and industrial experience, give a very through navigation of the most recent optical network layer by layer. It is very good reference book for anyone who is interested in the optical communication area.

A well written book in the area of multi-wavelength optical networks. The overview of the network gives reader a clear big picture. The detailed description in the aspects of multi-wavelength network analysis, design, control and fault management etc. allows reader to have a close look and a deeper understanding of the related technoloy, of the existing problems, of their near term solutions and of the long term development trend. A very helpful book in a time of rapid change in telecommunication industry pushed by the increasingly heavy data traffic demand.

A real eye opener into the world of Networks and Network Management.

This book provides an important perspective for educators implementing technology into their curriculum. The "Big Twelve" categories provide a rich context to connect subject content & skills to developmentally appropriate learning (Chapter 2). The categories also limit the infinite ways to think about connecting web and classroom and this is critical when Technology is used as a teaching tool. The content examples are extensive and span science, social studies, art, music, language arts, and mathematics.

A must read when thinking about Standards and the Technology.

The first three or so chapters of this book contain great step by step information on all of the basics that a teacher needs to use the Internet for Project Based Learning. The following chapters are a collection of 100 or more tried and true online projects. Some of them are ongoing and can be joined, but most of them serve as an example for someone wanting to integrated this kind of instruction. I haven't seen a more helpful book.

In my work, I try to help teachers imagine how
they might use the Internet in their classes.
This is the first resource that I believe
will make that possible. It is inviting
and easy to use. I'm buying copies for
my favorite clients.

Anthony Zaknich wrote a book that provides the reader with a very broad knowledge about neural networks especially for signal processing. Fundamental facts are extracted and presented in a form that is very easy to read, such as listings, keywords, main formulas, diagrams and results from experiments. Zaknich avoided going into too much theoretical details which might only confuse beginners. But also for advanced and professionals his book is a good source of well-structured basic knowledge. This is the difference compared to other books about neural networks since the reader finds the essence that is crucial to understanding the basics. A huge selection of literature references enables the reader to quickly continue deeper studies about interesting topics. Furthermore, Zacknich' provides examples and results from experiments and simulations which he has done by himself for the most parts. He compares different neural network types and configurations for various real-world examples. These comparisons and results were a very valuable help for me in order to understand the differences and characteristics among the vast number of various network types.
Finally, Zaknich's book helps me very much in my job for that it is very important to have application results and "benchmark-like" comparisons. His explanations are often with reference to his own developed Modified Probabilistic Neural Network (MPNN) and Advanced MPNN that animated me to carry out some tests based on his MPNN. Another idea in his book is the Integrated Sensory Intelligent System (ISIS) that he introduces. I would highly appreciate if Zaknich releases new books especially on the field of signal processing and his idea of the ISIS.
Zaknich knows how to guide the reader through the different topics and not to bore him by long theoretical sequences and formulas. There is already a wide range of available literature that explains topics, such as classifications, control systems, robots etc. in more detail. Interesting quotations from different sources of literature attached to each chapter makes the book even more than merely a scientific book.

Claas Richter
Silicann Technologies (Japan/Germany)

Zaknich's book provided me with the necessary theory and detail to enable me to develop a neural network application as part of my phd. I thoroughly recommend this text for anyone wishing to develop and use neural networks, particularly for engineering applications. I found that while most books focussed on either the theory of neural networks or selected applications, Zaknich's text provided a comprehensive coverage of both theory and application providing a sound basis for understanding and applying neural networks. Topics ranged from the applicability of neural networks through to data collection, data conditioning and the final implementation.

***** Stanley McGibney, Consultant Mechanical Engineer

I found this book to be significantly different in its treatment of neural networks for signal processing and pattern recognition. It deals very ably not only with essential theory but also with basic practical issues, often missing from other books on the subject, that significantly enhance understanding and application. Zaknich has included a nice guide and design approach to successful application of neural networks, which is supplemented by frequent tips and a variety of worked application examples.

The book is much more than a good introduction to neural networks. It also includes a class of neural networks that Zaknich has developed and worked on over a decade that he refers to as common bandwidth spherical basis function neural networks. This is based on a generalization called the Modified Probabilistic Neural Network (MPNN) that encompasses Donald Specht's Probabilistic and General Regression Neural Networks. He has continued to develop the MPNN in a number of very practical directions that allows it to used for a wide range of engineering problems. He seems to favour applications related to underwater acoustic signal processing but the methods and approaches that he offers are suited to many other non-linear problems found in engineering and other disciplines.

The book includes a very interesting discussion on intelligent signal processing. Zaknich talks about what he calls hyperspace signal processing in the context of the MPNN and other classical filtering structures that gives an interesting view of some of the basic issues involved. He suggests at least one possible generic approach to non-linear signal processing based on Vapnik's Support Vector Machine that has a structural similarity to the MPNN.

This book is a gem that shines in its clarity beyond many other books on neural networks that I have struggled with in an attempt to understand the subject well enough to apply it.

OPEN is the answer to many of the industry's problems. Sure it isn't panacea, but it is the next best thing we currently have.

This is a book that provides a comprehensive discussion of the entire object oriented process. It really provides first rate support in terms of the design of a software engineering process. Well done.

This book provides what has been missing in Object Technology: a process. The book is not yet another methodology but is a properly put together full lifecycle process that can be tailored for small, medium, large to super large projects of all types. It provides the much needed Software Engineering process framework lacking in all other OO methods.

This book contains lots of interesting techniques, many of which are essential to the business of software development. Excellent value for money.

This book is one of a series on OPEN (Object-oriented Process Environment and Notation). Unlike the other books in the OPEN series, this book is independent of any methodology and can also be used in non object-oriented environments.

The title is appropriate: this 426 page book and accompanying CD ROM is a toolbox of techniques that can be applied in any environment or within the context of any methodology. It is, literally, an encyclopedia of techniques that consultants and business analysts can use to perform a variety of tasks or produce associated deliverables.

If you are using this book as a generic compendium of tools and techniques, or you are not interested in OPEN, you can safely skip the first chapter that is an overview of OPEN. If you work within an object-oriented environment you may find chapters 2 through 4 useful. These chapters describe OPEN and how it relates to other O-O approaches. If not, you can also skip these and jump to Appendix A, which is the heart of the book.

Appendix A is a collection of core techniques in alphabetical order ranging from abstract class identification to workshops. There are over one hundred core techniques, each of which is presented using the following format: Technique Name and Star rating - 1 star = well tried, 2 stars = reasonably well validated, 3 stars = experimental. Focus, typical tasks for which the technique is used, related techniques, entry criteria and underpinning concepts. This header information is followed by: Technique description Technique useage Deliverables and output

The CD ROM contains additional techniques that make this one of the most comprehensive resources available to a consultant. The content on the CD ROM is in PDF format and is divided into three additional appendices. Additional techniques are in two of these appendices, with the third covering supporting reference material.

What I like about this book is the wide coverage of techniques. All of the standard fare is covered, and a lot of esoteric ones are also included. I use it as a memory jogger or idea book when I an trying to find that "perfect" approach to performing a task or creating a deliverable. Some minor irritations include the star ratings - I found them to be somewhat ambiguous, and the fact that the techniques are presented in alphabetical order instead of grouped by class. A cross-reference in the front of the book would remedy that complaint.

However, this book deserves a solid five stars because it is comprehensive and packs a lot of information into 426 pages and a CD ROM. If you are a consultant or analyst this book is money well spent, and will make a great addition to your short list of everyday tools and references.

If you are serious about the actual business of developing OO software, don't go past this book. Have one on your shelf, although mine doesn't stay there very long.

Don't let the low sales rank fool you. This is one of the most important books in recent years.

Robertson presents an important new perspective on the history of science in this book. We all know that computers have vastly increased our ability to study the universe around us, as well as the universe of mathematics, but Robertson puts this revolution into a wider context, as part of an ongoing process that occurs whenever our ability to observe the universe increases significantly. The invention of the telescope, for example, brought about a large quantitative change in our ability to see. However, the result in astronomy is more than just quantitative, more than just the ability to see more things in the sky, but a fundamental change in the insights that are available to us in that field.

Robertson's great insight in this book is that the telescope is only one example of this phenomenon in the history of science.

The author generalizes the meaning of "phase
change" to describe any event for which it is nearly
impossible to forecast the behavior of a system after
the event from a knowledge of the behavior of a system
before the event. He points out that such events in
science and mathematics frequently involve the
invention of a technology that allows us to observe
something that could not be observed before. He
further argues that "phase changes" cause paradigm
shifts. Examples of inventions that have caused phase
changes are the telescope in astronomy, the microscope
in biology, and the computer in every field. His
arguments are very good, and although I was skeptical,
I was convinced.

Even if you are not convinced by his
arguments, the book is enormously interesting for the
history and overview it gives of mathematics,
astronomy, physics, biology, and other sciences. I
was very impressed that one person could grasp the
essential features of so many different fields. In
addition, he expresses the ideas and history so well
that I found it enormously interesting, even in the
fields I am already familiar with.

Chapter 8 is more controversial, and although
I did not agree with everything he says, I was
fascinated to read his views. I found my mind being
stretched in enjoyable ways.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has
even the slightest interest in science, and also to
anyone who is interested in learning more about the
computer revolution.