Software Books

24 Victorian Display Fonts CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Display Fonts Series)

A great collection of fonts that's easy to download to the Mac. I was impressed that there were no filler fonts (poorly designed fonts included in a collection to make it appear that you are getting a better deal). All were well designed. Some were classic and others very unique to a particular genre of Victorian Type. We were looking for a font that looked like it would be in a medical advertisement and one that looked like it would appear on the cover of a horror story. We found both on this disk and they look genuine on our poster.

A great resource for the cutting edge designer who want more choices in this currently fashionable font group (2006). Goes far beyond what is on either Mac or PC OS and reveals a treasure trove of standout designs.

Includes Arboret. That should be enough enticement if you're truly a font freak. Pages have maps/grids/graphics to show you what characters are actually there. Sometimes a few dingbats are incl. Some (many?) western European (non-English) characters are absent.

Hope there will be a second set of Victorian fonts from Dover.

These Victorian fonts were from a period of "anything goes" in type design and everyone will surely find some goodies here. Dan Solo had a huge collection of great old and new type faces. You'll find 24 of them here. Some, you might already have, and some are so nice that I believe if you find one gem here, it makes the price worthwhile. The fonts are in both Windows True Type and Macintosh formats. The pages have the complete alphabets and a character chart. Be sure to notice the "extra characters" that are offered in some fonts.

The Victorians were responsible for some really hideous, over-decorated typeface designs - but you won't find them in this book. This Dover collection of 24 fine examples from the 19th century include many elegant faces deserving of more exposure, together with lightly-ornamented designs which recapture the charm of a bygone age. This isn't a reference book you'll leave on the shelf. The 24 faces are supplied as good quality Postscript and TrueType faces on CD-Rom. All have been deftly restored to their full glory - there are no broken kerns and worn hairlines with these little gems. My guess is that you'll find a use for most of them within a few months of receiving your copy. A must for any designer's library and a typographer's dream.

If you will entering the world of virtual environments, 3D graphics and worlds, virtual reality and even augmented reality, this book will give you ALL the background information you need. It summarizes everything from software, hardware devices, interaction and everything that deals with the Third dimension.

The book present a very good perspective that how is walking the tecnology of 3DUI, and limits that are growing down versus time.

A fortnight ago, at the Siggraph 2004 convention in Los Angeles, Addison-Wesley had a booth with many of their graphics books. This book was garnering a fair amount of interest. Now that I've had a chance to read it, I can see why.

It is a lucid explanation of how to design three dimensional user interfaces. The authors summarise a vast body of work done in past decades. Plus, unlike perhaps some books that might focus on only US research, they show the global scope of the effort.

Being a text on 3D graphics, you might expect considerable maths. There is indeed some, including a brief description of quarternions. But the amount of maths is deliberately downplayed. Enough is used to impart a basic flavour in certain sections. However, the general tenor of the book is at a higher level of design.

Many serious issues remain unresolved. The book shows you what these are. Very helpful if you are in this field. Especially for newcomers.

If you are interested in knowing 3D UI, you should buy this book. It covers almost every technologies designed or developed in recent years. This book consists of about 13 chapters. In each chapter, it explained the different aspect of 3D UI interfaces following chronological patterns. So, if you want to follow or know technological paradigms, it can be one of useful books you should reference.

I hope nobody takes academic in the negative sense. This is fascinating book that provides an overview of all of the different hardware and software techniques in the 3D user interface world. And it does a very capable job of using a combination of images and text to describe the technologies. It's academic in two regards; first, it's written like a paper, and second that it has little in terms of practical implementation.

Frankly I doubt you could go far beyond the academic in an overview of a field that is this broad and this early in it's development. What this book does do is provide some real incentive to enthusiasts and developers to evaluate and combine these technologies. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is in the field or has an interest in it.

An excellent introduction to Word Perfect. Clear, concise and good range of topics.

I found this book after I got a bought computer with WP and Quattro Pro on it. I love it! It's perfect for a newbie like me who wasn't even sure how to start the program. I was surprised to see how much information the book had about working with tables and graphics and setting up a mail merge. I even learned how to keep all my names and addresses in address books and then use them in a mail merge. I plan to create my own cards and holiday greeting letters and send them out to my friends and family with a mail merge.

I don't know much about spreadsheets, but since I got Quattro Pro for free, I thought I might learn how to use it for my family's budget. The book has three bonus chapters that got me up and running in no time. There is a great section in the book that explains where to go for more help. I found the newsgroups and a great place called WordPerfect Universe where I can go to ask questions when I get stuck.

The book is easy to read and there are lots of illustrations to help you follow along. I've gained a lot of confidence in just a few weeks. I highly recommend this book to new users who want to get up and running quickly, but who also want to learn how to use some of the "advanced" features.

This is a very simplistic way to learn this program, if you can read and follow directions, you will love this!

I just came back to Word Perfect after my iMac died suddenly, and was intrigued with all the advances I'd missed. The WP tutorials and tips are very helpful, but still I had questions and needed more. Sometimes you just want to study the information from a good book, and this is that book. The author treats the reader with respect, knowing that some are just turning on the computer and others are more knowledgeable. The instructions are clear, logical and address "real life" uses. As a special bonus, the author writes well and has a good sense of humor. I feel as if I'm taking a kind of class with this book, and, believe it or not, it's fun!

When I bought a new computer recently, I was glad to see WordPerfect and Quattro Pro offered by the manufacturer for a change, but I hadn't used the programs since early versions for Windows. So, I picked up this book to get up to speed and I couldn't be more pleased.

Laura Acklen is a gifted teacher and writer. The book is well-organized, taking you through the process of getting things done, while introducing you to the incredible depth of WordPerfect - what a great word processor! Although geared to those new to WordPerfect, the book doesn't shy away from covering more advanced features, such as using graphics or templates, and goes beyond the "point here, click that" of many software books. The book is also fun without being silly.

I particularly appreciated the chapters covering Quattro Pro. They were just what I needed to get me going again with this great spreadsheet program. In two days, I was impressing our neighborhood group with tables and charts of neighborhood statistics.

I highly recommend this book to anyone new to WordPerfect and Quattro Pro or anyone, who like me, has come home to these programs with which I used to love to work. Cheers for Reveal Codes!

Many years ago I needed to learn ASP/ADO. I saw a lot of learning in front of me. But I was thrilled to find this book. It gave me the simple, clear explanations I needed to get rolling with ADO in short order. It's still one I keep handy, even thought I now use this technology to make my living. I have several big/thick ADO books, but this one is a quick reference that I still turn to often, as well as highly recommend to ADO (database connectivity) newbies for both web and Microsoft Office linking.

An excellent reference for the novise to advanced programmer. If you need a good overview of how to connect to a SQL Server or Access DB using VB, then you have got to get this book!

This was a very good book but it was not perfect. The code contained some coding errors, but what was worst was that I could not establish an internet connection to Rob's SQL server. Due to the connection problem I could not run those examples, which comprised about a third of the book. I e-mailed Rob, but Rob apparently is too good for his readers to reply back to. I would have given the book 5 stars if it weren't for these problems. The book certainly was not for beginners as it rightly claims. I actually had to read it twice. Any coding errors I was able to solve with some work. The book does offer a lot to learn though.

I bought this book looking for an introduction to ADO and DB programming in general with no prior ADO experience. I read the first 4 chapters for an introduction, and I have used the rest of the book for information on how to complete specific tasks. I have successfully created ADO applications using VB, Access, and ASP, using this book and online help as references. This is probably not the most complete book available for ADO programming, but if you have not used ADO in the past, you will not find a better introduction than this book!

This book is genuinely about ADO Programming without self promotion. Rob starts his book with the basic elements that lead up to ADO technology and steps up to very sophisticated programming procedures/techniques using ADO with Sql Server, MS Access 2000, Excel 2000, ASP and the Web in a very efficient and easy to understand manner. Of the features which set this book apart from others are the numerous runtime examples on Rob's website of procedures using ADO within VB/ASP scripts, and also the companion cd which includes all the of the programming code for each of the ADO examples on the website and all of the examples in the book. The information contained in this book has significantly enhanced my understanding of and coding abilities with ADO in a very short period of time, particularly in the web environment. I would highly recommend this book to any serious developer of data processing applications using ADO technology; especially for web applications.

"100 Essential Techniques" solved at least a half dozen situations right off the bat. George's writing style is clear and concise and his selection of techniques are those that you need to be aware of. Having flipped through the book several times reading what was intriguing, I am reading from front to back. I found that I could read this book on my comute and remember the simple steps on how to impliment the techniques when I was in front of the computer. Real sweet, what's next George?

Clear but concise explanations of many of the features and functions you may already be marginally aware of, but may not understand how to use. These features are generally only mentioned in other books, but are more clearly explained here. I teach the Adobe suite, and feel pretty comfortable using these applications, but most of what I know has come from books because I live in an isolated area. Whenever a book comes along that helps me to understand features I haven't been using, I really appreciate it. Short on glamour, it is just black text on white pages; the techniques are most often presented in two page layouts with screen captures as needed. The book is small enough to hold on your lap or have next to the computer as you work. Reading and using one technique a day might be a great way to go through the book as opposed to just reading. Some tips will be of interest to new users, while others are aimed at the intermediate or advanced level, which is exactly how it's noted on the back cover. Easy reading, chapter headings make it simple to find what you need, but there's also a good index. I find the organization very helpful. There are general tips presented first, regarding the use of Bridge, and setting up preferences to work with the suite more interactively. Then techniques for individual application components are presented and I appreciate the inclusion of GoLive here since I use it. I know everyone else uses DW, but our school chose to go with the Adobe Suite way back when. I have been responsible for the extensive dept. web site and I found GoLive up to the task. And last, tips having to do with the use of Acrobat and Version Cue. I've been using Acrobat for years, but on a fairly rudimentary level and I didn't understand Version Cue at all, so this book has provided some terrific information there. All in all, I think this book is a bargain, excellent, much needed information presented in a simple format. Some tips may be over your head if you're just beginning, but later on you'll be glad they're here. Especially useful: tips on using Bridge more fully, the most useful and least understood aspects of Photoshop and Illustrator, using Master Pages and Frames in InDesign as well as creating books (something I need to do right now), CSS in GoLive (a special thank you for that), time-saving batch processing techniques, and Acrobat and Version Cue techniques that wrap up the final needed tips. This book is definitely not a rehash of anything you've seen elsewhere. It's all the information I was hoping to find in other books and didn't. This book is an excellent resource and I'll keep it handy. There isn't one thing in here I would consider filler. The subtitle is 100 essential techniques and that seems to fit the content perfectly.

This book was super helpful getting me up to speed when I did an upgrade from the pre-CS product line. It covers the basics, but also gets you into some of the more advanced time savers. There's a website for it too, which has been updated with a couple of new tips.

An excellent book, particularly helpful in discovering the new nooks and crannies of the CS line. It's definitely a book I wish I had sooner. It shed a lot of light on the Bridge as well as Version Cue that I just wasn't getting before.

I am familiar with George's style of writing and this book is no exception, to his casual yet informative tone.

Thank goodness! Finally, a resource that's quick access, a quick fix to my problems and helpful, succinct answers to my questions. A must-have for anyone using the new CS2.

Well written, with clear instructions. Helped me understand Lightroom and get the most out of it. Has made using Lightroom both productive and enjoyable.

Here's another entry in the list of books about Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, the new software from the manufacturer of the leading image processing software. Although the software is far more intuitive than Photoshop, and is laid out to mirror the order in which most photographers develop digital photographs, it still requires more instruction then the small paper manual that comes with Lightroom or the complete but hard to use on-line help facility that Lightroom offers.

Rob Sheppard's book offers that instruction in a way that helps photographers who are interested in learning more than just the effect of each button and slider on the digital image. The author follows the workflow model of each of the modules of Lightroom, from the importing of images into the Library Module, through the Development Module that allows for overall adjustments to digital images, to outputs for slideshows, prints and web sites. The writing is accurate and easy to understand.

What makes this book so good is that Sheppard goes beyond just showing the functions of Lightroom. For example, before discussing the operation of the Library Module, he discusses the importance of creating a good logical file structure in one's computer for images outside of Lightroom, so that the file structure can be reflected in Lightroom. Similarly, he recognizes that there are certain adjustments to digital images that Lightroom is not capable of, and so require adjustment in the Photoshop, or other, program. He briefly describes those adjustments and the benefits of using them in a final chapter. This is not enough of an explanation to learn how to make such adjustments in Photoshop but it helps to make the transition. Experienced users will probably not learn anything new with this approach, but it will serve as a healthy reminder. The information will be most useful to the less experienced and those whose previous practices don't lend themselves to effective use of Lightroom.

Unfortunately, there is a lot about Lightroom that isn't covered. One of Lightroom's most impressive features to me is the keywording facility that allows for quick recovery of photographs from a large collection. It includes functions like synonyms and parent-child relations that are extremely useful, but not covered in this book. There are also Lightroom functions that are not mentioned at all. For example, the creation of JPG images to embed in e-mail is a common need of most photographers. Lightroom allows the creation of such images in its export function. Experienced Photoshop users will probably be able to figure out how to do this, but the menus involved in creating a preset to do this are complex, and I would have liked a little help.

Lightroom users looking for a good explanation of its functions, who want to do more than just know what the controls do, will benefit from reading this book. However, this is not the complete guide to everything Lightroom.

Adobe products are not intuitive. I've used Photoshop for a number of years, but it's impossible to sort and edit a set of raw photographs quickly with Photoshop. Bridge is better for sorting, but it crashes fairly consistently. So I decided to try Lightroom. Turns out that Lightroom is also far from intuitive and its controls are similar to, but not the same as, their Photoshop counterparts. So I looked for a book on Amazon and settled on this one. This book is great for explaining how to use the Lightroom Develop controls and adequate for the other Modules. I upgraded to Lightroom 1.1 and most of the information in the book still applies. The reason I don't give the book five stars is that I felt it was light on explaining how Lightroom handles files (the Library Module) and how that relates to the underlying file system. If you're looking for a book to help you get started with Lightroom, I doubt that you'll find a better one.

This book is one of the new editions detailing the use of Adobe's new software, Photoshop Lightroom. It is more that a minimal how-to book. It will move you into mainstream use of this powerful software. The strongest thread running through the book is the leveraging of Lightroom and workflow. Knowing how to use the sliders and other tools is important, but without a good workflow it is less effective in a professional environment.

I got both this book and Kelby's "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers" at the same time as I began to learn Lightroom. Of the two, I found this to be much more helpful and clear. Sheppard's style is clear and his explanations of the tools in Lightroom are quite helpful. He's clearly giving his opinions as to how the tools should be used, but he also reaffirms that these are opinions, not rules carved in stone. His "Pro Tips" boxes are full of good advice about the program, photography, and why two button mice are important for Mac users (perhaps he hasn't yet seen the Mighty Mouse). All in all, an excellent book introducing the power and versatility of Lightroom.

Although the first few chapters of this book are dry as a bone, and it is difficult to get through them without falling asleep, I am still giving this a 5 star review.

The reason why is because after you get past these first 5 chapters, which you probably have learned from another book on C++ (probably for an introductory course), it really starts to pick up the pace, and gives concise information on data structures, easy to understand examples implementing them, and diagrams which make learning data structures a breeze.

Answering the quick quizzes in the book uncover the information that is key to success in a data structures course, and the programming exercises really help develop a better ability to integrate data structures and algorithms.

Even though courses have a tendency to not cover the entirety of material in text books in one semester, I would definitely recommend reading this one through to the end.

Unlike some other programming books, this one really pushes you up to the next level and leaves you feeling ready for your next course in computer programming.

The book shouldn't be called Used, its was Crisp as New, and exactly what you wanna expect at the start of a new class, having a colourful mak free book in your hands.

The coverage of C++ and data structures looks pretty good. There are lots of programming examples, and the book is written very well. I'm recommending it for our 2nd year course in data structures and C++. Our students know Java, but not C++, so it's been a challenge finding a data structures book that packages a semi-introductory version of C++ with a standard course in data structures. This book appears to be the best suited out of about 5-10 books that I've reviewed for this course.

I actually feel that this book is a mixed bag. On one hand, the concepts are intuitively presented and are easy to understand. On the other hand, the book doesn't delve too much into technical details, which may or may not be a godsend to various students. Personally, I'd rather use the Drozdek Data Structures text, since it goes into much more detail into analysis and logic behind choosing various data structures and algorithms in order to implement an ADT.

Anyway, it's still a great textbook for an introductory course in data structures. Just be sure to get another textbook on the same material down the road if you want to get a more detailed understanding of the concepts presented.

I am teaching the second programming / first data structure course in the department of electrical and computer engineering. I have used the first edition of this book several times, and as of fall of 2004 I am into the third of semester of using this second edition as a mandatory text.

This book is very good for students who already know how to program in C, C++ or Java. The first C or C++ course does not have to cover introduction to OOP though. My students learn C part of C++ in the first programming course. This book covers object oriented programming part of C++, and introduces/reintroduces pointers, file IO with streams, and C++ strings (good for former Java programmers). Then it follows into data structures. It starts with its own definitions of dynamic array that grows, and a simple linked list as basic data containers. Then it focuses on organizing access to data with stack and queue, and then migrates to the standard template library (STL). Everything is kept on the undergraduate student level. All other STL books I know assume that you are already an expert in programming or at lest for students after two programming courses, and are too difficult for average non-CS students.

I originally rated the first edition with four-stars only because it introduced pointers very late, out of the proper sequence and added the fifth star for the unique blend of introduction to OOP C++ and data structures, and STL. However, this edition is free from this inconvenience and it also makes C++ and data structures course accessible to former Java programmers. It gets true five stars from me this time.

Hey they are right; it covers Oracle 7 perfectly but there is Oracle 8 and now Oracle 8i. But for the basics, well this is a great starter. It will explain how to tune Oracle and why; after that get another and explore

When I used to work at Oracle, these books were our bibles. I had to learn a great deal about Oracle in a very short time (I knew extremely little about technology, and didn't know a database from a ring ding). These books are remarkably thorough, and go into a lot of detail. The added benefit is that they are extremely widely read by Oracle developers (both working for Oracle and not), that they get TONS of feedback, so any inaccuracies, development or new ideas/tricks get back to the publisher and often get incorporated in new editions. The Oracle series is general is a great foundation to start with for Oracle knowledge. The thick white Oracle PL/SQL guide is also extremely good, and comes with the server software. I believe that it is more easily available in soft copy, as Oracle is trying to limit the documentation that they distribute with their software.

This book offered a complete look at high performance computing for an Oracle7 database. It covers everything about Oracle7 server and hardware tuning. It the best high performance Oracle database book I've ever seen. I've used this book quite frequently when dealing and planning for performance issues. If an Oracle8 version of this book comes out - I will be one of the first to buy it.

No DBA's bookshelf is complete without this book. The authors covered some of the most important topics in oracle tuning and administration. This book gives the most complete and up to date information about underlying concepts and practical ways of using those theoritical concepts in day to day operations in oracle database tuning and administration.

The book is aimed at those interested in DBA issues however I recommend developers to shell out for the book just for the chapters on EXPLAIN PLAN and SQL Tuning Tips. My investment quickly paid back when I put the info to use recently for a major client.

Kyle Preston brought joy to numerous kids' lives during the Christmas season. He loved the job of Santa but he definitely wasn't prepared for a precocious little girl to ask him for a daddy and a present for her mother in the form of a husband to help around the house. Yet luck had it's way when Kristen's mom forgot to turn off the headlights before going Christmas shopping. And who better to come to the rescue? Why Santa, of course. Kristen's mom, Lauren Alexander, was a single parent who had survived years on her own caring for the two of them without the help of her parents. Although she wanted contact, it was out of the question. So when a man decided he wanted to make them a part of his life, Lauren did the only thing acceptable. She pushed him away. Would she see reason when her parents enter the picture? Or will their relationship be totally destroyed? Christmas is a special time of year. One of renewing old friendships and finding some new. Ms. Mondello has created a moving tale destined to brighten the Christmas spirit in everyone who reads All I Want For Christmas Is You.

This book is a warm and tender Christmas story. The lives and struggles of Lauren and Kyle touched my heart and had me cheering for them. A must read for anyone who is looking for a good holiday story.

All I Want for Christmas Is You is a gem of a book. Kristen wants a daddy for christmas and she's picked Kyle. While Kyle struggles to convince Lauren that he is the answer to her hearts dreams, he must also come to terms with ghosts of his own. Lauren can't give into to anything less than true love, it wouldn't be fair to her daughter or her heart. Can Kristen's Santa Claus come through with the daddy she wants, the man her mother wants and the family Kyle wants? From the moment Kristen sits on Santa's lap until she gets her Christmas wish, theis book is one page after another of emotion, love, and good clean fun. Lisa Mondello has made her debut a sparkling one. All I Wnat For Christmas Is You is not to be missed, no matter what time of year it is.

Lisa Mondello has written a warm and wonderful story that's full of Christmas charm. Rich characters and a great romance make this perfect reading for those blustery winter days. Excellent!

When she waddled across the stage to receive her diploma, Lauren Alexander's family was mortified by her pregnancy. Arranging for an adoption, her family hopes Lauren can attend college and survive the family scandal. However, the young mother could not bring herself to sign those adoption papers, leaving town with only her savings and her daughter cradled in her arms. Now Kristen is six, and Lauren struggles to provide all the things her daughter needs. Unfortunately, there's not much left for things like Christmas.

Kyle Preston remembers standing in court at the age of twelve when his father gave him to the state. Foster homes didn't seem to want the boy as much as the check, until his adoptive parents gave him the love he needed. Now Kyle is an affluent real estate developer playing Santa Claus in his own mall. When little Kristen gives her a letter, his heart can't help being touched. Rather than doll houses or easy-bake ovens, little Kristen only wants a daddy to help her momma. With Christmas three weeks away, Kyle finds himself sidestepping the promise.

But Christmas is the time of magic, touching hearts and bringing them together. Perhaps a dead battery can be a blessing if two hearts can be led to find one another. And author Lisa Mondello certainly knows how to bring magic together with love. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS proves a charming novel whether the time be Christmas or summer. With warm characters, a enduring child, and house full of wonderful secondary characters, ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS comes highly recommended.

If you are planning a trip to northern Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, etc.) and want to do some hiking, you must check out this book! It is a goldmine of information on hikes in the Tuscan Alps -- all carefully described and ranked by difficulty, scenic beauty, elevation gain and duration, etc.-- as well as recommendations for places to eat and sleep at the end of your tiring day. I will update this review after putting the book to the test in May 2000.

The level of detail in this guidebook is astonishing. I have walked and climbed this area for 23 years but still found new ideas. I can confirm the accuracy of the descriptions from my experience of many of the routes followed in whole or in part. In this area it is essential to use detailed maps to supplement the route description if only to find starting and finishing points. The maps recommended within this guide are not wholly adequate for the purpose, and maps of the series "Edizioni Multigraphic, 1:25 000" are really indispensable.

I just returned from a trip to the Apuan Alps, where I put this book to the test, and it was quite useful. The hikes are very well described and are very accurate in terms of the terrain and the time and distance. I also agree with their rankings of the various hikes in terms of difficulty and the overall experience. However, this book should be used as a "starting point" coupled with detailed road maps and trail maps, as the directions to the trailheads (and on the trails themselves) can be a bit vague at points. Still, it was an excellent tool that made for a great hiking experience.

This book, which I received as a present in anticipation of a trek to Italy, is fantastic. It is very interesting and well written with lots of good information. I agree with the above reviews; I especially love the menu recommendations for various spots and the guide to Italian behavoir. My one complaint is that it does not have much information for extended (multi-day) hikes, and while it has useful information on trains, the book as a whole is geared towards those traveling by car. All in all a delightful book, that is a fun read even if you aren't actually going hiking.

This guide gives detailed information about 31 hikes in Italy's Liguria region and the Apuane Alps of Tuscany. As an example of its useful detail, it rates the difficulty of each hike as Easy (up to 8 km, up to 500 m elevation gain) Moderate (up to 10 km, up to 800 m elevation gain) Strenuous (up to 14 km, up to 1200 m elevation gain) and Very Strenuous (over 14 km, over 1200 m elevation gain).

Five of the hikes are more strenuous than the climb from Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, to Grand Canyon Village, at the South Rim. And there are just two easy hikes.