Software Books

This is a essential book for beginners and advanced users. DBAs can have good references to implement ASM without problems. There are many information not found in conventional forums.

Other than Oracle documentation, this is the only ASM source of information that I know of. This book is a relatively fast read and comes in at under 300 pages.

The first chapter is very helpful and I learned some information about disk storage that I did not know. I am more comfortable talking with SAN and system administrators now. They also get the feel that I know what I am talking about. After the first chapter, the book dives right into ASM architecture and management. Each chapter is well written and easy to understand. This book also covers the new features in Oracle 11 and you can see that Oracle is dedicated to maturing ASM. ASM is here to stay and it will gain in popularity.

One of the areas that I thought could have been better is the discussion and explanation of RAC, ASM and how the cluster registry is affected. It would have been nice to have a chapter on OCFS just as a supplement. Some shops will utilize both OCFS and ASM. OCFS will host the OCR and voting file as ASM can not be used.

If you are new to ASM or you are an expert, this book is a good read. If you are new to ASM will get more out of it (obviously) since it covers everything you need to know to install and maintain ASM. Fortunately since this is the only ASM book (as of today) and it is great source of information you will not be wasting your time. This book comes highly recommended.

George Loewenthal
Denver, Colorado

Oracle Automatic Storage Management Under-the-Hood & Practical Deployment Guide.This is a must have book for those who are working on ASM or who are planning to implement ASM.Chapters like "ASM Space Allocation and Rebalance","ASMLIB Concepts and Overview","Managing Database in ASM" and "ASM and Storage Array Configuration" gives you in detail information.

After reading the book I can say that now I know what actually is ASM/How it works/How to Implement ASM and I don't need any more training on ASM.


-MOHAMMED MOINUDDIN UMAIR
Senior Tuning Consultant,LEHMAN BROTHERS,NEW JERSEY

One of the authors of this book is the director of development for ASM. Who would know more about it than the developers? The other 2 implement it in many different environments. Lastly, the technical reviewer Charles Kim wrote the 11g new features book for Apress. There could not be a better group of people to write a book about ASM and review it than these individuals.

I would highly recommend this book for any DBA that will be working with ASM and / or RAC. The high performance, ease of use, and low cost make it a very attractive solution. This book will teach you everything you need to know about ASM (that's why it's called an "Under-the-Hood" guide). It also makes an excellent reference.

Someone recenlty mentioned that Oracle Automatic Storage Management (ASM) is probably the best thing ever happened to Oracle next to SQL*Plus. I would second that. However there was no definitive text available in the market and Nitin & co perfectly filled the gap with this classic one.

This book starts with the basics of the storage technology and moves towards the center of the ASM with deep discussions on ASM data structures, ASM in operation and ASM troubleshooting. Nitin probably probably knows more about ASM than anyone I know and excels in explaining the complex technologies in easy to understand manner. You will immensely benefit from his wisdom and real life experience.

A must read for Oracle Storage Administrators and DBAs working with RAC/ASM.

I use this encyclopedia to prepare for my catechism class and gives me a clear and understandable explanation of terms.

When I ordered the Encyclopedia, I resigned myself to slugging through mountains of information and end up "What did that say again?"

Well, I am pleased to say that there was the mountain of information and more often than not I knew what it was saying. The definitions in were to the point, crisp and relevant to the times. Rev. P. Stravinskas had the insight to include information an ordinary Catholic needed at 7PM Sunday in a mad rush to complete an assignment.

Where the encyclopedia lost me were in some definitions that were necessarily lengthy. Obviously, some white space could have saved me time in re-reading the whole passage. But, with the value of the information included, I believe the Encyclopedia is an excellent resource for those of us who are not scholars in the catechism of the Catholic Church.

Those who know Fr. Stravinskas know that he likes to keep things short and to the point, so that the average person can understand what he's teaching without getting lost in detail. On another note, Our Sunday Visitor has a reputation for printing only the best quality of Catholic books. This collaboration brings out the best traits of both.

It is faithful to the Church's basic teaching since the Second Vatican Council, it fits into one large volume using a print size that will not strain your eyes, it is wonderfully organized to cover a wide variety of topics relevant to the Catholic faith, and its entries are informative while being written at a level the average Catholic can understand.

For these reasons, this is simply one of the best modern Catholic Encyclopedias on the market. Every Catholic family and college student who is interested in their faith should own one.

Easy to read. Comprehensive, concise, orthodox. Great reference to have in order to look up any subject about the Catholic Church in one Book.

If you want to know what the Catholic Church teaches this is a great reference book. Father Stravinskas teaches what the Church teaches, and not just his own personal opinion. I'd recommend anything he wrote. It's wonderful to know you won't be misled. Nice book for dipping into, too!

Since there doesn't seem to be any plan to update this book for XP, 2003 or 2007, this is still the definitive tome on programming with Outlook VBA. An excellent desktop reference, although it reads more like a dictionary than a true book, but for a straight up list of Outlook constants, it cannot be beat. If you program in Office VBA you must own this book.

This is the best book I've seen on the subject. Very well organized and clear. If you're programming Outlook you need this book.

Here's a tip. Use VBA whenever possible, rather than the VB Script available on the Outlook forms. The book shows you how to program for events such as the addition of a new item or changing an item. You can avoid VB Script programming on the forms this way.

Very Informative. I highly recommend this book. I was able to get the information I needed very easily.

This book was awesome! I used it to help me write VBA code to connect our SQL 7 database to the Outlook Calendar. As staff members update the SQL database, the information will show in individual calendars as soon as Outlook is started up!!! I also plan to use it generate Task Lists from the database. There aren't many books written on Outlook VBA so if you are looking for some answers start here first!!!

Before this book was available, I used the Outlook Help files as a reference for objects, methods, properties and events. Anyone who has used the Outlook Help files knows how prone they are to errors, so this book was a welcome edition to my collection. I use it so regularly, that the spine on my copy has already has a crease.

If you are serious about learning/improving your Spanish, buy it! This is a Spanish/English English/Spanish Dictionary. It is wonderful because not only does it have tons of entris but it seems to have examples for all if not most of its entreis. Example, say you want to learn the word "flat" in spanish. It will give you English sentences or phrases for the various connotations of the word "flat" and it will have the spanish translation for each of the English connotations! This is great becaus you'll know that your getting the right Spanish word for the concept you want to convey.

If you are serious about learning/improving your Spanish, buy it! This is a Spanish/English English/Spanish Dictionary. It is wonderful because not only does it have tons of entris but it seems to have examples for all if not most of its entreis. Example, say you want to learn the word "flat" in spanish. It will give you English sentences or phrases for the various connotations of the word "flat" and it will have the spanish translation for each of the English connotations! This is great becaus you'll know that your getting the right Spanish word for the concept you want to convey.

This is the best dictionary I have ever used. Not only is it fast and easy to look up words, but it also has a wealth of definitions/meanings for each one. It is one of the few dictionaries I have found that also includes regional slang. It's a little pricy, but its ease of use makes it worth every peseta, er, penny.

I've been working with this dictionary and it's a real good tool both for profesionals and students. It makes it sooo easy to look for phrasal verbs, or idioms in the twinkle of an eye. Very recommendable!!

Before purchasing I did a lot of reading and felt this was the best out there for a Spanish-English CD, and I am not disappointed.

With the other reviews I agree that the thoroughness of this dictionary is outstanding. Most words are put in a variety of contexts to show different usages including common idiomatic expressions and regional expressions according to country. I use it daily as an essential tool in studying Spanish.

However, as a sofware product at $50 it is pretty lousy. The design is clumsy. The search is awkward and very limited, that is, you can't look up combinations of words in quotes. Still, all things considered, this does not hold it back from being worth the price. For the basics it's very easy to use and I recommend it.

I have recently began developing in Paradox 7, and bought Mike Prestwoods Paradox 7 Programming Unleashed. It is great. It covers, I think, every area of Object Pal. I have not read every page yet, because some of the topics, like DDE, DLL and OLE are something I will start exploring later. But it makes it clear that you can use many Windows 95 features.

The book first explain the area to be covered, and then gives you lots of small examples, that you can test, or just read. It strengthen the idea that you should write not much code, but effective.

Among many other things it gives you several ways to pass variables, important but difficult for the newbee.

The book is even fun to read, and really helps you getting into OPAL. I strongly recommend it.

This book is full of practical examples and gives you a clearer idea of the unique nature of Paradox's ObjectPAL language.

Mike has done an excellent job of exposing the details of Paradox, and putting it all together into a readable format that can be used as a reference by beginner and advanced programmers alike.

The strong point of this book is it's index, which is beyond complete, it is intense.

Over the years, I have purchased nearly every Paradox for Windows books I could get my hands on. Things have to be worded just right in order for it to sink into my thick skull. This book is excellent in every way. The examples and explainations along the way "Can't Be Beat". You can't go wrong if you intend to program in Paradox for Windows, especially if you use this book. I'm still waiting for this writer to produce a Paradox version 8 book. Let's hope its soon!

I have Mike Prestwood's since Paradox 5. All contents are really my advisor whenever I want any essential information. In the next version of Paradox, I would like Mike to add some more feature on OLE, OLE AUTO and BLOB field in Interbase table or, in other word, Paradox for Client/Server Version.

A complete analysis of the subject with the risk to be excessively rich of information

Plenty of Photoshop CS3 books on the market update information to this latest Photoshop release, but few offer an extensive desk reference packing in the latest tools and techniques of the latest program with easy details on how to do everything from simple adjustments such as specifying size to using layering and blending modes for advanced compositions and refinement. From full color screen shots and color examples of modified photos to techniques and strategies, Photoshop CS3 All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies is one of the most extensive coverages on the market - and a perfect pick for any who find detailed Photoshop coverages confusing.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

If you are like me -- an intelligent (I hope) experienced computer person who has never used Photoshop but wants to learn how to do useful work (not just play around) -- this book is for you. For example, you can actually look in the index and find what you are looking for.

This is a great resource at a fraction of the price of the book from adobe. Highly recommended!

I liked "Photoshop CS3 for Dummies" as a good overview text - then I use this "Photoshop CS3 All-in-one Reference for Dummies" as a detailed text on most of the heavy features of Photoshop. I was pretty good with Photoshop CS and all the versions of the program before - but I am learning a GREAT deal from this tome on the more sophisticated features.

I've settled on Photoshop Elements 6 and this book was written for 5. Since I'm a newbie the info in this book was still very informative. I also found a newer book that is specifically for Photoshop Elements 6 which has been a great refereance tool to my webinars with Michellle @ National Association of Digital Scrapbookers. It's finally starting to make some sense to this 50 yr. old Grandma who's going to WOW! her Family @ Christmas! I would read this book to get some good backgrond and basic information and the DVD w. freebies and lessons helps a lot. It will stay in my reference library! Reccomend!Linda in Indiana

This is a wonderful book for those wanting to learn how to do digital scrapbooking, but it is not just for beginners! There are techniques and discussions that can advance your skills even if you have been digital scrapbooking awhile. One of the best things in the book that I love is the use of multiple programs (i.e., PhotoShop, PaintShopPro, PhotoShop Elements, and more!) While so many tutorials or books concentrate on one program (mostly PhotoShop), this book shows examples created in different programs. And while the book is worth the cost by itself, the DVD is a fantastic bonus! The kits included are by well-known digital scrapbook designers; the fonts are unique and fun; and the filters (shareware, trial use, or free) allow you to take your layouts to new levels!

I've been sitting on the sidelines for several months, trying to start digital scrapbooking but spent most of my time looking at other people's layouts and chasing down "freebies" that I haven't even used! This book helped me get on the road. I bought Paint Shop Pro (PSP), on the advice of PCWorld's digital photo editor a few years ago (he since has switched to Photoshop as it is more popular with his readers) but I like PSP for the very reasons he suggested and don't want to switch just because Adobe is better at marketing their product. I've been searching for a scrapbooking book that focused on PSP. While this book gives equal measure to PSP and Photoshop, it fit the bill for me. This book does not give step-by-step instructions, only general guidelines. I found the format to be helpful although I don't think a reader is able to replicate the complex layouts illustrated in the book just from reading it. The DVD is a great feature, making this book a very useful tool for the digital scrapper!

I am a fairly advanced digital scrapper and I found a lot of new and helpful instructions in this book. At the same time I found the instruction clear enough for a beginner - I sure wish this book was around back when I started. The kits provided would all cost more retail than the book costs and the kits are very top quality - from some of the best designers out there. This is a must have for anyone contemplating or already addicted to digi scrapping.

A very comprehensive introduction to the world of digital scrapbooking. The authors cover subjects much wider than just how to put a page together, including general information on scrapbooking itself and equipment like scanners, printers and tablets. Both Photoshop Elements 6 and Paint Shop Pro techniques are discussed. There is instruction for many techniques, but this is a more generalised text than a straight "how to do it" book. The book comes with a CD containing digital scrapbook supplies from leading designers and a section containing sample pages using those items (very useful for a beginner to see the different ways people can use the same supplies). I found the book easy to read but there were some areas that could have done with more detail. For example, it discusses how to use Gaussian Blur to simulate depth of field but uses a selection to choose the area to blur instead of a new layer which I feel is less flexible and more prone to risk. Sharpening is discussed and High Pass Sharpening mentioned - but we are never told what it is. It is also a shame that the authors demonstrated the Magic extractor tool instead of the excellent and easy to use Quick Selection Tool in Photoshop Elements to demonstrate extracting a background. However, these are pretty minor quibbles in the scheme of things. I think this book would be useful to anyone starting out with digital scrapbooking (especially if they are new to the tools). It will provide you with all the information you need to start making your own pages.

I bought this book after having owned the editing program for about a year........and suffered all the heartache that can occur if you do not know what you are doing....including crashing Windows.....finally located this superb manual that is user friendly and written by a pro in the field. Since that time, I have produced several projects that are startlingly complex.......and am currently being PAID to produce VHS/DVD productions. A MUST BUY if you purchase Pinnacle Studio 8.

Well laid out and quite thorough. Really a must-have if you are new to Pinnacle Studio DV.

I've had this book for less than a day and it's already paid for itself. I bought Studio 8, which now has been updated to version 8.10 (eight point ten, not 1.0). I figured even if the book were good for the very first versions of Studio 8, OK. As soon as you open the book, you see that Jan refers to changes made as recently as v. 8.6; I was thrilled. This is a brand new book/edition. Studio 8 ships with a 258 page manual right out of the box, which is somewhat amazing for a piece of software like this, but admittedly, the manual is very remedial. This book, from the earliest pages, delves into some seriously useful components within Studio. I have a bunch of these Visual QS books; I'm always ammazed at the bang for the buck in every one of them, this one no exception.

This book is a MUST for anyone new to Pinnacle Studio. I bought the software thinking I could "figure it out on my own"...Not!
This book has saved me!

This book tries to sell itself on the photos of the GUI that you will be using. The photos are a bit small, but good enough when you really need them, which is rare, because the author does a wonderful job of explaining how Pinnacle works. I recieved the software with no documentation and within a few minutes of opening this book I was well on my way to creating DVDs out of some digital movies. The author does a great job explaining both the simple and the complex parts of the software. And refreshingly, the author actually offers opinions on better ways to do some tasks. This is a good buy for anyone using this software.

What is the internet?
How and when did it begin?
Where does the network go?
Who originally thought of the concept?
Why is the internet useful and necessary?
Was Al Gore involved?

All these questions and more (minus the Al Gore one) are in The Pocket Guide To The Internet.

From ISPs to Packets, from AOL to telnet, and emoticons to netiquette, it's all present. There's a wealth of knowledge in every chapter, and the steps are slow enough for all. In fact, many of even the most novice users of the Internet will find much of the information mundane.

The book provides page after page of helpful information, providing a multitude of web addresses, acronyms, and definitions that, if anything, provid a sort of printed dictionary/encyclopedia about the internet.

This is a great resource for someone starting at ground zero with no knowledge whatsoever.

The "concept" of the Net is very important for the uninitiated. Your zeroing in on how the Internet should be viewed in the mind's eye is excellent. It's the idea or the "vision" of the over-all system as a "place" that is expanding its own boundaries in all directions gives your readers a sense of the sheer "enormity" of it all. And yet, all of it is reachable by a simple wire with a tiny, plastic push-in-and-click wall plug!! Marvelous. Robert M. Jackson, Jr.

I'm about half way through your book. In fact I'm on page 148 beginning Web Culture. I have found your book to be very informitive. Was very interested in the section on Gopher. Tried to get information on swollen joints, but reread and found that I needed to use WWW and Exite to pull it up. As I read your book I try the new reading out on my computer. Again thanks for the information.

Al Witte

I recently bought your paperback (The Pocket Guide to the I'Net) at the local Wal-Mart. Of course I was skeptical, since I've read or scanned through a dozen how-to books and intro-to books in my endeavours to learn better and train better.

But ... something about your style engaged me. So I bought the book. Halfway through it I think I know what it is I like about your text ... you're an Internet teacher who agrees with *me*!

I was talking with Wendy Green last week (literally talking, not virtually) and described my reaction to your book. She encouraged me to drop you a line. She says you lurk on the misc.writing newsgroup from time to time and she recognized your name. (What a high-traffic newsgroup!)

I webmaster for my company (www.ag.org) and am also responsible to train anybody in our midst how to understand and navigate the 'Net. For a good part of the last year I lectured to our local Internet users' group and now moonlight at a local cybercafe teaching Internet classes for paying customers. So, my plate is full and I'm happy to find material which so nicely augments my own presentations!

For a while I struggled with the relative worth of helping people understand this beast. Especially when they're *paying* to do so! After all, these people just want to know how to send email and 'surf the Web', why should I waste time talking about its military roots for goodness sake?

So, if for no other reason, I appreciate your book for the affirmation I've found there. Of course, I don't *always* agree with your presentation or your choice of wording, but then who agrees with *anybody* one hundred percent? I can't argue with the facts of your text, though, you have certainly done your research! (I only wish it was footnoted! ) At heart I am a teacher and no matter what I do or where I'm at that's likely the role I've fallen into. From one teacher to another: you done good. (Of course, I'm sure you know that! The royalties should speak well enough!)

I bought your book 'Pocket Guide to the Internet' (Pocket Books) a couple of months back here in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and enjoyed it greatly. It was a great introduction to the Net. Thought provoking and nicely written. I continue to use it as a reference.

The fact that everyone uses the web in some way or another, this is a good book to have. I am a computer junkie and this book definitely kept my head afloat. But I highly recommend you read "A Branded World" by Michael Levine. This author really knows what he's talking about. The next time a company hands out memos to its employees, make sure "A Branded World" is on the top of the page!

Bob really knows what he is talking about. He gives a lot of wonderful easy to read tips on how to get your name recognized on the web. He is very clever & witty and fun to read. I recommend you get a copy now.

The Internet offers a lot of "get rich quick" schemes, and advice based on 20th-century advertising techniques. However, what worked in the past century and before the Internet, is not working now. From "Cluetrain" to "Gonzo Marketing," there's ample proof of that.

But, if you're self-employed and/or building your online identity... how do you start? And, if you've been online for awhile but you're somehow missing the boat--or at least your audience--what do you do without a corporate advertising budget and webmaster/advisors to help you?

The answer is simple: You get this book. And read it. I've read Chapter Two at least ten times, and I'm still making notes about what I'm changing on my own website (online since 1995, and boy-oh-boy have I made mistakes! *sigh*).

Baker's books are not for wimps. And, they're not the sitcom version of business, where you spend a few days creating a by-the-numbers clone of others' websites, and then sit back expecting income to flood in like clockwork.

Instead of being a book that you read, say, "Oh, that made some good points," and then put on a shelf to collect dust, this is a book that you'll read, re-read, and keep close to hand. Baker's book is information-packed. There is no way that you'll learn it all in one reading, or even two.

This is easily in the top five books that everyone who is (or wants to be) in business online MUST own. Sure, you can read the sample chapters at Baker's website, or take this book out of the library, but it contains too much important advice for that. And, you'll refer to it often, as well.

Buy this book. Roll up your sleeves and do what he says. It's how to succeed on- and offline, in the 21st century. It's not your parents' business era anymore. Learn the new rules in this book, and give yourself a genuine chance for success.

Baker's information would be cheap at ten times the price; it's already helped me to increase the daily hits at one of my websites from 500/day to over 800/day. And, I'm still on Chapter Three!

I haven't made it past chapter 3 and I have already read a wealth of helpful information on branding your business name and branding tools. The author provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to branding and marketing techniques one can use both online and offline. This book is a must read for first-time start-ups and entreprenuers.

This is a great book for those of you who want to make a name for yourself on-line. Bob has an abundance of ideas to get you started and to keep you going as you explore the ways to market yourself online. Bob has a very witty and humorous way to keep you interested in what he has to say. I think Mr. Baker is on the cutting edge of where the future of online marketing is headed. I highly recommend this book.