Computers and Internet Books

My thanks goes' to packtpub.com for giving me this opportunity to review this Php-Nuke book.
So maybe your thinking, is it something for you?
Without kicking too much i would say yes, but with some remarks.

The E-book starts with a story at the beginning explaining what php-nuke is, and that's the area of the newest Nuke Noob.
Is it boring?
No! But a concern could be that the average Nuker hates to read, many forums prove that all the time.
But the author Douglas Paterson hit the right tone in explaining it all in his own way, by making it fun to read.

The book explains very well, the first steps to take and all that comes after that.
The tutorial is well documented with pictures, also explaining even better what to do.

Disapointing is that the author should have give some people more attention when it comes to php-nuke security.
Chatserv that walks the endless road of patching php-nuke where Francisco Burzi faild.
But also Gaylen (aka Raven) and Bob marion for their Sentinel.

Sure long ago we all could install php-nuke without being afraid of any attacks,but not anymore and that's just the price you pay when you run worlds most downloaded content management system.
Personaly I believe that Sentinel should be standard in php-nuke and its popularity grows by the day,cause php-nuke sites without patches or Sentinel are hacked every day.

But lets continue....
This book will be good for not just the Noob, but also for the serious user among us.
Sounds funny but if everybody would buy it we could possibly close all forums, but like i said.....reading is not something most will enjoy.
But i do believe it will open a whole new world for you.
The book covers almost 8 pages of index, showing you exactly where to find everything, from blocks to modules, from themes to fixing errors.
It also shows a wide variety of technical details, you can read whenever it suits you.

It also takes you a bit on a coding tour, which can be a nice learning process for most people.
What's often a problem for some, are the themes,
A change of colour is easy, but changing the whole header or structure is a different story, Douglas Paterson even explains that greatly and with ease!

A good thing about the book is that it takes you "inside" Php-Nuke and shows you how it works, and what actually happens when a page is requested.
If you read the whole book, then after that, you are well on your way to calling yourself an expert on Php-Nuke.

But some info about the book...
Like i said...the table of contents takes up to 8 pages and at the end a big index.
All together the book is about 305 pages !
And also interesting...if you order the print book from packtpub.com you can add the ebook for about $5 extra, which gives you immediate access while you wait for the book to arrive.

Hitwalker
www.hitwalker.com
Phpnuke database

Although I have fond memories of scouring the web and user forums for instructions and tutorials on how to install, configure and use open source software, I am particularly pleased to see such well-written and high quality books coming out on open source applications every month. Building Websites with PHP-Nuke by Douglas Paterson is no exception. The author has written a book on PHP-Nuke, an open source content management system, which provides opportunity for open source software to gain even wider acceptance and utilization. I would characterize the book as most useful for the novice-to-moderately skilled user, however the book provides broad coverage of topics beyond the novice user, so advanced users will find many of the chapters useful as well. I fully recommend this book to anyone interested in learning and getting up to speed quickly on the PHP-Nuke open source content management system.

The 295 page book progresses well, and generally spends an adequate amount of time on each topic. Chapter lengths are not too long or arduous, as some can be, and make fairly easy work of guiding the reader through getting a working PHP-Nuke system up and running. In addition, I like the order and presentation of the chapters, which flow very well and are organized in a logical manner. The first part of the book deals with introduction, installation, and initial setup of the PHP-Nuke environment. The author begins in chapter 1 with an effective and concise introduction to PHP-Nuke. Chapter 2 deals with installation, configuration, security patches, and some troubleshooting of the installation process. Although I particularly appreciated that the author addressed issues of security and the reasons for applying security patches, I did feel that this chapter was a little rushed. I would be concerned that the novice-to-average user might get lost in some of the database setup steps, or in the installation of phpMyAdmin. I realize this book is about PHP-Nuke, but I think a slightly longer treatment of these topics within chapter 2 would be very useful and could alleviate any potential confusion or frustration on the part of the novice reader. I should add that the book does provide many useful web resources for additional help in these areas, and that the book also offers an appendix for installing and using XAMPP, a bundled collection software needed run PHP-Nuke and most other open source software. Normally users need to install and configure all of the server and software applications separately, which are in themselves topics for entire books, but XAMPP comes with a simple installer and a management and control interface to streamline the entire process.
The middle chapters of the book do an excellent job on taking the reader through the workings of the PHP-Nuke system with ample and appropriate screenshots. The author does an effective job at guiding the reader and creating a working system, while at the same time covering the important basics of setup, structure, and user access, as well as additional topics of system/story and module management.

The final few chapters are devoted to more advanced topics of customization. Chapter 9 discusses customization within the PHP-Nuke framework or through basic hacking of the source code, and chapter 10 deals with extending PHP-Nuke with programming through the utilization of its API-like code. Although I would characterize the book as being more useful for a novice-to-moderately skilled user, there are several chapters at the end of the book in which more advanced users would find helpful in customizing the look and functionality of the system.

Overall, I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in learning and getting up to speed quickly on the PHP-Nuke open source content management system. The book is a concise and easy to following guide to quickly learning this content management system.

What I liked:

How pleasantly surprised and impressed I was with this book! Doug has written this with the novice, average, and advanced user in mind and has done a most excellent and impressive job.

I have been professionally building Information Systems for some 38 years now and got interested in PHP-Nuke back in 2001/2002. I run one of the most popular PHP-Nuke support/security sites on the Internet ( http://ravenphpscripts.com ) and so I am highly critical, knowledgeable, and experienced when it comes to PHP-Nuke, PHP, and MySQL in general.

Doug's writing style is excellent. He takes you through a cursory understanding of the subject matter at hand. He then gives real-life examples. Then he challenges the reader with "What just happened?". But, he doesn't leave you there. He offers code to enhance the code and to entice you to do more. Doug explains every aspect of the core Nuke distribution and does it very well. His chapter on Changing the Theme is excellent and should help many a user to customize their site. Most other authors gloss over the theme area and more or less advise you to contact an expert.

What he doesn't do, and I am so glad he doesn't, is spend half the book on installing the environmental software needed to run PHP-Nuke. So many books waste (in my opinion) my money and time trying to show you how to install *nix/Windows, Apache/IIS, MySQL/RDBMS, and PHP/ASP. He assumes you are there and want to build a web site using PHP-Nuke. What he does do, is add an appendix that explains how to get up and running using a popular all-in-one application called XAMPP (XAMPP is an easy to install Apache distribution containing MySQL, PHP and Perl. XAMPP is really very easy to install and to use - just download, extract and start.) Then, all you do is add PHP-Nuke, follow his instructions, and you have a working web site!

What I didn't like:

There are two critical areas, in my opinion, that Doug seems to have avoided like the plague. In fairness, I can understand why he did. As a preface to the following comments, I think he just wanted to concentrate on the positive aspects and avoid the potentially subjective and argumentative issues that would be generated by introducing the issues. But, what he avoided telling the users will come back to haunt them, in a very severe way - being cracked.

The first thing is that the author (of PHP-Nuke), or current maintainer/owner of the name and original code, Francisco Burzi, does not offer any support at all for the CMS. He openly states on his web site "PHP-Nuke is distributed AS IS, without any warranty nor technical support according with the GPL license". In other words, you will get no support from the author. He also does not offer any forums for support so you will have to go elsewhere for support.

The second issue I have is a major one. PHP-NUKE, as distributed by Burzi, is very insecure and prone to many kinds of exploits. Doug does mention my site and a couple others for security updates and help, but if you blink, you will miss it. The security issues would easily warrant a chapter of its own. Any one who uses PHP-Nuke needs to know about the many security risks if installed as is, right from the virgin download.


Having said all that, I still give this 5 stars. This is a book that every Nuke user, regardless of your skill level, needs to have on their book shelf. I recommend it with the highest recommendation. This book easily surpasses every other book that has been published on PHP-Nuke, at least in English :). I can't comment on the ones that have been written in other languages.

Gaylen Fraley (aka Raven)
http://ravenphpscripts.com
http://ravennuke.com (A very secure CMS)

I've read several pieces by Janelle Elms and have had the good fortune to meet her "virtually" through an interview she did with me for her Online Success Institute. I'm proud to own this work by one of the most respected experts on the subject out there. Janelle is a brilliant business woman who writes regularly for Entrepreneur Magazine and is called upon by the likes of CNN for her expertise. I have had several misconceptions about eBay in the past, but thanks to Janelle, I've been turned around. The bottom line is that you cannot afford not to take your business to eBay. I've been inspired to eBay my own business and I believe you will be inspired to do the same. Read, glean, and make notes.

My 2 fav guides to eBay business sales are this book and the Powerseller Secrets. This one is best for transitioning your business from 'brick to click'. Ive seen some eBay guides which are too simple, they're oriented for the folks who are cleaning out their attics and this isn't one of them.

This book is very hands-on and covers all the aspects of selling on eBay if you're a business as opposed to a hobbyist. The 'launch, test, and refine' model is key along with the tips on researching other sellers and their pricing strategies. This book plus another title like Unleashing the Power of eBay gives a good jump on the competition.

This book is going to save me a lot of money on books for myself and for my son, his cousins, now and probably when it is time to start buying college books too. It's a very thorough manual with helpful glossaries, abbreviatin guides, and some very good advice for finding the online booksellers most likely to provide good customer service. It's also enjoyable to read and it is obvious that the author has a great sense of humor, loves books, and understands what drives people to buy them.

As e-commerce is more and more integrated into our lives, many more people are using the internet to find and purchase books they need for many different reasons. How is a buyer to make decisions? To know how to choose which seller to use? The price of this book will be saved again and again as any buyer becomes more aware and more knowledgeable about buying books online. Whether you hope to provide books for your children, for a college class, or to find the best deals on the latest best sellers, you will become a more savvy buyer after reading this book. And remember, the more knowledgeable a buyer is, the more we sellers need to be knowledgeable. Knowledge benefits all of us.

Buying books is much more enjoyable and much more affordable now than it was in years past for many reasons. The prices of new books online are lower than in traditional bookstores. There is less overhead in an online bookstore. Also, in additon to new books, many online bookstores sell used books which can be priced much lower than a new book. Also, many books are OOP and the used book is the only way to find a copy. The internet has truly opened up a world of books to any interested buyer.

I came across this book while writing "The Encyclopedia of Networking." What a great resource. I was trying to write a historical outline by referring to the RFCs written during the early years of the Internet. What a task! This book puts it all into perspective. Salus has interviewed the people involved, including Cerf and many others, and in so doing, has made a major contribution to the Internet historical archives. Never mind that it is getting a little dated. Its a great read and kept me up past midnight.

I just finished reading "Where Wizards Stay up Late," another Internet history book. It is just as good and I actually felt a little nastalgia after reading the book, as if I were there myself. I highly recommend both books if you want to learn how all this technology developed. By the way, this book reads more like a novel. The Salus book reads more like a good rendering of the RFCs. But all these writers have done their job in interviewing the historical figures.

If you want to find out how things like the Internet, Usenet and other services we take for granted were developed, there's no better book than this one. Salus gives a detailed chronology of the Internet's history and development, with interviews of the people involved and numerous excerpts from RFCs and other documents. There's even details on how the alt.* hierarchy of Usenet newsgroups was born, with a debunking of the rumor that it stands for Anarchists, Lunatics and Terrorists. A terrific book.

(duplicate)

Just took my exam this afternoon and passed the 1st time! An excellent study guide that comes very close to covering everything on the exam. In addition to having an actual copy of Dreamweaver for hands-on learning/practice, get an additional reference book for complete coverage. I used and recommend "Dreamweaver 4: The Missing Manual" by David Sawyer McFarland - the best book on Dreamweaver I've seen thus far. A great investment and one that I would HIGHLY urge you to purchase. Using both books together was perfect and two that shall remain as first-points of reference.

Being an experienced Dreamweaver user, I found this book extremely easy to read. I was able to read it straight through, away from the computer. I also found a few tips in the book that I hadn't found when using the software, so it is an excellent book, even if you do not want to get certified. Although, this isn't a learn to use Dreamweaver book, so it is inappropriate for new users.

And Yes, I passed, so it met it's objective!

These stories are funny - because you KNOW that they happened. The writing is good and the stories make you laugh and cry and know you're not alone when it comes to dating nightmares. Definitely a good read and Monas keeps the good stuff coming.

This book would be a great guide to anyone interested in online dating. Funny, wittty and practical.

If you are the type of person, who READS and LEARNS from other peoples mistakes, this is definitely the book for you! Chemistry and Numbers 2 picks up where the originally book left off and keeps the ball rolling with superb online dating stories. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is seeking insight on what other people who have tried their hand at online dating have experienced from both sides of the coin. A must have book! Kudos.

First, I have to commend the Author on writing a book with such a niche audience. This book is directed toward persons interested in seeking out an online counseling, but who desire some more information on how to choose one (as the title suggests).

I was on the other side on the fence, but purchased the book because I wanted to know what Gary (the author) had to say. And I am pleased to say this book delivers. The information within will indeed help a prospective client choose re reputable therapist. The information can also serve as a guide to online therapists, a benchmark of sorts they can use to see if they are up to par :-)

I highly recommend this work.

Final Note: If you're interested in providing telephone and online counseling, this very well done clinical guide will teach you everything you need to know to get started, and be effective: The Therapist's Clinical Guide to Online Counseling and Telephone Counseling: The Definitive Training Guide for Clinical Practice

Choosing An Online Therapist: A Step-By-Step Guide To Finding Professional Help On The Web by social worker and chemical dependency counselor Gary S. Stofle is a simple but effective guide to online therapy. Stofle covers what online therapy is about, who it's best for, how to use credentials and other resources to select the best online therapist for one's needs, and how to end therapy when the time is right. Sample online therapy sessions are presented, along with several sample forms and websites. Highly recommended for anyone considering online therapy for themselves or a loved one will find Choosing An Online Therapist to be a fascinating, invaluable guide to a new type of mental health help unique to this modern age.

With our economy still in recovery, people who would benefit from counseling may not get the help they need due to cost. There are other reasons why people may not be able to access in-person therapy -- geographical isolation, disabilities that prevent travel, concern for community status, feelings ashamed or guilty for seeking help, or having social phobia and panic attacks. Online therapy can be a fruitful method of getting assistance for some types of problems. This book is a primer on how to go about doing just that.

The author begins by exploring the ways in which online therapy is different, such as missing non-verbal cues, distance preventing crisis intervention, questions of effectiveness, potential for fraud, and risks to confidentiality. Stolfe then clarifies the types of problems that respond best to online counseling and those that do not. Issues not to be handled online are suicidality, disordered thinking, medical issues related to mental health (such as anorexia nervosa), and borderline personality disorder. The types of problems he suggests for online therapy are related to personal growth and fulfillment, adult children of alcoholics, agoraphobia/anxiety disorders/social phobia, body image issues/problems, and shame/guilt. The chapter includes a table that identifies major areas of trouble and the level of care which best serves them (inpatient, outpatient, online, etc.).

Characteristics of a good therapist are discussed: empathy, compassion, knowledge, credentials, trustworthiness. For online therapy, however, Stolfe suggests additional qualities to consider: experience; an appropriate website with all necessary information; good typing, spelling, and grammar; online savvy and comfort; if the therapist receives supervision; and membership in the ISMHO (International Society of Mental Health Online).

Chapter 4 covers the basic mechanics of online counseling, i.e., the venues (email, chat) and the types of security issues related to them. Guidance for finding a therapist online and the type of fee you can expect to pay are also provided. Following that, Stolfe describes the protocol for the first contact and first appointment. He also explains how to terminate therapy, whether it's due to financial problems, ethical concerns, or is planned (goals have been met).

The last chapters provide information on computer and Internet basics, a computer-buying checklist, online therapy ethics, types of therapy, and online therapy sites and companies.

In all, this small book is densely packed with useful information. Online therapy is likely to grow. If used ethically, it provides another resource for people wanting to improve their lives. This guide will help the potential client in his or her search to find caring and competent service.

Steven, you have done a wonderful contribution to our profession with so many nice books. This one is also really
great. My sincere congratulations !

These books, this one and Part 2, are great for anyone who wishes to learn Circuit Analysis. Both books are straight and to the point in explaining theory. Ample amounts of examples and problems test one's understanding of this material. The integration of MATLAB use into the subject is well done. Anyone should be pleased at using these books as either a main textbook or as a self-study supplement.

Circuit Analysis I With MATLAB Applications by electrical engineer and educator Steven T. Karris (Adjunct Professor, UC Berkeley Extension) is a highly technical but accessibly written, college-level textbook for teaching engineering students how to analyze potential difference of voltage in a wide variety of increasingly complex circuits and much more. Embodying advanced math and physics material (all theorems and definitions are accompanied by carefully detailed and presented explanations and illustrations), the numerous exercises and practical applications are specific to the MATLAB software. Circuit Analysis I With MATLAB Applications is highly recommended as a scholarly text intended for (and appropriate to) undergraduate as well as advanced students in the field of electrical engineering.

Hats off to Toby Velte for this awesome refernce book. I currently hold CWNA and CWSP wireless certifications as well as CCNA and CCDA, and I find ths book packed with some great reference material.

Usually when you see a "Quick Reference" book means that it has limited information and explanations. Not so with this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who works on wireless networks or are planning on implementing wireless.

Most quick references are litle cut down booklets that usually just give you enough information to get you in trouble. The Velte's idea of a quick reference run for 288 pages. It's a reference all right, but the amount of data contained in it is enough so you can probably really solve the problem that you are looking up.

This is a Cisco book, so the material being discussed is oriented around Cisco products. But remember that Cisco owns Linksys and Aironet, so this book covers the traditional Cisco product line and also those of the other companies. A good bit of the book is on the 802.11 standard itself. This includes such things as frequencies, security procedures, generalized design tips on how to design your network and so on.

Cisco has quite a number of certifications that apply to networking and to wireless. There isn't enough information in this book to enable you to pass the certification test (Or at least, there isn't enough for me to pass it.) but there's probably enough to enable you to get your network going.

The Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference book by Toby J, Velte, PH.D. and Anthony T. Velte, has pretty much everything you would want to know about wireless networking using Cisco Systems Aironet devices. I was thinking this book would just contain quick commands on configuring access points, configuring Cisco Aironet Wireless cards and so on, boy was I wrong.

Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference has a lot to offer. First off it is a small size book. Can be easily thrown into someone's admin bag and pulled out for reference. Well organized Table of Contents, easy to find a particular topic. This book would be good for a beginner looking to find some useful info on Cisco Aironet products or a expert looking to refresh on a particular topic pertaining to Aironet devices. The first part of the book goes over technique specs, and the second goes over "after installation issues". The first chapter goes over Cisco Wireless Equipment, Access Points, Bridges, WLAN Controllers, and adapters. You will find useful information on the different models of Access Points, adapters and so on. There is a pretty extensive chart showing and comparing the different properties of access points, different antenna and so forth. Very useful information like signal range, noise ratio's etc.

There is a chapter dedicated just to antenna's. Which antenna to use for the right application, omni directional, bi directional among others. You will also find a comparison chart with information and specs relating to each antenna. Again, very useful information for a WLAN implementation. Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference has a very in-depth section on WLAN encryption security and authentication. Shows you examples of configuring filtering, RADIUS server setup and WPA. Initial Setup, cabling sections are very well written as well. This book will help you with integrating a wired LAN and your new WLAN. The figures are well displayed, and there are real pictures of the devices mentioned in the book.

I recommend Cisco 802.11 Wireless Networking Quick Reference for a beginner in the WLAN world. Looking for a starting point if they want to pursue a CQS cert in Wireless. As mentioned earlier, it would also benefit a expert as a quick reference when encountering a problem with there existing WLAN or a new implementation. In a rating of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest. This book gets a 5 hands down.

As a former classroom teacher and a current stay at home mom of a 2 & ½ year old daughter, I firmly believe CLICK, CLICK WHO's THERE... is a must read for absolutely every parent and teacher.

Koh's book is a profoundly revolutionary tool for guiding all adults on how to protect and preserve our future generation from the dangers of the Internet. This quick read is informative, simple to understand and most importantly it is one of those rare informational books that truly gives you a gift - the gift of empowerment. I now feel confident that I am properly armed with enough tools to successfully help navigate my daughter through the unregulated world of the Internet. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Hard to believe that this is not required reading for parents before they plug the Internet to the family computer. I am so glad I read this book! It is a quick read and full of very helpful ideas. It is obvious that any parent with a child on the Internet should take a couple hours to read this book and learn how easy it is to keep their kids from harm's way. Doing nothing has never been so dangerous-who knew? This book got me wondering why we don't think of all the strangers out there waiting for our kids to hop on the Internet. And do kids really do those rude things via e-mail? Apparently so! The statistics alone astounded me. Two thumbs up for this one!

I am a senior citizen from another country outside the U.S. who has had very little opportunities to use technology. As the author pointed out in the book that the internet had been developed rather rapidly within a decade or so and I was planning to retire from my job around that time. As I was opening the book to read, I was not sure whether I would comprehend the text fairly well or I would enjoy reading it. To my surprise not only I was able to digest it well but also enjoyed reading it tremendously.

I would like to point it out that the book is very well planned and deeply thought out. I certainly learned many things by reading it and I would like to recommend everyone to read so that we should be aware of what's evolving around us and remember what is important for our family.