Internet Books

Wow. Bucknall has raised the bar on advanced Delphi books. This books coverage of Algorithms and Data Structures is suburb. This book should be required reading for all Delphi developers. No one can call themselves an expert level Delphi developer with out understanding the concepts taught in this book. Bucknall's knowledge of Algorithms and related concepts places him in a category with Knuth & Sedgewick.

This is a book that I've been waiting for for a long time (according to the acknowledgements, Julian has worked on it from April 1999 until February 2001, probably even longer). But it has been worth it, because it's an excellent book about algorithms and data structures implemented in Delphi (and Kylix) - usually version independent.

The book consists of 12 chapters. But even before the first chapter Julian takes on the question of "why a book on Delphi algorithms?" in the introduction. He explains that a number of Computer Science algorithms books are hardly practical, and the practical books are mainly for C, C++, or Java. This is a book about algorithms and data structures using Delphi (for Windows, but also Kylix for Linux), with a lot of focus on practical and useful techniques that make sense.

A great plus is that the code in the book works for every version of Delphi and Kylix (and probably also in C++Builder), and I'm fairly confident it will remain working in the next version(s) of Delphi and Kylix to come. A bonus point is the syntax high-lighting in the source code listings. A small effort for the author/publisher, but a great help for the reader who sees the source code for the first time.

This wonderful book is now again available for purchase from lulu dot com. The known errors have been fixed and its got a new smarter look and feel.

I still think of myself as being a beginning programmer, although that's not totally true, having messed around for about ten years with CAD macro's and dbase add-ons and turned them into full-blown applications that finally became fairly complex. However, I never had a decent IT training beyond some basics in Fortran and Algol, and know next to nothing about OOP.

I first thought Bucknall's book would not be for me, as I was afraid of landing into high level topics and getting lost in jargon.

On the contrary, I hardly can stop reading the book, which finally provides a very practical approach to Delphi/Kylix programming, giving light to many abstract topics you will not find in most books : the trade-off between speed and memory efficiency, how data structures and the mix you make of them in your application affect your program's speed and reliability, easy steps that make debugging and testing more efficient,...

Once you've got the hang of using the VCL within Delphi and know how to place controls on a form, you can immensely benefit from this book, that can be used as a reference into many algorithms and their Delphi implementation, or can be read chapter by chapter as an introduction to analyse the merits of several ways to sort/search/hash or use various data structures to solve a problem you face as a programmer.

Julian Bucknall's text is very understandable, even to non english native speakers, stays close to the topic while providing you with a wide scope of insights into related subjects. He's also keen on giving you all the tips he can coming from his personal practice as a programmer that make you understand why some theoretical topics matter to your program's quality. It's nearly like having him looking over your shoulder and helping you making the best choices. The book provides you with a real simple alternative to searching the web multiple times or trying to translate C coded algorithms into a Delphi equivalent, hence it will be a time saver to many Delphi user's, even a casual one like me.

This book is a must have, as a complement to a good Delphi / Pascal reference.

This book it's of essential importance for all mid-level delphi programmers. If you like to know the low-level working of common data structures of the IT software engineering (or if you like to build one), then buy hands down this book: it's the best around. Moreover the ezdsl (the author free library) is the fastest implementation that i have seen. Personally i look that ezdsl/delphi is faster than the STL equivalent under c++.

I bought the book on impulse, based on a very strong recommendation, and found it contains the best help I have ever discovered for a writer and/or speaker using the Internet. I highly recommend it. She has an unbelievable amount of detailed research at her fingertips.

The world of the Internet is constantly changing. Without a bunch of ever-changing computer jargon, Carmen Leal has provided a set of tools and techniques for writers and speakers to learn how to research and market online. While there are many websites listed throughout this book, Carmen provides the updated links with something called Living Links.

No one can know everything about this topic of research and marketing but Carmen gives each writer and speaker a running start at the topic with this well-crafted book. It's a resource to get, read, then schedule time to periodically re-read and keep learning about this important area.

Carmen Leal is not just a very smart lady; she's very nice, too. Both traits come across loud and clear in this book. Reading her easy, straightforward, advice-rich prose is like having a conversation with the wise, affectionate aunt you never had. And, without a doubt, her collection of helpful sites for writers and speakers is unparalleled. She had pretty much every link in my own Internet bookmark folder, plus about 25-30% more than I had -- and mine were considerable, being the result of more than six years as a writer. Without a doubt, this book will stay next to my computer and become dogeared from all the love and attention it gets from me.

That said, I do have a slight issue with the marketing of this book as pure Internet reference, because that's not exactly what it is. Ms. Leal's target audience is actually NOT the seasoned writer or speaker who just needs to rev up his or her personal research engine. She's writing for, and to, beginning writers and aspiring professional speakers. Much of her book (some entire chapters and several partial chapters) is devoted to introducing neophytes to the craft and the business of writing or speaking. Thus, considering my six years of experience as a writer, I found myself skimming great swaths of text, with my eyes pausing only when I glimpsed the italic print with which all those juicy internet links are helpfully set apart.

Bottom line: This book is most definitely worth the $10 Amazon will charge you for it, and more. However, its scope is, in my opinion, a bit broad. It would be more useful to professional writers and speakers if it came in a separate, streamlined edition -- one without all the newbie advice we've already heard and benefited from long ago.

Carmen Leal has done a massive amount of research to write this book. She's done the work, and we reap the benefits. Two things endear me to Carmen:

1. She can remember when she didn't know about the internet, and can remember how she learned.

2. She writes in a easy-to-follow style that leads me on the path to understanding.

If only every book on computer topics were written this well!

WriterSpeaker.com--no, that's not a website-- well, actually there is a website by that name. But in this case, it is the title of a uniquely informative book.

If someone other than the book's author had asked me to read this book, I doubt I would have bothered to do so. And, oh what I would have missed had I not read it! "Technical reading" is not usually my choice. In fact, the last time I read a technical book it was assigned reading in college. I swore then that I would never use my precious reading time for technical reading again. Carmen Leal managed to change my mind on the matter, and I am very glad that she did.

My chance meeting with the energetic and engaging author of several books must have been one of those fortuitous moments we all hope for. I found myself face to face with a published author who was real, down to earth, and interested in my personal desire to write. Her energy is contagious. Her passion for writing--and helping others to do so--is overwhelming. She makes the whole writing process from beginning to end seem so easy. With an attitude that says, "If I can do it, so can you," she encourages writers and would-be writers to strive to reach their goals.

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of interacting with Carmen Leal on numerous occasions. She always takes the time to inquire about my writing life. She never misses an opportunity to inform or encourage. No wonder WriterSpeaker.com is so reader-friendly. Its author is reader, speaker, and writer friendly as well!

In addition to this, her first technical book, Leal is the author of Faces of Huntington's and the co-author of Pinches of Salt, Prisms of Light. She teaches writing classes for the Collier County Public School System's Adult Education Program, lectures on various writing topics for the Friends of the Library at the Collier County Public Library, and travels extensively to speak at various writing conferences.

Whether the Internet is a constant companion or a new acquaintance, this book offers an amazing wealth of information. Its pages are filled with information specifically designed to meet the needs of writers and speakers. This is a reference book unlike any I have ever read before. In just 269 pages, Leal has addressed internet features, research, tips for finding writing resources including copyright laws, self-publishing hints, business savvy, online writing opportunities and classes, website development, and much much more.

In a highly unusual move, Leal has taken her readers into the "web" via a web address which links to the untold numbers of resources found in her book. She is quick to point out, "All links are checked periodically, and dead websites are eliminated. New websites come with brief descriptions."

Written from her heart, Leal guides the beginning writer through the keys to becoming a successful writer: "Read and listen. Join. Work at your craft. Attend a writer's/speaker's conference or convention. Know the publishing industry." Internet sources to work at each of these keys are addressed in WriterSpeaker.com.

Leal writes that the internet can take us "beyond research and on to success" in our craft by (1)"allowing us to target our work to specific editors," (2) "providing a place to showcase one's work," and (3) "streamlining the communication process between writers and editors."

WriterSpeaker.com has been placed on my desk next to the computer. It is already looking a bit old and worn, but it will likely be my new best friend as I work at perfecting my own writing life with the help of Internet features and great friends like author Carmen Leal.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Literate readers have read the Gospel of Matthew. In fact, so commonly read is the New Testament by the well-read student of world literature that its message becomes as commonplace, and almost forgotten.

Not satisfied with this, Ruth Rimm and artist Alejandra Vernon have created "Christ: The Gospel of Matthew Beautifully Designed for the Internet Age." Same message: the birth, life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Sorry for the spoiler, yes, Jesus rises from the dead in this one too. Keeping in tune with the King James Version (1611), Rimm and Vernon have not adjusted the text's original meaning. They do, however, enhance it with beautiful iconic art presented in a print version of a website.

Complete with pull-down menus, links, and all the other symbols of a website, we are treated to an array of beautiful images of Christ. This is no sugar-coated Sunday school version, but one that also shows a beheaded John the Baptist.

As an added bonus is the Book of Ruth, presented with the same flair and depth as Matthew.

Ruth Rimm, like calligrapher Tim Botts The Holy Bible, NLT, Botts Illustrated edition, has developed the font used here. She concludes the book with an essay on why it is important to keep the Bible fresh in its presentation. She shows how, through history and through comparisons to secular culture, this is not just important, but practically mandated.

I fully recommend "Christ: The Gospel of Matthew Beautifully Designed for the Internet Age" by Ruth Rimm and Alejandra Vernon.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Ruth Rimm and Alejandra Vernon have created a manuscript reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts with a computer technology theme. Here we find unexpected doses of humor as Jesus is pictured holding a cell phone and there is a Bank of Faith credit card. As you turn each page, entire scenes appear with writing over the artwork. All the disciples bring their cell phones to The Last Supper. JNN Live Coverage sections show artwork of various scenes that are of high importance, like the stone rolled away from the grave.

28:7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead....

Ruth Rimm's vision of books as beautiful as they were in the Middle Ages has now appeared in print. Before her books I had only seen one book printed in full-color on every page and I knew in my heart more authors would attempt to give this type of beautiful gift to the world. She also uses a font called Booklady which is very easy to read.

"To set the Gospels in the scenery of your own times is, in fact, the predominant tradition of art." ~Ruth Rimm

Matthew seems a perfect place to start and this book includes the Beatitudes, Parables, Stories of Jesus healing the sick and the story of the Feeding of Five Thousand. The Unabridged King James Version text changes color throughout. The use of color stimulates more brain cells than reading black text on a white background.

You may find a dark purple background with white text or a pink background with a red floral border and red and dark purple text with bold red words underlined for emphasis. The striking colorful display of words is visually entertaining and the underlined/bold words seem to imply a "hyperlink." The author calls them "hyperlinks to the heart."

16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

One of the main advantages to having a Bible in color is that it helps you find verses fast. You can look for the pictures instead of just the words. If you want to find the verses about the woman who anoints Jesus with a precious ointment, it is easy to find the picture of Jesus being anointed. The Story of The Last Supper is also highlighted on two main pages.

The sheer creativity and organization that went into the creation of this amazing book is truly spectacular. Ruth Rimm has shown the way to presenting the Bible in a very pleasing format. I truly looked forward to reading the entire book of Matthew which I can't say would be the case in black and white. Reading in color encourages you to read entire chapters and truthfully, it is difficult to put this book down once you begin reading. Not only are Jesus' words meaningful, the illustrations highlight important moments and add significance to the main occasions in Jesus' life.

My brother keeps asking me if I read my Bible and I keep telling him, yes, I'm reading an illustrated version of Matthew. He has never seen a fully illustrated book of the Bible and while I've tried to explain it is the same as reading the Bible, he may have to see a copy to believe it! This book would be perfect as a beautiful gift for anyone interested in the Life of Christ. The high quality of the binding and paper is impressive. The artwork is stunning and reveals the true beauty of the text.

Highly Recommended

~The Rebecca Review

.Christ is a new concept in showing the Bible: Illustrate the text to make it relevant to people today. With pictorial content, today's version of illuminated manuscripts, hopefully more people will become familiar with the Gospel.

You will find browser-like features with Christian symbols, such as doves facing forward or backward for those directions on a browser. There are also video sections, open buttons and pop-ups for a Bank of Faith card. It's unusual and interesting. Each page varies from the previous one in the browser format, so I found myself looking forward to these faith-friendly symbols.

In fact, it made me wish that my reliable browser came in a Christian version rather than the secular icons that it employs now.

Ms. Ruth Rimm, the designer, is a fairly new Christian and it was fun to see this book as an example of her testimony for Jesus. I purposely saved this book to read on Palm Sunday. It was a moving experience for me. If you order the book today, chances are you'll have it by Easter.

Being partial to her namesake, Ruth, the book also contains the Old Testament Book of Ruth in less fully illustrated fashion.

One of the nice features of the text was to use an easier-to-read font that occurs in many highly condensed text Bibles.

I always make it a practice to read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John on Christmas and Easter. This year, I'll read Matthew using this book. What a nice treat that will be!

The illustrations were done by Amazon reviewer Alejandra Vernon. I highly commend this artistic work. The images capture the holiness of the subject without making the images seem distant or unapproachable. Important scenes are illustrated in ways that will be enticing to all but the youngest and most literal readers.

I also hope that this example will inspire other designers and illustrators to create other versions of the Bible. I am sure the result will be to encourage more readership of God's Word to us. I would be especially interested in a Bible that was designed to work like a visit through a museum exhibition of paintings and sculptures with the Scripture serving as large, easy-to-read, chat labels.

May God bless this book's designer and illustrator.

Here is the ultimate gift book.

Just watch, closely, the face of the person receiving it. You want to light up the eyes of a friend or loved one? This will do it.

All the class, glamour and coolocity (I can make up my own words, it's my review) of a gorgeous coffee table tome in a neat little package.

Inside and out, this is one of the most unique things you'll ever wrap up (or drop into a gift bag, if you're a guy like me).

I'd talk more about the inside which is just as unusual, but my bet is most buyers will be giving this away, rather than keeping it. However, should you decide to treat yourself to something really different, keep it.

You could say that the book itself is a metaphor for God as creator. The diversity and creativity residing in His creation are exposed through the beauty of this book.

A true treasure for book lovers and gift givers alike.

In "Goodbye Gutenberg," Valerie Kirschenbaum argues for replacing the black and white style of book (to wit, the "Gutenberg" approach), with a new way of reading and writing. In her book Kirschenbaum combined the beauty of the illuminated manuscripts of the past with the latest technologies available today to announce "A New Canon" for a new generation of readers and writers. For those who see a computer as being useful for much more than simply writing text, "Goodbye Gutenberg" was a clarion call.

".Christ: The Gospel of Matthew Beautifully Designed for the Internet Age" is one of the first books I have seen to answer that call. Ruth Rimm did the art direction and design, while Alejandra Vernon did the illustrations, and clearly they were inspired by the Bibles in beautiful colors that Christians read and enjoyed for over a thousand years before Gutenberg's printing press ended the glorious tradition of illuminated manuscripts. Rimm and Vernon explicitly intend for their "Gospel of Matthew," the first in a series of designer gospels, to provide "the blueprint for a Renaissance of beautiful books and bibles using the latest computer technologies."

What is key here is that the gospel is presented as a series of double-page computer screens. At the top of pages you will find a menu bar, with "back," "forward," "stop, "refresh," and the other buttons you often find on your own computer. They have fun with these buttons (e.g., the "print" button shows the tablets with the Ten Commandments and sometimes there is a "pray" button), but, of course, none of them are functional. The same applies to the highlighted words that look like they are hypertexts, the video screens, faux and the other computer-like elements that pop up in the design and illustrations.

This conceit is somewhat problematic because it tends to make readers think of how cool it would be to be reading a website or CD-rom where you click on things while reading this gospel. Fortunately there is plenty of time while reading this version of Matthew to get over such concerns and enjoy the way that the apostles pop up on cell phones and the gospel is illustrated. Besides, the designer sees these elements as being extremely relevant to contemporary readers and also as symbolizing usefulness (and presence) rather than simply serving as decorations (however, this is explained in the back of the book, so you will probably not catch all of this the first time through).

Beyond the fully illustrated pages I also like how this book treats each verse of Matthew as essentially its own stanza. This book uses the King James Version, which continues to strike me as the most literary of the extant translations, but which did not make paragraph distinctions within each chapter. Going verse by verse through the gospel is a nice way of breaking down the pace at which it can be read. Sometimes, as is the case with Matthew 27:45 when Jesus says his final words on the cross, there is but a single verse for the two-page spread. Usually the number of verses found is in the teens, organized thematically so that each spread has its own title (e.g., Heavenly Treasures, Faith That Moves Mountains, The Last Supper).

When you combine the number of verses printed on each page and the illustration details, reading ".Christ: The Gospel of Matthew" becomes a more leisurely and you could also hope a more thoughtful process. This is even truer if you work out the various elements of the conceit present on each two-page spread. In addition to the unabridged book of Matthew this volume also includes the Book of Ruth, which is presented with only a couple of illustrations. There is also a Testimony section that contains small reproductions from some of the pages of "Goodbye Gutenberg," which shows the connection between the two is obviously closer than I first thought when I opened up this book. It is noted at the end that this book is but a baby step, and we can look forward to see what books are to come from both this source and others.

Just when I was ready to wipe the dust off of my Internet Marketing Books to "brush up" from just a year ago, out comes this book.

After reading this book, I realize now that my "other" books seem antiquated. I have no need for them now as "Win Spiders" has introduced me to the next generation of Web Buzz and Marketing.

Catherine Seda really has her finger on the pulse as this book opens your eyes to what is working now and what is not working.

If your not using these techniques this book teaches, your behind the eight ball. I would like to see a full blown "course" from the author as I will be the first in line to own it. Great Job !!

I liked this book. It covers Internet marketing in a pretty thorough manner. There's material about online public relations or reputation and credibility building. And there's coverage of online advertising. The book is split into two parts and ten chapters as follows:

I. Using public relations for longterm success (Chapters 1-5)
II. Making online advertising profitable for your business (Chapters 6-10)

1. Winning the SEO battle
2. Leveraging articles for the Web
3. Blogging for business
4. Networking in social media
5. Broadcasting your message
6. Connecting through email
7. Unleashing an affiliate force
8. Maximizing pay-per-click
9. Reaching out through contextual advertising
10. Targeting shopping communities

The book is well written and outlined pretty well. I'm not sure chapters 6 and 10 belonged in Part II, but who knows? And I'm not sure it is possible to UNLEASH an affiliate force (Chapter 7). But who knows? I would have liked the book better if chapters 1-6 and 10 had been included in the main body of the book. And the advertising and referral fee stuff were included in a short appendix section or saved for another book.

I think chapters 2, 3, and 5 were intimately related. And I would have kept them together instead of breaking them up by inserting Chapter 4 as the author did. And Chapter 5 (podcasting) could have been split into two chapters with one being about streaming audio and the other being about streaming video. 4 stars!

Catherine Seda's presentation of information is enjoyable and most of all understandable. Whether you have been in the website development space for 15 years or 15 months she delivers the information in a manner which enables you to grasp and then implement it. I found that she confirmed what I knew and then gave me some new tactics and strategies that I am employing now for the first time. I highly recommend this book to both web savvy individuals and those just beginning.

The book has very helpful, up to date tips for website optimization and traffic generation for the beginner and intermediate audience. I would recommend it.

I spend a lot of time doing development and figuring out new coding tips and tricks. I don't, however, spend a lot of time thinking about the copy for a site or how to market it. We often get so hung up on the how that we forget about the why. Catherine Seda's book gives us great insight into another perspective of web development.

Search Engine Optimization is something that all web developers need to take into consideration these days but it's more than just making sure you use proper semantic tags. There are other, non-technical, things you can to do to improve your search results.

* Writing your copy to contain proper keywords and phrases
* Making sure your hyperlinks contain proper keywords
* Conducting an outreach campaign to get your site featured on other sites. The more sites that link to you with your keywords, the better your rankings will be
* Learn how to leverage blogs, podcasts, and social networking to increase your traffic.

There are other tactics as well. If you run a website selling office decorations, consider writing an article about how to decorate for a 3rd-party website. You'll establish yourself as an industry expert, and the links back to your site will increase your search engine rankings.

In short, there's more to building a website than just writing code. Increasing your awareness of other aspects of development makes you a more well-rounded member of your team and allows you to better serve your clients. Catherine Seda's book is a great way to start.

[..]

Practical and effective. A balanced book with an understandable writing and depth of analysis.

At the peak of the dot-com bubble, buying Internet stocks was momentum investing at its most pure - get in when a new stock or sector is on its upswing, and get out while the gettin's good. But Peter S. Cohan has created new criteria for Internet investors to apply in the traditional method of fundamental analysis. Instead of looking to old-line gurus like Graham or Buffet for advice, Cohan draws on the business strategies of John D. Rockefeller to come up with fresh e-commerce attributes like economic leverage, closed-loop solutions and adaptive management for investors to measure. We [...] recommend this book to executives, employees and students with equal vigor, although consider yourself forewarned that Cohan's extended barking-dog analogy will grate on your nerves. Nevertheless, anyone who invests in Internet companies or even traffics in Internet commerce for business or pleasure will gain insights from this book, regardless of whether Cohan's investment criteria prove to have staying power.

This is the most lucid, sensible analysis I've read thus far of the likely implications of engaging in e-commerce from different strategic perspectives and business models. Cohan provides a valuable framework and applies it to scores of real cases. I find myself returning to his book time and again to apply his methodology. His only off-base advice: don't invest in companies led by folks over 35. I'll forgive him that one. The rest of the book is a real gem. It should age well.

I enjoyed the book tremendously, and think Peter's done a fabulous job dissecting the Internet investment frenzy, providing the logic to the momentum everyone else seems to have missed.

This book is good for Newbie to the internet but certainly don't worth a look for someone looking for insight.

The framework is nothing new but more or less a simplified business plan.

In Chapter 13, Advice for Internet Management and Investors sounds like a common sense and existing strategy using by most of the dotcom. Common Sense: Strategy 1 of those advices is moving the company into a more profitability region in short. (It dividies the market into 3 levels of profitability. so called Lossware, Brandware and Powerware. Well, no matter if it is New or Old economy, there is always different degrees of profitability.)

Existing strategies: Selling out of a porfolio builder, deep pockets and restructuring. We are seeing consolidation in the market a long long time ago and a lot of big or small players already know it is the way.

This book is more like a news reporting and a lot of newly invented words cannot make this book a standard of new economy rules but disappoint me only.

Very clear explanations of the core security technologies. The author doesn't shy away from the hard subjects, and makes them quite accessible. The IPSec chapter is the best explanation of the subject I have seen anywhere.

I used this book to pass the CCIE security written exam, and highly recommend it. It is also a very good reference for practicing consultants and network security architects.

Not only for exam preparation, this book is for every Cisco lover. Covers a lot of stuff, took me over 2 months to finish but I feel way more knowledgeable now.

CiscoPress's "Network Security Principles and Practices" by Malik is truly an awesome work. The book weighs in at over 750 pages, and not a page is wasted. The book is split up over multiple sections (Intro to Network Security, Building Security into the Network, Firewalls, VPNs, IDS, AAA and ISP Security). I have found this book of value as I pursue my CCIE Routing & Switchng lab and to better enhance my basic understanding of Cisco's vision towards network security. I also used this book to prepare for my CCSP and CISSP studies.

Practically on every page is either a diagram or detailed configuration explaining the subject at hand. In particular, the configuration examples are extremely helpful as the configs, themselves, are appended with detailed notes of their syntax. Chapter 13, IPSec, is probably the best one-chapter discussion on Cisco's implementation of IPSec and VPN I have found anywhere (and I have over 50 CiscoPress books). Another testament to it's superb level of expertise is the few and far between typos or errors that I have found.

One item to note - you will need to block off a few weeks (or months) to fully understand and appreciate the value of this book. I reference this book often, as I find information in this book I cannot find documented or presented the same way in other books.

I give this book 5 pings out of 5:
!!!!!

Very, VERY good. The IPSec chapter alone is worth the book, and the AAA chapters are _great_. Saadat has been able to explain in a great technical level and very clearly subjects which you're going to find in your day to day work - if working with Cisco and security. But not only that: chapters about IPSec, RADIUS, TACACS, are of value even if you do not use Cisco gear.

Missing from the book: a better chapter on NAT, PPTP. Saadat should write the 2nd edition adding those two topics, updating the IDS section, IPSec (including NAT-T), maybe add a little something about SSL VPNs, PIX 7.0 ? The section on ISP security could also benefit from a refresher (CoPP, uRPF?)

4.5 starts because it shows it age - otherwise, 5 stars for sure.

This is one of the first books I read for anyone preparing for CCIE Security. I found this book to be very comprehensive in its approach. The author has combined all the network security technologies in one book and now this is tough. It starts with an Introduction and then builds on that. It covers the whole nine yards VPN's Firewalls, IDS, Access Control. The Troubleshooting part of the book is very helpul to working professionals as it starts with troubleshooting NAT and then covers everything from Firewalls (PIX and IOS), VPN's, IDS and AAA. A lot of issues can be resolved just using this part of the book. I recommend this book as it will surely help everyone looking for everthing about security. This book is a must read for professionals pursuing the CCSP and CCIE Security Certifications.
Niloufer Tamboly, CISSP

The problem I've seen with technical books is that either they are in tutorial/textbook format which includes lessons and then review questions at the end of each chapter, or they are purely reference type books ideal for looking up things on occasion and not really good for a beginner to learn the subject matter. This book was the first one I felt that was ideal in both textbook form as well as a reference book for looking things up.

The chapters were basic enough for the beginner to grasp the material, and the lessons were rife with hands-on examples which I thought was the best part. I like to try things out as I go through the lessons and so the material was very useful for me.

The printing of the material was interesting and draws the reader into the subject, important notes and pitfalls are highlighted between the text to avoid the paragraphs from becoming too long and drawn out. The writer's diction is sometimes humorous to avoid the reader from losing interest.

The book is kind of bulky and thick so as a consequence of regular use, the glue based binding gave way somewhere in the middle of the book so when I open it, the first half of the book is attched merely by a shred to the second half, so I have to be careful now when I lookup things in it. I wouldn't trade this book for anything.

I have never taken any instructional classes on Perl scripting and can safely say that everything I know about Perl scripting I've learned from this book. That being said I am able to write fairly sophisticated perl scripts and have the ability to understand fairly obfuscated perl code without difficulty. I use perl as a very strong and useful tool in my day to day tasks for scripting and text processing needs and I often dazzle and amaze my colleagues at work with the tricks I'm able to pull off by using perl scripting and I owe it all to this book.

In short, I give two enthusiastic thumbs up for this book and the 5 star rating that I gave this book was merely due to the amazon limitation on the number of stars you can give in your review.

I started learning Perl two years ago. I first browsed libraries, free tutorials, news groups etc... It was nice for the beginning but soon enough I understood that's not the way :)

I started looking around for good Perl books and somehow got to this one. I think I can clearly say, that this book did the work. Teached me Perl from the ground up. I'm now planning on buying "MySQL and mSQL" to start working with databases. I also consider buying "Mastering Algorithms With Perl" & "Programming Web Graphics with Perl & GNU Software".

Anyway, if you want to start learning Perl, buy this book. I also use it as a reference.

The book is a good and detailed tutorial for all novices who want to learn Perl. No hit around the bush stuff and the chapters were well thought of. Credit should be given to the author and the publishing group for these helpful information. The Source codes on the CD-Rom comes handy when when you want to test out the sample codes in the book. The questions at the end of each chapter is a good revision after scanning the chapter. I strongly recommend those who want to learn Perl to get a copy of this book as their first book.

After the Camel book, of course. This book is very well paced with well thought out examples. I needed it as a refresher last year, and now use it as a reference.

The only down side is that the Web Based interactive segment is no longer available. not a big deal since it's the same quizes as in the book, but there was a gee-whiz, isn't it fun factor to have it available online.

This book covers everything from soup to nuts. It starts the learner off slowly with the basic perl syntax and then smoothly moves into subroutines, OOP, DBI modules, Security, etc. all with the same interesting and amusing style.

I don't know if it's mentioned in the Editorial review, but the author is the Editor of The Perl Journal (www.tpj.com) which is a magazine devoted to the perl programming language. So Jon Orwant *knows* his topic.

I've read and use most of the Perl books out on the market today, but none comes close to getting you going well with Perl as does Jon Orwant's book. I still use it as a reference today, but it is the best any money can buy for learning Perl. I'm back buying another copy because I loaned mine to a friend and I miss it so much that I want to make sure I'll always have a copy handy. My old copy is so well worn that a fresh copy is enticing also. As for extras in the book: the quizzes are great for testing your understanding, and someone has done a great job at proofreading this book -- I don't know whether that person is at the Waite Group or is Jon himself, but I know that anytime I have questioned an answer, or a script, or anything in the book I have always found the book to be accurate on closer inspection. It is very much like the Camel Book in being authoritative -- what Jon says is Perl Gospel Truth - if I had to pick two Perl books, I'd pick this one for learning and the Camel Book for ultimate reference. Jon's book should be rated a 5 and a half star - this is the best that it ever gets!

I love books like this, which take a different approach to teaching. They begin not by going through, chapter-by-chapter, each individual building block of a network, but by showing you just how horribly wrong you may have been in your thinking all along. Then, they basically say, "Do we have your attention now? Good. Now we'll show you how to mitigate these risks." In my opinion, that's the ONLY way to teach a computer geek, since many are quite set in their ways.

In my opinion, this is THE best book I have ever read (and I have read a few) on security in a Windows network. It is very well written; unlike a standard security book that simply has configuration guides and checklists. These guys are not only security gurus, they are very good authors who know how to write. They not only offer explanations on various security best practices, but they also dispel many myths about Windows security "recommendations" by so-called experts. The book has a definite Microsoft bias (as it's title would suggest), but I found very little that I would disagree with. As a long time Windows Administrator (MCP NT4, MCSA 2000/2003 and CompTIA Security+ certified) and also being a security minded individual (though not a security specialist)I highly recommend this book.

Great people these two authors and very charismatic. If you happened to visit one of the IT forums or speeches you'll know what I mean.

Really a great book with a logical processing of different topics. One of the great things is that they create awareness by giving everyday examples of hacking attempts and how to take the right precautions. Things you'll recognize in your daily work. It's easy to read and while the book is a couple of years old, the practical site of it hasn't changed a lot. I hope they update this with Vista and Server 2008 in mind. So certainly worth buying!

Rob Faber [CISSP, CEH, MCSE]
The Netherlands

The simple truth is that if you're directly responsible for the health of a Windows network, you need to read this book. It contains a wide enough breadth to be applicable to all Windows administrators running a variety OS and application levels, while still managing the depth required to be truly informative and serve as a good everyday reference. It provides an incredible amount of detailed theory and hands-on practical advice that will give you the background information, tools and motivation to improve your defenses and keep hackers away from your data.

Those directly responsible for securing the network should read this book through and then read it again, perhaps discussing it with a peer. There's a lot of information to unpack, so a critical study of how to contextualize the recommendations to your environment would benefit from a team of individuals dedicated to understanding and carrying-out the guidelines that are given. In contrast, high-level managers and decision makers who have a more hands-off role would be well served by taking a half an hour to read the first two chapters, giving them a sobering first-hand account of the ease with which a knowledgeable attacker can subvert an entire domain. It will be 30 minutes well spent! A final group, the technically-savvy supervisors who don't actually implement (but monitor those who do), should quickly read the entire volume and hold their employees accountable for upholding at least the principles, if not the specific practices, mentioned throughout. All three groups should read it with the goal of acquiring a security mindset, filtering all their projects and goals through the "lens" created as a result of the truths learned from this pair of gurus. It is the unique combination of sufficient depth with comprehensive breadth that gives this book the edge over most recent Windows security titles from other authors. If you have to pick just one printed manual to take with you into battle, this should be your weapon of choice. I heartily recommend it as a great read for now, and as an investment for your go-to shelf later on.

Jesper and Steve begin the journey with the same eye-opening SQL injection attack you may have seen in one of the talks they present around the globe in their roles as security experts for Microsoft (Jesper has since changed employers). They exploit a poorly-written web application by feeding SQL code directly through the web form, eventually compromising the entire network, even though it's fully-patched and even somewhat hardened. They describe the intricacies of the attack from beginning to end, laying the groundwork for the defense techniques described in the remaining chapters. After taking over their victim network, they round out the section on fundamentals with a chapter on patch management. This was the low point of the book and, in my opinion, it glosses over the realities of just how time-consuming and complex change management and regression testing can be in a heterogeneous environment. Don't get discouraged by this chapter; slog through it and enjoy the informative--yet surprisingly fun--chapters that follow.

Having established the basics, more groundwork is laid with above average, but not spectacular, sections on administrative policies and physical security. These are the most "CISSP-ish" pages of the whole book and should look very familiar to members of the (ISC)^2. While the advice in these early chapters will stand the test of time, there's not much in here that won't already be a part of your daily arsenal. If you haven't figured out such basics as having a written security policy and that users will always choose convenience over security, then study this section hard. For the rest of us, you will find yourself saying "Amen" a lot as you review these four well-written and comprehensive middle chapters. The real epiphany comes at the end of Chapter 7 when they declare that the days of having a notion of a "perimeter" are over. If you haven't realized by now how incredibly porous your network is, this book should help bring you back to reality.

With the first half of the book used as an appetizer, the authors start serving the main course of practical, detailed advice about how to protect every aspect of your clients, servers and network infrastructure. Their incredible insight into password theory and how exactly a real password attack would work is so refreshing--these guys are experts, and it's demonstrated most profoundly in their chapter-long advice on the subject. Here and throughout the book they constantly bring you back to reality by refuting myths common in "security theater" and give you the best advice, with enough background to understand why it works. One particularly sobering moment was the sweeping dismissal of biometric authentication because of the myriad (often foolishly simple) flaws that can defeat even über-expensive fingerprint readers, retina scanners, etc. In the next two hundred or so pages the give you just enough instruction about IPSec, 802.1X, two-factor authentication and server/client hardening to help you understand the critical pieces of theory and find the detailed implementation instructions for yourself. You'll feel like you finally know the reasons to do all these things instead of just getting a litany of the individual steps to implement a particular setting or policy. Microsoft has published a lot of dry technical guides on every registry setting and tweak imaginable; these guys tell you the background information of why any of this stuff matters and they do it in a winsome, often satirical way that makes you want to keep reading.

The key concepts I took from reading this book were: a healthy skepticism about merely doing tweaks or checklists that have an air of sophistication but don't actually improve security; a sense of empowerment about how to untangle my network from a web of dependencies caused by shared service accounts (they even provide a handy utility to make their advice doable); and renewed sense of encouragement that least-privilege is actually obtainable. They end each chapter with an immediate call-to-action that addresses the most important steps you can take to do the most good quickly. If you can force yourself to do these challenging tasks for every area they address, you'll be well on the road to a more secure installation.

The problem with some computer security books is that they are nothing more than pages of checklists with myriad dos and don'ts. But after all the checklists have been dutifully completed, readers still don't understand the underlying concept of how to secure a computer. Within a short time, their computers and networks are insecure, and they are back where they began, as fodder for hackers.

The distinctive nature of Protect Your Windows Network : From Perimeter to Data is that it suggests ways to secure your Windows workstation and network, but it also takes a much broader approach to security and shows you how to address the issue of securing systems as a whole. This panoptic approach to securing systems is quite refreshing, and it makes the book a fascinating read.

The theme of the book is that there are three elements of a successful security program: people, processes, and technology. In 17 chapters covering the gamut of security from server hardening to password protection, the book details how to use these people, processes, and technology to ensure that Windows networks stay secure.

Early chapters deal with the basics of how attacks work and show the reader how they progress from low-level social engineering to the code manipulation that leads to the exploitation of software and vulnerabilities.

The book is filled with easy-to-understand practical and tactical solutions that can be implemented by everyone from nontechnical end users to system administrators, helping them to ensure that their Windows-based network is as secure as possible. Even at 550 densely packed pages, the book is quite readable.

Penny Sansevieri is an expert marketer, I have watched her over the years and based on her success, I bought her book and it didn't disappoint. When you read this book make sure you have a notebook and pen handy, you will want to take notes as you go along. The best books are written by people who have "been there, done that" and Penny certainly has.

Penny's books is terrific given that it not only lays out the info one needs to understand how the Net can affect book promotion but that it also outlines a comprehensive strategy to utilize the Net's power. This approach is invaluable for helping us "old world" authors move into the brave but unfamiliar new environment of Internet book promotion opportunities.

If you are interested in promoting on line...there are some great tools and ideas explained in this book. Definitely recommend it.

My agent recommended this book to me. I'm finding the information contained inside to be very useful and I'm anxious to see it work for me!

This is a concise, information-packed guide through the maze of the on-line world as it relates to book promotion. I found the author's ideas and tips extremely helpful and current. Recommended for any new author!

This is a short book, so I only anticipated a rudimentary overview and basic instructions on creating podcasts for a novice. I was pleased to find a good range of information, mostly for people who have had some experience with digital audio and content syndication.

The book is essentially a catalogue of all things related to podcasting. It compares everything from podcatcher software, microphones and headphones, audio editing programs, distribution methods, and all things in between. It also provides a basic guide on creating audio and video podcasts using the iLife products on the Mac or Audacity and Movie Maker on a PC. I felt the best feature of this book was that almost every page included an image of each interface or piece of hardware being discussed. Again, it gives the reader a great side-by-side comparison of the most popular and up-and-coming technologies related to podcasting.

Unfortunately, because the book is so focused on current technology, it will become obsolete very quickly. In fact, the book is barely a year old and is already dated. The author realizes this and attempts to be as forward thinking as possible. This is the second edition of the book, and no doubt subsequent editions will follow.

This book provides everything a person needs to know if he or she is seriously considering creating an episodic podcast right now. It even features some interesting interviews with veteran podcasters. If you do buy this book though, don't expect that it will have a long shelf-life.

You have to admire anyone who tries to write a beginners' guide to a technology this new and that is growing this explosively. Farkas really does an excellent job. His second edition got me up and running on my own podcast within 48 hours of my buying the book.

Most valuable: the author's evaluations and recommendations of products and software. Yes, this material will quickly become dated, but Farkas gives us a good starting point to research gear in online forums and discussion groups.

Least valuable: same as above, as you have to accept that this technology is growing so quickly that any book will quickly become dated. But don't shoot the messenger. Farkas does a great job, and he cannot be blamed because he has written a solid guidebook and cannot control changes within the world of podcasting. Do your own research as needed. Many podcasters are thrilled to discuss their own history with this emerging form. At least Farkas can help you sound like you have some idea of what you are talking about when you ask for help!

Also helpful: descriptions of RSS and script for your own RSS feed, descriptions of hardware available and discussions of each, along with interviews with successful podcasters who maje their own recommendations.

It does help to know a little HTML going into the RSS section, though.

This book is only good if you have absolutely zero experience or knowledge of podcasting. If you have already recorded a few shows, this book isn't for you.

Secrets of Podcasting--Audio Blogging for the Masses
By Bart G. Farkas
Published by Peachpit Press
ISBN 0321369297

Reviewed by Jim Lauria-HuNTUG member

Real world guidance on creating podcasts

A well written and well illustrated guide for beginners looking to create or locate podcasts on Windows or Mac machines.

Farkas includes plenty of screenshots and illustrations to simplify the informative text on how to download podcasts on MP3 players, create scripts and set the flow of your podcast, picking software for editing and recording, and legally playing music on your podcast.

He also offers advice on choosing the right equipment and distributing your podcast and RSS/XML feeds.

An interesting book for beginners which gets a 5 star rating.

Although I haven't (yet?) created one, I am becoming more interested in the podcasting phenomenon. A very good "get your feet wet" book to get someone started in that area is Secrets of Podcasting - Audio Blogging for the Masses by Bart G. Farkas.

Contents: Podcasting Basics; Jumping In; Creating a Podcast; Podcasting Distribution; Appendix; Glossary; Index

Yes, there's only four chapters... but they're *long* chapters... :)

I don't know that I would have titled this book "Secrets of". That almost implies that the book covers the nitty-gritty of podcasting and goes into great detail on specialized topics. That's not the case. Instead you get a broad coverage of the subject matter, from what it is to how to create your own. I've reviewed a number of other podcast books that go into great detail on mics, setting up your own studio, etc. Not here... This is really targeted at someone who either wants to know more about this strange new thing called podcasting, or someone who wants to create a podcast and wonders how to go about it. The information is highly practical, and you get all the "must know" information in order to make sure you are successful your first time out. If you then want to continue on and carry it to the next level, you can look for the books that get into the esoterica of sound theory and such...

I liked how Farkas listed a large number of software packages and hardware recommendations to get started. There's no emphasis on "buying the best of everything", but rather making solid purchases (or downloading solid open source software) that will serve you well going forward and make sure you don't sound like a rank amateur out of the gate. With coverage of Mac, Linux, and Windows platforms, you're pretty sure to find something that will fit your configuration. Also, if you're just into listening, chapter 2 (Jumping In) will give you everything you need to know on how to find, download, and manage the podcasts you find. All this is done with some off-beat humor and a number of interview sidebars with actual podcasters. Getting the perspective of where things are going from more than just the author adds quite a lot to the mix.

So long as you're not looking for expert level tips when you buy the book, you should enjoy the material and get real value from it. I certainly enjoyed reading it, and learned a bit in the process...