Computer and Science Books

The book is well written and the examples are extremely useful. I have been programming in LabVIEW for 10 years and found the book to be very helpful for improving my programming techniques. My latest user interface is significantly improved over my previous efforts.

As a long-time LabVIEW programmer, I know how easy it is to create rich, graphical user interfaces with LabVIEW. I also know how frustrating it is to have an end user sit down in front of my LabVIEW masterpiece and not have a clue of what to do. In his easy to read style, Dave explains effective user interface design and how to apply it to test and measurement.

I especially appreciated Ch. 6 "Graphic Design for Engineers 101 - A Crash Course in Layout and Design." The discussion on designing an effective layout and the provided templates are excellent.

As a long-time LabVIEW developer, one of the things I like about LabVIEW is how easy it is to whip up a sharp looking GUI. However, along with this easy-of-use comes a responsibility to develop a user-friendly GUI as well. Though the title of this book implies that it only addresses GUI design, there is a significant amount of time spent on software engineering, understanding users, graphic design and coding techniques. This book is a whopper at over 500 pages, and there is no skimping on discussion of any of these topics.

As a developer who is equally at home with computers and people, it is hard to remember that I am in the minority, and the majority of users of my software are likely to be technophobes. The first 5 chapters of this book address user expectations and how, in a deterministic manner, to come up with a GUI that will be friendly to the target users.

Chapter 6, as another reviewer mentioned, is a crash course in graphic design. Over 50 pages of "put this here", "choose these colors", and "use this font". A great reference.

Chapters 7-9 discuss the mechanics of how to make a good GUI. All the regulars are here: VI Server, Custom Menus, Queue and Event-driven architectures, and Property/Attribute Nodes. But there is some neat stuff I have not seen elsewhere, such as how to make pop-up menus, custom toolbar buttons and floating menus/toolbars with minimum hassle and overhead.

Chapter 10 is a guide to everything graphics. It covers different image formats (jpg, bmp, png, etc.), transparency, where to get "free" graphics, as well as a primer on Adobe Photoshop.

The rest of the book (chapters 11 & 12, plus appendix A) are use cases.

In the back of the book is a CD-ROM with most of the examples, plus a ton of great free stuff (e.g., custom buttons) and trial stuff (e.g., Adobe Photoshop).

Complaints: this book is getting a bit long in the tooth. LabVIEW 7 is out with user-defined events, and 8 will be out shortly with a whole new development paradigm. While much of this book remains relevent, some parts are in need of updating (property nodes have been out how long now???).

My other complaint is that this book looks like a pre-publication proof. Nearly every page has a major spelling or grammar error. It is as if no one could make it through the 500+ pages for a final proof before printing. As an example, from page 181: "At this point, it should be stressed that the visual hierarchy is your GUI panels should be governing by more than aesthetic considerations alone." (yes, this is an exact quote)

I am only about half way through this book but have found it worth the reading time for anyone interested in one-to-one computing in schools. Reading it as a group has led to great conversations among faculty at a school with a one-to-one computing program - [...]

I particularly like the examples from real classrooms that Warschauer includes from studies of schools in California and Maine. Also, there are frequent reminders that one-to-one computing programs created to only raise test scores or implemented without adequate attention to faculty professional development are destined to be inadequate.

The 13 pages of references cited are also a great place to start for anyone who wants to read additional research on educational technology.

The book provides an excellent insight into new literacies. Clear and concise, it's a great help for those who want to associate new literacies with current teaching practices

Quick caveat*
I am currently taking a class taught by Professor Warschauer called Technology and Literacy at UC Irvine. Of the many readings and studies that we explored in his class, he also had us read his book.
The Review:
Mark Warschauer's passion and insight came alive in this critical study. The book provokes a somewhat fair-minded (slightly positive) view of how technology has and can be used in the classroom. He delves deeply into the educational system and examines not only the applications of technology but the deeper implications as well. He moves through history, politics, science, psychology and computer science with ease and explicitness to decipher the technical speak for the layman while penetrating into the culture of education to expose how best the implementation of technology (laptops) could/ should/ might play out.
Not too lengthy, his language and detail makes it interesting read, whether by necessity or leisure (haha), and the flow and completeness is inimitable.
Overall, it is worth a read for those with even the slightest interest in what technological literacy is and where technology is going in the future.

Anyone who works in the Library and Information field need to get this book. This resource will save you alot of mental and financial problems as well as stress. The author does not make the assumption that the reader knows the subject area. This resource is written so that a layperson can understand it. After every chapter there are references that one can peruse if he/she so desires. The appendix is wonderful. The table of contents is methodical and logical. It is a great reference resource and a good read!!

While the book has 9 plus chapters, the fifth chapter makes a sense, as it is a detailed section on motivations that are not-secular, non-business, and non-academic areas.

The chapters of the book are:
1 Questions and Answers about the First Amendment: Sex, Lies, and Cyberspace 1
2 Basic First Amendment Principles and Their Application to Libraries 25
3 The Sexual Conundrum 45
4 The Right to Offend 62
5 Religious Motivations and Library Use 72
6 Just between You and Your Librarian--Library Confidentiality Laws 84
7 Workplace Issues: Employee Free Speech and Harassment 92
8 Children, Schools, and the First Amendment 105
9 Cyberspace--The Last Frontier 125
Appendixes
A The Library Bill of Rights and Its Interpretations 147
B Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of Policies, Regulations and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials, Services and Facilities 176
C Guidelines and Considerations for Developing a Public Library Internet Use Policy 180
D Dealing with Concerns about Library Resources 188
E Conducting a Challenge Hearing 191
F Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records 196
G Policy concerning Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information about Library Users 198
Glossary 201
Index

Worth a new edition.

The First Amendment is an integral philosophical and political concept embedded in academic and community library system operations. The First Amendment And Cyberspace answers the questions librarians and library patrons most often have about the First Amendment and library services. Included the issues of basic First Amendment principles and their application to libraries, the right to offend, religious motivations and library use, library confidentiality laws, cyberspace and the First Amendment. A special chapter focuses on children, schools and the First Amendment. Essential reading for library students, librarians, library administrators, and library board members, Robert Peck's The First Amendment And Cyberspace is enhanced with appendices on American Library Association policies and recommendations including Conducting a Challenge Hearing; Guidelines and Considerations for Developing a Public Library Internet Use Policy; and Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records.

As former Director of Broadcast Engineering for Alabama Public Television, (America's oldest PBS Network) I can say that my 38 years of Telecom, Technology, and Broadcast experience strongly suggests that everthing I've ever read by George Gilder is excellent. George's books and Forbes /ASAP articles are an excellent reference for anyone concerned in how technology has and will continue to affect the economy of the U.S. and the World. James Foley -- Alpha Communications & OMNI Telecom

Fiber and wireless, he is amazingly correct in predicting the technology trends, can't wait to see what he is going to talk about in his next book.

George Gilder has been hailed as one of the foremost science and technology writers for Forbes Magazine. His book, Wealth and Poverty, was one of the "Bibles" of '80s supply-side economics. Although I may not totally agree with his economic views, his extensive research of telecommunications and how this vast and intertwined conglom of industries affects humanity is unquestionably thorough, thought provoking, intellegent, and timely. Some craggy rocks which potentially ground Gilder's predictions of a tidal wave on the technoscape are FCC auctions; mis-directed consumer advertising; lack of consumer education on what cell phone towers "really" are (you know, fear of radiation, cancer scare, etc.), and the inability of competing telecoms, cable companies, computer megopolies, etal to install fiber-optic cable and satellites at a break-neck enough pace. All I know is, wherever TCI has tried Internet services, the "Alpha Test" consumers not only wouldn't give it up after the test was over, some people would not move to an area where they couldn't purcase the service! So readers: Ride premiere prognosticator Gilder's technowave, and be one of the first to hang ten in a prospective post-Mellenium promised land! And be sure to pick up his other books, such as Microcosm. I believe he is updating this for 1998, and he's "write-on" in his first edition. Surf's up!

Linear mixed model has been widely used in biomedical reserach, such as longitudinal observational studies and clinical trials. However, the model is theoretically complicated, and is hard to use it. This book not only covers statistical methodologies related to this model, but also gives excellent examples which can teach the readers how to use it.

I agree with the brief comments of the other Amazon reviewer. However, these authors have updated the material in a book just published in 2000 "Linear Mixed Models for Longitudinal Data". The approach is the same in both books but the new one contains a lot of new advances that have occurred over the last three years. If you want a thorough account with the latest developments buy the other book. I have given a thorough review of the other book for Amazon. On the other hand if you just want to learn longitudinal data analysis this monograph will work for you and may be less expensive since it is in paperback while the other book is only currently in hardcover. Both books illustrate examples using SAS Proc Mixed.

I agree with the brief comments of the other Amazon reviewer. However, these authors have updated the material in a book just published in 2000 "Linear Mixed Models for Longitudinal Data". The approach is the same in both books but the new one contains a lot of new advances that have occurred over the last three years. If you want a thorough account with the latest developments buy the other book. I have given a thorough review of the other book for Amazon. On the other hand if you just want to learn longitudinal data analysis this monograph will work for you and may be less expensive since it is in paperback while the other book is only currently in hardcover. Both books illustrate examples using SAS Proc Mixed.

This book is the most honest book I have ever read about the modern black woman's experience. My mother read it because it was given to her by a friend in her Master's program, some years ago

Then when I was a sophmore in college she gave it to me and I read it.

I would encourage women who have sons especially to read it, I have a daughter, a toddler, and she will read it too,probably in high school.

If we are to end the cycle of abuse and torment and empower black women in America we must start with all the issues she addresses.

This is an account of Michele Wallace's experiences with the civil rights movement and growing up in the late 60's. Judith Wilson, who reviewed this for Ebony Magazine, has since said, "it was a pioneer work. Angela Davis's book 'Women, Race and Class' wasn't published until 2 years later. Ntozake Shange's play 'For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide' had moved to Broadway but it's approach was poetic rather than analytical"

Wallace mentions of the ladies in her family, "It was understood, you were either going to be a bright success or a desperate failure, and it was your job to proclaim which you were going to be at as early an age as possible."

She recalls how she was taken out of private Catholic school when her mom found posters of Richard Nixon in the bedroom she shared with her sister, "can you believe it? we were that brainwashed." Things would be entirely different at the NY school where she transferred. . .

This book, about Black women being shortchanged, is probably most relevant for women who came of age during the period of time from the 1960s to the 1990s, tho it has some relevance today, as it probably would have before the 1960s as well. Written in 1976, it was way ahead of it's time, well, ahead of the 'PC', politically correct, beliefs of it's time.

Black Macho is an odd read and yet a modernly familiar one, in that at times, one is struck with a feeling Wallace is trying to say something completely opposite from what is literally on the page. This is both a sensationalist book and a subtle book at the same time. For the most part Wallace implies black women are oppressed and almost never tells us they are. It wasn't until later, reading about this book and reading other Wallace, that I understood more what it was about. This work could be subtitled, 'Why I became a feminist'.

Wallace is either a master propagandist or she knows her audience and wants to keep them reading: she begins each chapter repeating a true-ism, for instance, this genuine one, "white men were always the ones making pronouncements about everything" and ends up at the end of the chapter quoting a figure proclaiming, "Kill Whitey." This is almost an expose' of the civil rights movement.

Some of the assertions Wallace does make are that black men and women have a sometime dislike for each other stemming in part from black men/white women relationships, and she asserts a lack of confidence he'd, "come home."

For Wallace, the civil rights movement meant, literally, "A white woman in every bed and a black woman under every heel".

Wallace was presenting ideas that no one else was at the time. She must have felt pressure to go along with the ideas people did believe in at the time (or perhaps felt a desire to be understood), and I think what is going on here with this work, is that it is an example of the 'Wilson Rule' (If you have one un-PC idea {here the idea being that black women are the ones being taken advantage of}, you have to smother this offence in 6 politically correct ideas). Countless books have been written in this manner (tho only a minority of those at the library), each examining one un-PC idea the author believes in, and, so the author can sound reasonable, accepting every other popular convention of the day. The problem with this, is that at the end of the day, best case scenario, a young reader's learned 6 lies and 1 thing that's true.

Michele Wallace was criticized for what she does say here (and perhaps for what she implies), and one has to wonder: is this criticism (of a work claiming black women are treated unfairly) simply proof of her thesis?

Wallace doesn't ignore the media in her book. She asks, was there a conscious effort to keep young minds focused on sports, guns and violence, and off business, education and the stock market?

She begins her treaties on 'Black Macho' (the 2nd half of the book) with, "imagine for a moment that there was a part of your body, an organ, that by the very nature of the society in which you lived, existed under immense pressure. Imagine that this organ, placed in a conspicuously vulnerable position on your body, was to expand, rise, and remain erect at will. Imagine that your status in society depended upon your ability to control this organ. Imagine that if you couldn't get the dam thing to work, the very importance of your existence would be in question."

This is a sensationalist, titillating book filled with the 'F' word, 'Redneck', the 'N' word, and lots of people saying, kill the bigots. I imagine Wallace secretly enjoyed writing this even as she's mentioned, she, secretly enjoyed listening to Norman Mailers rants about the civil rights movement (Wallace was a journalist for the Village Voice a paper Mailer founded). I don't think she enjoyed writing this as much as I enjoyed reading.

Wallace was criticized for Black Macho perhaps because she strays just too far from blaming all problems on white men. In a sense, in saying, black men, too, are oppressing black women, she made black men, too equal. 20 years later she says, "In some ways I'm still being punished today." Feminist Tammy Bruce in California was fired for coming out against OJ Simpson, who in her mind was an abuser at the very least. To be honest, 'Sexism', was, a huge issue. Well, if you were the wrong person it was. It's been said, President Bill Clinton being accused of sexism did a lot to reduce some of the perception of it.

Wallace was in one of my college textbooks, quoted for her reaction to gangster rap. For her, the solution for women everywhere will be found, when, "...women rap back." Not long after I noticed Queen Latifah with a big video out. Eminem followed.

To be fair and give my own views, my background is in reading old -old- school conservatism. In fact, I'm somewhat of an 'anti-feminist'. Perhaps I'm just a chauvinist. I'm not wedded to any particular ideology tho - I do find them all interesting. Guess I'm a sympathizer too.

Michele Wallace is paid to be a feminist. After Black Macho, Wallace would edit a work titled, "All the women are white. All the blacks are men, but some of us are brave." She teaches a great number of courses at CUNY, and a seminar in film studies, 'Performance and Race in Cinema 1890-1930's' where she says, "Despite the many objectionable features, this is a body of work which is collectively unforgettable and irreplaceable."

I would trade all these films for 'Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman'. I couldn't help but like the voice of woman who wrote this book. I was in awe of Wallace. No. I was in love with the woman who wrote these words.

I read this book when it was originaaly published in 1976. Although Michele Wallace was a relatively young black woman (still in her twenties as I remember)I was most impressed by the maturity of her insights regarding both black men and black women. Her intent seemed to be to point out areas that both genders needed to look at if the race as a whole was to make any progress.

In both sections of her book, Wallace focused our attention on "male privilege" and how it translated into black "macho-ness", with the resultant effect that black men are as guilty of taking for themselves unearned advantages over black women as white people are guilty of taking for themselves unearned advantages over black people. She pointed out that black women continued to nurture the race physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and that the convenience of the self-sacrificing "superwoman image" (which black women willingly accept) allowed the predominatly male leaders of the civil rights movement to discount the interests and issues of black women, much like white slaveholders did; the typical black superwoman served only as an ancillary utility for black men. Wallace revealed to the world that black women, more often than not, were still "sleeping with the enemy."

Wallace was virulently attacked by almost every black "leader" who could get herself (yes, even women) and himself heard. However, if you re-read the book today, you cannot deny the fact that she was prescient in her observations and conclusions. The problems which she identified then still exist today.

I would recommend this book as a basic text for every black women's college. It should be discussed whereever concerned black people convene.

The sudden disappearance of James Peck's father sets off a series of strange goings on in the tiny hamlet of Drumfintley, in Scotland. On Bruce Moor, the last place his father was seen alive, James discovers a squashed stoat next to giant unearthly footprints. The same day he follows a mysterious stranger and overhears his conversation with an invisible hissing beast named Sleven, then disappears. Reeling from shock, James passes a trash bin and is summoned by a talking goldfish inside. The fish tells James his name is Mendel and demands that he rescue him.

Mendel explains he's actually a wizard from another world called Denthan. He's been turned into a fish and now the mysterious stranger and Sleven are trying to kill him. He desperately needs James's help, not only to protect him but also to save Denthan. James is baffled by the bossy fish wizard, yet he's certain the same dark magic that brought these creatures from another world is somehow linked to his father's fate.

He enlists the help of his best friend, Craig and his golden retriever, Bero, who carries the goldfish in a tiny barrel around his neck, like a St. Bernard. Lured by a string of clues related to Mr. Peck's vanishing, and with Mendel as their guide, they enter the gateway into Denthan, a strange world containing magic scales and two suns, one of which will explode very soon.

Much to James and Craig's horror, they arrive in the midst of a war between hordes of terrifying creatures, including reptilian Hedra wizards, monstrous hairy Osgrunfs, giant insect-like Centides, several species of Trolls, Manimals, and many more. Magically the boys become warriors and it's clear they're going to have to fight their way through Denthan to get back home.

And that's only half of this amazing adventure. Wilding successfully weaves a story within a story in this sophisticated fantasy. "The Magic Scales" is full of breathtaking action scenes, with plenty of surprises to keep readers guessing. Harry Potter fans will definitely find the Vision Pool in "Book One of the Denthan Series" well worth diving into.

This book gripped me early on and kept me hooked. Loved all the wild characters, the bubble-magic and the strange, new, monsters. James, the main character, has to deal with asthma, a nagging mum, Tree Trolls, reptilian Hedra and a bunch of snapping Centides all at once. Reminded me of early JK or perhaps Roald Dahl.

I really enjoyed reading this book and learned a few things about what it would be like to have asthma to boot. I felt The Magic Scales had all the elements of a good fantasy...adventure, magic, excitement, and interesting characters. I'd recommend this book to the 8 and up crowd, and especially anyone who's interested in stories that take place in other parts of the world (this takes place in Scotland and it has some pretty cool Scottish sayings to learn, like "ye numpty!"). I believe this is going to be a series, so I look forward to the next book!

When I read about the Microsoft Windows Registry fiie, it reminds me of "Mapping the Atari". They sound similar. Makes me that much more familiar with Windows. (I am a Mac man(!))

This was an essential classic forr every 8-bit Atari hacker. It has most of the cool tricks, with examples.

Excellent help in developing applications and software for the Atari 8-bit micro using Assembly Language and very well done. It is a must for any Atari-Programmer...

I am convinced CBI (Computer Based Instruction) is the best way to learn a new Programming Language, so when The WAITE GROUP put out Master C++, I purchased one immediately based on my previous success with learning C from the WAITE GROUP's MasterC.

They both will take you a very long way towards programming in their respective Language, and in the case of Master C++, you do not need to worry about using DOS Real Mode and NANSI.SYS anymore. Also, the software comes on 1.44MB Floppys, so it should not be a problem for most newer PC's.

Go for it!! I did, and have earned back the cost of the book thousands of times over.

This is one of the best programming books I have used. It teaches you C++ in a truly interactive way. I used it to teach myself C++ about 10 years back. Most books that are supposed to teach programming do a terrible job. The best way to teach programming is the way this book does it. It makes the teaching truly interactive thus reinforces whatever you learn at each step. You don't simply get bombarded with information. The program keeps asking you to respond to make sure that you understood the topic. You learn C++ in an interactive hands-on style, as opposed to the dry and passive style in which most people are taught.

This is excellent way to learn object oriented programming. It covers beginning, intermediate and advance programming concepts.

It is one of the only true interactive tutorials. I use it to teach at the university and college levels.

This book is an excellent starting point for those interested in computer simulation of Physiological systems. I used most of it as part of an introduction to bimedical systems and found it excellent.

Granted, I am a little biased because I am a student of professor Rideout, but in reality I am new to the biomedical and physsiological modeling.

earlier we had only mathematical models of the physiological system and now with the computer models it is very easy to analyse the behaviour of biological systems.

I was very happy to find this book while working on my dissertation in cardiopulmonary mechanics simulation. While I didn't use ACSL like the author, I was able to implement solutions without much difficulty. I found the explanations fairly good and concise, although at times I felt that the author was telling me how much he knows rather than practical advice for creating models of our own.

I used some of his cardiovascular models for my work, but I found that his simpler models performed better, in some cases. In one case, I found that my implementation of his code had the heart valves opening and closing slightly in the wrong order. Could be my code, but I didn't think so.

While it is tempting to use this as a starting point for building your own cardiopulmonary simulations, it is NOT an introductory book. The reader who has some introduction already to biomedical system modeling will get the most from this, such as the excellent book by William Blesser, A Systems Approach to Biomedicine (1981). When I tried to read this book first, it didn't make sense, but afterwards, it made much more sense.