Computer Books

A very good book for those who want to learn advanced concepts in OS. Since it is a open source the book is very useful in understanding how they look like. The paper quality is too good, which makes u read non stop. i luv reading this book. Price worth it. A good buy.

A BSD Bible. I never could read the Bible. I do Believe ...

650+ pages of truth and gore. I (as a sysadmin and BSD boomer) related most to the History (Ch.1) and Startup/Shutdown (final Ch.14). Memory management and other gore escapes me. GOOD JOB!

First of all you should be warned that this is not an introduction to get started with UNIX kernel programming. The Design of the UNIX Operating System by M.J. Bach provides a good general introduction to UNIX kernel programming. The design and implementation of the FreeBSD operating system is an excellent book to deepen knowledge of the UNIX kernel by looking how a current UNIX is implemented in practice. Even if you plan to write code for another kernel, working through the FreeBSD kernel with this book as a guide is a good excercise to become consious of the fundamental problems and solutions in kernel design. FreeBSD (or any of the other BSDs) is a good starting point, because the BSDs have relatively stable kernel subsystems and APIs due to the long cycles in BSD development.

The writing style of the authors is to the point (don't expect a novel) and clear. The troff typesetting of the book gives it a consistent style and simple, but clear diagrams (though I heard that some diagrams were hand-drawn). The book doesn't just drop the reader in a kernel subsystem. The second chapter gives a detailed explanation of the various kernel subsystems, and the relation between the subsystems. The third chapter gives a summary of what is expected from a kernel from the user level. Combined these two chapters give the reader the necessary conception of the FreeBSD kernel to start looking at individual parts of the kernel in detail. Most remaining chapters are logically ordered, in that subsystems are ordered from parts with less dependencies to parts with more dependencies (e.g. memory management and I/O are covered before filesystems).

If you are interested in UNIX programming, you should have this book on your bookshelf (as well as a CVS checkout of the FreeBSD kernel tree to read the implementation).

Before I encountered this book it was quite a bit of frustration in attempt to learn BSD and UNIX to the point I can really use it. For some reason there so many good books in a subject with one of two inclinations: or the book is too theoretical and very little of the real workflow provided or it is too down to earth and it is difficult to understand what is behind the sophisticated command line zingers.
I found this book to be well balanced, well written and generally providing good, accessible way to get into BSD. I have followed advise in someone's review here and coupled this book with Linux and UNIX for a beginner training suite, 4DVDs + 2CDs includes 4 Unix Academy Certifications ed.2008. To my great surprise I have to say they really have made an outstanding training outfit!
If you really ready for a training and do not expect that UNIX will come to you overnight it is worthy book and deserves your attention.

For the other side of the story, you may wish to check out the most recent "Inside Microsoft Windows" or "Microsoft Windows Internals" by Mark Russinovich.

I am an experienced Ebay user and plan to take it to the next level by opening up an Ebay store. I found this book to be chock full of the exact kind of information that would help me jump start my sales. Full of inspiration and practical tips from real Power Sellers, this book is a must if you want to learn how Power Sellers think and sell.

Great for beginner and experienced. Covers the basics on how "IT" works, but then fills it in with rich insights from those proven successful. According to the cover, written by "eBay's #1 Rated U.S. Education Specialist". It certainly shows in her content. Beyond simply "how to", the inside scoop on the type of people who are succeeding, and in what way they have implemented eBay. Ton's of interviews and profiles packed with to-the-point insider secrets. Information on pages 138-143 was VERY helpful. Must also check out suggestions on 329.

I have been inspired by the book, The eBay Success Chronicles: Secrets and Techniques eBay PowerSellers Use Every Day to Make Millions, because this book provides insights on how to proceed with selling items on eBay and chronicles the success testimonies of others who have become Power Sellers in the business of e-trading and ecommerce.

The personal testimonies of those who have made eBay a profitable business venture encourages others of the possibilities for personal growth and development. Having listed on eBay with no success, I found this book to provide helpful hints and practical suggestions on how I too can become successful.

The do's and don'ts, proven skills and experiences of the Power Sellers enable the Readers to become better informed and also sparks ideas for setting up ones own eBay business. The author took great effort to not only interview top Sellers but to layout those interviews in a way that Readers could easily understand who they are, their contact information as well as their websites.

Web resources as well as graphical statistics through charts and graphs provide the Readers with additional resources to obtain further information on how to get started on eBay. The most intriguing part of this book was the final advice and words of wisdom from those who have made it on eBay.

The eBay Success Chronicle: Secrets and Techniques eBay Powersellers Use Every Day to Make Millions by Angela C. Adams is the perfect book for anyone interested in becoming an eBay seller. The book provides practical information in a down-to-earth format, and it is neither sensationalized nor exaggerated. Tips are provided from successful eBay sellers who are making a living and loving it. Background information about eBay as well as the Powersellers make the dream of becoming an eBay entrepreneur seem truly feasible for anyone with the desire to make it happen. The format is arranged in a logical and simple manner that will make sense to readers of every level. You won't need to know any technical jargon to enjoy the full value of the book. This is a highly recommended text, with a 5 star rating.

When it comes to growing a business on eBay, everybody has the same shot at making the big bucks, right? Wrong! For most eBay sellers, it's at best a hit-or-miss proposition. No matter what you think, the odds aren't with you--unless you have an edge. And this book gives you that edge!!

As Angela Adams tells us in her information-packed pages, you win on eBay by learning from the success stories--the ones who've discovered how to put the "power" in their selling! Yes, people out there are selling steadily and consistently on eBay. They're the mega sellers--and you'll meet them in this book. Nothing's more valuable than discovering the secrets, hints, and tricks from the ones who've "been there, done that" on eBay. These are the ones who've done their homework, developed the blueprints, and put their winning plan in action. Result: SALES SUCCESS. Angela's done all the legwork for you. Whether you're a new or experienced eBay seller, working part-time or full-time, if you're out to learn what you need to do to get that selling edge on eBay, you must have this book.

-- Robert Gardner, Ph.D.

Great book in explaining all the aspects of safe buying and selling items on eBay!!! It has helped us enormously.

If there was one book I would suggest to anyone venturing into the waters of eBay, it'd end up being this one... eBay: The Missing Manual by Nancy Conner. This one covers it all.

Contents:
Part 1 - Buying on eBay: Ready, Set, Shop!; Bidding, Paying, and Following Up; Finding - and Getting - Bargains; Power Buying Strategies
Part 2 - Selling on eBay: Sell Stuff, Make Money; Honing Your Competitive Edge; Going from Hobby to Business; Specialty Selling; Cool Tools for Sellers
Part 3 - Finding Other eBayers and Getting Help; Finding Help
Part 4 - Appendixes: Where to Learn More; HTML for eBayers; Other Auction Sites; Index

Like all other eBay books, this one covers how to buy and sell on eBay. The writing's good, but there'd be nothing special if it stopped there. Where this book earns its keep is when it goes into areas I haven't seen covered in any other book. I've never seen a book go into any detail on other resources to learn about eBay, such as call-in internet radio shows and newsletters. I've never seen a book cover HTML in a small number of pages in order to allow the seller to create better auction pages. There's good coverage on third-party sites that give you more information on how to best price your auctions. There's even material on how to evolve from buying and selling as a hobby to running a business based on eBay. Package all this up with clear writing and numerous screen shots, and you really *have* found the missing eBay manual.

To paraphrase eBay's latest ad campaign... "Whatever you're looking for, you'll find *it* in eBay: The Missing Manual"...

Best book I have read about eBay. Very comprehensive, detailed and well written. Hard work went into producing this book.
It is both for beginners and beyond.

This is a great starter book for anyone curious about buying or selling on eBay. My only issue is that the book could probably use a refreshing. eBay is a very dynamic property and this book was probably written at least a year ago.

Are you one of the millions of people who buy and sell on eBay? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Nancy Conner, has written an outstanding book that will help you get to the site, get registered, and get going.

Conner, begins by showing you everything you need to get going on eBay. Then, she shows you how to bid on eBay auctions with confidence. The author continues by showing you how to search better than the competition and bid smarter. In addition, she then shares other secrets serious shoppers use to prevail on eBay. The author also introduces eBay tips and tricks. Then, the author shows you how to hone in on your strategy for a competitive edge. Next, she shows you how to turn your eBay hobby into a part- or full-time business. Next, the author shows you how to get in on the action and create a sales niche within eBay's specialty auctions. Then, she briefly describes the software that you can use on eBay. The author continues by presenting general and specialized discussion groups, both on and off eBay, that will help you make satisfying connections. Finally, she covers a Learning Center just for newbies, a Help page, interactive help via live chat or e-mail, a centralized Services page, a site map, discussion boards, and more.

After reading this excellent book, you'll be using eBay like an old pro. In other words, this book was will help you ramp up your eBay experience--find more bargains, build better auctions, and close more sales.

Good instruction, a great price, and a growing-in-importance subject area all add up to a definite recommendation.

As a college student who spends hours and hours in front of a computer working on my thesis, this book has transformed the way I work. No longer do I suffer from back pain, sore wrists, and neck strain. Beautifully written, concise, and practical,"Ergaerobics" is truly a "must have" book for everyone! Every college campus should provide it for their students!

"Why does working @ my computer hurt so much" is the best book I've found on preventing repetitive stress injuries. It filled with practical information for anyone who spends long hours in front of a computer (secretaries, programmers, writers, college students).

The authors, both physical therapists, provide guidelines for arranging your workstation and how to sit there once it's arranged. The best part is an extensive list of exercises for your back,neck,jaw,thumbs,wrists,elbows, and shoulders designed specifically to prevent repetitive stress injuries. In addition, each exercise is illustrated so you never have to wonder if your doing the exercises correctly.

Once again, a great book!

As a college student who spends hours and hours in front of a computer working on my thesis, this book has transformed the way I work. No longer do I suffer from back pain, sore wrists, and neck strain. Beautifully written, concise, and practical,"Ergaerobics" is truly a "must have" book for everyone! Every college campus should provide it for their students!

ErgAerobics is a comprehensive guide to help computer users avoid "Computer Induced Repetitive Stress Injuries." In an easily understandable, entertaining, and concise manner ErgAerobics provides basic human anatomy information that anyone can understand as well as facts about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Lower Back Pain, Neck Pain, TMJ Disorder, Tennis Elbow, Shoulder Impingement Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and DeQuervain's Disease. ErgAerobics offers tips on how to prevent and treat computer induced repetitive stress injuries, how to properly arrange a workstation, behavior modification techniques to help the reader interact with a computer in a safer, more cooperative manner. ErgAerobics is enhanced with simple, inconspicuous, effective exercises to help with the prevention and treatment of computer induced repetitive stress injuries including why, when, and how to exercise. If you spend days working at a computer - read ErgAerobics.

Walters' comprehensive knowledge of the world of IT and incredible ability to explain complex concepts make this book a fascinating read for any gadget geek interested in how stuff actually works. And he doesn't settle for simple, surface level explanations. Instead of shying away from the details and tech-speak, Walters takes you one step further than you thought you could ever go through insightful examples and meaningful analogies.

In addition, his ability to put technological developments in context allow the reader to see the larger factors and trends that have and continue to drive change. A seemingly chaotic and overwhelmingly fast-changing industry suddenly seems logical and "trackable" after reading Walters' book. In this way, it's easy to forgive the fact that the text is a bit out of date. Everything I've read about today's technology I've easily been able to connect back to the ideas I learned here.

Truly one of a kind.

It is very cool book, I would say valuable book to build up your understanding of IT in general. It converges many technologies into one coherent pattern so you start to understand many things. I combined reading of this book with "UNIX Essentials" DVD and it nice to explore many of the conceptions in action. If you are lacking some evenness with your IT knowledge pick this one it is nicely shape your vision of it.

With 6+ years marketing management experience and an MBA, I feel this book was very helpful in understanding the many facets of technology and its evolution through time. The book is a must read for anyone who needs to build or brush up on a solid but basic understanding of technology. However, many of the newest trends in technology are only briefly covered. This is due, I believe, to the fact that many of the pervasive technologies and collaborative applications now being pushed in the marketplace didn't make the editor's draft of the book even though the published date is 2001.

There is a great breadth of information presented in a very lucid fashion. The material is easy to understand, and the author adds a great sense of humor.
However, with the rapid advancements in technology, the book is a bit dated. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a gain a great breadth of knowledge in the field of Information technology, in a short period of time.

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO COMPUTING is simply an extraordinary achievement. It reflects a breadth of knowledge and clarity of presentation that is remarkable. It makes every effort to distill knowledge about computers and computing in an easy, reader-friendly, memorable way. For computer users everywhere -- in organizations, schools, colleges and universities, and individuals -- this volume gives multiple ways of getting to know more about computing in its fast changing environment. First, you get to know the foundations of how computers and computing works in practical, everyday language. Second, you get a reference book that explains key terms, key workings, and key interconnections among the parts.

The most noteworthy aspect of the book is its superb coherence in presenting vast amounts of computing knowledge arranged in for easy understanding. Information and explanations in one chapter are referenced in subsequent ones, never failing to explain connections among them, with a view to present an overall picture of how computers and computing works.

Each chapter highlights technical terms related to computing and information technology, provides an overview of specific aspects as for example "An Overview of How Storage Works" (Chapter 2, p.40), and highlights in grey explanations of widely used terms such as "Disks From a User's Perspective" (p. 56). Each chapter also ends with a summary list of questions that focus on self-evaluating one's grasp of the chapter's contents.

E. Garrison Walters' book will continue to enrich the understanding of all who enjoy working with computers at work or for pleasure. I wish this book had been available to guide me in computing long before I found it, and, that I had written it ! It is a remarkable achievement!

Over the years, I have bought a pile of "How to" books on After Effects,Première Pro, Photoshop and Illustrator and I did not feel any urge to write anything about these books before buying Ms Hartman's Illustrator guide.

I liked the writing : unpretentious, simple with a warm tone that clicks with the reader.

The first lesson in itself, is worth more than half the price of the book.

This book honestly is like a guide line. Especially if you need to look up something you can't remember, you can probably find what you need in the book.

This book really showed me, step by (illustrated) step, the way to make the most out of using Illustrator. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the hands-on approach to learning. In the very first lesson, the author helped me create a logo that was really great looking, which gave me a boost of confidence to go on and do more. This book is just great for a beginner, to learn all the essentials of Illustrator.

This book is a guide to learning Adobe Illustrator CS and digital illustration. The approach is divided between reading sections and step-by-step exercises. Each chapter is divided into several short lessons with accompanying images describing the steps. The key combination and minor interface differences for Mac and windows are explained when necessary.

Overall, this was a good book that provided a smooth experience to learning Illustrator and design in general. The basics of Illustrator are easy to understand through the reading and exercises provided. Although the lessons are short, there is plenty of opportunity to practice on your own. You are initially walked through an exercise, but then usually given a chance to finish part of it on your own. The "Exploring On Your Own" sections provides extra practice and places to look for more information on the various topics discussed. The rest of the book in dedicated to providing useful information on design concepts such as color chords and art principles (line, fill, value etc). The color chords such as analogous, dyad or monochromatic will definitely help on my color choices on my next project. The CD provides all the needed lesson files and any additional samples for practice.

As for problems, most were really minor with this book. There were only a few minor errors spotted such as steps with missing detail or incorrect menu paths. Also, I did think the review questions at the end of each chapter would have been more helpful if the answers were provided. Actually, the biggest issue I had with this book was the novel sized format it was published in. The book is small and the pages are difficult to keep open. Even my document holder was barely able to keep the pages open. For most of the book I had to use one hand to keep it open while working the mouse with the other. I am probably just being a little finicky since most of these minor problems had little effect on actual content.

In the end, this is still a fine book to quickly get up to speed with Adobe Illustrator. The coverage on related design principles was just a bonus. Since this is a short book, do not expect deep coverage on Illustrator techniques. If you need more advanced concepts and/or less on design, then another book will probably work out better. However, the material that is covered is done so well and it should provide a good start for any beginner.

I am a computer programmer/web designer familiar with adobe photoshop, but I wanted to learn more about designing with illustrator. I knew how to get around the program, but was not confident in using it. This book was wonderful - it's great for beginners, and I love how it encourages you to use keystrokes to get things done, instead of the mouse (much faster).

its good but i didnt beat the game, so i thus didnt use the whole stragey guide so i dont know since i didnt dive into it that much

It was nice to have some over view maps of the caves and castles. It help prevent the access use of potions and death of party members at early levels.

This is the most helpful book ever. It has maps, stats for characters and bosses and the eastiest way to beat them. The book tells you what is in each chest if they're guarded and by what. And it has what monster you'll find in certain areas and there stats. It show all the wepons armor and items and their ablities. This book is great. I used it after i beat both and i was amazed at some of the things i missed or did wrong. Personnally though i'd rather spend more time on the game and find the stuff without help it just more fun that way. But when it comesd to strategy guides this is a the top!

Wow, this book's got everything! Bestiary, secret items, boss strategies, everything. If you seriously are having trouble, get this guide. You won't be sorry, you'll be like " Wow this thing DOES have EVERYTHING!"

I was VERY impressed with this guide when I bought it the other day and I have to say that it's helped me cover alot of material. I had already beaten FF1, but FF2 was probably the hardest for me to complete alone and I'm sure that this is the same for everone else who's played it as it is said to be the HARDEST one in the FF franchise! Without it, I probably wouldn't have gotten as far as I thought. The guide covers both games and includes info on magic, dungeons, Boss strategies etc. and just about anything else you'd expect to know from a Final Fantasy game. And well, thanks to an excellent walkthrough through FF2, I finally beat both games with just about everything covered. (except for 'Normal' mode in FF1)

OVERALL: I give it a 10/10! Excellent coverage for both games and a nice way to get through the hardest dungeons in case you get lost. I HIGHLY recommend this book if you are having trouble getting through either game because it will REALLY REALLY help! Never have I seen strategy this good in a long time! BRADYGAMES is the BEST co. to offer these, so I say BUY TODAY!!! You won't regret it! ^_^

Before I started reading this book I had the impression that It would sum up all of the incidents and all the drama leading up to it. But, I was greatly disappointed. When the book ended I was thinking, did the real ending of the book fall out? Then I turned to page and saw the epilogue, so I thought, "Okay this should sum things up for me." But, It didn't. All it did was to leave me hanging on a string, and wondering if I misread something about a fifth book. I suggest that you don't read it unless you have prepared yourself for dissatisfation. But really, Is a fifth book coming out? Cause if it is, I'll change my review around completely.

I've just read all 4 books of @ Cafee for the second time, the first being 4 years ago! I've been searching for the 5th book ever since, everywhere! 4 years is a long time. the book is worth it but the suspence is killing me!
If anyone knows when and if the 5th book and beyond will be availeble do tell! Hope the auther will browse through the reviews and do something!

I thought this book was the best book i have read in a long time . It relates to me as i'm about the same age. If you are a teenager and are thinking of buying this book i would advise you to. The plot gets especially good at the end and i am reading the next one at the moment .

Elizabeth Craft certainly knows how to leave her readers on edge...I read this book when it first came out and I'm seriously disappointed that there isn't a #5 to satisfy my curiousity on WHAT HAPPENED! If you read this, Ms. (or is it Mrs.? ) Craft, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE write a #5...I bet Sam will end up with Hallie, Blue with Jason, Nat with Dylan, etc...but I need YOUR words to make it really happen. I want to know who Blue calls. In short, I want ANSWERS...please write another book soon...

OMG! Mz. Craft, where iz the fifth book? I can't find it on Amazon dot com, and I'm DYING to know what happenz! I have to know who Blue decided to call! Pleez, finish this series, or else get this website in order, and tell them to make the next book available to us readers! We're dying here, it's a TOTAL cliff hanger. To those of you that haven't read this book, MAKE SURE YOU CAN FIND THE FIFTH BOOK BEFORE YOU START READING ANY OF THEM!

I picked up this book to help me develop an application knowing absolutely nothing about GTK+ programming and it was beyond helpful. Excellently written, not to mention many code examples showing how to use the GTK+ library properly and efficiently. This book gives you the tools and the understanding for building your own applications and not just re-creating the examples given to you.
I highly recommend this book to anyone programing in C and want to learn how to use the GTK+ library along with the GLib and Pango libraries. This is one book I'm not going to let go of.

FINALLY... a great book on GTK+.
Easy to follow and understand, great example, great explanations...

Usually I dislike the writing styles in Apress publications, but this is a definite winner. For the first time I can say I actually understand and can effectively use GTK+.

A textview widget in python had me stumped, but no longer. Anyone wishing to tackle GTK+ programming should buy this well organized and excellent book. It is well worth it.

I got this book a few weeks ago and found it to be well written and to the point.

I wanted to like this book, but unfortunately I cannot in good conscience give it 5 stars as the other reviewers have.

I will say the book is well organized and is definitely useful as a starting point for studying GTK+ and the author clearly has a great deal of knowledge about the subject. But what should have been the main strength of the book that differentiates it from the mostly inadequate online tutorials is the author conveying to the reader straightforward explanations of important concepts and insider tips and tricks that can only come from extensive experience. He tries to do this, but I found many of his explanations ambiguous and confusing. Important terminology was left undefined or poorly defined which contributed to the confusion.

The author dutifully plods through a presentation of most of the main widgets, providing essentially the same trivial example code each time with minor variations- basically just showing how to put the widget onscreen. But there was a frustrating lack of material devoted to how to use signals and events to perform any useful tasks. The vast majority of the functionality of any GUI application lies in its event handlers and callback functions. After reading this book, you will be able to prototype the GUI for your application, but you may be at a loss to make it actually do something.

By Ch.3 and 4, the same example code has been replicated so many times that there is an increasing frequency of copy-paste errors that gradually becomes very annoying. Also, there are many typos in the text. The lack of editorial oversight and technical review on the part of the publisher combined with the author's lack of attention to detail and failures in exposition has created a book that I can only marginally recommend- mostly because all of the other books that have been published on GTK+ are either out of date or out of print, so this book seems to be the winner by default.

While this is not a book for a graduate level computer science course, it is an excellent text for a general management audience or perhaps an undergraduate information systems curriculum. Canavan covers the right areas at the right depth in a very real and practical sense. Because of its practical nature, it may be a bit outdated in 3 more years, but since its release in 2001 it has been "on the money."

I do wish the price was lower, or that it was offered in paperback.

This Network security book is non-technical, yet it is detail enough to make you comprehend the material easily. Among other things, the book discusses in detail firewalls, intrusion detection, and the importance of policies. By pointing all the key points, you get what you must know to tie them all. It is an excellent book for someone who aspires to be a network security manager.

This Network security book is non-technical, yet it is detail enough to make you comprehend the material easily. Among other things, the book discusses in detail firewalls, intrusion detection, and the importance of policies. By pointing all the key points, you get what you must know to tie them all. It is an excellent book for someone who aspires to be a network security manager.

I am not an expert in all aspect of security, thus I find the book very informative. Security is a chain of process covering all inter-connected equipment and applications. The book not just descibed (briefly) network security, but also includes systems and applications. The title of the book could be misleading as it reads 'Network Security', it could have just been 'IT Security'. There are some misleading information in certain vendor specific systems, which I am familiar, causing me to doubt the accuracy of the other vendor specific information, which I am not familiar. The author could have kept all information as neutral and avoid treading on thin ice. I do not think a second edition will be published unless the book is re-written.

The book is well written and the concepts it covers are both current and relative. It covers the concepts of basic computer and network security and basic terminology to disaster recovery plans. One of the major concepts I found very interesting was the idea of how much is enough security. He reduces it to relatively easy terms; make the computer or network secure enough for any would be hacker to be discouraged and go somewhere else less protected. His explanation of symmetric (private key) and asymmetric (public key) encryption and digital certificates was especially helpful in helping me understand those concepts. The explanation regarding the different types of firewalls was also very informative. Toward the end of the book, the author covers a subject frequently left out of any discussion of network security - security policies and procedures. He stresses the importance of these for any administrator to be able to identify possible security leaks.

This is an excellent book for any potential reader who is looking for a text which gives an overall viewpoint of computer and network security without getting bogged down in the details of any one facet of security.