Teams Books

Ron has a very laid back writing style. You can tell that he has spent a considerable amount of time in the trenches and appreciates the amount of hard work and focus it takes for a successfull product development project. I would definately recomend this book for anyone serious about wanting to add tools to their product development toolbox.

This is the author's second book on product development. The first one was focused primarily on cost reduction with some material about time-to-market. In this book his focus is primarily on reducing development time through focusing on the new development team processes. Ron offers some very practical advice, and a host of easy to use tools and aids that new product development teams can adapt very easily and quickly. Ron's writing style is that of a practitioner and therefore makes reading the material easy, and is made relevant to a real world environment.

His approach of adapting some traditional lean tools to the product development situation is novel. I found his version of Value Stream Mapping for example, for a basically creative process, very useful.

While this book stands on its own, if you have not read Ron's first book "The Lean Design Guidebook," doing so would give you holistic perspective on both the time and cost factors involved in the new product design process.

Project management professional Ronald Mascitelli presents The Lean Product Development Guidebook: Everything Your Design Team Needs to Improve Efficiency and Slash Time-to-Market, a handbook written especially for design team managers in all business fields. The focus lies upon making the product development process "lean", thereby improving both its efficiency and its effectiveness. Chapters describe how to establish product design requirements, heighten the pace of project execution, and apply self-assessment tools to keep design paradigms operating at optimal levels. The Lean Product Development Guidebook is spiral-bound, able to lay flat or be folded over on itself for easy reference, and is written in plain terms, with numerous black-and-white charts and diagrams illustrating its principles. Enthusiastically recommended as an overview resource and guideline for design team managers everywhere.

I just finished reading "The Lean Product Development Guidebook" and I am totally impressed with the practical tools and common sense tone of this book. The author makes the learning experience pleasant and even entertaining! Most of the two dozen "lean methods" described in the book can be used right away and will provide immediate benfits. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about driving waste out of the product design process.

If you love basketball you are going to enjoy this book. It's a play by play of a championship team, their trials, tribulations, and trophy.

I bought the book just because I am a fan, but I am very pleased with its overall quality. It's a well-made hardcover book with durable sewn binding. Printed on thick, glossy paper, the large color photographs look bright and extremely sharp. The book includes Woody Durham's broadcast on 2 CDs. The book is not organized into game-by-game stories like the News and Observer's book. Instead, it has two main sections. First is a section of essays on various topics like "Workdays in Maui," "Senior Day," and "Two Steps to St. Louis." Second is a section of essays by all five members of the coaching staff and eight of the regular players. The book also includes an essay by Dean Smith, a record of the season, and list of awards and honors.

Instead of a game by game retelling, the book is more in story format. It's very well done.

There are two great things about this book. The first being the freshness of the information. When a team wins a championship, the win is almost covered to death so to speak, so I was definately pleasantly suprised when the book contained many stories that I had not yet heard. Secondly, and probably the best thing about the book was the complete Tarheel Sports Network radio broadcast of the Championship game and the post-game press conferences. This book is a must for any Tarheel fan, and the CD is something you will listen to over and over.

We bought this book as a gift for an ardent Atlanta (nee Boston, nee Milwaukee!) Braves fan. We had looked for some time to find an appropriate book, and this was a winner! Mazzone has been linked with Bobby Cox, the Braves manager, for several years and their results together have been recordbreaking. So much of the success of the Braves has had to do with the consistently high level of perfromance of their pitching staff, and Leo Mazzone has been the constant during all that time, despite turnover of the pitchers themselves. It was interesting to hear from the man himself, and the book makes excellent reading for a real baseball fan. It will be interesting to see how long the Braves maintain their pitching excellence, now that Leo Mazzone will be wearing a Baltimore uniform!

While I enjoyed the behind the scenes experience and Leo's candid discussion concerning his past and present pitchers, the book needed more beef. Too good a subject to pass an opportunity to be more in depth. Other than that, very enjoyable book!

Of the many factors influencing the Braves' stupendous run of 13 straight Division Championships, none of it is more prominent than its emphasis on pitching anchored by Leo Mazzone.

"Tales from the Braves Mound" contains anecdotes in Mazzone's career from his pitching days to his forays in the minor leagues and finally to his elevation to pitching coach with Bobby Cox as the manager of the Atlanta Braves.

The anecdotes provide some interesting tidbits such as Maddux's request to give him a mound visit because "it's lonely out there" and even Glavine's reluctance to hit a batter after his teammate was beaned by the opposing pitcher. Also, Mazzone defends his coaching philosophies which include the practice of throwing in between starts, getting the pitcher's input on how long he stays in the game, his aversion to the "wild card" format and emphasis on pitch location rather than raw power. Of course, the good coach in him refuses to dwell on the Braves' postseason failures but instead celebrates the team's successes.

Having said that, I would have liked him to make the book just a little bit longer by rating the current aces (Randy Johnson, Bartolo Colon) and sluggers (Barry Bonds, David Ortiz) and of course another chapter on the post-Maddux, Glavine era would have made the book perfect.

Even if pundits scoff at his team's postseason failures, I do believe real baseball enthusiasts including opposing players and coaches have a healthy respect for his and Cox's ability to mold a staff and in effect a team.

I have been a Brave's fan since the late eighties watching the young guns loose close games by one or two runs, especially in 89 and 90. Scott and Leo team up to give us a highly entertaining behind the scenes look of a decade and more of one of the best pitching staff's in the history of baseball. This book is well written and is a must for any true baseball fan, particularly Brave's fans. Great book Scott and Leo!

The story was excellent, bring out the various viewpoints of Native Americans today on problems from mascots and powwows to land grabs and poverty on the reservations. One of the best portions of the book was when the players on the team, all Native Americans, "corrected" the mascot's outfit. The characters were believeable. While reading the book, I could say, "I know someone like that" on almost every character, even the broken-down rodeo rider. The climate of Oklahoma was described well also, from the stifling humidity of eastern Oklahoma to the tornadoes of the central area.
Unfortunately, the softball games themselves had so many inaccuracies it took away from the story. There are no "2nd base" coaches, and getting hit by a pitch in fast-pitch entitles you to 1st base.
Even so, I enjoyed the read and the discussion of issues in the Native community.

This easy to read page turner was one of the most enjoyable books I have read recently. Mihesuah is an excellent writer and every character is brought to life in a memorable way. With each Shrike game I was sitting on the edge of my seat hoping for a win. In addition to a wonderful storyline, The Lightning Shrikes is an excellent example of American Indian fiction. The book provides insights into current problems facing Indians today in an easy manner. Non-Indian readers will find these issues easy to swallow and might even learn something new. As an Indian reader, I was even challenged in the way I perceive other Indians. Thanks Devon for a fun and exciting read. I can't wait for the Shrikes second season!

Mihesuah, as usual, hits it out of the park, so to speak, with The Lightning Shrikes. This novel is remarkable in that it manages to be both a page turner, and a highly effective investigation of a plethora of issues germaine to Indian country. Mihesuah, a Choctaw academician, proves herself to have quite a gift for fiction, in addition to her formidable talents as a scholar. She manages to present many complicated topics and misperceptions in such a way that someone either misinformed or underinformed would finish this book significantly enlightened, without feeling beat up. Aside from political value, the characters are realistic and endearing, and the story engrossing - it's one of those books where you actually want a sequel!

Devon Mihesuah's "The Lightening Shrikes" breaks Native American stereotypes and allows the reader to have fun doing it. In a world where Native American literary fiction that is actually written by Native American authors too often tells only the tale of a reluctant Native American hero or heroine struggling in a seemingly un-winnable battle against impossible odds, Mihesuah hits a home run with a story that incorporates modern American Indian protagonists who are finally allowed to achieve and enjoy their success. After reading this highly enjoyable story of a cohesive team of players from a diverse set of tribal cultures coming together in a powerful and effective show of solidarity and sportsmanship, it causes one to wonder why someone didn't write a story like this sooner. All of that, and the "Indian mascots" issue is dealt with in a way that causes it to finally turn out (at least for the Lightning Shrikes) the way that it should, for a change. Mihesuah entertains, informs and raises consciousness about Native American issues all at the same time-a powerful triple play that will keep you turning the pages and wanting more. I highly recommend "The Lightning Shrikes" for anyone who is looking for a good read. It could also be a great way for the newcomer to Native American issues to find out nearly everything you might have wanted to know about Native American stereotypes and why Indian mascots are offensive, but were afraid to ask, but have fun while doing it. I am looking forward to more fiction by Devon Mihesuah.

This book is great! Not only does it provide a wealth of information about the 2001 games, but captures the passion of the season. I watched so many of the games on TV myself that I wanted something to help me remember what a fun time the Seattle Mariners gave us. This book - Mariners Magical Season - is it. KUDOS! KUDOS! KUDOS! and thanks for writing this book!

I had the good fortune to be able to read a fair amount of this book in the final galley proof just prior to it's going to the printer. Even for a casual baseball fan, this is a page turner. Yes, it has plenty of stats for the most diehard of fans, but it is a beautifully textured and "human" read. It puts the reader on the sidelines, in the dugout, behind homeplate, at all the bases, in the outfield, in the locker-room, in the stands, and inside the mind of a remarkable team. It also weaves in the tragedy of Sept 11, 2001, and the effects on spectator sports, the players, and the special inspiration that baseball provided our country, and perhaps, all the world, at a dark time. This book is about triumph in the finest sense.

I picked this book up as a luke warm Mariners fan and couldn't put it down! The player bios and day to day chronicling of each day of the team's season are a valuable addition to the library of any baseball fan.

I'll keep this short and to the point . . . If you are a Mariners fan, or just have a love for the game of baseball, it is necessary for you to check out "Mariners Magical Season" by Stan Emert and Mike Siegel. This book takes you on the ride with the Mariners as they enjoy their incredible run. It is insightful, an enjoyable read, and makes you eagerly anticipate the M's upcoming season. Reading this book will give you the feeling of sitting at Safeco field and experiencing the SoDo Mojo yourself! Check it out!

This book is a must-have for all Met fans! It's a great read to brush up on your Mets history or to use as a reference guide. You'll feel like a more-informed met-nerd once you buy & read this book. It was written by fanatics, for fanatics.

People give me METS related gifts all the time, but this is the best thing I have ever received! I had so much fun reading this book and learning the history behind who wore what number and all the juicy details that came leaping off the page once you get past the numbers themselves.

If you like the METS, if you love the METS and certainly if you know anyone else who does, you have just found what to buy for mother's day, father's day, graduation or birthdays. There's no way that any METS fan would be less than enthralled with this spectacular book!

This is a must for any Mets fan, what makes this book so great is that it tells the story of the story behind the uniform number from Mookie #1 to Turk #99, a very fun and informative read.

Yes. I dare. It's the best Mets book ever, and I've read them all (or at least most of them). I was drawn to it by the premise (history of the team by uniform numbers) and I was not disappointed.

If you are a true fan of the blue and orange, you owe it to yourself to pick up and read this gem. Written with great wit and insight and from a different perspective than all of the previously published team histories out there, this book is an absolute joy to read.

GO METS!

Have not read the book totally but I have obtained very useful information from what I read.

Valuable background information for any network admin working with Windows XP or Windows 2003 networks. You can find all information on the Internet but this brings the most usefull information together to quickly get up to speed on how to configure a secure environment

Ben and Brian, (my ex-Microsoft colleagues) have done a great job at providing well-rounded, valuable and actionable coverage of almost all aspects of Windows Security. Good job guys!

Thanks,
Sanjay
Formerly, AD Securty PM
www.sanjaytandon.com

I have previously done a review of the First Edition of the Microsoft Windows Security Resource Kit which I was very impressed with. All what I said for that book still applies. The first book applied to Windows 2000 and XP Pro. Since then there has been a major upgrade for XP in SP2 and the introduction of Windows 2003 which the Second Edition covers. As with the first book this edition is great for anyone that wants to learn how to secure their Windows 2000/2003/XP Pro operating systems/networks and is geared mostly to administrator types though anyone with such interest including power users will find it extremely helpful.

In just under 700 pages no book can be all inclusive about Windows security. The Windows Security Resource Kit goes into detail on many commonly implemented topics like password/account policy and on others it shows you the basics of what is possible and then refers you to online documantation/white papers if you are interested in a full implementaion which keeps the book affordable, readable, and under 10,000 pages. For example there is a full chapter 25 with detailed instruction on how to implement 802.1X security for wired and wireless networks. For Software Restriction Policies there are three pages but that is enough to make a user aware of what SRP is, how it can help you prevent users from installing and running unathorized applications, and the basics of how to implement it. As a MCSE in Windows 2003:Security and a common newsgroup participant I am often amazed at the number of admnistrators that are not aware of many the security features of Windows 2000/2003/XP Pro such as SRP or in particular ipsec. They would benefit tremendously from this book.

The two chapters on privacy were dropped and more room is devoted to W2003/XP Pro. Though a lot of the content is the same as the previous version much as been revised or added. Below are some that I considered of note though my list is not all inclusive of changes.

CH3. A much better table with descriptions of well known sids.
CH8. Using EFS with Webdav to keep files encrypted on the network and sharing of EFS files.
CH9. Full list AND description of all services for Windows 2000/2003/XP Pro.
CH10. Windows firewall including how to configure for scope and exceptions, using Group Policy or scripted intstallations using netfw.inf. Improvements for ipsec in Windows 2003 including default exemption handling.
CH.11 Group Policy for wireless networks and Software Restriction Policies.
CH.12 Interet Explore securtiy and pop up blocker.
CH.15 One of my favorite chapters on auditing. Includes tables with listing of more Event ID's for object access and policy change.
CH.17 Listed specific service recommendations for domain controllers for both Windows 2000/2003 and also listed a recommended ipsec filter for securing a domain controller.
CH.19 Much is changed in 2003 Terminal Servies. - Use of Software Restriction Policies, smart card logon, and SSL for TS with SP1.
CH.22 For RRAS a big change is the cability of remote access quarantine control. A step by step is given with a link to sample scripts to use or modify.
CH.23 Implementation of role separation for certificate authorities.
CH.24 IIS 6.0 is disussed with it's security capabilities such as default install state, Automatic Health Monitoring, and the all important Application Isolation.
Ch.25 A whole step by step chapter on 802.1X for wired and wireless networks including Remote Access Policies, IAS, and deploying user and computer certificates. 802.1X can greatly increase security of WEP by using dynamic wep and forcing key renewal if you still have to use WEP.
CH.27 Briefy discusses Windows Update Services and its advantages.
CH.29 How to install and use the Windows 2003 SP1 Security Configuration Wizard to help select a computer profile for "hardening" to disable uneeded servces, configure audit policy, and use ipsec filters to block uneeded ports! In my opinion this is a tremendous tool that also has a rollback capability. New features of netstat are shown [note that netstat -b can be used to show executeable to port use though not covered in the book]. Two extremely helpful new tools - portquery and port reporter.
CH.31 Great table on using built in and third party tools to capture state of the computer for incident response investigation. I am surprised however that msinfo32 was not mentioned as you can use it to generate a very useful report to a .nfo file.

There is much discussion throughout the book on use of ipsec to protect your network with either ESP/AH encryption/integrity or the use of an ipsec "filter" policy to manage access to computer ports. Included are examples of ipsec filters for domain controller, wins, and DHCP. As much as I like the book I disagree with the recommendation on pages 375-376 on implementing ipsec for the domain by implementing a client/respond policy for the domain and then a server require ipsec policy for the domain controller container. Refer to KB254949 for more details and be sure to throughly test and ipsec policies on a test domain before implementing. Poorly planned ipsec implementation can cause havoc on a domain. I highly recommend that you read the white paper on Improving Security with Domain Isolation to see ipsec can do to protect your domain with the proper ipsec policies.

All in all I still believe that the Microsoft Windows Security Resource Book is a top notch book for anyone to own who wants to learn how to maximize security on their computer or network within their risk manangement paramaters. The changes in Windows XP Pro SP2 and more so Windows 2003 are very significant. If you already own the First Edtition but have upgraded to Windows 2003 or want to learn more about how Windows 2003 can improve your security then this book is for you.

OCS is a powerful product, enabling many different scenarios, and this resource kit is a must for administering it.

Just having the tools and OCS PowerShell scripts in one place is handy, but what makes the *book* a great buy is the content around the tools and scripts. The book is neatly organized by different scenarios, and show each of the reskit tools *as appropriate for each scenario*. That's a big help, because there are many useful tools and scripts here, but identifying which one(s) to use would take a lot of effort without this focus.

The material itself is structured so that it's easy to find high level information, but has deeper information embedded. It's easy to get right to the practical information while skipping over the deeper technical content if you don't need it, but it's easy to find and dig into that deeper material if you *do* need it.

Because of the organization and solid content, you don't have to read the whole book to get a lot of value. When I needed specific information about the changes from LCS (the previous generation of OCS), or when I needed to figure out the best tools tools to use for the *new* scenarios, I got practical guidance, quickly, on the appropriate techniques and tools.

Best of all, the book is filled with detailed and interesting side bars from experts, both within the Microsoft product team and from outside experts with extensive real world deployment and configuration experience. They were so much fun, I found myself skimming the rest of the book, just to read these sidebars.

This book explain in good way the general architecture of Office Communications Server 2007. This Microsoft product have many features and many server roles to install and configure and in the resource kit there are some real scenarios descriptions that facilitate undestanding. In the book's cd there are some important tools for better management of the Server. Don't are developed in deep mode the integration with others Microsoft servers like SharePoint Server 2007 and MOM.

The OCS 2007 Resource Kit is a must have for any OCS administrator. It has all the details about Office Communicator you need to fully support and understand this complicated product. It has all the WMI settings that any admin would need to make changes to there environment. Also detailed diagnostic information about IM, Conferencing, Telephony is fully exposed in their respective chapters. I highly reoommend it.

This is a great book for anyone who has, is, or is thinking about working with Office Communications Server 2007. There's so much detail packed into this book, and it really runs you through the product from the bottom up. Since there was so much collaboration between people who have or continue to work on the product, no detail was spared.

i am a big sportsa fan, and like most people i was very sad and upset about the north stars move. it helps to have this book to go back and live the good memorites of the teaam. i would recomend this book to any hockey fan. tim pekarek

Minnesota North Stars: History and Memories with Lou Nanne
Now this is the way a book on the history of a major sports franchise should be written. This book covers the history of the team from entry into the NHL until the move to Dallas. Also covered is the construction of the Met Center and a season-by-season review. The game action photos and individual player photos make this book a great addition to any collection, especially if you are a big NHL or North Stars fan. I have only seen two other franchise history books that come close to matching the quality of this book. Those two books are Relentless, volumes 1 and 2, on the history of the Buffalo Bills.

This book is a treasure, for anyone who loves hockey, but especialy for Fans of the North Stars.
The pictures alone are worth the price of the book. Billy Robin McFarland's camera provide a "look into the past".
Way to go Louuuuu!

When the 1992-93 National Hockey League season ended, the Minnesota North Stars franchise was moved from Bloomington, Minnesota to Dallas, Texas. The word 'North' was dropped from the team's name. Shortly afterwards, the Met Center (previously home base for the old Minnesota North Stars hockey team was demolished -- ending twenty-six years of Minnesota professional hockey. "Minnesota North Stars: History And Memories With Lou Nanne" by long time fan Bob Showers is an inherently fascinating history of those many years laced with anecdotal stories combined with vintage photographs, and official team stats, all graced with the personable narrative style of Lou Nanne. The result is informed and informative reading that is a 'must' for the legions of fans who remember the glory days of professional Minnesota ice hockey.

Its a must to read for all aspiring to be a General Manager in their organization. The Performance Cockpit bring you back to the reality of the corporate world. It offers tremendous practical insights into management and leadership. Christo's experience and observation could save you many man hours of learning on the the job and understanding potential pitfalls of leading people and managing upwards.

This is an excellent, easy-to-read guide to excellence in management. The Performance Cockpit book should be a required reading for all new managers and also for senior managers who think that may need to freshen up their skills once in a while. The author, Mr. Christos Kartalis, is an old business pro, and he shows this in his book. It is profound, that everything in the book has been implemented, tested, and proven to work. Kartalis presents many of the proactive approaches of practicing General Managers, offering succinct and straightforward advice on each. Although he avoids the boredom of theory, his advice is well grounded in it. This serves the new manager quite well by not complicating his quest for knowledge with unnecessary complications. Therefore, the book can be easily used as a reference by busy people and this will be greatly appreciated.

I personally recommend this book for any new manager or anyone interested in pursuing a career in management.

Athens, October 13, 2007

Basil N. Tsaras,
President and Managing Director,
Prothesis Business Consultants SA

"The New General Manager's Performance Cockpit" is a terrific distillation of Christos Kartalis' insights into successful management.

Even though he's still relatively young, the author has had an enormously successful career. What has allowed him to stand out, in part, is his ability to see the big picture.

"The Performance Cockpit" share this insight. New general managers often come into their jobs with wonderful preparation but not always with a lot of experience in putting their preparation into practice. This book provides that last piece of the puzzle, showing how new general managers can apply their skills, talents, and knowledge in the systems-based stucture of many large corporations.

Many of the areas Kartalis highlights are critical to successful management in the 21st Century. Understanding benchmarks and corporate expectations, navigating and managing change, controling the pace of change, setting appropriate targets, responding to feedback, allocating resources and investments...Kartalis shows how to manage all these areas in the larger context in which a general manager must function.

This is an excellent book. New general managers will come away from reading it with confidence that they can do the job. Experienced managers will benefit from the reminders of what is really important in the jobs.

In "Performance Cockpit", Christos Kartalis has assembled a powerful & practical toolkit for general managers. Many general management books elaborate on business theory, really few can advise on the executional aspect. If, once in your business life you didn't hit your annual targets, read Chapter 17 : "7 systems to Beat your Targets ...", and you will have the perfect roadmap, not to miss any target again.
Christos Kartalis has a unique way to combine concept, strategy & execution. The outcome is not a pile of thoughts & documents, but, with his "systems & principles" based approach, creates a framework that drives to sustainable success (see the "pressure mapping" system in Chapter 12 as a perfect example).
What is special to this book is that it comes from real life & an active general manager, not from a general manager theorist. Every system included has been torture-tested in real business life. I have witnessed that -since I had the opportunity to work with Christos in the past-, and believe me, this book can be read as a diary from Christos's colleagues.