No comments about Microcomputer Repair (4th Edition).

5 comments about UNIX Unbounded: A Beginning Approach (4th Edition).

1. This book is very useful for beginner. The whole book contents many examples which make Unix more understandable.



2. Frustrating and exhausting reading. If you want to decipher the author's poor English, inconsistencies, incomplete examples and incorrect examples, then have at it. Seems like an attempted translation into English. Totally worthless for technical training. Author's good intention to provide tutorial sessions failed miserably with typos and syntax errors. If your professor is using this so-called textbook: Buy Another Unix Textbook. You'll be better off. Waste of my time and $.



3. Overall a good introduction to the Unix Operating System, but the typographical errors are unforgiveable. The command line orientation of Unix is cumbersome enough without mistyped examples. Potentially frustrating for first time users, this book is in dire need of revision.



4. I think this is a very good textbook for UNIX beginners. It is very easy to understand.



5. Yes it has some typos, but get real, some of these reviews are ridiculous.

   This is a great Book to learn UNIX, even the best I'd say.
   It really starts from scratch and even gets into some Shell programming and scripts. I was impressed with the content, and being a Programmer analyst I will say it is an excellent book for those people starting out. I also like the Oreilly UNIX in a nutshell for a good reference.

   IF those Unix "gurus" complaining could just shed some light on what is the best book then??? typical

5 comments about Electrical Design Guide for Commercial Buildings.

1. It seems difficult to find a good general guide for electrical engineering pertaining to commercial buildings. This book manages to cover the essentials, adds in some experience related data and some of the theory behind the concepts. It does not provide the type of information contained within books such as the American Electrician's Handbook (also recommended), but is valuable nonetheless.



2. This book needs to go back through editorial review. Many figures are mis-labeled and out of sequence. Most of the details and drawings are so small that you cannot read them even with a magnifying glass. The general content is practical and useable. I'd give the content a "B+", but the presentation and delivery a "D-".



3. This book might have a lot of useful information, but it definitely wasn't what I expected. The book is literally too small. What I expected was a very large book with many photos of electrical equipment in commercial buildings, enough photos to thoroughly educate someone in the design of commercial building electrical systems. It seems that everyone compromises when writing a technical book like this,,,,,,,,and that is what makes people like me return such books.



4. My main grips is what he says about fiber optic cables (P. 73)
   
   "They are sensitive to magnetic fields from motors, air handling units, and other large electrical appliances."
   
   Completely untrue. One of the BENEFITS of fiber is immunity to EMI/RFI interference.
   
   "Fiber opric cable is extremely difficuit (i.e. costly) to splice".
   
   This may have been true oh, say back in 1968, but modern splicing and repair techniques make this much simpler and cost effective then ever before.
   
   Oh, also on page 330: "Most HVAC designers are lazy". Now, how can he make a blanket statement like this? That is like saying most garbage men are Mexican!
   
   Bottom line, its a good book for someone new to the field either as a designer, drafter, engineer, or electrician. It explains the basics of power systems for commercial buildings, and what major choices influence the design process. I would give the book an A- grade if only for the points mentioned above.



5. The previous reviewer comments on my saying fiber optic cable is difficult to splice. He takes my words out of context. I said what I did to emphasize that only skilled, experienced individuals should work with fiber optics. No one can deny that splicing copper cables is not as challenging as splicing optical networks, or that people without proper training and certification should not do so.
   
   He also comments on my disparaging remarks about HVAC designers. I am licensed to seal mechanical and hvac projects as well as electrical. I have another book published with McGraw-Hill "Retrofitting for Energy Conservation" which is mostly mechanical. In proper context, I said that HVAC designers are lazy when specifying electrical components for HVAC systems. For example, they routinely spec variable frequency drives for all motors, globally. Assuming that VFD's are the most efficient options. Another important factor is the facility - a small, rural, or remote facility might be better served with a two speed motor, which is almost as efficient as a VFD. My comments on this were intended to motivate electrical designers to get more involved in the specification of mechanical systems, so that the most efficient system can be provided to the client.
   
   I will clarify these points in the next edition, and I appreciate their being brought to my attention.

3 comments about Fundamentals of Analog Circuits (2nd Edition).

1. Please describe more about the contents of this book. I need to know what is in it before purchasing it. I am a big fan of Floyd's books. By the way, please disregard this rating because I can't choose otherwise like not applicable. Thank you



2. Found many mistakes in this text.
   Sometimes the author usese detailed analysis, and sometimes the author usesly overly simplified approximations (which is not suitable at the community college level).

   The only colour you will see in this text is blue, and the font is so light too.

   Good book if you already know electronics inside out.




3. Fundamentals of Analog Circuits, 2nd Edition is worthwhile both as an analog electronics textbook and as a post-course reference. In this text the author covers the essentials of analog circuits, beginning with introductory AC topics, progressing through basic semiconductors devices such as diodes, bipolar junction and field effect transistors, advancing to discrete and operational amplifiers, and culminating with functional circuit blocks such as amplifiers and filters. The text contains numerous examples, section reviews, chapter references, chapter problems, and answers to selected problems to clarify course concepts and reinforce learning. A standout feature of this text is that it includes material for developing practical as well as theoretical proficiency in electronics. Background in algebra, basic trigonometry, and the introductory electronic concepts (voltage, current, resistance, Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Laws, etc.) is required and assumed, but anyone comfortable with these topics should have no problems in mastering the topics in this book.

No comments about Electrical Estimating Pal: The Professional's Choice (Pal Pocket Reference Series) (Pal Pocket Reference Series).

2 comments about Digital Electronics: A Practical Approach (7th Edition).

1. William Kleitz takes a more practical approach which will benefit you now and prepare you better for the future, if you prefer digital over analog. Although I was forced to use Floyd's edition in college, Kleitz goes much deeper in detail for designing digital circuits taking small steps to learning, which then all come together as one. Generally speaking, all logic tables, using simple gates, their behavior appears static in all text books which are currently published. However, Kleitz reveals very interesting concepts and ideas, which appealed my interest in reading his book.
   My experience with troubleshooting digital circuits leads me to believe that this a better overall text, no question about it. His remarkable approach, and style of teaching should be noted by all, but with most digital textbooks, most of them don't go beyond simple logic predictions, and material that never leaves the classroom floor.If your seeking advanced digital concepts with basic fundamentals included, then your best bet, is the text I'm reviewing here today by William Kleitz.



2. Book works well in a classroom format when you have time to go over the various waveforms. The Instructor package has several useful items.

2 comments about Troubleshooting and Repairing Major Appliances, 2nd Ed..

1. I have a 13 month old dishwasher that cost me $650. It started making a loud noise while in use. I called the company's repair center and they gave me a rough estimate of about $400-500 to repair. According to Consumer Reports, I should have trashed the washer and bought a new one! I had to search high and low to find any books on appliance repair. Evidently, this knowledge is a state secret! I guess our disposable society doesn't want to fix anything. I did a lot of searching on the web and did find some general info on dishwasher repair, but they didn't offer any concrete details. This book saved the day. I read the repair chapter on dishwashers, grab my tools and removed the dishwasher, diagnosed the problem (bad motor--after ruling out other issues), went to the company's web site, located the motor and ordered it for $225. The motor arrived, I removed the old motor and popped the new one in, reconnected the electricity and water supplies, restored the power, ran a cycle and eureka, IT WORKED! The cost of the book, some of my time and I was able to saved my self hundreds of dollars and not be a prisoner of some repairperson. The book offers chapters on using the tools, multimeter, etc. you will need to diagnose the problem. They are clearly written and not overburdened with "technobabble". The chapters on each appliance help you troubleshoot and rule out other possiblities. To be fair, I do have a strong tool background, so I have the equipment needed. If you don't have a multimeter, etc., you would be better off calling a repair tech, but if you do have to tools for the job, grab this book and fix the problem yourself. The sense of satisfaction and competence you feel by doing something for yourself and saving your appliance from the landfill make the effort worthwhile!



2. Having had used the old Time-Life books or Franklynn Peterson's book to repair most of my appliances for the past 25 years I was highly unimpressed with this book. Unfortunately, someone "borrowed" my oldest Time Life major appliance book that covered front load washers and they didn't cover them at all for 10 yrs so when my frontloader acted up I needed a newer book.
   
   So when I saw the title and the fact it was a 2007 book I figured (wrongly) that it would cover current appliances and might be a something I could use. There might be some areas with useful stuff in there but but on first job that came up it failed.
   
   The first illustration of a washer is a front loader, but, all maintenance and repair information and all diagrams are for older agitatator models when it is covered at all. Also the list of symptoms has nothing to do with the repair contents or at least not on logical basis.
   
   For example when you go to the washer section and you look up Symptom "water will not drain" it gives possible causes but does not reference what page you would find that information on, there is no diagram of what the inside of the washer looks like, no illustration of what the pump looks like. Where it gives info. like check for air lock in the pump it never covers instructions on how to check for air lock,in the case of check to the sure that the motor is not runing in the agitation direction there are no instructions on how to check that or what to do if it is.
   
   So far for me it started with a total failure first time out of the mailer. Doubt I will ever pick it up again to even bother checking it on other items.
   
   By the way I have rebuilt 1 electric stove, rebuilt two diswashers, two washers and one dryer in the past so none of this is new to me is just been 8 yrs since I had to repair a washer and this one is 20 yrs younger with newer controls so I thought an updated book would help.

No comments about Electronics: Project Management and Design (2nd Edition).

5 comments about Electric Motor Repair.

1. started as a plant electrician and kept learning thanks to this book now repair light fixture to refrigeration



2. This book is great. I've read many books on repairing electric motors , but none of them have given me a practical & theoretical view on the subject as this book has. I recommend this book to students, and fully quallified engineers. The best...... My greatest thanks to the authors.



3. If your looking for a book that is all meat, if your looking for the "bible" of motors, if your desire for motor knoweledge is from the most basic to advance knoweledge.....YOU have to buy this book. I am an electrician, and industrial controls technician and I have found no better book. I am looking through my well used second edition, that was given to me while in college in 1984, and if you could see just my first page of the book, at how much highlighting and notes in the margins there are, you would see that nearly every sentence in the book is packed full of useful information,...IF... you take the time to read it. I believe it is as clearly written as you can get on a technical subject. I consider myself just a slightly above average student, and even I could understand this material. From casual interest in motors to engineer, this book needs to be on your technical bookshelf, unlike other technical books at this price that I threw out after college, this is a keeper. Check out all the other reviewers here, then buy the book.



4. I am an electrician whose job requires trouble shooting different types of equipment for different customers in many different environments. I see all kinds of motors and machines and jury rigs. This book is invaluable for troubleshooting any motor on the planet. It gives excellent reference schematics and diagrams that coincide with the different chapters. It has helped me on many occasions. It's really meant for poeple who
   re-wind motors more than trouble shooters but you will not regret owning it if you do any kind of maintenance or trouble shooting on a variety of machines.



5. I received this book in High School as part of the "Electrical Installation" curricullum in January of 1986. At the advice of my instructor, Mr. Bergovoy, I didn't return the book at the end of the school term. I ended up having to pay for the replacement. However, this book has paid for itself thousands of times over the last 20 years. I recommend it to electricians ranging from the student to the master level..

4 comments about Your First Workshop : A Practical Guide to What You Really Need (Getting Started in Woodworking).

1. I bought this book out of curiosity even though I have a well-equipped shop. Looking back at almost 15 years of random tool purchases, I'd say that many people like me end up having a lop-sided set of tools. For example, I have lots of power tools but my first decent bench came together only 2-3 years ago. I have four corded and four cordless drill/drivers, but some essential small tools suggested in this book are missing.
   
   With the benefit of hindsight I'd say that it is more important to have a wide array of the right things, rather than few high-end things. To that extent, this book is right on and a good place to start if you are setting up your (first) shop.
   
   Now I await the sequel to this book "...now that you have finally set up your first shop, The Shop you really want to have and why". You know, the one with all the cool tools and set up. Seriously, I'd like to see a shop book that tells you about the higher-end version of every item it suggests. That said, I do realize that the preceding approach would create an intimidating atmosphere for the builder of the first shop rather than the inviting, simplifying, and "you-can-do-it" approach of this book. Overall, this book is a job well done and will serve a first-time shop builder well.



2. This book labors on educating the reader with the NECESSARY tools for your shop and is written in layman's terms and understanding. It is therefore directed to the individual who is starting to set up his shop and lacks the knowledge as to what tools he/she may REALLY need to begin acquiring and to start woodworking and why. In this scope, the book will be good for the reader to have. This book has helped me and guided me into rethinking my tool acquisition strategy.
   
   The book has a few spelling and grammer errors but does not distract from the worth of the information.
   
   The book gives some very good examples and recommendations for tools but does not go in depth on the explanations. For example, she does recommend that a workbench be acquired and why but does not go into all the different types of vises that a workbench can incorporate. She does not into a depth discussion the pros and cons of how to construct the top from which materials or how to construct it. She recommends some hand planes to have in the beginning woodworkers collection and why, but not why the differences between a number 6 and a number 7 hand plane.
   
   From time to time the author will talk about a tool to acquire and state that it should be acquired later on when the skill and budget of the woodworker can use it. In other words, don't get all the fancy or timesaving tools now. Get what you need now, get the window dressing later.
   
   She briefly discusses how to set up the tools in your workshop according to the steps required by the flow of work, from bringing in the wood, tools required to square the wood through to the finished product.
   
   She talks about some skills that should be acquired and briefly well give the steps to accomplish that particular skill, but again not in depth. Other books should be acquired that does go into more depth. The deep depth is out of scope for this book and its intended goal.



3. I bought the book because of the good reviews, but was a bit disappointed. It was a nice overview of levels of shop equipment, but it was really geared towards the beginner. If you're building the 3 or 4 stage shop described in the book, you probably won't get anything new out of it.



4. This book is good if you need a list of the different tools it's possible to buy for a workshop, but otherwise you should pass it up and buy something else. Don't expect to learn how to use them or any workshop tips. You can find about the same information in a woodworking catalog, and they would be free. Save your money and buy a good compilation issue of WOOD magazine or one of the many other books available on Amazon.