3 comments about Structured Finance Modeling with Object-Oriented VBA (Wiley Finance).

1. I had been waiting for this book for more than 5 months (preordered since December 2006). The content is excellent, but I expect to see a complete VBA code as a wrap up. It should also help if the code is provided in soft file so that the readers can see how the model actually runs without the need to merge all the examples and manually type the code into the computer first.
   
   Montri



2. This is an outstanding textbook on how to master the intricacies of a structured finance (especially, home-equity ABS) deal. It teaches ABS from several angles: modeling (chapter 1-4), structuring (chatper 5), and ABS analytics (chapter 6).
   
   Although definitions and explanations about any given deal can be readily found from prospectus and prospectus supplements, for practitioners like myself, this book improves one's understanding of what's, how's and why's of any particular feature of a typical RMBS structure. This is a book I wished I had read when I started in this business.
   
   In this book, the process of modeling a RMBS deal was shown step-by-step, with definitions, equations, tables and figures accompanying easy to understand explanations. The equations are written in a way that if is straightforward to be coded into VBA (or any other language) and be implemented.
   
   This is a book about learning about modeling and implementing an ABS. End of chapter programming excercises reinforce the notion of learning by doing. To respond to the prior reviewer's desire of having a complete program to run and test, I believe that the only way one is going to learn a complex structure is to read, follow, implement and experiment with self-written codes. This book provides you with all the tools and explanations you need to get started in this interesting field.
   
   



3. This textbook is interesting. it describe the modeling in programming style and math. It make me easy to catch the relation of math formula and programming pesudo code. It does not only the math concept but pesudo code which is used to describe the concept. It is helpful to me while I met the problems in other finance engineering textbook. I can not link the complexity of math fomula to real world. But this textbook gave me another study viewpoints and help me link to to real world.

1 comments about Expert Visual C++/CLI: .NET for Visual C++ Programmers (Expert's Voice in .Net).

1. This book pretty much assumes you have some basic C++/CLI knowledge.
   But, if you are like me, you will pick that basic knowledge on your own from the web and then you will probably buy this book :)
   This book has just the right piece of advice for all the coders who can learn the basics on their own but at the same time need to make sure they are doing things right.
   This book will give you that extra confidence and will take you to the next level.

No comments about Learning OpenCV: Computer Vision with the OpenCV Library.

5 comments about More Exceptional C++: 40 New Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems, and Solutions (C++ In-Depth Series).

1. In this book Herb Sutter continues investigating of the problems that face C++ developers. Even discussions of the problems that one is unlikely to confront reveal important aspects of the proper C++ programming.

   The author often beats on a problem until it "has ceased to be ... expired and gone ... bereft of life ... rests in peace" (p. 118). In this particular book, most of the time this is a good thing, because in software development almost everything is a tradeoff, and you don't want to open the gates of hell as a side effect of plugging up a little hole.

   I have enjoyed reading this book at least as much as its predecessor, "Exceptional C++". Unfortunately on occasion the author spends too much time discussing trivial implications that appear not to be in line with the complexity of other topics. Also, constant restatement of the parts of every problem statement is quite wasteful and distracting, especially considering the amount of space they occupy (sometimes 25% of the solution space!)




2. I read this book after reading Effective C++ by Scott Meyers. Being able to discuss specific topics rather than viewing a language as a whole was my preferred way of understanding C++, so the books by Sutter and Meyers fit me perfectly.

   The main advantage the Exceptional C++ series has over the Meyers series is that you can tell Sutter is the better programmer. You can trust that everything Meyers says is correct but in the end all you really get is some extra pointers on how to do certain things. Sutter on the other hand gets a little deeper on the same topics and makes you feel like can write better C++ code, rather than just being able to format it better.

   One complaint I had about Effective C++ by Meyers was that most of the book is text and contains very little code. My experience with reading programming books is that around 90% of plain text will not be retained. The only way verbal programming text will ever stick is if there is good code to accompany it. Since Sutter is a programmer first, author second, he provides more code examples and they seem to be more thought out.

   If you have the time then you should probably read from both authors, however, if you don't want to read 4 books then you should probably read the Exceptional series over the Effective series.




3. If you liked its predecessor, you would do well to snap up this one, too. It's more of the same good stuff, in the same format: Sutter poses a question or series of questions, some of which are fairly general and some of which challenge you to spot mistakes in some code, and then uses it as a springboard to outline some best practices. There is more on exceptions, memory management, inheritance and polymorphism. You'll also discover several ways to get a stack trace and how to write a traits class.
   
   There's also slightly more advanced material on smart pointer members and copy-on-write implementations of strings, which is pretty extensive, particularly with regard to its problems with threading.
   
   This is not a reference book or the sort of volume you'd reach for to solve a specific problem. And Sutter's influence in the field means there's not a huge amount of fundamental stuff that hasn't diffused throughout the C++ literature since this book's publication, but reading the Exceptional C++ series is one of those things you just have to do if you want to call yourself a C++ programmer and there are few better ways to learn The C++ Way than quality time spent with More Exceptional C++.



4. This appears to be a good book. It was too much for me, but I'm keeping it for when I need it.



5. Mr. Sutter's books biggest strength to my opinion is that they bring together a bunch of original advanced C++ topics that you cannot find anywhere else. This book has its share of very original content but I feel like the ratio original content vs topics that you can find in other books is lower in this book than with the other books of the serie. The most interesting section in this book in my opinion is the one on exception safety and the less original section is the one on generic programming and STL as you can find much of the information contained in this section in other books such as Effective STL from Scott Meyer or C++ Template from David Vandervoorde and Nicolai M. Josuttis.

5 comments about A Book on C: Programming in C (4th Edition).

1. This is an excellent book to learn C programming if you are already familiar with C.

   For starters, I suggest that you get C in 21 days and then continue C learning using this book. This book can be difficult
   and cause frustration if you don't have C fundamental concepts knowledge.




2. I got this originally for an advanced class in C when I had already been programming in it for a few years. I had been using K&R as the bible but K&R is a little too terse for me and I needed some examples. I have been programming in C for 20 years but I have a terrible memory and always need to refer to some part of it for syntax and usage. This book is just right for me.
   
   It is so useful I keep it with me all the time. All my friends in the lab were borrowing it so it got so dog-eared I threw it out and bought a second.
   
   It not only covers basic and advanced C, but it also has some data structures with linked lists, stacks, and queues in programs that actually compile and work. I also use the little bit they have on the differences with C++. You need another book if you really want to get into data structures or C++ but this will get you through the most common situations. Very useful indeed.



3. I bought this book because it was a set text for my C programming class. I have to add a review, because contrary to most reviews I read on this site, I found this book extremely difficult to get any useful information out of. The examples are not practical, when they provide a sample program they totally disect it in to a long-winded discussion with much more detail than is needed. They take about six pages to go through a ten line program.
   
   If you have some programming experience in another language and just need a reference (as I did), this is NOT the book to buy! I recommend "C: How to Program" by Deitel & Deitel, which I have been using instead of this stupid book through the duration of my course.
   
   Maybe this might be halfway useful if you have never programmed before and need a really slow baby-steps book, but I really believe that it is not a good C reference.



4. Be warned: This book is not for beginners in programming. If you know a bit of another programming langauge such as C++ or Java you should be fine.
   
   With that said, this book is outstanding. It may be a bit dry compared to newer style books, but this gets the job done. It clearly explains the vast majority of the langauge and challenges you. What more do you need?
   
   Every chapter is filled with lots of great examples and some terrific problems to work on that will deepen your understanding of the language; and make you better at problem solving, an extremely important skill if you want to be a good programmer. Even a simple 10 line program can have many subtleties and this book covers them. If you have ever seen a simple hello world type program that takes user input, and has a few security issues you know what I mean. In a language like C it is the details that will sneak up behind you and stab you.
   
   Yes, it doesn't offer many specific operating system examples and that is fine. You should learn the language first, then branch into specific OS API's.
   
   This book has enough information to fill 2 or 3 courses, and leave you with enough background to go in any direction from there(networking, advanced data structures, embedded programming, other languages, ect).
   
   Granted, alot of the examples are mathematical but lets be clear. Computer science and programming are mathematical disciplines. If you are not at least comfortable in basic mathematics, including some calculus, linear algebra(especially important in CS) and statistics, you need to be. However, the mathematical concepts in this book are almost entirely in the realm of college algebra, not even close to advanced mathematics(even calculus isn't advanced math). Any college CS or programming class that doesn't require a solid algebra background is one to avoid anyway.
   
   Bottom line: At this level, a good grasp of algebra is the bare minimum.
   
   I suppose it is all the for idiots and total morons "programming" books out there that is to blame. They turned this mathematical discipline into paint-by-numbers. That is just shameful.
   
   Anyway, if you need a deep, clear understanding of ANSI C(which makes it more relevant then K&R) this is the book for you. If you need more of a beginners primer, I don't know what to recommend, but steer clear of the C for idiots type of book.



5. And the ACCU site agrees with me. This is an excellent book on the C programming language. Of course, you will want K&R next and finally C: A Reference Manual for the extensive library documentation and cross referencing.
   Lots of exercises and the Dissections (program explanations) are great.

1 comments about Starting Out with C++: Early Objects (6th Edition) (Starting Out With...).

1. This books explains all the reserve words for C++. Author uses Borland Turbo C++ (compiler). I used both Turbo and Dev C++. Starts from ground zero to STL, Object Orientation and to binary trees. Its introductory level course and anyone can understand and start coding, if you have some computer knowledge or have some programming experience.

5 comments about Advanced Programming in the UNIX(R) Environment (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series).

1. This book is a fantastic starting point in life. Some how our public schools over look teaching the fundamental skills presented in this book. We learn how to play with toys on simple computers and never really learn what we are doing.
   
   The real strength of this book is in the definitions. We get to see the purpose and flexibility of system calls and functions. Not just use them but understand them. UNIX functions as job control or signals are explained in detail. Let's take just one item "waitpid":
   
   The waitpid function provides three features that aren't provided by the wait function.
   
   You will have to red the book to find out what they are. However there are examples also. Now for people with real systems like AIX all you have to do is ad a "k" to the front of the call and you have the AIX kernel function call "kwaitpid"; voila you now have an understanding that can not be found clearly in a Red Book.
   
   It does help some to have a preunderstanding of the system do you can use the book to fill in the education holes missed when necessary.
   
   The index is worth its weight in gold as you can find functions headers and concepts all in alphabetical order. My favorite is the definitions.
   
   As much as I am a fan of the internet it also pays to carry the information in the form of a book. And all this book has to do is save a couple of hours and it has paid for its self.
   
   Mastering UNIX Shell Scripting



2. This book is literally saving me right now in an Introduction to Operating Systems class I'm taking. We have projects to complete in the UNIX envrionment and the fact that this book gives you every real code example you could possibly need for all levels of systems programming is GOLD. It's laid out in a very straightforward way, has tons of code examples, and is overall awesome. Highly recommend if you're just getting into systems programming on your own, or as a school reference book.



3. This is one of the best books I've ever read about UNIX and programming.
   
   With its unique style, it serves as both a reference and a tutorial, and at the same time, it provides amazing detail and insight, always making the reader understand what's happening "under-the-hood". Fantastic job, Steven Rago and Richard Stevens!
   
   The only problem I had with this book was with the source code. It doesn't compile under MacOS X 10.5 Leopard, which is a certified Unix 03 system. It is a only a one-line change in the includes, so it's no big deal.



4. I occasionally need to fix broken IPC code and figure out behavior differences
   of legacy code between Solaris, Linux, etc., code written years ago by somebody
   else in C.
   
   This book, (and Stevens' earlier books before this) has been immensely useful.
   The code samples alone are worth their weight in gold :-). Seriously, this book
   has saved me many days of hard work, several times over.
   
   A quick browse of the book is usually enough to find the details (what I would
   call 'arcane details', but I guess this is because I'm not an expert C/networking
   programmer), figure out the problem AND how to fix the problem.
   
   This book has been a 'project-saver'. I cannot recommend this text too highly.



5. Its a very extensive book that covers concepts and advanced features of UNIX. It covers UNIX implementation of different features as a user point of view and how to access diffent services of UNIX like OSs. If you want to learn UNIX /Linux based programming this book a must read & must have for reference. I highly recommend this book

5 comments about TCP/IP Sockets in C: Practical Guide for Programmers (The Practical Guides Series) (The Practical Guides).

1. As a self taught programmer who formalized his hip-pocket knowledege with a formal degree in Semi-Conductor Physics and Applied Electrical Engineering, I still appreciate a easy to read and understandable treatise on any programming subject. This little book is packed full of relevent information and programming snippets to aid even the most basic of programmers. Sometimes even the multi-degreed can be taught or refreshed in a subject. These authors provide a lot of information in a small form factor. It is concise and I recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn or relearn the programming of TCP/IP sockets.



2. Before I got this book I thought writing C programs, that interfaced with TCP/IP sockets, was hard, but with this book in ones reach nothing could be simpler. With the help of this book and the HTTP Pocket Reference: Hypertext Transfer Protocol I was able to write a simple Web server.
   
   The way book gives you the sample codes as complete listing and afterwards dissecting it line by line worked for me.



3. This book gives you an amazing jump start in socket programming, the language is very easy to understand and very clear.
   
   All the examples just work!.
   
   My only concern was that this book does not cover unix domain sockets and link layer sockets such as AF_LOCAL and AF_LINK.
   
   I strongly recommend buying this book.
   
   thanks,
   
   Magesh.



4. Haven't finished the whole book yet, but I feel like it pretty much gave me what I needed by page 102. Recently I was asked to help with a project for embedded FPGA programming. The programming IDE is Eclipse with Altera's NiosII plugin's.
   
   The existing code base did not include any TCP/IP interface, so that has to be implemented. Luckily, the Nios-II platform ships with a simple example project to show the concept and programming style, it did not give too much insight for what is going on behind the scenes.
   
   The project I am working is to create a Socket server interface to this FPGA with a defined application protocol and command set. Having not coded seriously C since graduate school, it started somewhat of a challenge. After a few weeks, I got the urge to understand what is going on behind the scenes.
   
   Knowing what I know about networks, this book solidified and explained the concepts behind socket programming and helped me understand the program calls from the sample application. Step-by-step and clear concept explanation style is also appreciated.
   
   In short, I would recommend this book to anyone who is tasked with creating a socket client/server interface in C language. As a final note, me and another seasoned C programmer co-worker did not get the "code fragment" on page xii, even though I typed and executed in the code in a compiler. We just scratched our heads thinking why anyone would write like that?... hmmm... There is probably a reason that we don't know. Overall good book, instructional, to the point, and as they say, practical. Would definitely recommend it, if you deal with sockets in C.



5. This was just the book that I was looking, at the right price and in good condition.

5 comments about Introduction to MFC Programming with Visual C++ (Microsoft Technologies Series).

1. MFC programming is a bear, especially in VC++ 6.0 (not .NET). This book does a decent job of introducing key concepts, and comes with a mountain of sample code on CD. If MFC/VC++ were my first programming language, I would look for a book geared more towards total complete novices; otherwise, it does the trick.



2. This is the best programming book that I read from page 1 to the last page. I hope Jones can write more books on MFC or Visual C#. Not only did I learn MFC concepts and programming skills, but also I found Chapter 1 and 2 are very useful because they are basic and fundamental to C++ that I sometimes forgot. I love the pace and layout of this book. User-defined messaging and modeless are explained in a very nice way. The Appendice are very useful too.
   
   I give this book a full 5 stars.



3. Shipping is prompt, and the item is in good condition as described.



4. I waisted my money buying this book. It should be sold less than 1 dollar. You don't get far using this book. I recommend the book by Ivor Horton.



5. I have found this introductory book very useful to start with Windows desktop applications development. Although it is quite outdated and uses Visual Studio 98 as build environment, it guides you through the basics of the MFC framework (main classes, dialogs, graphics, document/view architecture) and Win32 programming in general (messaging, maps, data types), leaving room for personal development in the exercises after each chapter, and providing in-depth coverage of advanced topics like bitmap manipulation and database access for the advanced reader. With an additional introductory chapter on COM it would have been perfect.

5 comments about Mastering Algorithms with C (Mastering).

1. To be fair and honest, I have not read this entire book and that is because I've read far better ones. If you are interested in this topic (and if you're a programmer or computer scientist, you should be), look to Robert Sedgewick's excellent "Algorithms in C" in two volumes, or "Mastering Algoritms" by Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, and Stein. While the algorithms in Cormen, etc.'s book are not in C, they are in a pseudo language that easy to convert to C. I'm really, really glad I looked this book over before flushing my (limited) money away.



2. The book contents is good, the algorithms presented are more or less well explained and the implementeations themselves are not bad (but could be better).
   
   Unfortunately this book has 2 mayor problems:
   
   Sometimes you need an implementation of an algorithm for which you already know the inner-workings, just need quick code instead of reinvening the wheel yourself... the book will not allways give you that, it will sometimes build an algorithm based on previous ones! Darn!, I am supposed to go straight to the point I want and get the code without having to read a couple of previous sections.
   
   Second and worst of all is the coding style this guy has. I don't know what the other reviwer that said that the code is great programs in but certainly not in C. The author of the book simply has the worst style ever... look at the comments, a one line comment surrounded by a box!!! give-me-a-break!... where did he learn this? He should read a book about style, perhaps read Code Complete by Steve McConnel or something before attempting to write code. Anyway this is just one of the many style flaws this book has.
   
   If I could I would return it, after all, you can get mostly any implementation from the internet (I had to do that or would have wasted lots of time and... time is money).
   
   If well written, the book would have been 1/2 its size and then it would have been good.
   
   Why 3 stars? Well, in spite of the poor programming style and bad presentation of some algorithms, if you have time and patience, you get someting out of the book. Just don't use the coding style he uses... if you try that at work you would be fired or at least laughed at.



3. compare to most algorithm/data structure books out there, this book is not as complete as those, but it's much easier to read, and diagrams in this book is well drawn and much eaiser to follow. Why would I only give it 3 stars? One thing really ruined this book - obviously the publisher/editor/author try to increase the total page number by putting ridiculously big comment block in sample code(single line comments takes about 5 lines, all surrounded by '*' and spaces) This made the sample code difficult to read, imagine a 5 line function has to be printed in 2 or 3 pages.



4. The book is probably OK, but there are better, much better ones on the subject. I highly recommend looking at "The Algorithm Design Manual", just search Amazon and you'll find it.



5. Things I didn't know when I ordered this book was how structured the book was. It's easy to comprehend and doesn't contain too much unnecessary information. Furthermore, what I also managed to miss was the disc which was included, and this contains more in-depth code, which allows one to check a whole program instead of only a part.
   It is definitely a good decision to start with buying this book if you're studying Algorithms with C, since this will truly help and support you on your way.