1 comments about OpenGL(R) ES 2.0 Programming Guide (OpenGL).

1. Don't make the same mistake I did! While this maybe a fine book, it cannot be used for iPhone development. OpenGL ES 2.0 is not backwards compatible with OpenGL ES 1.1 (which is what the iPhone uses). I knew ahead of time what version iPhone used but figured it would be backwards compatible so why bother buying an older book? If that's what you're after then get another book or just download the 1.1 spec from the web.

5 comments about Introducing ZBrush.

1. First of all this book is so boringly non-visual. Black and White except for the small insert in the middle. The projects need a better step-by-step approach. I found myself having to reread the wordy steps most of the time to find the "key" word I was missing to complete a step. It didn't help that the first tutorial was so incredible boaring and goes on for 139 pages. By the time it was over I lost most interest in continuing. Shorter projects to the point please. YAWN...wake me when this is over. It was nice to have something written down for a change but that was its only benefit for me. I am looking for a book to tell me where things area and what they do period. A Zbrush manual needs to happen.



2. This book is a great reference book even for someone that is familiar to Z brush. There are so many features in the program that his book goes into detail describing. The step by step tutorials will help you get started with Z brush. It also touches on the 2D capabilities of the program, something that is often over looked.



3. Great book. I couldn't wait for it. I found it at a bookstore and after looking through it I bought it. It did not bother one bit paying the cover price. Great book.



4. As a fifteen year veteran of the 3D art world, I can say that ZBrush is the revolution I've been waiting for, and the Introducing ZBrush book is fantastic!! I was able to complete projects within minutes of opening this book that would have taken hours, if not days using other apps. My wife was so impressed with what I created in so short a time, she asked to try...so, with absolutely no experience, she started the book, and in a few hours had an excellent understanding of the app, and was creating some very nice mesh. I read in another review that the CD didn't work, but I had no trouble with it at all, running XP Pro. I would recommend this guide to all.



5. This is a great book for beginners in 3d, specifically modeling. I've had my share of video tutorials but having a physical book that i can take with me anywhere is priceless, anywhere i go i can keep on reading any particular subject i want to learn further.
   
   The explanations are clear for beginners and intermediate users of Zbrush, might be simple stuff for advanced users but there's never too much information in any book, it comes with a CD which includes a 30 day trial of Zrbush 3.0 and the exercise files for the whole book.
   
   Great product, recommended.

4 comments about Adobe Creative Suite 3 Bible.

1. Any collection strong in Adobe CS3 needs Adobe Creative Suite 3 Bible: at over 1,200 pages of information it literally is a 'bible' of information, packing in details on all the toolbox offerings from the latest Adobe creation. From setting up workflows for teams or studios to exporting Web designs, working with older versions of files, adding animation and sound slips, and more, this offers up black and white screen shots paired with important information essential to Adobe users, making it a top pick not just for computer libraries, but for general-interest holdings.



2. I will take half the blame for buying this as an indie film guy. I specifically searched for "Soundbooth CS3" and this is the guide that was the top pick. I saw the 5 star and ordered, not realizing that any book that would call itself the "CS3 Bible" would not cover at least on some level all programs in CS3. What is there is fine, but those interested in workflow across the entire CS3 spectrum STAY AWAY. This book covers ONLY DESIGN PREMIUM, and DOES NOT HAVE ANY COVERAGE OF Soundbooth, Premiere Pro, Encore, or After Effects. If you are a web designer that's fine (unless you want to use Soundbooth to work with sound, premier to edit, or after effects to produce, or encore to create pro dvd,) but as a book calling itself "The _____ Bible", I was extremely disappointed to find no mention of the rest (and arguably most important) parts of CS3, and therefore a complete waste of money... should have called itself "The CS3 Print/Web Bible", but without Premiere and After Effects, that's even a tough sell in the age of youtube. Maybe the "CS3 Document Creation Bible" would be about right... but I guess it wouldn't sell as many copies.
   There is a lot of discussion about Bridge, which really is a useful program for any CS3 app, but you can find out the same info in singular CS3 program guide. (A Good Photoshop, After Effects or Premiere Pro CS3 will have a good Bridge tutorial anyway).
   If you are trying to do a 'zine or something, I'm sure this is more than adequate, but be aware that there are hundreds and hundreds of pages on things like "creating a text path" etc etc, that other guides will explain step by step in 2 pages.
   This book is much more about Illustrator than anything else, which to me, is about the most useless program in the CS3 canon. I have leafed through the book twice now looking for some photoshop things I could learn. I only have a year of experience with Photoshop, though I have read and used a few photoshop books, I consider myself a "practicing novice", and this had nothing that any of my other photoshop books already had, and frankly some of the things being taught in here in Illustrator can be done just as easily in Photoshop.
   If the book had called itself "The CS3 document Bible" I would have never bought it or commented, and if it were titled as such, I'm sure it would deserve 5 stars, but as currently titled, it deserves a 2. I'm giving it a three because I did order it without vetting it as much as I should have. I wasted my money, don't waste yours.



3. If you think you can write a better book on the subject, go for it. We'll see how many you sell. For now, no one especially cares about your negative reviews... which help us how? which get us what?



4. This book spends more time showing how the programs are integrated and similar than on improving your skills. No scripting or advanced skills are shown. I was unable to look up any advanced skills in the index or TOC. I was specifically interested in learning Flash CS3 Professional and Dreamweaver CS3 in depth. The author's message was we do not go into this subject on several advanced techniques.
   Not much help to me.

5 comments about Engineering Design with SolidWorks 2008 & MultiMedia CD.

1. There are many SolidWorks books that are being offered in today's environment. It is difficult to know which book is right for you. As an Inventor user who moved to SolidWorks, I am looking for a detail book that provides information in a structural format to educate me in a new software package. I am also in search of a book that will keep my attention, move at a reasonable pace, and cover major feature, sketch, drawing, assembly and analysis topics and tools. This is a very good book for the person that is looking for the above like me. The multimedia CD is a plus, but just reviews what is in the book. Additional details and tips would be nice.



2. This book has good, easy to follow instructions that step you through a process that starts out from beginner and ends up with a good understanding of the power and utility of SolidWorks 2008. The only negative is the lack of color, the text looks a little plain and could use some spicing up. However, as far as the utility goes, this is an excellent manual.



3. I've been combining my retraining in 3D modeling and learning SolidWorks specifics with the help of two SolidWorks books; Engineering Design with SolidWorks and A Commands Guide for SolidWorks. Both books deploy a step-by-step very well illustrated instruction approach.
   
   I'm rather new to 3D. I found the two books to be extremely useful and easy to follow. In a previous life, I was an AutoCad VAR, although that is going back quite a few years. Part of my learning process has been unlearning some of my AutoCad approaches. This takes time, but is well worth it. SolidWorks is a great software package.
   
   Engineering Design with SolidWorks walks you through SW in no time by combining parts that you create with sub-assemblies and assemblies. The numerous illustrations with the easy step-by-step procedure makes this book ideal for the self taught person or the classroom environment. Example: In the assembly section, there are screen shots of each selection; edge, face, etc. and then a screen shot of the model with the Mate PropertyManager to inforce and guide you through the process. This is very helpful for any new user. This type of illustration is provided throughout the book.
   
   At the end of each chapter, additional parts and sub-assemblies are available to build your confidence. The book spends a great deal of time addressing geometric sketch relationships, and the ability to edit a sketch or feature in a model. This is time well spent.
   
   The drawing chapter takes you through setting up a sheet format, detailing drawings with multi sheets, multi views, setting part numbers in a BOM, revision tables, and inserting design tables with configurations. All great things.
   
   The included CD has all the lessons animated. Great work here. If you get bored reading the book, pop in the CD, sit back and enjoy some Solidworks modeling.



4. I am not a beginner in Solid Works, but I noticed the book is very specific with detailed lessons. It is a good source of learning!



5. I'm a new user to Solidworks and I purchased Enginering Design by David and Marie Planchard because of their extensive experience in Solidworks CAD modeling. The book is project based and very easy to follow along. I've been a Pro engineer user for 4 years and want to also learn Solidworks. This book gives a solid foundation on the basics and I would recommend it to new or experienced Solidworks users.

5 comments about Photoshop CS / CS2 Wow! Book, The, 1/e (WOW!).

1. This is your Photoshop Bible that you should keep with you at all times! I just hate that I paid $65 for it at Borders, when I could have gotten it here for MUCH less!



2. Let me begin by saying that this book is BIG, slightly bigger than a hard backed dictionary or textbook. If you plan on carrying this around in a backpack or ferrying it between school/work and home, don't.
   
   This book has a humongous, colorful wealth of information. I guarantee that this book will show you how to do ANYTHING you could possibly want to do in Photoshop. Whether you plan on reading it straight through or using it as a reference book (I recommend the latter), you will appreciate the collection of tips and tricks this book has to offer.
   
   Covering everything from picture touchups to full fledged graphic design, this book is artfully written and painstakingly thorough in its design. With pictures demonstrating everything, along with the helpful and easy to follow text, this book is great for those wanting to really get into Photoshop. If you're a graphic artist or have a job that requires the use of Photoshop, this book will expand your knowledge and understanding of Photoshop. Whether you're new to photoshop or a professional, this book is definitely a wise investment to help further your Photoshop skills.



3. This book is to me the bible of Photoshop. It's so thorough and thick, and it's large number of illustrations, screen shots, and photos make it work whether I am carefully following a book example on my computer, or sitting and reading without the computer.



4. This is another in the WOW series and even though it's for the last interation of photoshop (CS2) there is a wealth if info here. It's all in color, clearly explained. It gives you an overview of how much you can do in this amazing program and helps you develop the chops to put it to use. Nicewly structured so you can pick and choose what you need at the time if you don't want to read it cover to cover. You won't need every technique here but it gives you the tool to apply in other ways for whatever you want to do. One of the easily accessible and useful books on the subject.



5. If you need help, this is where you'll find it.
   The CD that comes with it is a lot of help too.
   Worth the price.

5 comments about Visualizing Data: Exploring and Explaining Data with the Processing Environment.

1. 'Visualizing Data' is a book that is supposed to discuss how data is presented, sorted, stored and examined. Instead what we get is a 350+ page book that is jumbled with lots of code samples (why) and a small subset of data that is actually visualized. This is a really niche topic that I thought would be interesting to examine as I opened the book cover but thumbing through I saw few pictures (although there are a few in here that are good) and lots of java code. While it's interesting to see how data is outputted code-wise, from the book title I felt this would be more of a design discussion for the reader.
   
   I can't recommend this book. There is too much code, too much content, and the code that is contained within is all Java. I didn't get much out of it and I feel that if less code and more pictures were added the end result would have been much more solid.
   
   ** NOT RECOMMENDED



2. This book was exactly what I was looking for--chapter eight alone was worth the cost of the book. A word to the wise: rather than assuming its contents from the title alone, read chapter one thoroughly to ensure that this book is right for you.



3. I'm short of superlatives for this book or more generally for the work of Ben Fry.
   
   In my line of work, how people think of graphs is very much influenced by what is possible to do in Excel without changing the default settings too much.
   Enter Processing, a data visualization-oriented language, which makes it easy to create custom visualizations, tailored for the problem you want to address. There is a growing community around Processing and a number of truly incredible graphs that have been created with just a few lines of code. Ben Fry's own work, which ranges from simplistic to very sophisticated, is nothing short of mind-blowing. Yet this book demystifies this and make it all look accessible.
   
   It opens great perspectives for anyone interested in expressing their data graphically. Still, the title is misleading.
   
   This is not a book about, say, editorial rules by which one should construct a visualization. It is not an abstract book that offers generic advice that can be used in whatever environment. For that kind of book, pick Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten or The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd edition - books which are consistent with Fry's approach, by the way. "Visualizing Data" is really a practical cookbook that will introduce you to Processing. It offers methodological insights, but which are mostly relevant in the Processing environment.
   
   That being said, I highly recommend this book and keeping a close tab on [..]



4. I bought this book hoping to learn something about data visualisation techniques - things like which kind of presentation use for which purpose, how to design understandable and readable graphs etc.
   
   Instead, I found just an introduction to some Java toolkit. As an introduction to this toolkit the book is not bad - it is well written and have interesting examples and readable code snippets - but it just fails to provide the information the title promises.



5. This book may not be the ultimate reference for vualizing data, but it does give the reader a complete set of tools to start with; the theory on how to get the data in the first place, information on how graphs are built and read, and a programming tool to actually create the graphs with.
   
   It does contain many sourcecodes which may seem pointless as you can just pcik them off the web, but being able to read the code while reading on the train is quite nice :-)
   
   it could do with more different graphs, but then again I'd rather get a complete explenation about a few graphs so I understand them completely, than a quick runthrough of many graphs and ending up not knowing much about any of them.
   
   Your milage may vary depending on your level of experience, but I'd recommend this book to relatively experienced programmers who need to get started with graphing data.

5 comments about Programming WPF.

1. This book is the most in depth resource into WPF i have seen. And not just that, it gets to the good stuff that you'll actually use in your code and not just filler or lists of properties that you can get from intelisense. The examples are extremely useful.
   
   The other benefit of this book is that it doesn't just tell you how to do things, but why. This is incredibly helpful in finding the best solution to your specific problem.
   
   Thanks guys! great book!
   Ralph



2. I bought the first edition of this book called Programming Windows Presentation Foundation (AKA Avalon) at the PDC in 2005 and read it completely on the plane home.
   
   When I heard the second edition was released I didn't think much would have changed, but this is even better than the first edition. It's twice as big and covers all major (and not so major) topics in WPF (inc. an introduction to 3D and Silverlight).
   
   I think this book will proof to be for WPF what Programming Windows, Fifth Edition is for WIN32 programming.



3. Writing a programming book is not an easy thing to do -- I know, because I've done it myself. And I have to say that I'm really impressed with the job that Chris Sells and Ian Griffiths have done with "Programming WPF". This is one of the best programming books I've ever read (and I've read a lot of them).
   
   For a programming book to be good, it's not enough for it to simply contain all of the information that you need to know. If that information doesn't stick to your brain, then the book hasn't done it's job. If you want the information to stick, then the book has to be interesting to read. It has to have a lot of clear examples that show you real-world applications without extraneous fluff. And to be really effective, all of that should be done with a little bit of style and wit.
   
   And I'm really pleased to say that "Programming WPF" does all of those things. I recently needed a refresher on WPF, so I just spent a lot of time over the last few weeks going through the book very carefully. And I have to say that I'm really impressed. It's engaging, interesting and they chose really good examples. And it's witty! (You'd be amazed at how the occasional chuckle keeps a reader from getting that "eyes glazed over" feeling that far too many books induce.)
   
   I know from experience -- believe me, I know! -- just how hard it is to pull that off. And they did it with style. So first of all, congratulations to Chris and Ian for doing a great job. And second, if you're a C# developer looking for a good, hands-on way to learn WPF, I highly recommend "Programming WPF".



4. I'm almost ashamed to admit that after diving into WPF back when it was known as "Avalon", I haven't even touched WPF since. So I finally needed to suck it up, get started, and learn WPF.
   
   As somebody new to WPF, I just have to give a huge "Thank You" to both Chris and Ian. This book is very entertaining and the quality of the writing between both Chris and Ian is just tremendous. The pace of the book is perfect and the teaching style is one that any developer can relate to.
   
   As a Technical Evangelist working for Microsoft, I think that every "Evangelist" in the tech industry can learn from Chris and Ian on how to tell a compelling story that developers can relate to and "grok". We evangelists are all-too-willing to simply explain the technical details of an API while completely forgetting to answer the "why" (let alone telling a compelling story to suck people in). This is yet another area that this book excels at.
   
   I can say with full confidence that this book is the first book I recommend to anybody wanting to dive into WPF. Enjoy!
   
   Jason Olson, Technical Evangelist, Visual Studio & the .NET Framework
   [...]



5. I have both WPF books by Chris Anderson and Adam Nathan. I read initial chapters of both of them but never got so excited to continue reading and got astray into LINQ and other stuff. Then I bought this one from Chris Sells and all I can say is it is much better than both Anderson and Adam book and the book keeps you engaged making you eager to find out what next in very simple terms and wonderful example. I loved the way the data binding chapter was explained and am hoping to finish this soon.
   
   Great Job Sells and Ian.

5 comments about Learning Autodesk Maya 2008, (Official Autodesk Training Guide, includes DVD): The Modeling & Animation Handbook.

1. it is a great reference book!! I'm a student at animation major.. this is helping me all the time.. Also you can use this book for learning the software by yourself.. it is explaning and then give you assignments so you can understand the lesson well..
   
   good luck!!



2. This is the ideal guide for those who want to perfectionate his or her modelling skills. Extremelly usefull step by step tutorials. Highly recommened. Another score for Autodesk!



3. This is a really cool learning guide. It is geared a little more towards people who have a basic understanding of the Maya universe. If you have never used maya at all, it may be a little confusing. I suggest playing with the interface and going through the "Getting Started" lessons included with the Maya software before getting into this book.. The dvd contains support files for the lessons in the book. It would have been nice if it had some video reference. The pictures in the book aren't the best guides, so unless you understand the text, you may find yourself using more creative freedom to complete the models than actual tutoring. Still, it is a great reference and gives you all you need to create some complete models to practice building and animating. Hope this helps.



4. Its a great price for the book that has alot of good info in it and had no problems with on time delivery and showed up in great condition.



5. Official Autodesk Training Guides are a superb investment and this book in particular, is terrific. If you have an intermediate-level of knowledge about Maya, you will find this book moves at a fairly quick pace. Also, if you have a good working knowledge of the Maya interface and its tools, but lack the discipline of a solid production workflow then book will enhance your skills and round out your education.
   
   I am a beginner with only peripheral knowledge of the Maya interface but because the book is so well written I have been able to keep pace and have learned more in the last few weeks than I have gained in the hundreds of hours of parroting the video tutorials available online.
   
   I've spent a small fortune in the last few months buying Maya video tutorials from a couple of different online sources and for the most part, they provide you with all the steps necessary to create the models you see in the videos and expose you to many aspects of the software, but what these videos don't do is explain the "why", which is necessary if you are to grow and take your creativity to the next level.
   
   In all fairness to the authors of these videos, they are working with self-imposed limitations and the knowledge to be gleaned from the videos is only as good as the individual who wrote the lesson guide. Therefore, I decided before I get too far along in my Maya learning experience, I needed a good working knowledge of the fundamentals and who better to provide that than the "official" experts.
   
   Breakout the videos if you want to build a good looking Mitsubishi car in twenty-hours time but buy this book if you plan to "design" the next Mitsubishi car. Therein lies the difference between their videos and this Autodesk series of books; not only do these books explain the "why", they provide the discipline necessary for a dependable production workflow, which is critical if you intend to work in this field.
   
   By the time you finish this book you will know the key concepts and workflows of Maya. You will know the tools and their application. You will learn modeling and animation and understand how they relate to each other in a production pipeline.

2 comments about Adobe CS3 Web Workflows: Building Websites with Adobe Creative Suite 3.

1. So far I have read through the first two chapters with no knowledge of AS 3.0 or OOP (Object Oriented Programming), and this book has helped tremendously. Still working my through it but everything is pretty clear and to the point. Definitely suggest this to anyone with some previous AS2 knowledge trying to get updated to AS3 and OOP.



2. Wow. I just finished chapter 2 and am completely impressed with this book. Rarely do I care enough to write a review. Actually, this is my first review ever, for a book. I knew nothing about Photoshop, except for the common train of thought that Photoshop is an industry standard, is powerful, and is not "easy" to use.
   
   This book is a big step-by-step tutorial on how to create a web-page mock-up (something that should be done before creating the actual web page). Mock-ups are analogous to designing a computer program before implementation begins.
   
   For under $30, it's cheaper than taking a class and is a breeze to follow through.

5 comments about Photoshop Masking & Compositing (VOICES).

1. The most comprehensive book on selecting, masking and layers. It was easy to read and follow. Adobe Photoshop CS3Photoshop Masking & Compositing (VOICES)



2. Ms. Eismann hits all the areas necessary for one to become proficient in masking and compositing. She is recommended by all the current photoshop gurus for a very good reason. This book is an excellent primer and also delves into advanced techniques. It's a great resource book and I've got post-it flags everywhere. You can't go wrong with this book.
   
   Debbie Schmidt
   dsh Solutions
   http://www.dshsolutions.com



3. This book is a must have for designers! Eismann makes masking an easy task and offers some really great tips on how to mask difficult objects such as veils, water bottles, glass, and translucent fabrics. And of course HAIR!
   
   I have other photoshop books, but this one explains it the best.
   
   ~Stacey~



4. If you're a professional photographer (or aspire to be one), get this book.
   Unlike other books, this book skips the worthless cheezy stuff that professionals
   aren't likely to be interested in to begin with. This book focuses on tasks that
   photographers and graphic professionals are most likely to need during post processing.
   
   This book is simply a "must have" for those who want to get straight to the point,
   
   without having to flip through hundreds of pages of worthless fluff, just to get the
   most out of Photoshop. The book is easy to follow & well written.
   
   #1 If you want to be able to make great composites, work with layers and masks, etc.,
   on the level of someone who's trying to create a composite for a cover of say Redbook
   Magazine, to be imported into InDesign or Illustrator for polishing- then THIS is your
   book!
   
   #2 If you want to remove portraits from horrible backgrounds, and engage in the common
   advance post processing procedures common to professional photography, then THIS is your
   book!
   
   #3 If you just got a digital camera last week, and you're just now trying to figure out
   how to work Photoshop- Get THIS book and immerse yourself. To be honest, anything less
   probably a gross waste of your time in the long run as this book focuses on the tasks
   that are most needed for taking your photos to a professional level.
   
   Lastly, it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to regret purchasing this book if you make even a
   modest attempt at learning the material. Like anybook, the single most reason people
   don't learn software is because they don't READ the material. People want stuff spoon
   fed to them. Hint: If you make money from photography, and you don't know how to do
   the things in this book, but your competitors do.. you will be at a HUGE disadvantage.
   
   Good luck!



5. I like this book. It hasnt wowed me, but it is a good tool for learning a few of the many features in photoshop.