5 comments about SolidWorks For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. I love the dummies series, so I was greatly dissapointed by this book. I needed a solidworks tutorial because I found the help files and "basic" tutorials that come with solidworks to be too advanced. When this book is not tooting its own horn on how great solidworks is, then it is way too technical for the beginner. I am a designer, not an engineer. I am hired for the look of a product, not for how it is molded. This book assumes too much. I had to look up chamfer and fillet on Wikipedia, as this books skips the basics and launches into a thou-shalt-sketch-like-this. (again, I am NOT AN ENGINEER) I understand that engineers out there would find this book too basic because it takes half the book outlining anal-retentive ways of structuring workload before launching into actually making anything. [...].



2. This book is written by the Solidworks Customer Satisfaction Manager.
   
   He rehashes the same stuff as in the Solidworks Essentials manual that comes with the software.
   
   I found it virtually useless.
   I was seeking a different viewpoint in the hopes of gaining a better grasp of the many vague issues in the manual.



3. I am still busy with the book but have already started enjoying it. As for Amazone the book arrived one day after their estemated day of delivery Very good



4. This is a good task-based, issues-based overview of SolidWorks. Suitable for today's attention-deficit, info-overloaded, multi-tasked-maxed-out student or working stooge who wants to get a solid beginner's feel for this complex, cool 3D engineering tool--jus' the facts and not a heck of a lot of incomprehensible theorizing. (Of course a committed engineer will need to go somewhere else for the math & other CAD ideas). I'd venture a bold statement and say that this is THE starting point for people considering a career change to this field, and what I liked especially is that the book is pretty clear about being a starting point only. Near the end are the "Ten Tips" for new SW engineers; they make a lot of practical sense. I recommmend pairing this with another task-based product, a video tutorial by VTN, which is also good for the busy beginner who just needs to figure out how to become quickly productive with this tool. Learn SolidWorks by Video - Volume 1 and Learn SolidWorks by Video - Volume 2.



5. I bought this book hoping to learn some little known shortcuts, secrets, etc., but all I got from the book was a different writing of the help file.
   This might be a great book for someone just starting out.

5 comments about Timing for Animation.

1. This book is simply a must have for animators. It's very clear written and has great examples, I consider it a must just as the two masterpieces "Illusion of Life" and "Animation Survival Kit". Being about the timing I think it works great not only for traditional animators but also for CGI one (like I am).



2. I have referred to this book for nearly ten years, and it is still my favorite with regards to the fundamentals of creating naturalistic movement.
   
   More concise, less self-indulgent, and less bulky than either Richard Williams' "Animator's Survival Kit" or Frank and Ollie's "Illusion of Life", Whitaker and Halas' "Timing for Animation" allowed me to advance in my knowledge of timing charts and the creation of believable, naturalistic movement more efficiently than either of those two venerable books. While I tend to agree with reviewers who question the book's price, the no-nonsense explanations it contains provide a solid base from which an animator can embark upon further exploration without being too tied to a particular guru's insights.



3. As an animation student I found this book very helpfull. Not too heavy, just enough facts and examples to get the point across. If you are an animator or a student, you should own this book.



4. My instructor recommended this book for my special effects animation class. It was such a life savor.
   
   It covers all the basic animation topics like Squash and Stretch, Anticipation, Slow In and Slow Out, Exaggeration, etc...



5. Timing for Animation is the best choice for those who would like to have a clear view of animation-timing. It delineates the basics very concisely, which are long enough to understand, but short enough to run through anytime when needed. Has a good partition, right examples and illustrations, contains only practicable things which makes it very easy to read and highly practical. John Halas has made a good job, happy to be his compatriot :)
   Would recommend to anyone.

5 comments about Game Development Essentials: An Introduction.

1. I find this book to be well rounded in the history and in the aspect to the gaming and simulation world. It was not what I originally expected to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and now can look at the gaming world a lot differently with more respect.
   
   I purchased this book because it was required for the class I am taking at DeVry University Online, but now that I have read it, I am interested in purchasing a few of the other books in this series by Jeannie Novak.



2. Just wanted to let people know there is a later version if you missed it, and you should check with instructors before buying this book and be sure it is the dated version needed!



3. It's an excellent book. The fact that she included my incredibly detailed game design document in no way influenced my rating.



4. I picked up this book as a possible replacement for the book that is currently used in my 'Game Design' course. This book is very attractive and professionally put together. It covers the material that would be essential (hence the title) when discussing the elements of game design:
   1. The history of the medium
   I found some annoying factual errors in this part of the book. Which initially turned me off but I continued to read since errors seemed to be in the sidebars which may not get the same editorial review.
   2. Who plays and why?
   This contained very interesting material for students to discuss with respect to player motivation, personality and gender. The eye-opening part for me was the view of game playing from the perspective of generations. Baby boomers, Generation X and the Millennial Generation look for different things from the games they play. (This part made me examine my own choices for games and the characters I am most attracted to in them!)
   3. The elements in a game - genres, platforms, player mode
   
   Part II is where the real gems are for people who really want to design games:
   4. The elements of storytelling
   5. Creating the characters/roles
   6. Creating the game experience, e.g. challenges
   7. Creating the World and Atmosphere (anyone else listen to the audio CD to remember the delight in playing the game?)
   
   The last part covers:
   8. The key roles/titles in the game development process
   9. The process of producing games
   10. The future of gaming
   
   The book ends with the following bonuses:
   11. A list of resources for those who are serious about actually getting into the game business
   12. List of books to read and learn more
   13. A CD with tools
   
   The key thing I value when spending time on a book is one - am I learning something new? This book offers many ideas central to designing video games. It is an excellent book for a course on the topic or for any budding game designer to pick up start the journey.



5. Ordered this book for my husband's class. Not only did Amazon have it in stock, it was $20 cheaper than Barnes & Noble (with member discount) and that's even after upgrading the shipping. Was a little worried at first that the book wouldn't come quickly cause the tracking was awful, but it arrived fast.
   A note worth mentioning: this book comes with a CD as well even though it does not say so.
   
   My husband has not used this book much for his class yet, so as for the material I am not sure. But we are very pleased with the product & Amazon (as usual) so far.

4 comments about Microsoft® Office Visio® 2003 Step by Step (Step by Step (Microsoft)).

1. This is a well-written and easily understood intro to Visio, which does a good job of covering diagrams, flowcharts, Gantt charts, floorplans, and the like. But, it has absolutely no information on building database diagrams with Visio, for which I deducted a star.



2. Well organized and easy to study. Suits multiple learning styles. The CD has some excellent additional information.



3. I really enjoyed going through this book. It is laid out well and has lessons you can do to help you learn.



4. This book "Microsoft Office Visio Step by Step" is yet another example of an almost useless manual, that barely duplicates what is available in the online manual for Visio.
   
   It basically consits of screen shots and procedures.
   
   It doesn't sit back and say "well, what might a user want to do here? Oh, you want to create a circle with center and radius? Then look for such and such a shape in such and such a stencil." Etc.
   
   Because it lacks this "meta-contemplation", this manual is only as good as the programmers - it is basically like talking to the programmers, in their mindset. (I'm a programmer: this is NOT good). If what you need to draw is exactly covered by Visio, this manual may help you. If what you need to draw is not exactly covered by one of Visio's pre-packaged setups, this manual is not much help.
   
   I work in an intensely graphical field - VLSI design. But Visio has no pre-packaged setup for my area --- the "electrical engineering" and "digital design" stencils and templates are not very useful. (This opinion confirmed by surveying my fellow engineers at Intel and AMD - all of us want to use Visio, but all find Visio sorely lacking.)
   
   This manual is utterly useless with respect to advanced Visio, e.g. using ShapeSheets to create "smart" shapes.
   
   ---
   
   Because I have mentioned my employers' names, past and present, I must add this disclaimer: this review is my own personal opinion, not the official position of Intel and AMD.
   
   Although I daresay many engineers at Intel and AMD agree with these sentiments, it may be hard to put this on the record.

5 comments about Adobe Flash CS3 Professional Bible.

1. This IS, THE Bible for CS3. Within a few minutes of playing around with the CD and following along with the book I could accomplish the basics. After a few trials and error runs I have been building full Videos, and some really nice banners, with this books help. I have a good grasp of Photoshop and Premiere. These are both tools that you will need to truly use this software and this book to its fullest.



2. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is really happened and we upgraded from version 8 to CS3. This time Flash changed not only the version, but also an owner and now Bible with all reserved rights calls "Adobe Flash CS3 Bible". This is the first one, but I'm sure not the last one. This Bible goes with CD where you can find "original Flash project files with ActionScript code for example in the book, along with custom components for image loading and effects".
   
   I want to say that I have this book because of couple of reasons. First of all, I buy Bibles from year 2000 or 2001 and yet was never disappointed. All information was there, when I need it.
   Second reason is that I believe that book written by Robert Reinhardt just can't (no way) be bad. He writes Bible references from version 5 as far as I remember (correct me if I wrong). He wrote a couple of other Flash (and also ActionScript) books and honestly I don't remember bad reviews on it.
   
   Book has a lot of information, so no wonder it's big again: 1232 pages to be precise. For those who abscessed with clean white pages, nothing to worry about - it's clean and white. You will not be disappointed.
   Book covers different aspects of Flash CS3. What would you like to know or to do?
   - Create a Game in Flash?
   - Animate with ActionScript?
   - Integrate Flash Components with Web Pages?
   - Publish Flash Movie?
   This all and much more you will find in this book in every possible detail. All you need to know about Flash CS3 you will find inside.
   
   For people, who already have experience with Flash, this book will help to upgrade from Flash 8 user interface to Flash CS3 and find out new futures.
   Those who have no previous experience with Flash application, this book will be great start point and Part 5 will be just priceless.
   
   Of cause, you don't need to read book at once. You can use it mostly in two ways: as a desktop reference or as a study book. Whatever way you choose, you will not regret it.
   
   In one word, I just want to say that Robert Reinhardt is professional in this area and he knows what he's talking about. If you want to become a professional or at least be good too in Flash, you should look up to somebody who have much more experience that you (one more reason why I like this book).
   
   So if you want stay face-to-face with Flash and win, this book will help you a lot.
   As stands on cover "The book you need to succeed". Almost true, because you need not only book, but also wish to study and find out new horizons - then everything will be great! Success to everybody!



3. I was very disappointed when I began looking through this book after I received it and realized that virtually ALL of the actionscript examples are AS 2.0 not AS 3.0 like the cover of the book would lead you to believe. If you are interested in learning ActionScript 3.0 and Flash CS3 do not, do not spend the money here it as it is flat out not worth it.
   
   Very, very disappointing....



4. I went to the bookstore earlier today to look for a good Flash CS3/Actionscript 3.0 reference, because boy did they change a lot of things in ActionScript this time around. As I paged through this I noticed that all, or almost all, their ActionScript examples are ActionScript 2.0! What?? If you want to do anything really interesting in Flash CS3 you have to learn ActionScript 3.0. Learning AS2 is not the same at all; they're practically two different languages. I'd go so far as to say learning AS2 is counterproductive to learning AS3, because it instills you with bad habits, like putting actions directly on objects, instead of on their own layer.
   
   I don't know how this book was printed. Why teach Flash CS3 with AS2? It doesn't make sense at all. The only thing I can imagine is they thought they could boost sales by updating a Flash 8 manual they had, but hadn't even looked at Flash CS3.
   
   Do not buy this. Trust me. Make sure your Flash manual teaches the ActionScript appropriate to its iteration of Flash. I thought this would be a no-brainer.



5. I'm really disappointed.
   
   The book has CS3 in the cover, the back cover says "Unravel the nuts and bolts of ActionScript 3.0 code", yet when I look up XML in chapter 30 and data binding later in the book; it's all ActionScript 2.
   
   There's a note on page 960 advising ActionScript 3 does it differently, and that's it.
   
   It gets worse, the Section "Approaching ActionScript" on page 731 contains the justification for sticking to AS2, to paraphrase the logic:
   AS3 is highly evolved compared to AS2.
   AS3 requires more that a fundamental understanding of basic programing so we'll use AS2.
   Someday when you're using AS3( with no help from this book) you should be able to use this AS2 with a little modification.
   
   Hardly what you'd expect from a reference book claiming that it is unraveling the nuts and bolts of AS3.

5 comments about Rapid GUI Programming with Python and Qt (Prentice Hall Open Source Software Development).

1. For any open source programming tool, there are always those who are quick to point out that free online documentation is of excellent quality and that a commercially published book adds questionable value. Indeed, the open process by which open source tools are made, which reveals the why's & wherefore's of the internal workings to anyone who looks, leads directly to the production of excellent online documentation; this is one of the great strengths of open source software. But everyone's needs are different. A college student or free software volunteer often has looser deadlines, less budget, and a more perfectionist attitude than, for example, a non-expert programmer, working in industry, trying to expeditiously solve a specific problem. A book of this genre is intended mainly for the latter audience, whereas the former may be disappointed at spending $50 when a web browser could have done the job. Cash-strapped college students, I know your pain; I used to be one. This book is not a particularly cost-effective study aid. If you live and breathe GUI progamming and can type out GTK2 and wxwidget classes by heart, then this book is probably a waste of time for you.
   
   Having said that, I review this book with a view toward its value to its intended audience: Does buying this book and using it get the job done $50 cheaper, including the value of your own professional time, compared to the best available alternative? My experience is yes.
   
   I am an electrical engineer, but not a programming expert. I have, at various times in my career, flipped bits in assembly language, suffered the rigors of Fortran, and slapped together contraptions in Matlab, VEE, Labview, etc. I have also had the misfortune of programming production test automation in Visual Basic, because that is what commercial instruments natively support. It is the shortcomings of VB that bring me to PyQT. I need to write test code that is portable, maintainable, and reliable. To give just one example, I don't want to fly across the Pacific Ocean to program workarounds for bugs in VB, because machines in the Chinese factory run Win98, and my development system in the US runs Win2k, and VB doesn't behave the same. But this is a book review, not a place to extol the virtues of PyQT nor criticize VB.
   
   I have programmed in Python before, though for me Python has always been a language for one-off numerical or string processing tasks, where a spreadsheet is too limited and my bash script-fu is short of the task. I found the first three chapters on Python a helpful review, though it is not a complete instruction in Python. Compete beginners to Python will probably want to buy a separate book or work through the python.org tutorials. The author glosses over things that could trip up beginners; tellingly, he uses the term 'pythonic' without introduction. He is, however, careful to point out pitfalls that can waylay real-world production code, or would be of interest to experienced Perl/Ruby/VB programmers, like how Python handles the distinctions regarding {im}mutable types and {deep|shallow} copying.
   
   I have never programmed QT before, and this book is indeed a complete introduction to QT. You don't need to know anything about QT nor how to program in C++ (QT's native language). Being able to read C++ syntax helps, though, because this book is not a QT reference, so you will probably have to look things up in the online QT references, which are written in C++.
   
   It is something of a truism that the best way to learn a language is to read & understand someone else's well-written code, and then use that to write a program of your own. That is the approach used here, and the printed book format permits interleaving fragments of code with explanatory material in a way that doesn't work well on a computer screen. As such the text complements rather than duplicates the online documentation.
   
   Regarding the book as a physical object, the quality is good but some extra features would have been nice. No CD is included, which I consider an oversight for a book at this price. Even the shortest examples lack source code listings, except as snippets woven into the text. You have to download the example code from a URL buried in the introduction, which is odd considering how important the example code is to this style of instruction. Occasional sidebar topics, icons, and cross-references help to organize the material, though not to the spoon-feeding level of "For {Dummies|Idiots}" books. The index is a bit above average for a book of this type, better than pure machine-generated grep output that sometimes passes for an index these days, but not as good as the best manual indices of decades past. The cover, binding, & paper stock are of decent quality. The book will stay open to just about any page when laid on a table, and the glue looks like it will, well probably, hold the sheaves in for many years. No color is used, nor edge printing to help find the chapters, which would have been helpful for a book this long.



2. Advanced programmer libraries and any versed in Python in particular will find RAPID GUI PROGRAMMING WITH PYTHON AND QT an invaluable guide, covering the mechanics of building GUI applications that run on all major operating systems. From custom widgets to advanced model and view programming, this book's depth and technical detail lend to any serious programming collection.



3. I've been programming in python for about 2 years, and programming in PyQt for about a year. But I haven't had time to really delve into how things work, and how they relate to each other. The on-line documentation falls short in this area, so this book is a great help! I learned some new stuff about Python in the first few chapters, but the biggest help was the explanations of how PyQt works, and how to use it to the best advantage.



4. This book is perfect for someone new to the world of GUI programming. It provides a detailed walk-through of generating a useful and robust user interface. Providing a firm foundation in python and OOP and then adding both knowledge of Qt and a best practices approach to GUI programming.
   If you aren't new to programming and GUI creation than this book is still a very useful source of information if a bit hard to get through. The feature this book lacks which many love in O'Reilly books is a component by component breakdown of features with good examples. This is not really a flaw as this book is a ground up approach, however if you are looking for something akin to PyQT In a Nutshell you won't find it here. That being said, it is the best book on PyQt4 out there, and even if there were many other PyQt4 book to choose from this is still an excellent learning tool.
   
   In short this is an excellent book for people new to Python and Qt, especially those without GUI experience. Those with more experience may be bothered by the lack of a more modularized approach to learning PyQt4 as this book follows a more chronological approach of the design process. It's not quick and dirty, but it is robust and well written.



5. The book contains one of the best Python introductions I've seen so far, which means it's useful even when you don't know Python, yet. After the introduction, you'll love it :)
   
   After that come 19 chapters which are packed with useful information in well digestible bits so the reader won't feel overwhelmed. When you're a professional, you won't waste time finding the information you need and when you're a beginner, you can easily follow every step as the author builds the examples from ground up.
   
   When I started with PyQt, I was a seasoned Python developer but I knew little about Qt. With the help of the book, I could write a complex application using even more complex widgets like QTextEditor (including HTML formatting) in a very short time. Developing was a very nice experience because the book always seemed to contain just the answer that I was looking for.

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

1. I had the pleasure to meet one of the authors at SolidWorks World this year. I was very impressed with her working knowledge of SolidWorks and her commitment for education and developing learning materials for the masses. SolidWorks 2008 had a major interface upgrade from 2007. Many new tools, features, and functions. I'm excited. I've used their 2006 and 2007 books before.
   
   I'm an Instructor with a Community College in the San Diego area. I'm a Mechanical Engineer by profession. I teach three sections of SolidWorks for first and second year students and a evening class for Industry users.
   
   The book, "Engineering Design with SolidWorks 2008" does an excellent job in providing a solid foundation to address the new 2008 User Interface, 2D sketching, 3D part modeling, assembly modeling with multi-configurations and custom properties, 2D Drawings with BOMs, balloons, exploded views, etc. and even Sheet metal modeling.
   
   The book is well written and provides clear and succinct instructions using a bold step-by-step command technique with many illustrations to enhance the students learning experience. The enclosed CD contains numerous movies that can assist you through each chapter. It's a winner. The students enjoy the book and the CD and the back of the book exercises are real world. There is something for everyone.



2. I teach a single semester class of SolidWorks and a two semester class of SolidWorks. The SolidWorks Tutorial book is excellent for the single semester class, but the Engineering Design book is the best one that I have seen for the two semester class. Both books are very well written for education and are easy to read and follow. Both books have integrated homework examples which are directly aligned to the chapters and the SolidWorks CSWA Certification program.
   
   Engineering Design covers all of the main features: Extruded Boss/Base, Extruded Cut, Revolved Boss/Base. Loft Boss/Base, Swept Boss/Base, Linear & Circular Patterns, hole, and more. The chapters are divided into logical project streams to apply the appropriate features, commands, and design intent. Both bottom up and top down assembly methods are applied with configurations. The Drawing section is well documented with exploded views, crop, projected, cut, section, detail, etc. The Sheetmetal chapter is a plus. The book is easy to follow with its bold command structure and step by step illustrations. Base features and Base Sketch planes are well documented and explained. Want to learn SolidWorks? Go no further.



3. I'm new to SolidWorks. I used AutoCAD many years ago, and was downsized last year. I now work as a mechanical designer for a medium size auto part manufacturer.
   
   One of the job requirements was to learn SolidWorks. SolidWorks is an amazing product... I purchased two books from these authors. Both are great. Their writing style is very straightforward. They do not assume that you have previous knowledge in 2D or 3D CAD. They give many illustrations in the book, and supply a multimedia CD. This is a BIG advantage when learning a new software package.
   
   Solid engineering fundamentals are provided when creating a part, assembly or drawing. The back of each chapter is packed with examples which are aligned with the CSWA certification. I'm the only one in the department that is not certified. My goal is to past the CSWA certification exam someday!



4. 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.



5. 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 comments about GPU Gems 3.

1. It seems to me that this edition of GPU Gems is a step up from Volume 2. The articles are much better illustrated with more pseudocode and with the background mathematics better explained than in the previous edition. Like the other books in the series, there is not enough complete information to write an application from start to finish, but if you have a background in computer graphics it should be enough to get you started. However, the entire book assumes that you are already a professional graphics programmer well-versed in some higher-level language that also has a good grasp of advanced mathematics and even some physics. For example, a knowledge of partial differential equations is required to completely understand the chapter on real-time simulation and rendering of 3D fluids. Other chapters require a background in digital signal processing. It is also assumed that the reader is famililar with graphics API such as DirectX or OpenGL and their associated high-level programming languages - HLSL,GLSL, or Cg. Therefore it will probably be the rare individual that will be able to fully comprehend and utilize the entire book. I would recommend this book for the professional graphics programmer to add to their reference library. The following is the detailed table of contents and the contributors in each case:
   
   Part I - GEOMETRY
   Chapter 1: Generating Complex Procedural Terrains Using the GPU
   Ryan Geiss, NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 2: Animated Crowd Rendering
   Bryan Dudash, NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 3: DirectX 10 Blend Shapes: Breaking the Limits
   Tristan Lorach, NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 4: Next-Generation SpeedTree Rendering
   Alexander Kharlamov, Iain Cantlay, Yury Stepanenko - NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 5: Generic Adaptive Mesh Refinement
   Tamy Boubekeur, Christophe Schlick - University of Bordeaux
   
   Chapter 6: GPU-Generated Procedural Wind Animations for Trees
   Renaldas Zioma, Electronic Arts/Digital Illusions CE
   
   Chapter 7: Point-Based Visualization of Metaballs on a GPU
   Kees van Kooten, Gino van den Bergen - Playlogic Game Factory
   Alex Telea, Eindhoven University of Technology
   
   PART 2 - LIGHTS AND SHADOWS
   Chapter 8: Summed-Area Variance Shadow Maps
   Andrew Lauritzen, University of Waterloo
   
   Chapter 9: Interactive Cinematic Relighting with Global Illumination
   Fabio Pellacini, Dartmouth College
   Milos Hasan, Kavita Bala - Cornell University
   
   Chapter 10: Parallel-Split Shadow Maps on Programmable GPUs
   Fan Zhang, Hanqiu Sun - The Chinese University of Hong Kong
   Oskari Nyman, Helsinki University of Technology
   
   Chapter 11: Efficient and Robust Shadow Volumes Using Hierarchical Occlusion Culling and Geometry Shaders
   Martin Stich, mental images
   Carsten Wächter, Alexander Keller - Ulm University
   
   Chapter 12: High-Quality Ambient Occlusion
   Jared Hoberock, Yuntao Jia - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
   
   Chapter 13: Volumetric Light Scattering as a Post-Process
   Kenny Mitchell, Electronic Arts
   
   PART 3 - RENDERING
   Chapter 14: Advanced Techniques for Realistic Real-Time Skin Rendering
   Eugene d'Eon, David Luebke - NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 15: Playable Universal Capture
   George Borshukov, Jefferson Montgomery, John Hable - Electronic Arts
   
   Chapter 16: Vegetation Procedural Animation and Shading in Crysis
   Tiago Sousa, Crytek
   
   Chapter 17: Robust Multiple Specular Reflections and Refractions
   Tamás Umenhoffer, BLászló Szirmay-Kalos - Budapest University of Technology and Economics
   Gustavo Patow, University of Girona
   
   Chapter 18: Relaxed Cone Stepping for Relief Mapping
   Fabio Policarpo, Perpetual Entertainment
   Manuel M. Oliveira, Instituto de Informática--UFRGS
   
   Chapter 19: Deferred Shading in Tabula Rasa
   Rusty Koonce, NCsoft Corporation
   
   Chapter 20: GPU-Based Importance Sampling
   Mark Colbert, University of Central Florida
   Jaroslav Kr¡ivánek, Czech Technical University in Prague
   
   PART 4 - IMAGE EFFECTS
   Chapter 21: True Impostors
   Eric Risser, University of Central Florida
   
   Chapter 22: Baking Normal Maps on the GPU
   Diogo Teixeira, Move Interactive
   
   Chapter 23: High-Speed, Off-Screen Particles
   Iain Cantlay, NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 24: The Importance of Being Linear
   Larry Gritz, Eugene d'Eon, NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 25: Rendering Vector Art on the GPU
   Charles Loop, Jim Blinn - Microsoft Research
   
   Chapter 26: Object Detection by Color: Using the GPU for Real-Time Video Image Processing
   Ralph Brunner, Frank Doepke, Bunny Laden - Apple
   
   Chapter 27: Motion Blur as a Post-Processing Effect
   Gilberto Rosado, Rainbow Studios
   
   Chapter 28: Practical Post-Process Depth of Field
   Earl Hammon, Jr., Infinity Ward
   
   PART 5 - PHYSICS SIMULATION
   Chapter 29: Real-Time Rigid Body Simulation on GPUs
   Takahiro Harada, University of Tokyo
   
   Chapter 30: Real-Time Simulation and Rendering of 3D Fluids
   Keenan Crane, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
   Ignacio Llamas, Sarah Tariq - NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 31: Fast N-Body Simulation with CUDA
   Lars Nyland, Mark Harris - NVIDIA Corporation
   Jan Prins, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
   
   Chapter 32: Broad-Phase Collision Detection with CUDA
   Scott Le Grand, NVIDIA Corporation
   
   Chapter 33: LCP Algorithms for Collision Detection Using CUDA
   Peter Kipfer, Havok
   
   Chapter 34: Signed Distance Fields Using Single-Pass GPU Scan Conversion of Tetrahedra
   Kenny Erleben, University of Copenhagen
   Henrik Dohlmann, 3Dfacto R&D
   
   PART 6 - GPU COMPUTING
   Chapter 35: Fast Virus Signature Matching on the GPU
   Elizabeth Seamans, Juniper Networks
   Thomas Alexander, Polytime
   
   Chapter 36: AES Encryption and Decryption on the GPU
   Takeshi Yamanouchi, SEGA Corporation
   
   Chapter 37: Efficient Random Number Generation and Application Using CUDA
   Lee Howes, David Thomas - Imperial College London
   
   Chapter 38: Imaging Earth's Subsurface Using CUDA
   Bernard Deschizeaux, Jean-Yves Blanc, CGGVeritas
   
   Chapter 39: Parallel Prefix Sum (Scan) with CUDA
   Mark Harris, NVIDIA Corporation
   Shubhabrata Sengupta, John D. Owens - University of California, Davis
   
   Chapter 40: Incremental Computation of the Gaussian
   Ken Turkowski, Adobe Systems
   
   Chapter 41: Using the Geometry Shader for Compact and Variable-Length GPU Feedback
   Franck Diard, NVIDIA Corporatiion



2. The third version of the GPU Gems serie is also the best version i think. Every topic is up-to-date and gives the reader a lot to think about. I have read the whole book (some of the chapters i just skimmed through) and i must say that this book is good! The reason i only give it 4 stars is the disc that comes with it. Not every chapter comes with example code (only executables and/or videos)! To be able to take fully advantage of the book you have to know, among other things, 3D programming using Direct3D 10 already. The "Intended audience" should know the fundamentals of DirectX or OpenGL. I think it takes some more than just the fundamentals to be able do something good other than just copy-paste the code from the disc.
   
   It's a good thing to read this book even if you are not an excellent programmer already. You will learn things that you will find hard to learn from somewhere else. Read the book to update yourself to the new generation of rendering.
   
   Students; If you are looking for topics for bachelor or masters thesis, then this book has a lot of good examples, in theory, of what you can do to improve the techniques.
   
   Pros/Cons
   + Covers new and good techniques
   + Easy to read, excellent!
   + Disc has some good and useful stuff
   
   - Some techniques will be hard to implement if you are no expert because the chapters (not all!) are too shallow (writer assume that the reader knows a lot already).
   - Some chapters come without (full) source code
   
   
   Maybe this was not a precise review of the book but i tried to describe my view. Buy this book, it's really good and as a serious developer you should have this book on the shelf!



3. Though I had no time to read most of the articles, I can say that this book is even better than GPU 1/2. It is still more narrative than educational (comparing to ShaderX series), but nevertheless I got useful material from it.
   For example, the methods for ray-marching (multiple robust reflections and refractions chapter) are going to be used in our company.
   I would recommend it for all professionals in 3D graphics, image/video processing and GPU (GP GPU) computing.

5 comments about ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns: Object Oriented Programming Techniques (Adobe Developer Library).

1. College-level and specialty computer libraries covering web development will find William Sanders & Chandima Cumaranatunge's ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns an excellent acquisition, covering common problems in Flash and Flex applications and providing developers with the tools necessary to adopt superior design patterns. From key components of ActionScript 3.0 and its characteristics to the benefits of developing both structural and behavioral patterns, ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0 is a pick for any advanced programmer's library.



2. I've been reading through O'Reilly's "ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns: Object Oriented Programming Techniques" by William Sanders and Chandima Cumaranatunge for the last few weeks and have to say its an incredibly useful resource.
   
   The interesting thing is that this book approaches design patterns in the more traditional sense, not dumbing down on the object-oriented terminology. In that sense it is very approachable to those coming from a Java or C background and are looking for ActionScript 3.0 implementations of specific patterns.
   
   Full review at: [...]



3. ActionScript 3.0 has more in common with Java than any previous ECMAScript, so it lends itself to a reimplementation of the classic Design Patterns originally espoused by the "Gang of Four" in "Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software". "ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns" essentially does just this.
   
   Unfortunately, ActionScript 3.0 does have some differences (no abstract classes, no private constructors) that make it impossible to implement the patterns in exactly the same way as the canonical Java solutions. Even with the workarounds Sanders and Cumaranatunge explain to get back on track, I can't help but think that there might be better solutions using the full range of ActionScript's capabilities, instead of sticking obstinately to the new Java-like syntax.



4. I bought this book when I wanted to pick up on Design Patterns in AS3 (I had little to no experience with DP in AS2), and after I read "Essential ActionScript 3.0". I bought it without reading any reviews because I like O'reilly books, but after I placed the order, I looked at the reviews, and noticed that people were favoring "Advanced ActionScript 3 with Design Patterns" (by Joey Lott and Danny Patterson) -- so I went to the closest B&N and picked it up a day before the O'reilly one arrived, so I was able to compare. I must say that I liked the O'reilly book by FAR over the other one, mostly because of the detailed and extensive examples, descriptive copy and easy-to-follow real-life samples (even though the author referred to Gnarls Barkley as a person at one point.. haha).
   
   So - for someone like me, who knew AS3 (the books assumes you do), but wanted to get into OOP with Design Patters, this was an excellent choice. I would highly recommend it.



5. The concepts in this book are great for any Actionscript developer and they thoroughly explain solutions via design patterns. I'd recommend this book to any aspiring AS3 developer.
   
   HOWEVER, there is so many horrible mistakes in this book. While the content is awesome, it seems like the editor was plastered when he put this little job together. In Chapter 7, it is almost unbearable. Words are omitted, code is omitted, sections are re-pasted into the book often... it's utterly horrible. I keep finding myself getting upset trying to read this book because so much is left out and so much is repeated identically on the next page!!!
   
   All in all, if you're interested in learning Design Patterns (and they are very useful) buy this book. The content is great, the editor should be fired from the universe.

No comments about Microsoft Office Visio 2007 Inside Out.