2 comments about Building Flickr Applications with PHP.

1. If you wish to add social software capabilities to your Web applications or simply want to have a way to aggregate a bunch of nice pictures from Flickr on your website, this book is for you. You don't need any prior knowledge of Flickr features or even PHP programming experience. But if you already do, you will quickly enjoy the numerous tutorials. All of them are written in a very clean and simple form.
   
   A great asset of this book is that it truly caters to anyone. A chapter of the book is devoted to give you all the basic skills you need to have in PHP in order to use the Flickr API. The book uses a very powerful programming interface created by of the authors. Morton's API is, without a doubt, the most intuitive and comprehensive Flickr programming interface out there. It has a very clean PHP5 Object Oriented architecture. All the Flickr elements can be treated as a collection of PHP objects. The authors really know the API in great details, so you can't go wrong with this book.
   
   A chapter will also tell you how to setup your development environment (including Apache, PHP5 and the required plugins). Wether you're a PC or Mac user, you will find help here. It will also walk you through the process of registering and generating API keys.
   
   Not only does it cover the usage of the API, but it also explains how to use the Flickr feed services for generating RSS and Atom files. Advanced topics such as uploading photos through the public API are also covered along with source code examples.
   
   I found some of the more advanced examples really helpful for my projects.



2. When I got this book, I was surprised at how small it was. That's not always a bad thing, however. It is hard-cover, which I just don't like. I like softcover books because they fit in back-packs better and usually keep the cost lower. Oh well, now to the content.
   
   As an experienced PHP programmer and flickr user, over 1/3 of the material was easily skimmed through. There is an intro to flickr, and an intro to PHP. Then the authors take you into actually registering for a Flickr API account and you can start access photostreams.
   
   All in all, it was a very fun to work thought the examples and start modifying them on my own. The work with RSS/ATOM was quite fun and not something I do on a daily basis, so having the text on hand was nice.
   
   The only downside to the book was that there is very limited exposure to the real Flickr API. Most interaction with Flickr is handled through a PHP-pear library/application named Phlickr. It works quite nicely and is maintained by one of the authors, so it is understandable why this was chosen. I do think a little more interaction with the vanilla API probably would have helped though.
   
   If you are into media-driven web design and social site integration, this a fun book to work through.

No comments about Advanced Graphics Programming Using C/C++.

5 comments about Build Your Own Standards Compliant Website Using Dreamweaver 8 (Build Your Own).

1. It's refreshing to construct a site using Dreamweaver and standards as they are, without an equal amount of hacks and tricks to kludge the site into cross browser compatibility. Rachel Andrew's straightforward and step by step guide shows how to do it right and in the right order.
   
   Rachel spends about the first third of the book getting me up to speed on Web Standards and XHTML, and rightly so. This part of the book gives me the "whys" behind my choices of foundational coding including "strict" or "transitional" and "ems" or "points". It is one of the clearest and easiest to read treatment of Standards, Accessibility, and XHTML that I've ever seen.
   
   The project site for the tutorial is straightforward and easy to use. It included common elements like header, navigation, and main content area so the concepts are easy to apply right away to my real world projects.
   
   I enjoyed following Rachel's suggested workflow. Create a semantic document that includes all the features my site will need. Then organize it into content blocks that make sense. Then position them. My workflow routine has been the other way 'round: make the structure, then plug in the content. It seems like a content to design workflow will help avoid distracting elements that could be unnecessary.
   
   Expert css coders may find this book too basic, but it's a must have for css or Dreamweaver 8 beginners and those transitioning from using tables for layouts. This book helped me get my ducks in a row and my priorities straight.
   
   Rachel is not totally reliant on Dreamweaver 8 as a stand-alone to get my job done. When a third party application makes sense, she has no qualms about integrating it the right way. Even though she does not take me all the way through making a working form, she got me a lot further than other tutorial books. She even directed me to samples of Perl/CGI, ASP, and PHP scripts that come with directions on how to implement them on my own server. Offering specific resources for further study is a great way to soften the blow of "...is outside the scope of this book."
   
   The chapter on alternate style sheets is a keeper also. She got me to think through the different user needs as well as media types and create specific css documents to address them.
   
   Build Your Own Standards Compliant Website is a tutorial book that got me engaged enough to stop and think about web design from several different levels: workflow, coding, use of third party applications, and scripts. It did a great job of educating me for confident use of css and Dreamweaver 8.



2. Are you a Dreamweaver novice or a more experienced user? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Rachel Andrew, has written an outstanding book that will help you expand your knowledge and learn how to use Dreamweaver 8 to create sites that are accessible, standards compliant, and use CSS for layout.
   
   Andrew, begins by taking a look at Web standards: what they are, why they're important, and who they're designed to help. Then, she shows you how to develop your site--thinking specifically about the layout and the structure of the site, and setting up your tools so you're ready to get started. The author continues by discussing XHTML, clarifying how it differs from HTML, and how you can work with it in Dreamweaver 8. In addition, she walks you through the process of using Dreamweaver 8 to create a document that validates as XHTML. The author also explores Dreamweaver 8's Cascading Style Sheets tools. Then, the author shows you how to use Dreamweaver 8's powerful CSS tools to create a style sheet for your document. Next, she provides some more information on the use of tools to help you create accessible Websites, discusses the process of validating documents for accessibility, and considers the ways in which users' differing needs can be met through good design. Next, the author shows you how to create a page design that you can use as a template for any internal pages that are developed for the project. Then, she briefly describes how to create a form using a variety of the accessibility features that Dreamweaver 8 offers. Finally, she looks at the ways in which you can utilize the power of CSS to provide visitors a variety of alternate style sheets with which to use the site.
   
   After reading this excellent book, you'll learn how to use Dreamweaver 8 the right way. In other words, this book will help you do all of this without compromising accessibility or standards compliance.



3. This book may be helpful if you are working alone to design a small site. If you want to know how to set up and use a test server, download to test server vs. remote server, use check-in/check-out, use cloaking (re Dreamweaver, not the same as cloaking re search engines), or almost any other Dreamweaver 8 site management functionality... well, that was the information I needed and it isn't in this book.



4. Since I've purchased other books by Rachel Andrew and have concluded that they are excellent 'help' books for beginners to advanced site builders, I thought I'd try this one out also. It's nice because it guides you pertinent to web standards using CSS, Xhtml and more within Dreamweaver.
   The book is easy to understand and guides you step by step.



5. You don't have to be a professional programmer to produce an accessible, acceptable web site using Dreamweaver 8: all that's required is a working knowledge of the program and Rachel Andrew's BUILD YOUR OWN STANDARDS COMPLIANT WEBSITE USING DREAMWEAVER 8. It's a step-by-step guide which begins with setting preferences and proceeds through the basics of accessibility, navigation links and styling, working with Dreamweaver's CSS panel, and more. One might anticipate a complex guide - but BUILD YOUR OWN STANDARDS COMPLIANT WEBSITE is easy to use, whether you're reading cover-to-cover or hopping about for a quick fix to a problem.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

No comments about Computational Geosciences with Mathematica.

1 comments about Learning and Applying SolidWorks 2007-2008.

1. As a Technology Instructor and a relatively new user, I'm always investigating new text books and support materials which I can use for my students and myself. By far this SolidWorks book is the most basic book that I have encountered and provides the least amount of informative information about the 3D features, control area, featuremanager, commands, toolbars, etc. in SolidWorks.
   
   The book moves very slowly and does not provide detail information in any form on any subject that would support the 500 pages. The book states that it is a 2007-2008 book, but only supports the 2007 SolidWorks User Interface. The illustrations are large, some a full page. The author states, "Unlike other books of its kind, it begins at a very basic level and ends at a fairly advanced level." I do agree with the very basic level!

No comments about Welcome to Nigeria (Welcome to My Country).

4 comments about Developing Web Sites with Macromedia Flash MX.

1. WOW, what a myraid of topics, and to meet all levels of skill. Rickard shares a visionary approach to Flash MX, Macromedia's newest version of the state-of-the-art web animation tool.

   i mostly appreciate the examples and resources Rickard provided, and the step-by-step lessons are packed with real-life methods to learn from.




2. WOW, what a myraid of topics, and to meet all levels of skill. Rickard shares a visionary approach to Flash MX, Macromedia's newest version of the state-of-the-art web animation tool.

   I mostly appreciate the examples and resources Rickard provided, and the step-by-step lessons are packed with real-life methods to learn from.

   In addition, there is a lot of theory to base the content from, thank you.




3. At firsth, I wasn't too impressed with this book, as I spent the first few chapters looking at Flash-designed websites and modifying pre-made files from the book's website. However, when I began doing the end-of-chapter excercises, I was forced to apply everything I had learned in the respective chapter. This way of teaching made this book a great Flash MX learning tool!



4. I am having trouble understanding the good reviews. This is a paper mill book that is rushed to press to get it out there before the next version of Flash comes out.

   It starts out slow, too slow, and then accelerates into oblivion, with information that could be useful, however isn't reinforced enough by the exercises or further explannation. If one is to learn independently, there needs to be many more exercises reinforcing less content.

   There is a nice format and THAT has merrit, but due to the numerous errors (mostly omitting instruction steps) I have found this book to be detrimental to learning Flash.

   Who wrote those reviews, anyway?

5 comments about Solidworks for Autocad Users.

1. The book guides you through all aspects of the software with step by step instructions on how to use its many features. The thing which makes it better than most tutorials is that it often gives the why's and why not's of using certain methods in addition to the how to's. As the books title suggests it offers a transition from 2d Autocad to solid modeling with Solidworks. The book is not limited to use by Autocad users, anyone new to the software will find it very informative. Written at the Solidworks97 release, it was still very much up to date with Solidworks98.



2. This book very boring, confuse, Picture ok but not clea



3. When I purchased this book I felt that it was excellent, it helped in the transition from 2D work to the 3D world. I would recomend this book for any one just starting out in Solid Works. It is also a very good reference for use later on.



4. I was using Solidworks for most of my college projects and things just can't get easier! The book will frequently do a comparison between AutoCad and Solidworks to illustrate the different concepts behind the two CAD programs. Recommended for new users to experienced AutoCAD users.



5. well please let me know how to read the book on line,i am solidworks new user and residing in india.i will be very thankfull to you.

2 comments about GUI Design Handbook.

1. ("There is no language- or platform-specific information here") says the editorial review. i.e. this book is not a syntax guide.

   But nonetheless this book is solely about designing Windows-9x GUIs.

   Without having read the others, only Susan Weinschenk looks like being an intelligent platform-neutral book on this topic.




2. Pretty much contains a lot of recycled material in simplistic form from other, more detailed, sources. Not enough meat to feed a Merlin (small raptor).

1 comments about The Mathematica Primer.

1. Though dated (the book covers Mathematica 3), I found this book very helpful in getting started with Mathematica 4.1. Half an hour with this book will make using Mathematica a joy and save many frustrations that beginner users who just 'jump' into the program often encounter.

   While I had no complaints with the text and contents. I think I'd have just felt better if the cover said "Covers Mathematica 4.1"!