4 comments about Building a Web 2.0 Portal with ASP.NET 3.5.

1. I've read the author's articles on Code Project, and when I found out he had written a book that built on them, I didn't waste any time getting my hands on it!
   
   Being the one of the few developers in my group that work with the latest "cutting edge" technology, and with no one to answer the questions I have, this book has simply been the fountain of knowledge I'd been looking for. Definitely a must-read for those wishing to utilize the latest and greatest.
   
   The book is well organized, and the writing style makes it an easy read (usually technical books put me to sleep, but not this one). It does assume that you've already had some experience using ASP.NET 2.0/3.5, Javascript, and so forth, so I agree that this book will be the most beneficial to seasoned and advanced ASP.NET developers.



2. Omar is an excellent .NET programmer and I really enjoyed his book. This book gave excellent insight on running a high volume website with ASP.NET. It also dives into some of the new features of the .NET 3.5 framework. I really enjoyed the sections towards the end where he showed the type of hosting environment necessary to run a large scale website. I would also recommend subscribing to Omar's RSS feeds for excellent tips.



3. I would say this is a better "Tips" book than a cookbook. If you are just starting out with this technology, you'll need to fill in a lot of details. But there's a lot of good work here.



4. This book explains the techniques behind the DropThings portal [...] showing some source-code (available at www.codeplex.com) and giving a couple of tips and tricks of web 2.0 programming. The book is very interesting but it's for those developers who already know the technologies it covers (ASP.NET, C#, LINQ, WF and ASP.NET AJAX) and want to know "the best way to do it" or became aware of commom problems that big web 2.0 portals generally has.
   Below is the main topics of each chapter:
   
   Chapter 1 - Conceptual meanings of Web and ASP.NET.
   Chapter 2 - How can you design your own Widgets Framework (Based on his ideas that lead him to develop his own framework) and things that you need to concern when you develop a big portal.
   Chapter 3 - Tips and Tricks of developing rich client controls
   Chapter 4 - How can you add LINQ and Workflow Foundation to your Data and Business Layers.
   Chapter 5 - Developing Widgets itself
   Chapter 6, 7, 8 and 9 - Reflections over performance (at Client, Server and "client-server" interaction)
   Chapter 10 - Solving Deployment and "Go-live" problems.
   
   Bear in mind this book don't teach you those technologies, it only leads you to use them in a better way based on the author's experience (Author is the PageFlake's co-Founder and CTO, so he really knows what he's talking about).
   
   In conclusion, if you want to learn how you use those technologies (Asp.net Ajax, Workflow Foundation..), I recommend you to try other books. Otherwise, if you want to know more about how to create a scalable web 2.0 site, tips & tricks and the best practices of those techs at web, this book will hit at the bullseye.

5 comments about Beginning ASP.NET 3.5: In C# and VB (Programmer to Programmer).

1. I've picked up copies of Beginning ASP.NET 2.0; Build Your Own ASP.NET 2.0 Web Site Using C# & VB; Beginning ASP.NET 2.0 E-Commerce in C# 2005 From Novice to Professional; and Microsoft ASP.NET 3.5 Step by Step (the only one I can recommend). With all of these, I struggled to read them and didn't feel as though I learned much, or in the case of the last, failed to get much more than an overview of ASP.NET (albeit a good one).
   
   However, with Imar Spaanjaars' book, I finally feel comfortable with ASP.NET 3.5.
   
   In this book Imar works through the steps of creating of an actual, fully-functional, ASP.NET 3.5 Web site, that's actually not that bad (ignoring some questionable design).
   
   Unlike other books, Imar covers both the Express and commercial versions of Visual Studio, in a very unobtrusive way. In addition, Imar doesn't rely solely on the ASP.NET components, but gives a good deal of actual programming, in both C# and VB (in a very clean, comfortable, way).
   
   While it's true that he references a number of other Wrox books, such as Professional ASP.NET 3.5: In C# and VB (Programmer to Programmer), there is very little that needs to be examined to get a site up and running, that would suit the majority of business needs.
   
   Overall, my faith in the ability of Web developers to write good books has been restored by this tome (and at over 700 pages, tome it is). A Web developer Imar is, and to us, as equals, is to whom he speaks. This is clearly seen in his summaries and tips, at the end of each chapter.
   
   I give this book 5 stars of 5. If you've read the other books and been left sad, confused, and/or angry, this is the volume to pick up.
   
   Note: I will be reading this book twice, once I've finished with Professional ASP.NET 3.5: In C# and VB (Programmer to Programmer). There is so much in this book that bears repeating, and many things that I'm sure I missed in my first read, since it's so full of (valuable) information.



2. I think this is a great start for anyone looking to get into ASP.NET. The entire book takes you through creating a professional-looking website. The book was very well thought out and I have yet to see any errors. I've found the author to be very responsive on the WROX website, as well.



3. Recieved book in excellent condition! The book is very organized and very constructive in teaching me what I need to learn in a step-by-step manner. I very much recommend this book!



4. This is a good hands-on tutorial. The author will walk you through an operation, and then explain how it works. I like that approach.
   
   The online resources provided to accompany the book have been very helpful to me. When you start working through a new chapter, you might find it a good idea to start with the official source code provided for the previous one, instead of relying on the results of your own work, especially if you skip some of the exercises.
   
   There is an online forum for the book, and the author and the editor do a great job of answering questions.
   
   To fully benefit from the code-intensive examples in the book, you may want to study C# or VB in its own right as well. If you have no knowledge of programming languages at all, you might find the book a little hard to understand.
   
   The book could benefit from some more editing, which is why I have only given it four stars. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn ASP.NET 3.5.



5. I am using this text as the basis for a university-level business web application development course. It is a better introduction to ASP.NET 3.5 than any textbook I have found. The chapters unfold logically, each new skill building on the last. The prose is clear and relaxed. The code examples are correct and clearly presented. Imar has used the same organization and logic skills needed for good programming to produce an excellent book!

5 comments about MCDST Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-271): Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft® Windows® XP Operating System, Second Edition (Pro-Certification).

1. A little background history:
   I am 48 yo and I am italian, so I am not really fluent in english language, however I can read it (although with some difficulties).
   I am in search of a new job so I needed to get a recent qualification in the IT field.
   I worked almost 5 years as a Desktop Support Technician before leaving my old firm (due to my pay dissatisfaction) in search for best opportunities.
   Unfortunately the new job I got (although ways better payed) was physically too hard for me and I got injured (it ways a factory worker job) so I needed to turn back into the IT field.
   So I had the idea to get a Microsoft Certification to raise my job chances.
   
   Back to the present:
   When I worked as a DST I handled mostly Windows 2000 and NT 4 workstations, with very little theoretical background. So I knew that a lot of background knowledge was missing to me. This fact, along with the english language based study and exam, was scaring me.
   
   But I took this book, I read it (with some difficulties) from the first to the last page, I did the tests in the enclosed CD, I practiced with my own pc and after 18 days of intense study I passed the 70-271 exam first try with 783.
   
   I also had the Exam Cram 2 book, which I read only in part, doing all the tests enclosed with it.
   
   Sure my previous practical experience helped a lot, but I knew I had big holes in my theoretical background, and this book helped me a lot to integrate my knowledge (I.E. until I read this book I really didn't know that the ipconfig /flushdns command was able to flush the dns cache of a workstation).
   
   When I booked for the exam I was exitant to take it, because the "Certification simulation" mode of the tests enclosed with the CDs of these books had me often failing to pass.
   
   After the exam I can say that the real Microsoft questions are ways more clear and understandable that those presented in the simulation tests.
   
   In fact - beside learning unknown and valuable troubleshooting tricks and methodologies - the real problem for a foreign language speaker like me was to correctly understand the english-formulated questions, that often can be very devious.
   
   But the learning tests enclosed with the books are a though (maybe frustrating) way to improve your reasoning skills about Desktop assistance.
   
   Now I am studying for the 70-272 exam in order to get the MCDST certification and I am really more relaxed about it.



2. I read through the book cover to cover, and as I took the mini-quizes at the end of each section I was answering just about every question correctly. I thought I was good to go. Then I put in the CD with the practice tests... boy was I wrong. The practice tests were asking questions that were never touched on in the book anywhere. I'd try to use the book to find the answer to a practice test question and there was no mention of it. The book was far more basic than the questions being asked on the tests. I changed my study habit and used the practice tests on the to "study" but really all I was doing was learning how to answer the questions. Even that was difficult because the testing software was as buggy as Windows itself... There are questions were you have to click a part of a graphic, or move items up and down in list kind of things... I would put in my answer, it would mark me wrong, then when I read the explanation, I realized I was right and the programmer scored the question wrong. There were at least a dozen different questions in the exam where the explanation tells you you got the answer right, but are still scored incorrectly.
   
   At the end of the day, I passed the exam with an 800 (need 700 to pass) so I suppose that's all that matters, but it was a pretty darn frustrating experience using Microsoft prep materials for a Microsoft test, but having the study aids be bordering on useless.
   
   I will keep the book though. It is a solid reference book for Windows XP... just not any help for the exams.



3. This book did not help me much. I work as a Desktop Support Tech for a large business. Too many mistakes particularly when you use "Readiness Review Suite". I spent $50.00 for somebodies mistakes? I do not appreciate it! Finally, it is hard to find only one book to be on track.



4. This was the only book I bought before taking the test. I used the discount voucher included with the book and after studying for two weeks passed the Exam. I would highly recommend doing the exercises in the book as I needed to see the menus and paths to the options in order to answer the questions. Everything I needed was in the book; I just had to do the exercises over and over until I got familiar with the menus.



5. Ordered, shipped (with usps), fast delivery ,good condition.
   All is it should be.
   
   Leopold

5 comments about Adobe Photoshop CS2 Classroom in a Book.

1. This book was a required purchase as a supplement for a 4-week class I recently completed. Aside from a few minor typos, the book proves to be a helpful resource for me in and outside of the classroom. The examples are specific, and the word choice is straight-forward and easy to interpret. The CD of lesson materials has been expertly assembled. The lessons seem a bit "time consuming" as compared with other books... but the learnings are complete and easy to reference in the future. I intend to purchase other books from the "Classroom in a Book" series in the future.



2. Quick responce for delivery of an most satisfying product. meets my need for initial training in Photoshop and is truly Classroom in a book.



3. There are many better books out for teaching about photoshop. I had to buy this book for my digital photography class. Anything from Scott Kelby is better.



4. As a complete novice to PhotoShop, this has been a great book for me. However, I am more interested in photo retouching using photoshop and so probably should have bought a book that focuses on that subject. Overall, though, it's well written, informative, and easy to follow. I would recommend it for someone looking to gain all around knowledge of PhotoShop and its features.



5. Great information and details. This book is so easy to follow and understand. It's great for starters and pros.

5 comments about Linux Pocket Guide.

1. These book includes most used unix commands. One step more explanatory than man pages. With its small size, it's very appropriate for reading while travelling with bus or metro.
   But this is not a complete reference book, for advanced users.



2. This is definitely a great companion for any Linux administrator or hobbyist who is trying to become a level 60 command line warrior. There are plenty of commands to familiarize yourself with, and they are grouped logically (rather than alphabetically), which means that when you look up a command, you can find other similar commands in the same section. This book was written with Fedora Core Linux in mind, so it may not cover some of the commands unique to other Linux distros.



3. A pocket sized guide to the essential commands of Linux. While specific to an older version of Fedora, this is still a very handy reference. All the essential commands are covered and explained.
   
   This is a small book with a limited purpose and it acheives its goals. More or less indispensable for the Linux user.
   
   Jerry



4. I'm relatively new to linux and this is a great book to have handy. Very small and tightly packed with easy to find commands and examples. Great tool and good price.



5. While this may be an excellent reference for experienced Linux users, it will be of very limited use for beginners or those who use Linux through a graphical interface. It is also specifically directed towards Fedora. It would be helpful if your descriptive blurb on the book revealed these two facts.

5 comments about Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Querying (Solid Quality Learning).

1. Normally I don't write a review but I liked this book enough to do so. I am a programmer not an SQL developer. I knew the basics but not the details and I had to write complex queries in SQL 2005 so I researched books for couple days before I bought this one. I have never heard of CTE, APPLY, ROW_NUMBER or PIVOT to mention few. This book at the beginning gives you the basics to understand how queries are processed internally, the difference between the types of indexes and how to read the execution plans. Then it dives into the language. Each example is well thought. The example goes over the syntax, performance and also optimization. I read all of it and did most of the examples.



2. The MS SQL books have dramatically risen in quality in a few short years. When SQL 7 and 2000 were released, there were may be 1-3 book which were truly outstanding. For SQL 2005, however, there are at least 5-10 books which are truly worthwhile and this is one of them.
   
   The reason why the quality of books has risen is the expertise of the authors. For this book, the authors are either MS SQL MVP or have been involved with the creation of MS SQL at Microsoft.
   
   Generally speaking, the book has high level expert description of the underlying MS SQL 2005 architecture and T-SQL commands. But it lacks a nice flowing writing style which hempers the understanding to a willing reader. This book is an another example of authors who are inept at explaining the subject matter which they are an expert much like a professor who can't teach.
   
   I also felt some parts of the book were sloppy or not as detailed. For example, the authors state that one of the steps of T-SQL query tuning is the need to correlate wait stats with problematic queries. Yet they never provide an adequate example (other than providing a useless query of SYS.DM_OS_PERFORMANCE_COUNTERS table) of how to connect wait stat with a specific transaction. This is a huge missing link.
   
   PROS:
   1)Awesome details on Indexes and Query plans
   2)Solid advice on how to improve T-SQL for better performance.
   
   Cons:
   1)Not for the beginners. The book goes straight to the harder subjects (PIVOT, APPLY, complex joins etc).
   2)Does not cover simple or fundamental subject matters.



3. This is the 2nd book of the 4 part "Inside-SQL" series, with each book I imagine, appealing to a different reader. Having a programming background, I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series ("The Storage Engine"), which on it's own is also an excellent book.
   
   As mentioned in other reviews, this book is definitely not for beginners. The authors assumes a basic level of SQL knowledge from the reader as he launches into complex Transact-SQL examples - unlike most books which start the reader with simple SQL examples and progress through to complex ones.
   
   While reading this book, it was easy to compare it's contents with Ken Henderson's popular "A Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL", with the latter book becoming more and more outdated by the improvements in Transact-SQL since it was published. If you're a fan of Henderson, you will quickly become a fan of Itzik.
   
   A benefit of this book is that unlike most SQL 2005 books, this is not an update on SQL 2000 material, but instead starts at the 2005 level. The author focuses on the new syntax introduced in SQL 2005, and then, moves onto older SQL 2000 syntax and compares both the complexity and the performance differences between the two. This itself is invaluable to those of use that code in Transact-SQL and feel more comfortable using the "old ways". This book highlights how the new syntax is in fact simpler and more efficient - we just need to take the time and effort to understand and become familiar with the new language changes.
   
   The book starts by discussing the logical processing of a SELECT statement, which helps the reader to understand the hows and whys of writing a query. I finally understood why I can't use an expression's alias in a WHERE BY or GROUP BY clause (as the SELECT line is one of the last parts of the statement to be processed). Throughout the book, the author often defines a problem and allows the reader to formulate an appropriate solution. He then reveals MULTIPLE solutions and explains why each is good or bad. The book ends with a selection of "logic puzzles" that test the reader's ability to solve logical problems. This was both fun and informative.
   
   After reading this book, I found myself changing the way I constructed SQL queries at work - for the better!



4. Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Querying (Solid Quality Learning)
   
   This is a great reference or review text. The content is fairly meaty and will take some chewing. For example, the book starts right off by breaking down the query engine process into it's processing steps and taking the reader through examples of the result sets at each step in the process. It might be overwhelming for someone starting out, but it's a great place to dive into a deeper understanding of the data engine.



5. As a programmer we go through many a book. And many of them read and feel like textbooks. So we skim, read in short bursts, simply would rather avoid the read.
   This book is so well written that it can't be put down. And it's packed with REAL WORLD examples. Instead of just defining syntax and using a lame example, this book goes FAR beyond that, and digs deep into real world examples that really shine a light on your work.
   I purchased this book almost a year ago, and it's still one of the most referenced books I have. I am constantly pulling it out when I reach a problem in my work, and this book always has great pointers to a solution.
   This book will make you a T-SQL junkie, get it.
   
   PS The logic puzzles in the back are great, too!

5 comments about Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (Introducing Statistical Methods S.) (2nd Edition).

1. When I study my MBA classes, this book helps me a lot. The book provides essential review of all Statistic knowledge in the beginning of each chaper, and then lead readers use SPSS step by step.
   Especially the practical examples and funny illustration, I will say the book is the only one interesting and powerful Statistic book I can find. I highly recommand it for readers work for Marketing, Medical , Engineering , Finance, and MBA classes. The book can lead you to resolve many "real" problems.



2. I love this book. It covers everything from the most basic t-tests and ANOVAs to factor analysis. It tells you the basics of what the test is meant to do, what sort of data is appropriate for it and it tells you how to actually run and read the test in SPSS.
   
   It isn't the best book for someone who wants a detailed explaination of how to calculate a statistical test by hand and it doesn't give extensive detail on the assummptions required for each test. Nonetheless, it's a great quick reference book, particularly if you've already had a statistics course and you just need a refresher. Graduate students will find it useful.



3. This book contains very comprehensive explanations and descriptions with practical examples which are sometimes not so familiar with me (I'm a physician.). overall, this is an excellent book and I regret not being able to meet such a book in a way more focussing on medical fields. But this has a critical shortcoming in book-binding. you should not read this book so many times to keep the original shape. that's a reason why I gave 4 stars.



4. dr. field has done an excellent job of making stats understandable and spss user friendly. as a social psychology grad student, i enjoy the ease of use found with the index. if i forget the differences in rotation methods for factor analysis, i can quickly find clear explanations in the book. i suggest to all grad students and advanced undergrads using spss to get a copy of this text!



5. Useful and entertaining stats books are hard to come by but this one has hit the mark! Comprehensive and clear explanations of statistical theory are provided as well as of SPSS output. Love the examples and icons. Who would have thought a stats text could make me laugh out loud?!

5 comments about ActionScript 3.0 Cookbook: Solutions for Flash Platform and Flex Application Developers.

1. For those of us who have experience in many programming languages (C, C++, C#, JAVA etc.) who were introduced to flash and to actionscript (2.0/3.0) - I HIGHLY recommend this book as your first choice! - it'll get you up to speed in a matter of a week or two!
   I highly recommend taking some time aside and read it thoroughly. This is the best cookbook I've ever read. Very clear, well organized, easy to understand - you name it! In fact, I don't know whether to consider it as a cookbook - as it is by all means an excellent learning textbook as well!!!
   If you wanna be an actionscript 3.0 stud - start with this book.



2. I've been a fan of programmer's cookbooks ever since the famous Perl Cookbook ages ago. It's a great way to get into a language and do away with any nagging thoughts that maybe you didn't solve a problem well.
   
   This specific cookbook falls short, though. I tried to read it cover to cover as well as individual chapters, but I found it oddly balanced. For example, the authors waste three recipes on about 10 pages about generating a random number (which is just one command!), and then describe event handling (the big thing!) on half a page. I also find it strange to read about trigonometry in a programmer's book, and I don't think recipes work very well for explaining basic language features (such as how to create a new object, or how to "trace a message").
   
   Mostly though, the book is outdated with the release of flex2/3. Yes, Actionscript 3 is still current, but you don't roll your own buttons as subclasses of sprite anymore!
   
   In short, I give it three stars for content, and subtract 1 for being outdated. If you want to read about Actionscript 3, Adobe has a very nicely outlined pdf online, which is an easy read compared to these confusing and stale recipes.



3. This book is about ActionScript ONLY. when I bought it, I was hoping to find cookbook solutions for Flash and/or Flex IDE and all the step-by-step color illustrations and the cool visual effects that you can implement with those IDEs. That is not really what this book is geared for. So when I first started this review, I really wanted to give it a less-than-5-star rating, but I realized I can't do that in all fairness, because it does serve the purpose it portends. If you want an unadorned, pedantic, O'Reilly-ish how-to on ActionScript, this their ilk. If you want something with easy-to-follow illustrations on the Flash/Flex IDE and flashy visual effects, look elsewhere. Buyer beware.



4. In theory this book could have been very good. There were a few things that I did like about it. I liked the problem, solution, discussion approach to learning ActionScript. The book covered all of the topics I was interested in. It used real world examples to demonstrate the points.
   
   The reasons I gave this book a poor rating were the fact that it was written for Flex developers and all examples used the Flex tool to build (not very good for me who uses Flash), and they continually gave examples and explained how to solve problems using their predefined, custom classes. The pages would have been better spent showing us how to build these useful Classes ourselves, instead of teaching us how to use them. Luckily for me, I was already versed in ActionScript and could easily understand that these Classes were not part of ActionScript. If I were not, I think it would have been rather confusing to try to pick out their custom classes from what comes with ActionScript 3. I'm trying to learn ActionScript, not the custom Classes the authors have created.
   
   If you are new to ActionScript and not a Flex developer, do yourself a favor and buy a different book.
   
   _t



5. very simple recipes. for any intermediate to advanced programmer this book is not recommended.

5 comments about LINQ in Action.

1. If you want to learn Linq, whether its data stored in a database, in XML files, DataSets or just in-memory objects this is the book for you.
   
   I found it so easy to understand, and really comprehend. There are lots of examples, but not too many. After reading the first few chapters you become comfortable with the concept and syntax of the new language extensions.
   
   The authors style had just the right combination of light humor and serious programming. He seems able to express complicated issues with the greatest of ease, and obviously has enoumous knowledge on the subject.
   
   If that was not enough, there are forums avalable where you can raise queries and doubts and the author will do his best to accomodate you, again with a nice and easy flowing style.
   
   The book is a 'must have' to any serious Linq programmer (or want-to-be Linq programmer!) and will certainly occupy a prominent place on my bookshelf.
   
   Highly recommended!
   
   Regards,
   Martin.



2. I am disappointed with this book - it did not meet my expectations. I found many examples and it is really hard to use them because the author hardly explains where all comes from and why I should go this way and not another one. It sometimes confuses why, where and for what purpose the author shows an example and whether it suits my case. It is hard to decide because there are almost no explanations about roots of examples and basic theory.
   However, I am happy with the fact that more and more books about LINQ come up and I do hope to find a proper one for me. Unfortunately, for now, I have to move from one book to another one for finding a solution.



3. This is a very nicely written book.
   Clear explanations, concepts are introduced gradually and build on each other with no forward references, simple and to the point code samples, good and appropriate pace, and very easy to read and understand.
   
   I was actually amazed by this book. I read a couple of books/month, and this book reminded me a lot of the quality of classic CS books, which is so hard to come by nowadays -- think "The unix programming environment", but more accessible.
   This is in sharp contrast with most of the today books in the (programming/CS) field which tend to have a big ratio of page-count to information (lots of screenshots, or 101/intro-level intermixed content, lots of fluff). This is not a book that you can shrink without loosing quality.



4. This book is best used with a companion book covering basic C# terms. I found that I had to refer to the internet for explanations of terms.
   
   Explanations, not just definitions. That need slowed my reading to a crawl. though I have been using C# for the past year.



5. LINQ in Action, at 600 pages provides a substantial introduction and in-depth discussion of LINQ, its history, its impact, and most important - its syntax and features. I found this book easy to navigate, given that many developers (I know I do) moved between LINQ to Objects, LINQ to XML and LINQ to SQL througout the working day. When you stumble over a particular query, I found it easy to find a relavent sample in the index.
   
   If you haven't had an opportunity to move into the .NET 3.5 Framework world and use C# .0 or VB 0 syntax yet, then this book will arm you with the background necessary to move productively into the new 'Query Centric' programming paradigm - one free of complex 'for' loops and deeply nested 'if' statements (and free of embedded SQL string statements).
   
   Although hefty in size, I recommend this book if you seriously want to move beyond the basics and really understand how to use LINQ.

5 comments about Dream Worlds: Production Design for Animation.

1. Everything in it is golden. The information is superb. Definitely a must have for production artist interested in animation field.
   I can see this book become the most sought book in animation field.
   Filled with nothing but legendary works of arts.
   Definitely a must have.
   
   Now i have praised everything that i need to praise about the content, let's deal with the bad.
   
   Everything will be perfect if only the publishers know the difference between a bad paper and a good paper.
   For a hard cover book, i do not expect such poor quality of papers to be used.
   
   It is a bit insulting to see maestro works such as Eyvind Earle's and many others to be presented in a low quality paper. The book is as guilty as Leonardo Da Vinci's glorified failure of his "Last Supper", if you know what i mean.
   
   Everything is great but the presentation and the medium used ruin the supposedly a glorious victory.



2. Hans Bacher's retrospective of his years at Disney should be in every animation professional's library, actually it should be in every filmmaker's library. This is all the work that goes on behind the scenes to create the beauty we see on the screen. Hans is a genius when is comes to screen composition, color, visual motif.



3. I've been looking for a book like this for years! I've been able to find some great books about the principles of moving an animated character around and the "Art of"-type of books about a particular movie can be very inspiring and educational in their own right, but a book that deals with the thought process that goes into the production design of an animated film is long overdue. I wish it could have delved deeper into the more theoretical "nuts and bolts" of things like setting up camera shots for both 2D and 3D animation--I guess I'm looking for something more technical, where this book still has a "coffee table" feel to some of the individual chapters on particular films--but it's already had a big impact on the way I lay out scenes in my own work. I have a feeling this one is going to be on my drawing table for a long time!



4. Hans Bacher has created a wonderful, insightful and beautiful book, which is a work of art in its own right. Yet, it IS an instructional book on the process of Production Design for animation. Whether you are a student of animation, a film aficionado, or a working industry professional, you will find something new to think about and much to appreciate on every page.
   
   The images are clear, and both appropriately chosen to illustrate Mr. Bacher's points and serve as coffee table worthy art. His precise and yet easy way of presenting the subject of Production Design is a fast read, while remaining, educational, interesting, and enjoyable all the way through. Well worth the investment.



5. This is a great book for any art student wanting to get into preproduction for film or animation. This is the bar, industry standard. I found it to be very helpful in sharping my own portfolio.