3 comments about Complete CL: The Definitive Control language Programming Guide.

1. Simple, yet very detailed, lots of code samples and some very useful utilities. As anything from Midrange Computing, slightly overpriced. Get your IT department to pay for it!



2. This book is an excellent book even for seasoned veterans on the iSeries. I found at many tips and examples that were very valuable. Ted Holt always manages to keep one step ahead of the game and provide insight into CL, RPG and iSeries in general.
   
   I have been following Ted & Ernies technical articles for years and I would recommend this book to any of my colleagues.
   It seems Ted always strives to give the iSeries community his best.
   
   I was sad to hear that Ernie Malaga had passed away.
   
   Thanks to Ted & Ernie...again



3. I feel as if I am one of the few S/36 programmers left. My company has upgraded to the I5, and I am still supporting S/36 code on it. This book is a terrific reference for integrating CL into existing legacy code and utilizing the extraordinary power of the new machines in old systems. The section on S/36, I believe, was written JUST FOR ME!!! I trusted the book when I bought it, because I have relied on Ted and Ernie throughout my midrange computer career, from S/3 model 10 through the latest "machine to surpass all machines". Thanks to Ted and Ernie!!!

3 comments about Developing More-Secure Microsoft® ASP.NET 2.0 Applications (Pro Developer).

1. This is a book by a MS Developer Security MVP for any and all developers writing ASP.NET 2.0 applications. Not only does it cover all the usual suspects and provides practical prescriptive guidance on how to deal with them with examples; it also deals with the tough "hot topics" like partial trust. The book is both complete in breadth and depth and really does provide a single good reference book on ASP.NET security.
   
   I can not recomend it with more guster.
   
   Confession I helped write the tools chapter which is why I know (and yes I am a fellow MS Developer Security MVP)!



2. I really wish I could give this book 6 stars, it has been an indespensable resource for learning techniques to develop more secure applications. With so many dangers lurking out there it is increasingly important to not only be able to develop secure applications but to understand the .net security mechanisms as well. This book will leave no questions unanswered, if for no other reason purchase this book for chapter 8 on partial trust, I have not come across any resource that covered this topic so thoroughly. It's treatment of sandboxing and code partitioning alone make the book worth every penny paid. If your looking to continually improve the quality of your code and sites don't leave this book off your list.



3. I am an ASP.NET newbie and found this book very helpful in understanding authentication, authorization, role based security, input validation etc. I am a desktop developer and found the web development model difficult to understand initially but this book cleared up my mind in the security related parts. The book is written in a very clear and concise manner and uses diagrams to explain concepts which which I found very helpful. There are practical advices sprinkled all over the book along with the "why" of it.
   In short, this is a very well written book which improved my asp.net knowledge and skills considerably. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Beginning Active Server Pages 3.0 (Programmer to Programmer).

1. This text is so packed with information, it even goes beyond asp and introduces XML and COM+....so well written, so concise, publishers throughtout the country need to learn from wrox' writers on how to do technical books right! Every bit of code is explained in great detail, and while there are some errors, the website covers nearly all of them. Case in point: I won't be selling my copy back!



2. This book starts by giving an overview of how the browser, server, and pages interact to deliver web-based data and pages. The first 3 chapters, and the XML intro, are worth the cost of this book. I started this book with very little understanding of how dynamic web pages are delivered over the net, and am now ready and anxious to take on my first web development challenge. Can't wait to put the info in this book to use! The writing style is great also - very seamless and easy understand, even after 6 authors compile their knowledge into one volume!!!



3. Prior to purchasing this book I had no experience with ASP whatsoever. One day at work I was told that I needed to study up on ASP, and fast. I didn't really know where to start, but I ended up with this book, and it has been a lifesaver. I took the time to work through the examples in a select few key chapters, and was amazed that after only a couple of days I had developed the skills necessary for basic ASP development.
   
   Now its been a few months, and the book still serves as a useful reference. It is extremely well organized. The examples are basic, but definitely teach the fundamentals needed to become a competent ASP developer. It will not make you an expert, but that's not its purpose anyway. It excels at relating the relevant information in an understandable and easy to learn format. For me to be developing with ASP in only 2 or 3 days is a testament to the quality of this book. I've never read a Wrox book before now, but I will definitely only purchase Wrox books in the future.



4. Beginning Active Server Pages is an all encompassing book on classic ASP web server development. The authors explain in great detail from the beginning on how dynamic web development works. No matter what technology you use (PHP, Coldfusion, JSP), how a web browser requests a page, the web server send the request to the server-side engine and/or does a database request and send the result to the browser. The book assumes no previous knowledge of web development and explains the basics very well so that any reader can start from any skill level.
   
   The beginning of the book discusses what software you will need to get started which basically is either IIS (Internet Information Serve) or PWS (Personal web Server) in a Windows environment. How to install, test and configure the web server is discussed as well as setting up user permissions and virtual directories. This is a great starter to making sure the reader has all the information to get started on creating their first ASP web page.
   
   The author continues explaining basic scripting techniques and language syntax of web scripting (VBScript) and explaining the differences between client and server side scripting and how the IIS engine interprets the request. Also covered early are the intrinsic ASP objects such as Request, Response, Server objects. A good review of some of the basic components of this very robust development technology.
   
   The book then goes into send and receiving data from web forms in showing the reader some very useful but basic examples to get you started. The book covers in the next few chapters (4 - 5), in detail the basics of VBScript language such as variables, operators, strings, arrays, control statements (if, case, loops) and functions. The next chapter (6), goes into the concept of objects, methods, properties and events which explain to the user that almost everything is an object in ASP and the importance of this fact as well. Some OOP concepts such as encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism are reviewed with some nice examples.
   
   The next two chapters cover many important ASP objects in great detail such as Response, Request, Application, Session, and Cookies. These chapters cover most of the most used objects that will be used in almost any ASP application. When you can master these objects you will have a great understanding of the fundamentals of ASP applications. The authors do a great job of explaining these important topics to the reader that it gives you more motivation to read more and learn more. Unlike other books that try to explain too much and confuse the reader, this book explains just enough in English other than techo-bable.
   
   The rest of the book covers all types of database access using connects, recordsets, cursors, ADO, locking, filtering data, SQL syntax, and much more. Among other topics covered at the end of the book are focusing on advanced topics such as XML, Transactions and COM+.
   
   The book is really all you need to learn and master ASP to develop dynamic web applications for yourself.



5. Like the others have said... this is a good starter book for those looking to learn the older ASP technologies, since you may need to know a little of this if you are messing with older sites. I would recommend this book. However, the one thing that is wrong with this book is the MASSIVE amount of grammatical errors and typing errors.
   
   Its calling out the wrong variables in certain situanions and mislabeling methods and procedures. Once you are aware this is happening in the book you just need to be mindful and know you aren't crazy, its a typing error. I hope Wrox has started taking their textbooks to the editor and getting them proofread, because it's a shame a book this good is peppered with so many errors.
   
   In closing, this is worth the read and it will surely help you on you way to learning ASP 3.0.

5 comments about Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Compass: Business Value, Planning, and Enterprise Roadmap (The developerWorks Series).

1. The whole subject of SOA, or Service Oriented Architecture, is getting to be ever-more mainstream in IT organizations. Being able to build systems using a web services architecture presents some very real advantages, but how do you know where to begin? From an architecture and structure viewpoint, this book does a pretty good job... Service-Oriented Architecture Compass: Business Value, Planning, and Enterprise Roadmap by Norbert Bieberstein, Sanjay Bose, Marc Fiammante, Keith Jones, and Rawn Shah.
   
   Contents: Introducing SOA; Explaining the Business Value of SOA; Architecture Elements; SOA Project Planning Aspects; Aspects of Analysis and Design; Enterprise Solution Assets; Determining Non-Functional Requirements; Securing the SOA Environment; Managing the SOA Environment; Case Studies in SOA Deployment; Navigating Forward; Glossary; Index
   
   Given the right audience, this has a lot of valuable information. If you're a developer looking for information on how to code a web service, then you'll likely be highly disappointed. This book is *not* a coding tutorial, nor does it profess to be. It really serves as a guide on how an SOA environment can be built and leveraged within an organization. I would see this as being a great book for an application architect trying to position an organization's overall application strategy. For a person like that, all the important concepts are to be found here. There's the "why"... why be concerned with SOA? There's the "who"... Who in your organization plays a part in designing and building these services to be used by the business? And of course, there's a lot of "what"... What are the parts that make up an SOA implementation, and what does an organization have to take into account to make it all work together? It's easy enough to build a web service to look up a name or something, and to think you're now leveraging SOA. The reality is much deeper and more fundamental than just rolling out a web service here and there... An additional feature of the book that makes it unique is that it references online developerWorks articles on the IBM web site in order to add more information to the mix. Oh, and I probably should mention that since it's an IBM Press book, there's a heavy slant towards IBM examples and software. But overall, the core information is vendor-neutral, and it's material you'll need to understand in order to make an SOA implementation a success.
   
   Don't think you'll sit down, read the book in a couple of hours, and then be all-knowing when it comes to SOA. The material takes time to read and understand. But once you make it all the way through, you should be well-grounded in the fundamentals behind it all.



2. I enjoyed the book. It was well-written in clear language, presenting a concise set of principles for a successful SOA strategy.
   
   This book was an eye-opener for me. It presents SOA as something that you grow into. It described SOA in terms of the business benefits that it leads to, namely agility and flexibility. The authors filled the book with wise advice. It opened my eyes to the path that lay ahead of me.
   
   The authors suggest a close working relationship between business process owners and the technical staff. They claim this is a critical foundation for being able to create services which are indeed flexible and lead to business agility.
   
   The 2 case studies at the end of the book could have included more details.
   
   If you're looking ahead for your own SOA development efforts, definitely pick up this book as you plan projects, evaluate staffing needs, design your architecture, and consider
   software purchases.



3. This new book from IBM Press released in October 2005 provides valuable inputs for someone looking for an authentic source to obtain a roadmap on SOA. Having said that, the 11 chapters present only a high level view of the topics. For instance, it clarifies that SOA is Platform, Protocol and Programming language independent. These and other aspects relating to backward and forward compatibility, the Enterprise Service Bus, the On Demand Operating Environment (ODOE) are all compressed into one chapter, Chapter-3 titled "Architecture Elements". Chapter-4 presents the SOA Adoption Roadmap with a brief set of tips for success which make interesting reading. Chapter-4 also takes a look at existing roles in IS projects and redefines some of them and introduces new ones. The UDDI Designer, UDDI Administrator and the Services Governor are new roles that I found interesting. Chapter-5 deals with Analysis and Design of Service layers through abstraction and how to categorize them. Chapter-6 carries the interesting analysis and design discussion forward and states that finding the correct asset to solve the enterprise architechture problem is difficult. The chapter discusses 2 scenarios with pros and cons and consequences of each approach with diagrams that are good.
   
   I found these 4 chapters (3-6) of the 11 the highlights of the book. I am looking forward to delving deeper into SOA architecture from other books. This book provided a good foundation for understanding SOA.



4. I enjoyed this book and found a lot of valuable information and insight into SOA concepts and issues.



5. I read this book after reading Enterprise SOA: Service-Oriented Architecture Best Practices By Dirk Krafzig; Karl Banke; Dirk Slama. That is the best book on SOA in my opinion. So may be I am a little biased, but following are my comments:
   1. I found it highly theoretical. It tries to explain a lot of concepts, but does not use practical examples. This is in total contrast to the book I mentioned, which keeps the information interesting and readers can relate to it easily.
   2. The case studies sections seem to be done hastily and there is no practical knowledge which you can get from them. They seem to be simple applications of web services. The authors use buzzwords like hub centric architecture etc. to make them look different.
   3. Authors use all available opportunities to promote IBM products.

5 comments about My Job Went to India: 52 Ways to Save Your Job (Pragmatic Programmers).

1. I love this book. It's full of great ideas on how to be a creative employee who significantly contributes to her organization. I really wish I'd had it 20 years ago when starting out. Note: The title is misleading; it's not about outsourcing so much as making yourself highly valuable. Highly recommended.
   
   More at: A few highlights from "My job went to India"
   http://ideamatt.blogspot.com/2007/02/few-highlights-from-my-job-went-to.html



2. This book has a bunch of generic advice along the lines of keep up with things and don't put all your eggs in one basket. Not exactly a revelation here.
   If you read the relevant blogs, web sites and talk to people in the industry you don't need this book.



3. "Pragmatic Bookshelf" has a solid reputation for publishing great books and this book is no exception. This one ranks right up there with books like "The Pragmatic Programmer" and "Code Complete". With small bite sized chapters with specific and pointed advice, you won't go wrong buying this book.
   
   In the era of globalization -- specifically with regard to software development, the book offers a complete list of techniques and approaches to not just survive but excel in the programming world. Having lived in India for a short while, he has some really astute observations about India including some great tips related to recruiting good programmers. There are a couple of chapters available for free off the publishers website. Read them and also take a look at the table of contents. Just the table of contents is probably worth the price of the book.
   
   It is unfortunate that the title "My job went to India ..." was chosen. Apparently, the author's propensity for cuteness overcame his wisdom. Looking at the cover makes it seem like some kind of a trashy joke book and it's possible that a lot of folks might have given it the go-by judging the book by its cover. The publishers might be doing the general public a great service by releasing a new edition with some updates and renaming it while not wearing their funny hats -- maybe something like "The Relevant Programmer".



4. This book has changed the way I look at my business. There is not much to say about this book. It is short enough to read it in one weekend a I would strongly advise you to do so.



5. As a North American software developer, I definitely got a lot out of this book. I don't really fear my job being outsourced to India but I wanted to understand what the issues were with outsourcing and can IT shops in India deliver the same value at North American ones.
   Outsourcing to India is just a part of this book and the general theme is how to stay more relevant to your organization when technology is constantly changing. There is a lot of useful advice about how to make yourself more valuable to your organization (and deliver more value to your organization).
   [...]

No comments about Software Testing Practice: Test Management: A Study Guide for the Certified Tester Exam ISTQB Advanced Level.

5 comments about Ruby on Rails For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. I could not recommend RoR for Dummies more. It is an excellent book to a person who is looking for what I was looking for: a cohesive intro into RoR.
   
   I am not a programmer and I need to learn how to develop online application, i.e. database driven website (rather than static one using HTML and CSS alone) for our business.
   
   After thorough looking around I decided to go ahead and jump on Ruby, and ride the Rails (the framework within which online applications using Ruby language are built).
   
   The package is playfully called Ruby on Rails, shortly RoR (the book also explains how this name originated).
   
   I chose RoR over other available tools out there like PHP, C# in MS Visual Studio or Java with Struts, and others for the sheer beauty of Ruby. [...]
   
   RoR for Dummies is a bit more than an intro into RoR. It is a succinct primer for the Ruby programming language itself, Rails framework, HTML(!) and RadRails. RadRails is one of the available RoR's IDEs - Integrated Development Environment. IDE refers to a software that integrates working with all the essential parts of RoR in one place (namely Ruby, Rails, HTML, CSS, and some database (MySQL is the 'native' database in RoR). Very much like 'word processor' refers to a software for writing and formatting text documents.
   
   There are also a few paragraphs on databases spread around the book which I found very useful and informative. The book does not delve into CSS, which is understandable; CSS - albeit syntactically very simple - is a powerful formatting tool that can swiftly become challenging animal to tame if one leaves arena of coloring fonts and backgrounds. CSS is a subject matter of plethora of books.
   
   All of the parts necessary for work in RoR are available free of charge for immediate download and use. For a novice, this may seem a daunting task but RoR for Dummies guides reader through the download and installation of all of the parts safely and painlessly. I had no problem installing any of them following the instructions in the book (running Windows XP).
   
   The book is written in such a way that if one knows nothing about any of the topics (I think so, I cannot say about myself that I know nothing about these things), one can still proceed chapter by chapter and get all things done. There were only a handful of points in the book where I felt it was necessary to look elsewhere for additional explanations. And that was simply because I am a curious person and want to know the why's.
   
   The book is also quite funny at times.
   
   Of course that I have a slew of other books to go through in order to get efficient in using RoR. But again, I feel, that RoR for Dummies did excellent job in introducing me to the entire fleet of technologies involved in building an online application using Ruby, Rails, and HTML (the three covered topics).
   
   On the margin, I have a good working knowledge of HTML and CSS. I have some knowledge of Ruby, as I am learning Ruby on my own (I have taken courses on Visual Basic and PHP to get my feet wet in terms of programming). I am also currently taking courses on databases - database design and SQL. All of these pieces are needed for building online applications.
   
   One more thing, RoR/RadRails is not a Dreamweaver - although a huge amount of scripts is generated by Rails (hence the tremendous boost in efficiency of work), RoR/RadRails is not about dialog windows simplifying your job, it is about coding into what was prefabricated for you by Rails.



2. I work in the IT world, but knew nothing about RoR and just wanted enough of an overview to build a simple application that I had conceived. The book fit my needs perfectly.
   
   My one gripe was that the book referenced several links for Mac-related tutorials and tools at the books website, but they did not exist.
   
   That said, my disappointment was more than compensated for when I emailed the author, Barry Burd, and he quickly responded with several helpful tips. I later found several great blogs and other web resources for getting RoR running on the Mac.



3. I did not like this book. There are too many problems to mention them all. One would be that there are a lot of typos p79 on directory appears out of nowhere. pg 77 if you follow the instruction your get "error file container exists". The diagram on pg 75 is not explained and it is not explained how to get it. pg 73 the sample program directory you have to create it yourself but he doesn't tell you to do that. pg 59 includes one line that is repeated. Why? It is not explained. in chapter 17 he begins by telling you how to import a database but then a new heading appears Overriding the database name but this is actually a continuation of the instructions. At some point, you may have imported the database but he never tells you that. I found the entire book unclear and confusing and not up to the Dummies standards. As a former college instructor, I beleive understand what happened here. Translating lectures and student projects into a dummy book doesn't work.



4. Even by page 180, I felt I had learned very little. The book's attempted humor really does not work. I'd prefer that the author made the book shorter and more to-the-point.



5. I think this book is probably fine for what it does. Unfortunately, I bought it for what it does not do. The book assumes that you are going to do all of your Ruby on Rails programming on your local machine using GUI (Graphical User Interface) programs. This is all very well and good, but I need to write my Ruby on Rails programs on a remote Unix server using a text editor like emacs, so this book was totally useless.

1 comments about The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management.

1. Confused about WSDL, SOX or DML? Not only does the DAMA Dictionary of Data Management give you the key to unlocking hundreds of acronyms, it will also give you the definition for them. Great for figuring out what they meant in those presentations where they used all those 3-letter abbreviations designed to confuse the rest of us.

5 comments about A Practical Guide to Information Systems Strategic Planning, Second Edition.

1. My graduate IS/IT Strategic Planning course did not assign a text book on writing up an IS/IT Strategic Plan, so I had to track one down on my own. After reviewing at least a dozen books, I found Cassidy's to be the most practical with multiple and varied examples of the critical ideas, sections & components found within an IS Strategic Plan. There are many great examples of Mission and Vission statements and detailed sections on ROI analysis, executive summaries and the entire planning process, etc. The graphics & exhibits are easily understood and well organized, as is the entire book. In fact, other students actually purchased this book during the semester at my recommendation and our professor is looking to add this book as required reading for the course! It is especially good for those who have little to no experience putting together an entire IS plan from ground zero. Thorough, to the point, terrific examples and extremely well organized is how I would sum up this book. It will serve both students and IS/IT professionals extremely well.



2. I work for a large East Coast Utilities company. Our project team was charged with producing an "Information Systems Strategic Plan". A daunting task given multiple platforms, architectures, and technologies. Our team was experienced and knowledgeable, but lacked process direction.

   We turned to Anita Cassidy's book and found it amazingly helpful. We found ourselves referring to it many times during the planning and implementation stages of the project.

   Her book provides an authoritative reference which allowed us to cut total project time by 25%. We didn't need to argue about process, methodology, or research strategy. We went with Cassidy's suggestions and we were more than pleased with the results.

   Cassidy's simple, straightforward approach is easy to follow, meaningful, and very applicable. If you have the task of assembling an IS Strategic Plan, then this book will give you the step-by-step methodology to do so.

   Nice job Anita!




3. Half of the book deals with strategic planning which is quite helpful. Half the book deals with how to acquire an application which is not.



4. This book, like all of Ms. Cassidy's work, is straightforward, to the point and reads like a blueprint for success. In particular, she frames the objectives (Where are we? Where do we need to be? What's the best way to get there?), then gives guidance on answering the questions and a realistic and actionable plan for meeting the objectives.

   Her approach is focused on business needs and linked to the overriding imperatives and strategies of that domain. She begins by discussing the business drivers and why strategic planning is necessary, then provides a phased approach to the strategic planning process itself. This approach captures the business and technical "as-is" and "to-be" pictures, performs a gap analysis, and a plan for going from "as-is" to "to-be". On the surface this appears to be common sense, but the devil is in the details, and she provides the details. That is what makes this book so valuable. More importantly, it's obvious that she has extensive experience in strategic planning because all of the subtle issues are addressed, and her advice is on the mark every step of the way.

   Of course, one of the big issues in strategic planning is the question of what capital investments to make in software, either as an upgrade or entire replacement of company-critical systems, that align to the slected strategy. This book shows how to select the best fit to meet strategic plans, and how to capture the true costs and support requirements as a matter of due diligence.

   This book is, in my opinion, one of the better ones on the topic, and is only exceeded by her most recent book titled "A Practical Guide to Planning for E-Business Success: How to E-enable Your Enterprise". That book contains substantially the same approach as this one, but is aligned to e-business. Regardless of which book you choose, you'll find Ms. Cassidy's approach to reflect best practices, and the advice interspersed throughout the book to be invaluable.




5. I have not worked completely through this book, but have found it to be very readible with sound information. Everything does not apply to my situation (very small organization), but the concepts are clear.

5 comments about Building Online Stores with osCommerce: Beginner Edition.

1. I had previously worked for an organisation that utilized oscommerce as their online store structure. my interest was fed by the fact that you could modify how the program acted through open source contributions via the oscommerce forums/community. thinking that this program was difficult to learn, and even harder to master i considered the beginner edition to be a suitable starting point for my little personal venture. in retrospect, the advanced edition would have been better suited, because by the time i worked through this book, i was making considerable contribution and giving advice on the forums to new comers.
   
   In conclusion, if you work through this book from front to back, you will learn how to make an effective e-commerce enabled site.
   
   cheers.



2. I signed up for an oscommerce store and was able to do some of the functions. I have to say in the beginning this was a life-saver for me only because I was not computer savy and oscommerce is not as easy to add items and to manipulate if you know nothing. Although it is the best shopping cart out there. I love it now that I know more.
   This book is just for the basic set-up of getting your store on-line.
   It will teach you attributes etc. Which I was not getting in the beginning. But even now I refer to it. What someone has to do is come up with a book to explain the various add-ons to ecommerce in laymans terms. Without this book as a non-oscommerce user and new store owner I would have been lost longer. I recommend it.



3. The informaton is so generic that you can find the same stuff in the oscommerce manual. Does not add anything to the manual. And its very expensive. Not very good



4. The biggest reason that I was disappointed in this book is because most of the information is re-hashed in the Professional Edition. If you want to know more than the absolute basics of osCommerce, skip this book and go straight to the Professional Edition which contains more information that you'll need before building your store. The Beginner's Edition doesn't go into enough detail to answer a lot of the questions that you'll have but it's still hard to give this book a bad rating as the information that it does contain is well presented and easy to understand.



5. This is a good, basic starter book for osCommerce. It takes you step by step through the process.