5 comments about Building Embedded Linux Systems.

1. I read this book in about 2 hours and the contents really disappoint me. I expected the book to discuss in details of the issues related to embedded linux. And to a degree, this book is like a dictionary of all the terms you might encounter during the development and only a few direct examples. And given how fast the Linux kernel, open source packages evolve over time, the examples given in this book is totally outdated.
   
   A lot of the topics talked about in this book you probably already faced on the desktop, and would be totally useless to someone who has done projects like LinuxFromScratch.
   
   to sum up the new stuff in this book in a few words:
   
   Hardware: x86 or ARM, with flash and JFFS2 and UBOOT
   cross compile using gcc, uClibc, busybox, TinyLogin
   
   The book feels like someone outlined everything and wrote one skin deep paragraph on everything.



2. It would be a good guide to a person to prepare for a project to develop embedded linux system. It gives you the information what is necessar, what is work well and how to get them. But you should have some experience on linux language.



3. Book is based on 2.4 kernel. Since we are currently at 2.6 kernel this book does seem to have outdated information



4. On the one hand, a typical Linux user is going to install a pre-built package (Red Hat, Suse, Ubuntu, etc) on pre-built PC. This book isn't for them - there are plenty of books for learning and using Linux.
   
   On the other hand, embedded systems developers often have a good, working toolchain from a vendor like WindRiver or DataLight. This book isn't necessarily for them, either.
   
   But if you're building your own system: your own DIO controllers, perhaps with a mix of flash drives and conventional storage, perhaps remote booting ... and if you've decided to use Open Source as your platform ...
   then you NEED this book.
   
   There simply isn't any other text out there that covers the breadth of subjects (toolchain, kernel build, kernel tailoring, media types, etc etc etc) with the wealth of details as this book.
   
   It's an excellent book, and an indispensible resource.



5. I'm a beginner in embedded development on Linux. I find the book very good. It's compact, very well written and has detailed descriptions of the procedures to building embedded Linux systems.

1 comments about Dissecting Pinocchio: How to Detect Deception in Business, Life, and Love.

1. This book is great! In all the cases the author speaks of in the book, I can relate to seeing these "leaking emotions" in my real life. Well written for the general public. This is easy to understand and easy to apply these practices to detect deception in your everyday life. IF you want to know what people really think of you and who is telling you lies, spend the money on this book. I will read it over and over again. (By the way, it also gives you some interesting examples of interviews with real criminals.)

2 comments about Fortran 95/2003 for Scientists & Engineers.

1. This book is a good reference for programmers to have on hand and also a good book to read cover to cover to get a full understanding of fortran and its latest capabilities.



2. Well, I liked this book very much and therefore I want to write a short opinion/review on it (although I am short on time here and have never written an opinion on amazon before!). To put it concisely, this is a 'must have' book for any Fortran programmer. If you are shopping for a good Fortran book, this is what you are looking for! It takes you from the very first step and drops you off at a fairly high level around chapter 9. (And from where, I guess, instead of a book, you would like to consult your compiler's documentation!)
   
   My background is in financial engineering, and I was looking for some specialized number-crunching language to write my code in (real-time models). A friend suggested Fortran, and after consulting some serious people in physics/engineering, I decided to settle on it. My problem was that there were only a handful of Fortran books here, and only that many reviews on them. So I picked this one along with METCALF/REID/COHEN's 'fortran 95/2003 explained'. And I must say that a lack of quantity was compensated for by an abundance of quality.
   
   Chapman has also incorporated a lot of example code in this book, and that makes it worthwhile to cheat a bit before tackling a new chapter! He also stresses a lot on good programming practice, and his background makes us take his suggestions seriously. Those who work on mission-critical industrial strength code in financial industry know what I am talking about. So, if you are a newbie to Fortran, and want to learn it correctly the first time, you should consider this book. If you have a higher budget, consider METCALF et al. as an additional aid.
   
   my 2 cents!

5 comments about Programming with Visual Basic 6.0, Enhanced Edition.

1. I can only confirm the opinion of all the other reviewing persons. I purchased this book living in Germany and if anybody would translate it to the german language, I'm sure he could earn himself a lot of money. No german book equals this one.



2. If you dont't have any idea about Visual Basic, this's very good book. You can learn easily.



3. This is a course text book and does not come with the solution files to the exams found at the end of each lesson. After speaking with a rep from Thompson Learning - the book's publisher - I was advised that the solution files were part of the instructor package, and was not available to individuals. In other words, if you are not a certified instructor, or part of an instructor led course that features this book, you will not be able to measure your progress from the exams in the book.
   
   I found speaking to the reps of Thompson Learning to be a particularly frustrating experience as I was treated rudely by both reps I spoke to. They offered absolutely no help whatsoever.
   
   The book, in itself, is very well written and easy to follow. However, if you are not part of an instructor led course that features this book with access to the solution files, you may want to invest your money elsewhere.
   
   As for this buyer, Thompson Learning is a definite two thumbs down.



4. I had bought this book for a class but this book is an excellent one for self study also. It basically starts assuming you know nothing about programming or even computer. After a few chapters you end up writing very good programs for Windows. If you want to learn Visual Basic 6 to program for Windows, this is your book.



5. Yes the book is fairly easy to follow, but the tutorials ask you to perform tasks that are not possible with the supplied software.
   
   Don't waste your time trying to learn from this book unless it is required for a class!
   
   Besides VB6.0 has reached the end of the support life cycle, and it doesnt run on xp 64bit.

5 comments about TCP/IP Sockets in C: Practical Guide for Programmers (The Practical Guides Series) (The Practical Guides).

1. As a self taught programmer who formalized his hip-pocket knowledege with a formal degree in Semi-Conductor Physics and Applied Electrical Engineering, I still appreciate a easy to read and understandable treatise on any programming subject. This little book is packed full of relevent information and programming snippets to aid even the most basic of programmers. Sometimes even the multi-degreed can be taught or refreshed in a subject. These authors provide a lot of information in a small form factor. It is concise and I recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn or relearn the programming of TCP/IP sockets.



2. Before I got this book I thought writing C programs, that interfaced with TCP/IP sockets, was hard, but with this book in ones reach nothing could be simpler. With the help of this book and the HTTP Pocket Reference: Hypertext Transfer Protocol I was able to write a simple Web server.
   
   The way book gives you the sample codes as complete listing and afterwards dissecting it line by line worked for me.



3. This book gives you an amazing jump start in socket programming, the language is very easy to understand and very clear.
   
   All the examples just work!.
   
   My only concern was that this book does not cover unix domain sockets and link layer sockets such as AF_LOCAL and AF_LINK.
   
   I strongly recommend buying this book.
   
   thanks,
   
   Magesh.



4. Haven't finished the whole book yet, but I feel like it pretty much gave me what I needed by page 102. Recently I was asked to help with a project for embedded FPGA programming. The programming IDE is Eclipse with Altera's NiosII plugin's.
   
   The existing code base did not include any TCP/IP interface, so that has to be implemented. Luckily, the Nios-II platform ships with a simple example project to show the concept and programming style, it did not give too much insight for what is going on behind the scenes.
   
   The project I am working is to create a Socket server interface to this FPGA with a defined application protocol and command set. Having not coded seriously C since graduate school, it started somewhat of a challenge. After a few weeks, I got the urge to understand what is going on behind the scenes.
   
   Knowing what I know about networks, this book solidified and explained the concepts behind socket programming and helped me understand the program calls from the sample application. Step-by-step and clear concept explanation style is also appreciated.
   
   In short, I would recommend this book to anyone who is tasked with creating a socket client/server interface in C language. As a final note, me and another seasoned C programmer co-worker did not get the "code fragment" on page xii, even though I typed and executed in the code in a compiler. We just scratched our heads thinking why anyone would write like that?... hmmm... There is probably a reason that we don't know. Overall good book, instructional, to the point, and as they say, practical. Would definitely recommend it, if you deal with sockets in C.



5. This was just the book that I was looking, at the right price and in good condition.

5 comments about Robin Williams Web Design Workshop (Robin Williams Design Workshop).

1. I borrowed this book from the library to see if it was worth purchasing. It has some great design tips and ideas but nothing that can't be found in other books in greater detail. The glossy color pages make it fun to browse through, but there isn't enough detailed information on the various design topics.
   
   I skimmed through the book within two or three days and don't see it as an item I will bother to purchase for my personal Web design library.



2. Several years ago I met with the main designer at company that created the web pages for several pharmaceutical distributors in Canada. At the time, I was well versed in creating web pages using several of the professional programs including Dreamweaver, as well as writing code. The designer, however, said that they did all of their designing in Photoshop and then used a slicing technique in ImageReady before editing the site in Dreamweaver. I hate to admit it, but I had never heard of creating web pages that way, so I went home and began looking through all of my web designing books to see if I could find a description of the technique. Yes, I found it in this book.
   
   I don't want to give the impression that this book is all about Photoshop, it clearly isn't. But, at least for me, the Photoshop information has been extremely useful! Though I do not design the majority of my sites using Photoshop, there are some that I could not have created as easily with out it. I have not used other applications that supposedly are similar to Photoshop/ImageReady, so I can't say if they can or can not do the things that Photoshop/ImageReady can.
   
   Nevertheless, since the time I opened this book and took a real look, I have used this book more than any other web books on my shelf. Sometimes it is to simply look at the pictures to spark a new idea, sometimes it is to review a specific designing technique.
   
   Honestly I do not think Robin can write a bad book.



3. Robin Williams does an excellent job of providing clear suggestions, good rationales, and lots of examples to make her point.



4. Because web sites are made with computers, somehow it seems that the vast majority of authors of "how to make a web site" books focus almost entirely on the technical aspects, as somehow devoid of relation to the practical art of making sites that work.
   
   This book is remarkable, because it is written from the point of view of working, experienced web/graphic designers.
   
   As the authors make clear, making a web site is a lot more than just using a computer and making pretty pictures. They clarify what you really need to know about the entire process. It covers everything about the development cycle, from clarifying the site requirements with the client, to making thumbnail sketches, to practical, nitty-gritty details of how to make an interesting, "non-boxy" site.
   
   If you want to really understand the entire process of developing effective, beautiful web sites for people as a business, this is the best book I have ever seen on the subject.



5. I love Robin Williams' books and this one was no exception when it came out. However, anyone doing web design in 2007/8 needs to have a companion book to counter the now incorrect suggestions in this book. Tables are not longer considered the only way, or really even "a" way to build web pages. Web standards have become essential if you want to comply with accessibility or just be able to make changes to your site. And if that sounds like only geeks would care, that's just not the case anymore. I would recommend finding this book used, look through it for some good ideas, and have a copy of one of Eric Meyers' books around for understanding CSS (an essential these days) and web standards in general.
   
   I'm hoping Robin comes up with a new edition taking out nested tables and adding in more than the 4 pages of CSS. That's not to say it needs to be a CSS book (there are more than enough of those out there), but since we have to go in that direction, we could use a little more help in applying the principles she's advancing with the standards of the day. As soon as it comes out, I'll have my order in.

5 comments about Introduction to MFC Programming with Visual C++ (Microsoft Technologies Series).

1. MFC programming is a bear, especially in VC++ 6.0 (not .NET). This book does a decent job of introducing key concepts, and comes with a mountain of sample code on CD. If MFC/VC++ were my first programming language, I would look for a book geared more towards total complete novices; otherwise, it does the trick.



2. This is the best programming book that I read from page 1 to the last page. I hope Jones can write more books on MFC or Visual C#. Not only did I learn MFC concepts and programming skills, but also I found Chapter 1 and 2 are very useful because they are basic and fundamental to C++ that I sometimes forgot. I love the pace and layout of this book. User-defined messaging and modeless are explained in a very nice way. The Appendice are very useful too.
   
   I give this book a full 5 stars.



3. Shipping is prompt, and the item is in good condition as described.



4. I waisted my money buying this book. It should be sold less than 1 dollar. You don't get far using this book. I recommend the book by Ivor Horton.



5. I have found this introductory book very useful to start with Windows desktop applications development. Although it is quite outdated and uses Visual Studio 98 as build environment, it guides you through the basics of the MFC framework (main classes, dialogs, graphics, document/view architecture) and Win32 programming in general (messaging, maps, data types), leaving room for personal development in the exercises after each chapter, and providing in-depth coverage of advanced topics like bitmap manipulation and database access for the advanced reader. With an additional introductory chapter on COM it would have been perfect.

4 comments about Java: A Beginner's Guide, 4th Ed..

1. Some computer books are nothing but dry text, and others are so full of intense graphics that your eyes burn. This book strikes an ideal balance between those extremes. The teaching style is engaging, and there's also plenty of reference material, making this a great book to start with and keep handy as you advance.



2. This book may be good if you can sit down and work your way through it from beginning to end, but I prefer the Sun Java tutorial online. I got through the first 5 chapters in this book and was still shaky with the concepts. Somehow it missed conveying the big picture to me. When I then went to the Sun tutorial it was a big "Aha!, so that's what they were talking about." Also, the Index is sparse.



3. I read this book to get a good start with Java. It's an excellent book to pick up if you have little/no java background or if it's been a while. I used this to build my foundation then went through a certification book and passed the scjp 5.



4. This is an amazing book. I retired from engineering research 16 years ago and have not done any programming since. Things have changed a lot! (all for the better). This book has an excellent teaching style, thorough and clear. It was my second book on Java, the first being Barry Burd's "Beginning Programming with Java for Dummies". That book is a good foundational start but it has not quite kept up with the rapid pace in the development of Java. Schildt's book is up to date (JDK 6 and Java SE 6) and makes a great reference work on the subject. I recommend it highly.

5 comments about Digital Boudoir Photography: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Fabulous Images of Any Woman.

1. Digital Boudoir Photography: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Fabulous Images of Any Woman isn't about capturing beauty on film; it's about a new style of boudoir photography which doesn't involve professional models or movie stars, and which seeks to avoid the use of heavy makeup and props in favor of casual, sensual approaches. Photographers will find it an excellent guide to this sytle which covers everything from boudoir-appropriate props and settings to displaying body parts tastefully both outdoors and indoors. A clear, outstanding survey, DIGITAL BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY is a top pick for portrait photographers seeking to move beyond the usual settings and approaches.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. Having retired from 25 plus years as a professional photographer I wanted to revert to being an advanced amateur. I have always enjoyed photography of women and had wanted for sometime to locate a book depicting boudoir photography with emphasis on lady next door type models. Most books I have seen on the subject use models who are either professional or could work as professionals. I don't have a desire to work with this type of model. This book has been a great place to start from.. The authors use of basic equipment is also to be commended. I am fortunate enough to have several strobe lights at my disposal however many would not.
   
   The only disappointment is the fact that the author does not include photos of even more Rubenesque figured models and more mature (ok older) models. The photographs of the models he does use are very nicely done
   
   Other than that small short coming I feel this book will be very useful to me in my new found hobby and was a good investment.
   C.M. Cook CM Photographics



3. The info in this book is ridiculously elementary for anyone with even intermediate experience with a camera. The models are not particularly attractive. And, while I appreciate the idea of making average-looking women look great in the image, even the resulting images are just average-looking and amateurish. Most of the shots do not look professionally done at all, but just look more like they were done my some guy with his new-fangled digital camera.
   
   Sorry... but there are far better books out there on this topic, even for beginners.



4. There is much to learn and like from this book. As a photographer moving from photographing inanimate objects to people, I very much appreciated the breadth of information in this book. The author illustrates and covers solutions to several of the problems I've experienced, and helpful tips that have shaved a lot of time off my learning curve.
   
   The steps and lessons are abundantly illustrated, showing how small changes can vastly improve the images. Showing how `bad' photos are made hits the point home of "oh yeah, I've made that mistake." Of particular interest was the use of models of various body-types and how to approach the challenges each one presents.
   
   I refer to this book often as a reference; this is not just a one-time read, but contains pointers and lessons that can be reviewed and executed often.
   
   With fast-changing technology, I expect the digital equipment sections to become outdated quickly, but this is a rather small portion of the book, and was not a factor in my buying it.



5. I'm glad I found this book on a friend's bookshelf.
   Do not expect to learn much about photography through this, or much about "creating fabulous images of any woman", either. Someone already said it before: it's really more of an idea book... but for those with little creativity or ability to self-analyze. I'm not a professional or even much of an amateur photographer and I personally found the images and incisiveness in this book to be on a very, very low level. It's really more like a kid's book (and that's just all kinds of wrong). Imagine how a kid's book would read on building a house and you get the idea.
   
   Overall, the book reflects poorly on the publisher, though the same publisher's sports photography book is light-years beyond this one.

No comments about AI Game Programming Wisdom 4 (AI Game Programming Wisdom (W/CD)).