5 comments about Software Engineering: (Update) (8th Edition) (International Computer Science Series).

1. I bought this book as a required textbook for my grad course. I've learned a lot from my past misconception and misunderstanding between software science and software engineering just after reading a few chapters from the book.
   
   The book covers wide aspects of engineering a software, both technical aspects and non-technical aspects (social, laws, ethics) although not in deep-breath details.
   
   I highly recommend this book for any students who want to know about software engineering, pracicing software engineers who want to enhance their engineering ana managerial capability in developing a good software or for self-study for anybody who want to jump into software business.



2. This is a good high-level book for a first software engineering course. It mentions things like critical systems, object oriented programming, and real -time systems, but at a very high level; so it should not be used for a specialized course. It provides many helpful examples and diagrams. My only complaint is that the chapters are very long, and a lot of things are repeated several times. I think this book could easily be 75% shorter without loosing any important information.



3. This book is a good book to learn from, it can be a little boring at times but in general it is a good study tool that keeps subject matters seperate where they should be



4. it feels like this book goes out its way to stretch easily understandable concepts into a huge 900 page book.



5. I used this book as the text in my software engineering class in the spring semester of 2008. When I was evaluating it for potential adoption, I did not read through it in detail, I looked over the chapter titles and subtitles, read the first few chapters and examined the exercises at the end of the first few chapters. As the semester progressed, I found myself wishing I had read further into the text.
   As I moved through the chapters, I found myself mentally noting over and over again that topics are repeated. When the class was over, I asked the students their opinion of the book and they were unanimous, with no prompting from me, in saying that there is a great deal of repetition after the first chapters.
   I have no complaint about the quality of exposition or the coverage of software engineering in this book. My reason for not continuing to use it in future classes is solely due to my belief that the size could have been reduced from the current 840 pages to around 600 pages with no real loss of content of flow.

5 comments about Software Systems Architecture: Working With Stakeholders Using Viewpoints and Perspectives.

1. I was impressed with this book's unique perspective of blending the business and technical needs into a single focus, and it continued to maintain the human considerations. It does an excellent job of describing how to support business decisions through architecture at a macro level in a style where "the rubber hits the road."
   
   If you are a systems analyst or a software development manager, this shouldn't be on your book shelf - it should be on your desk for regular reference.



2. If you are a software architect or aspire to be one, you should read this book. Rozanski and Woods do an excellent job of explaining the whys and hows of creating software architectures. Their pragmatic, no-nonsense approach makes this book extremely readable. The book is divided into two main sections: an explanation of the viewpoints and perspectives concepts (208 pages) and a catalog of viewpoints and perspectives (195 pages). This makes the book a relatively quick read, but also very useful as a day-to-day reference. If only every software architect would read this book, we might not have as many software quality issues as we have today!



3. It is a very thorough and well written book. Authors have introduced idea of perspectives (viewpoints related to cross-cutting concerns) and I totally agree with authors on benefits of using perspectives rather than treating them as viewpoints. My AD of new project is based on viewpoints and perspectives separation suggested by authors.



4. Having been in the IT world for more than 25 years and studying this topic for many of those years I have found this book to be extremely accessible. I reference it often. I like the way it deals with real business world issues as opposed to on board jet navigation systems etc. I rate it right along with Craig Larman "Applying UML and Patterns".



5. At the risk of adding one more gushing review to this excellent book - let me say that this book is very good for relatively non-technical folks also. I am working as a manager of a technical team and I used this book to come up on speed on the basics of software architecture. The material layout is very clear and consistent - it helped me to get through the basic concepts quickly and come back for a more detailed reading. The book helped me to ask the relevant questions and focus the team on the right sense of issues.
   
   Only suggestion I have for a subsequent edition is to include one full blown case study.

5 comments about Cost-Based Oracle Fundamentals (Expert's Voice in Oracle).

1. This is the book that one definitely needs to read (and understand) in order to get an idea what the CBO is all about.
   
   Jonathan's examples and presentation is excellent. Though the topic is quite intense, the book is quite pleasant to read. This book is a worthy follow up the classic "Practical Oracle8i".
   
   As regards the usefulness of the book in real world scenarios, I can only say that if one wants to approach SQL tuning as a science, one needs to learn the CBO, and this book is essential.
   
   This is volume 1 or 3. I will definitely be eagerly waiting for the next volumes.



2. This book gets a prized spot on my technical shelf. It is a challenging read, and has taken the most time of any book I have to get through, but it is quite good. The optimizer is such a core part of what makes Oracle worth the investment, that any DBA who does not understand it is doing a disservice to the company investing such capital into the product.
   
   Lewis' use of proof through example is second to none, and leaves me feeling confident about the knowledge I've gained. His insights are not only theoretical, but quite applicable. I learned much about manipulating and using the DBMS_STATS package, about data model design and why data knowledge is so critical to the DBA.
   
   My nervousness about hints and about upgrades was reinforced with concrete examples that have improved my test plans, upgrade methodologies and overall made me a more competent DBA. I've directly used this knowledge to support my clients in better ways than I would have before it, and that is well worth the price of admission and the time to get through such an in-depth work.
   
   Thanks Jonathan!



3. Each quarter my team of DBA's has one book that we read and discuss in team meetings. This quarter, Cost-Based Oracle Fundamentals is it. This book is a wholly remarkable book for the moderate to advanced DBA. It is a deep dive into the Oracle optimizer, providing some wonderful insights into not only how it works, but why. It is not a book for the faint of hart, or those waiting breathlessly for retirement. It is a book for those who want to understand the CBO in more depth.
   
   Within the book, Jonathan provides insights into how the CBO *should* work. He follows up often by demonstrating the maturing (or devolving as the case may be) of the CBO from version to version. Beyond his own experimentation and results, he leads the reader into the process that he has followed to come to understand the internals of the CBO, providing a road map allowing the reader to continue to explore the optimizer in future releases.
   
   However, I must take Jonathan to task, for he is a nasty tease. This book was released about two years ago. In it, he leads us on with promises of forthcoming volumes 2 and 3, dangling the carrot out there for us to follow. Sadly, these volumes are yet to be seen. Jonathan! Quit running to and fro filling our heads with knowledge at various conferences and write those books man!
   
   A caution for the new DBA or the cursory SQL developer, you may find this book overwhelming at first glance. For the new or even intermediate DBA, it might be hard to derive practical application of what Jonathan is teaching at first glance. Take your time with the material and the insight that you will gain will be invaluable.
   
   Overall, if you want a book with meat, then this is the book for you. It will expand your mind and the way you look at the Oracle CBO.



4. It doesn't mean you won't love the book. I found it to be far too narrow and, even as an Oracle OCP, boringly written. That may say more about me than it does about Jonathin Lewis, who I know is brilliant and has written brilliant stuff before. I just didn't get as much out of it as I thought I would.



5. Jonathan Lewis has perfomed an invaluable service to the Oracle community. He doesn't just offer opinions of how the CBO makes decisions from his vast experience. He also offers the scripts he used to verify behavior of the Oracle CBO. This equips the user to replicate Jonathan's work with newer versions of oracle and adapt the scripts to your circumstances.
   
   Dennis Williams

5 comments about Hands-On Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services.

1. The title for this book is true, it is Hands-On. Some books just rehash the SQL Books Online but this one provides tons of hands on excercises. Here are just a few.
   Importing a Flat File into SQL Server 2005
   Using System Variables to Create Custom Logs
   Using Expressions to Update Properties at Run-time
   Contacting Opportunities (Includes steps necessary for enabling SMTP from a package)
   Removing Duplicate Email Addresses
   Consolidating Workflow Packages
   Reading the Application Log
   Managing Storage of Integration Services Package
   Using dtutil
   Running an SSIS Package Using the Package Execution Utility
   Understanding Package Protection Levels
   
   Beyond the Hands On Exercises the book also is based around a database other than the standard Northwind, pubs or AdventureWorks databases for a little variety. Finally the book covers deployment of your Integration Services Packages and also how to migrate from SQL Server 2000 Data Transformation Services.



2. Hi All,
   
   I bought this book because i need to implement my project in SSIS.This book is good for on Job reference , for Beginners and For who has exposure to DTS 2000.I learned and implemented my projected with no time.I recommend this book for those who want to Know about SSIS Quickly.
   
   Thanks,
   Madhu



3. This book is a good one. It brings a new SSIS user to speed quickly. The author has done a good job.



4. This book helped me get started with SSIS...figure out some basic stuff. But it left me hanging on the details, best practices, integration with applications, etc. It basically walks you through building a bunch of thin-functionality examples of the various components.
   
   If the book re-described itself as a getting-started book, I'd give it high praise and more stars...but the phrases "in depth", "learn to maximize", "extensive", etc, should have been omitted from the book description.



5. There is no question that the title should clearly indicate that this is a book for those new to SSIS. (And considering SSIS is such a quantum leap from DTS, there are MANY folks at that stage).
   
   However, the book deserves 4-5 stars for what it provides. Giving the book 1-star, because of the title, detracts from the true value of the book. There aren't many books that contain full hands-on exercises. If someone is fairly new to SSIS, THIS is the book to get.
   
   This is the closest I've seen to an exercise-driven training manual, in commercial trade paperback form. There are a series of 8-10 page walk-throughs on such topics as aggregation, processing dupes, loading SCDs, pivoting source data, ADO enumerators, etc.
   
   In my opinion, the entire Database Professional Series from Osborn McGraw Hill is very strong.
   
   If someone already knows the fundamentals of SSIS and wants to go to the next level, get the Wrox Expert SSIS book.
   
   Kevin

5 comments about C++ Coding Standards: 101 Rules, Guidelines, and Best Practices (C++ In-Depth Series).

1. This book is a very readable reference book. The authors have read several books and condensed the best coding rules to prevent many errors. If you code in any language other than C++, read this book because many of the hints are useful. (If you code C++, then all of the hints apply.) And if you don't like rules and guidelines, then just read the "exception" section provided in each entry to be sure that your code meets the exception.



2. It's Sutter! It's Alexandrescu! It's both of them together! And the dark lords of C++ have combined forces to produce... er, some coding standards.
   
   Yes, another book of best practices. Some readers may therefore be a tad disappointed that the combined fruits of the authors' labours will not be shattering their puny human minds with the sort of C++ that cause lesser compilers to accidentally create black holes that destroy the entire universe.
   
   But let's evaluate the book on what it sets out to do, which is to give 100 bite-sized pieces of advice on C++ coding. And it's very good. You might prefer to see it as an annotated guide to the state of the art in intermediate C++ programming, in particular to Sutter's Exceptional C++ trilogy, which has become sufficiently sprawling that a reorganisation of the material, plus pointers to which book said what, has become quite welcome.
   
   Yes, it's true that C++ is hardly short of books telling you when to pass by value. But take a look at the bibliography - it's a synthesis of all those other tomes (the Effective series, Sutter's own Exceptional series of course, and older books like C++ Strategy and Tactics) plus magazine articles, into a neat and compact whole.
   
   Few of the items are longer than one or two pages. This is good because the advice stays simple, clear and direct. On the other hand, some of the items feel a bit squeezed into the available space, with discussion deferred to the books in the references, which is a little frustrating on occasion. After all, a lot of the best parts of the Exceptional C++ and Effective C++ series and their ilk is not so much what to do (or not to do), but the why behind it. There's plenty of the former, but not so much of the latter.
   
   If you've read any other coding convention books (like those in Steve McConnell's Code Complete) then the first quarter of the book may feel like the same old same old. And of course with there being exactly 100 items, some are more heavyweight than others. But there's definite C++ meat here, in particular with the items on Exceptions and the STL.
   
   C++ Coding Standards is as well-written as you'd expect from the authors - their friendly, slightly conversational writing styles mesh nicely and I couldn't tell who wrote which bits. And it's a great summary and unification of C++ best practices that someone just starting out could easily refer to in their initial forays. Perhaps even more experienced hands will discover a few tips, implications or issues that they hadn't considered before. It could also be a good way to ensure that a team are all up to date on best practices.
   
   Essential for those with a large C++ library? Probably not, but it does the job it sets out to do very well.



3. If you own the 3 "Exception C++" books, do not buy this book. It is just a mirror copy of those. And the explanation in this book is brief. Typically, if you are familiar with the content of this book, it works as a quick reference manual or pocket book.



4. I had high expectations about the fruit of the association of 2 authors that I appreciate but the result did not meet these expectations. Basically this book provides 101 rules or guidelines that you can get for free by looking at the table of content. Each of these rules is then followed by a very short explanation (1 or 2 pages usually). In my opinion, most of them are common wisdom that you can get from other sources. This is it. That is all you will get from this book. For that reason, I recommend to skip this one except if a convenient and compact collection of common knowledge is something that you are looking for.



5. I think this is one of the most useful C++ books one could have if working in a team. Most companies don't have a very large set of coding standards, and every now and then there will be a discussion about which is the best way to implement something. That is the time to when this book shines:
   
   1) You can show your co-workers the page for the related item, and the explanation for the underlying rationale will be so concise, they can read it while standing.
   2) Every item is backed with heavy references to standard works by the top names in C++.
   
   Basically it is a tool for effectively ending discussions in the most constructive way possible.
   
   It's the supreme index into the world of collected C++ knowledge.

1 comments about Building Web Sites All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. I got this book to help me with web design. However I found myself getting lost on some things. I wish they had better examples and actual try this yourself projects to go along with the chapters. I would recommend a simpler book for learning basic web design. This book is a good reference to have on your book shelf if you ever get more involved in web design. Over all Not Bad.

3 comments about GWT in Practice.

1. GWT In Practice is an essential book for any web developer who works with or wants to work with the GWT toolkit. In addition to covering GWT fundamentals, the book really focuses on real world applications, not just Hello World type apps which are largely useless. The ample code samples throughout the book make applying GWT to solve something in your web application easy. I highly recommend this book.



2. GWT In Practice is well worth having as a reference for any developer who will be using GWT toolkit or is already using the GWT toolkit. The book makes for easy reading and not only covers the key areas of GWT but also the deployment and continuous integration of your GWT applications. The book's code samples are also very helpful in understanding the GWT concepts and usage. I highly recommend GWT In Practice!!!



3. My first thought upon reading the first few chapeters of this book was "Where was this thing when I started to use GWT a few months ago?" The authors have done an excellent job really showing how to use the Google Web Toolkit. My eternal fear when I read these books is that there won't be any content outside of what the product already ships with. Not so in this case at all.
   
   The authors cover the GWT basics, to be sure, but more importantly, they demonstrate a way to really use GWT. They hit upon one of my thoughts when first trying to get my head around GWT: GWT is not a framework; it is a platform at best. They recognize this and help you work with the power and around the limitations of GWT.
   The authors demonstrate common patterns and practices in the "language" of GWT. It was extremely satisfying to finally, with the help of this book, be able to articulate and execute all the patterns that I've been using in other systems, (e.g. MVC, PropertyListeners, etc.)
   
   The authors also demonstrate how to use GWT in a variety of environments and build system. These concepts were useful, but I found myself skimming over pages at a time to get back to the "good stuff." (This was my primary knock in not giving it five stars.)
   
   All in all, I highly recommend and I'll be ensuring that my team each learn the concepts presented.

5 comments about Programming Microsoft® ADO.NET 2.0 Core Reference.

1. I am a huge ADO.NET nut and David's first book was absolutely priceless. After his last book, he set a very high bar that was going to be hard to meet, yet that's exactly what he did.
   
   Pros:
   
   - He discusses every facet of the ADO.NET library and does it well
   - He doesn't shy away from difficult topics and in particular, goes straight at them in his Advanced Update section
   - Excellent flow
   - Won't leave you hanging if you don't know the 1.x framework but doesn't bog itself down in it either.
   - Stellar writing style. David is interesting and always keeps you wanting to read more. He's concise, to the point yet does both without ever leaving you wanting for more.
   
   CONS
   -Calling this a con is probably a bit unfair but if there's one thing I didn't like was the coverage to TableAdapters. This has nothing to do with Sceppa's coverage and everything to do with the objects themselves. Since I never use them I have a bias against them. With that said, I doubt you could do a Core Reference without covering them so this doesn't really count.
   
   The specific areas that this book really does a great job in is Transactions, Advanced Updates and client side data manipulation. Items like the syntax for DataTable.Select are covered in such stellar detail there's probably no situation that you will be unprepared for. Transactions are another complex area and this section alone makes the book worth its price. Advanced updates are a must in any ADO.NET book and history repeated itself here.
   
   Pure Gold plain and simple.



2. I normally buy Wrox books and up until .NET I was very happy with them, but their .NET books (ASP.NET 2.0 and VB.NET particularly) were poorly organized with massive numbers of errors in them. I wanted an ADO.NET book but the customer reviews of the Wrox title were poor so I kept looking and found this book that has much better reviews. I'd not bought a Microsoft Press book recently because I didn't like the last one I tried so this was an act of faith for me.
   
   I have to say, thought, that this book is an order of magnitude better than the recent Wrox books I have bought. I don't know if the single author approach simply results in a better book or if the particular author (David Sceppa) can take the credit. Either way, I think Wrox needs to stop publishing books with multiple authors.
   
   The problem with ADO.NET is that everything is intermingled and it's hard to discuss, say, DataSets without mentioning DataTables or DataAdapters. David (or someone) say down and very carefully figured out the sequence to explain stuff with the minimum of forward referencing. This means there are only a few unresolved references I have to hold in my brain at a time for which I am very grateful. On the down-side, this means there is some repetition as he discusses the same class relationship from different perspectives in different chapters. At first I found this annoying until I realized that this was actually making my life as the reader much easier.
   
   I have yet to find a single error and the sample code in particalar seems to be error free which is in stark contrast to the Wrox .NET books. The samples themselves are compact and clean and writen in both VB and C# which is a handy way for a VB programmer like me to learn a little C# on the cheap. I certainly never found myself thinking 'The purpose of this sample is to add 10 unncecessary pages to this book' unlike other books *cough*XML Bible*cough*.
   
   I'm only about one third of the way through right now but I am very impressed.
   
   I really hope someone from Wrox reads this because I'd like the old Wrox back that published great technical books.



3. This book does a great job at explaining each concept it covers. I started the book with many misconceptions of disconnected data and other ADO.NET items. The book has many great code examples that are kept short and to the point. I definitely recommend this book to my team and anyone else wanting a stronger understanding of how to effectively use ADO.NET. Some of the performance tips it provides will suprise you.



4. I want one that may tell me step by step. Obviously this one is not such a book. It is too professional and focused in details that make things longer than you expected. if you are a beginner you would better not buy this one.



5. It is not "ADO for Dummies" or a tedious quick tutorial. Have a working handle on either C# or VB going in because it's not going to explain it. There are no lengthy history lessons or idle chit-chat.
   
   With that said, this is a fast pace process through ADO with examples in both languages. It neither glosses nor dwells but moves through what you need when you need it. It is well structured from getting started with hookups and data readers through heavy lifting with parameterization on multi and mixed providers at the end. Most everything else is in between including working offline, online, modification and return to database.
   
   Physically doing the examples, in sequence, provides the tutorial and the opportunity to play what-if to soak it in. Each sections assumes you understand the previous. In the end, this will give you a working foundation. It's well indexed and makes a good reference text for the bookshelf after teaching the basics.
   
   I've had this book over a year and is still one of my go-to's. Recommended...

4 comments about MCITP SQL Server 2005 Database Developer All-in-One Exam Guide (Exams 70-431, 70-441 & 70-442) (All-in-One).

1. The end-of-chapter exam questions were perfect for helping me know what I know and what I don't know. I already passed the 70-431 and 70-441 exams and the questions I looked at in the back of the chapters hit the knowledge needed to pass these exams.
   
   Unfortunately I failed the 70-442 exam before this book was released. However, after reviewing the end-of-chapter exam questions, I saw exactly what I needed to brush up on. I spent several days in a marathon study session doing the exam questions in the back of each chapter for the 70-442. For anything I missed, I studied the material in the chapter. In addition to learning what I needed for the exam, I also learned a couple things I didn't know about in SQL Server 2005. I then took and passed the 70-442.
   
   This book was just what I needed. I only wish I had it before I took the 70-442 the first time.



2. For the 431 exam, I used the (Tom) Carpenter book as my primary study guide and this book as a side reference. My main reason for purchasing this book is for the next two exams (441,442). After taking the 431 test and looking up some questions I guessed at in this book, I regret not using this book as my primary study guide. This book seems to point out the exact information needed to get through the test. I look forward to using it for the next two exams. Note that the author of this book is the technical editor for the Carpenter book.
   
   Update to previous review:
   I just passed both exams (441 & 442) without difficulty and with plenty of time remaining (each exam took about 2 hours). This is definitely the book to use for these exams. The topics and sample questions are on target with the actual test. Be sure to review the topic list for each exam in the front of the book before taking the test. The 'what you need to know' section at the end of each chapter is not always accurate. Also - the explanation of cascade deletes is incorrect in the book.



3. Well written and in depth, this book should cover everything necessary to pass these tests.
   
   I have two complaints:
   
   1) The book is laid out functionally for SQL Server, not for each test. So, for example, when you are studying for the 70-442, it may involve a portion of chapter 3, 4, 5, and 8, but all of 12 and 13. All this information is entwined with the stuff for the other tests.
   
   2) You choose to only take one of the tests on the CD. For example - you couldn't say just test for the 70-441 test. I found the CD questions less useful than books dedicated to one test because of this.
   
   These are minor complaints though, and I'm not really sure the issues can be avoided to begin with. Don't let them stop you from using this as your resource to pass these three tests.



4. After having completed Microsoft's MCAD certification, I am using this text along with the Tom Carpenter text to prepare for MCTS and MCITP certification. Though I haven't taken the exam yet, the material appears to be covered in a thorough and in-depth fashion. Yet, it does not get bogged down in unnecessary detail.
   
   Excellent book!

1 comments about .NET Domain-Driven Design with C#: Problem - Design - Solution (Programmer to Programmer).

1. I've been playing with Domain Driven Design off-and-on for about a year now. I've read the Evans book (Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software), the Nillson book (Applying Domain-Driven Design and Patterns: With Examples in C# and .NET), and the Fowler book (Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture (The Addison-Wesley Signature Series)), but what I really need is a real-world reference app to put all these concepts together.
   
   That's what Tim McCarthy's book does. It presents an anotated reference application, a real estate construction management application built as a WPF smart client. McCarthy's writing is clear and to-the-point--he simply provides a running commentary on the reference app from a sequence-of-development perspective. He starts with a skeleton and builds out the app from there, discussing his refactorings as he goes. I find this very helpful as a template for developing my own DDD apps.
   
   The reference app is written in C#, as are the book's code snippets. However, since most of the code discussed boils down to .NET calls, even VB users with only limited experience with C# may find it useful. As C# is my language of choice, it did not present any problem for me.
   
   This is a really good book; the best I've bought in a while. I do not hesitate to recommend it to any developer learning DDD in C#.