5 comments about Ajax on Rails.

1. I am a few chapters into the book and although it is a good book that gets your started fairly quickly, there are quite a few examples that do not work. I also think that the author could have done a better job about explaining some of his examples. He does say in the introduction that the book is not trying to teach ruby or javascript, but they are integral parts of the Ajax on rails concept it looks like and he should spend more time explaining his choice of examples.



2. Why do I have to buy a book for documentation? I can look it up online for free. People learn by examples. These book needs more examples than just reproducting the dry documentation.



3. The chapters are short and cover what is needed to start programming in any of the subjects they cover such as: prototype, rjs. Examples are also well chosen.
   
   This book assumes good level of familiarity with javascript and ruby on rails.



4. I've bought this book with expectation. The title implied the feeling that this book would be THE book I'd ever need for AJAX on Rails. However it gave less than I've expected. There's a large portion of reference material you can easily find in the rails documentation. It was an easy read, I've completed in one day. In the end, I found Peepcode videos to be more informative than this book.



5. It's a good book, the structure and ideas are clear and comprehensive maybe I miss to download the examples' code from internet but I quite a few happy with this purchase, I got my money's worth.

No comments about SolidWorks Bible 2009.

5 comments about C++: The Complete Reference, 4th Edition.

1. Nice book if you want to learn c++. I bought also thinking in c++ by bruce eckel but it is difficult reading and understanding. If you really want to learn c++ search no further, buy this book.



2. Most of my work is done at a low level using C with occassional C++ work usually with certain parts of C++ heavily restructed due to performance and maintenance problems. So recently when I needed to brush up on all of C++ for some application level work where I knew I would be code reviewing and or writing using some of the more beastly aspects of the language I went through my 8 or 10 C++ books to pick one to spend some time with and remind myself of the particulars of things I don't normally use. I chose this book and was happily surprised. It is organized properly, clearly written, and accomplished what I needed it to do in a minimum of time.



3. This was my first purchase from amazon and I was totally impressed by the quality of the product and the service!



4. Herbert Schildt's "C++: The Complete Reference" is a gargantuan tome indeed. It fully covers the C++ syntax, and gives useful, working examples that demonstrate each of the language's features. If you're a professional (or hobbyist) working on a project and need to quickly look up how to use some part of C++ syntax, then this book is absolutely perfect. If you're a developer who has spent his/her life working in C and want to (or need to!) learn C++, then you'll find this book's content well organized and you'll be able to find what you need instantly.
   
   Also, this book seems as though it could function as a tutorial for the complete beginner. Now, I didn't learn C++ from this book initially, so I can't really speak from experience, but the book DOES cover the entire syntax and it does so in an unpretentious and very clear manner. The only thing that it's missing for newbies is exercises -- but if you're really serious, you'll make up your own little tasks, or try to extend/modify the examples.
   
   I program video games as a hobby and have used this as a reference countless times in various projects. I've obviously bought other reference books ("C++ in a Nutshell", and Stroustrup's tome), but I find that this book is my most used and most beloved reference.
   
   So, if you're looking for a clear, easy to understand reference on C++, I reccomend this tome. If you're a true C++ neophyte, then perhaps you should purchase this book along with Schildt's "C++: A beginner's Guide" or "C++ from the Ground Up" (also by Schildt).



5. My older references are in storage and I thought it would be neat to have a c++ ref on my kindle. It says reference and the reviews are good, so I bought it.
   
   I wanted to be reminded of how to use variable numbers of parameters for macro defines. Forget whether this is a good idea. It's a language feature and I want to know how it works.
   
   #define with parameters is handled in one paragraph which doesn't even include the possibility of multiple parameters, let alone any details. Given this, I was curious to see if there was any discussion of the continuation-line functionality in the preprocessor. Nope. Not there.
   
   I'm sure this is a wonderful c++ primer as the other reviews indicate. My spot check demonstrates that this is in no way a complete reference.
   
   Even if you don't like a coding style, completeness allows you to read the code of others.
   
   So I'm out $28 bucks and my question isn't answered. oh well.

5 comments about Illustrator CS2 for Windows & Macintosh (Visual QuickStart Guide).

1. I own quite a few of the Visual Quickstart Guide series and this one is no exception. It is a great book. The format this follows allows for quickly finding exactly the help you need. The instructions are precise and clear telling you exactly what to do. Anyone that is pressed for time but needs a bit more know-how should consider this book.



2. This is just a great book! It gives you simple ways to learn the program, excellent exercises, and explains everything you'd need to have to make Illustrator spin for you.



3. I was a new user of Adobe Illustrator and this book had all the answers and ways to use Illustrator software. You can just go on reading and get a hands on the software or you can find the solutions when you face problems. Its just worth buying.



4. This book I found was a great reference book. It gives you good explainations of how to do different stuff. I would have liked it to have a bit more colour and a few more diagrams, but other than that I think it's a great book!



5. This book was delivered in a timely manner and was exactly the quality I expected.

4 comments about More Math Into LaTeX, 4th Edition.

1. What new can I write about a book that is in its fourth edition, and has served the LaTeX community for almost two decades?
   
   There is a new chapter on presentations and an appendix on installing LaTeX on a PC and on a Mac, so you get help from the get go. Also, for the first time, this book merges TeX, LaTeX, and the AMS packages into one, smoothing the learning curve for beginner and advanced user alike.
   
   If you are new to this book, I should start by pointing out that you get two for the price of one. A sixty page Short Course gets you ready to type your first article in an afternoon or two. The plentiful sample files help you get started fast.
   
   The rest of the book presents a detailed survey of LaTeX: how to type text and math, document structure, presentations, customization, and long documents.
   
   Gratzer teaches by example: each new concept is introduced with examples and sample documents, so you learn by doing.
   
   Multiline math formulas is the most difficult topic of LaTeX. This is the only LaTeX book that dedicates 40 pages to this topic, trying to make it accessible with a Visual Guide and a verbal guide of how these multiline structures can be classified and understood.
   
   Gratzer teaches by distilling the most important information you need. For instance, Beamer, the presentation class he presents, has hundreds of commands and its documentation runs to hundreds of pages. The Beamer chapter selects twenty commands, so you should be on your way writing your first presentation in hours not weeks.
   
   This book has served me well when I started, and it is my constant companion, placed next to my computer when I type LaTeX.



2. I was a graduate student in math and faced the daunting task of typing my thesis. It was bad enough that I was inexperienced in writing math, but I was also a novice in LaTeX.
   
   I tried two well-known books. In one, there is a Part I, Basics. This is for me, I thought. Unfortunately, it is 200 pages long and does not cover such elementary topics as the "cases" structure. For that, I had to go to page 288. The other book had "cases" hidden on page 238, under the title "Matrix like environments". Not very helpful.
   
   What a relief it was when I came across this book. It helped me set up LaTeX on my Dell notebook (why do other books assume that you already have a LaTeX installation?). Then I downloaded the sample files as instructed and read the really easy 60 page Part I (Short Course). I worked through the text and examples in less than a day. Then I started writing my thesis.
   
   In my spare time, I gave the rest of the book a cursory reading. Occasionally, I need to go beyond what is covered in the Short Course. For instance, as an analyst, I need complicated integrals not covered in Part I. (They are easy to find: in Part II, in the chapter on typing math.) And when the time came to give a presentation on my thesis, I went beyond the Short Course's section on presentations to Chapter 14, and I used Beamer!
   
   Everybody was impressed.
   
   Now I am Jim Whitby Ph.D. Thank you George for the help.
   
   If you are a beginner, this is the your book.



3. I am a LaTeX programmer and instructor. This weekend, I finally had time to read Part I of this book, Short Course, and paged through the other parts.
   
   What a pleasure! Grätzer has an amazing talent to say exactly what is important, without putting in extras that will distract a reader.
   
   You'd think that by this time I'd know enough LaTeX to, at least, get through the Short Course without learning anything new; but instead I ran into trick after trick that I didn't know. I use Beamer but I didn't know FoilTeX, the presentation package used in the Short Course. It's a great idea to let tell users very early on how to make a presentation from their papers, and then leave Beamer for full treatment later.
   
   I very much like Appendix A, holding the reader's hand as LaTeX is installed. Then the three "productivity tools" are introduced, explaining how to use these tools on both platforms, and leaving the rest of the user interface for later, leisurely exploration, making it really quick for users to start using LaTeX.
   
   Very early in the introduction, Grätzer talks about "the three layers" (TeX, LaTeX, and the AMS packages) and, from the beginning, use all three seamlessly. This is a radical new idea. It will substantially reduce the learning curve -- my students will appreciate it. The wonderful foreword by Rainer Schöpf (one of the two lead programmers of AMS-LaTeX) makes the role of the AMS packages clear in the historical development of modern LaTeX.
   
   I really like the way you got to "Lines too wide" so early in the Short Course, explaining to the user the cause of the problem and solutions. Why do most books postpone this?
   
   I better not go on and on. Just wanted to write these few lines about my enjoyment as I read this wonderful material.



4. The book 'more math into Latex' is a good tool which helps somebody without experience in Latex to start using it as soon as possible and reach an adequate level for simple enough articles very fast. I would not be able to judge this book for difficult Latex applications.

5 comments about Toad Pocket Reference for Oracle (Pocket Reference (O'Reilly)).

1. I've used TOAD awhile now and saw there were 2 books coming out on it - this on and the TOAD handbook. This little reference is excellent. Great that it just happened to be written on the version I'm using now - 7.4. The book however is based on TOAD's core functionality and not really so much on new features. Just skimming through I came across some features I hadn't even used.

   It's does touch on the optional add-ins you can get for TOAD (if you get the commericial version) like the DBA module. It had plenty for me on the debugger. If you're looking for a tutorial, this isn't it, though it does remind you about looking in the docs folder for TOAD documentation in PDF. This little guide is a great reference.




2. Helped me learn a new tool for easier SQL verification of Oracle update scripts for my work!



3. As in most of the O'Reilly pocket paperbacks, this one is a wonderful resource. If you need a quick check of something you don't recall the details, this will probably assist you admirably. It requires you be knowleable of Toad. If you are looking for something to instruct you in the use of Toad, you may want a more substancial book. This one includes some tips and tricks that should prove beneficial to most experienced Toad users. As a quick reference the layout is good and the table of contents makes it easy to find what you need. There is not alot of meat on these bones, but the meat is pretty good. For more in depth explainations you may want to look at the Toad Handbook by Bert Scalzo and Dan Hotka.



4. Useful - but I would say costs too much for its content.
   Anyone can make their own reference book similar to or better than this using TOAD's Help features!



5. I don't use this book a lot, but have found it to be worthwhile. It's a good read when riding the bus because I can always pick up a tip or two.

5 comments about Microsoft® Windows Server(TM) 2003 Inside Out.

1. I have not read too many books about Windows 2003 Server but this book is far beyond of my expactations.



2. I needed a comprehensive book on Windows Server 2003 and this is the one I picked after reading through all the others at the bookstore. Stanek has the most comprehensive coverage I've ever seen in a single book on security, filesystems/availability, Active Directory, and most anything else you'd want to know about Windows Server. I've been an admin for 12 years and there's things I learned that I'll admit I didn't even know Windows Server could do. As an example, this book has TWO performance monitoring and tuning chapters. These chapters cover remote monitoring, command-line monitoring, performance logging, etc. Chapter 19 covers both MBR and GPT disks as well as SANs, RAIDs. Chapter 20 covers everything you'd ever want to know about NTFS including hard links, data streams, journaling, reparse points, sparse files, disk quotas, etc. Chapter 22 is covers shadow copy from its internals to everything about how it works. Chapter 24 covers everything you need to know about IP addressing and subnetting. There are two chapters on DNS with everything from setup to troubleshooting. Some of the best coverage is on Active Directory. There's eight chapters and the 300 pages covers more than some other entire books on the subject. Get this book jump straight to Chapter 12 and keep reading until you get to Chapter 41. You'll learn a lifetime's worth of knowledge and get more expert advice than in any other book. Thank you Mr. Stanek for such an excellent book.



3. I recently bought a copy of this book. I saw it on the desk of a colleague at work and decided to have a look. It is really great and I also like the writing style of Stanek. My only regret is that I didn't purchase it earlier. This would have saved me considerably time and effort in researching several administration problems that may crop up from time to time.



4. As a comprehensive Windows Server 2003 reference, there is no comparison as far as I'm concerned. Quality shines throughout the book and it is obviously the product of extensive research and lots of realworld experience. Stanek takes some pretty bland subject matter like DNS, Active Directory, and optimization and makes it understandable. This book made many things clearer for me, and I actually enjoyed reading it. Explanations are so much detailed that you can actually configure your system step by step by following the book. Also discusses the underlying technology in a detailed conceptual way, that gave me the overall understanding and insight of what really is going on. If you are trying to learn or working with Windows networks, this book is a must. The book never makes you confused, and virtually all aspects of networking are covered. You really cannot go wrong with this book it is well worth the money.



5. I found that this book contained information and detail that exceeded what would turn up in a typical web search. The book devotes around 200 pages just to AD. I have several books and this one actually gets used!

5 comments about Professional DotNetNuke 4: Open Source Web Application Framework for ASP.NET 2.0 (Programmer to Programmer).

1. My expectations appear to be in sync with other developers looking for a book that really goes under the hood to explain how to develop modules for the DotNetNuke portal framework. Much of what is written here you can find in their other book geared toward DNN 3. For example, page 58 in the DotNetNuke Portals book is page 88 in this one. I also agree with others that much of the information in this book has already been covered in the DNN documentation, the online help, and more thoroughly in Lorraine Young's DNN Guide (I understand that she is authoring a DotNetNuke for Dummies book, also not geared towards the developer, and which I have a hunch will also be a re-hash of her DNN Guide - which is rather good for its intended audience).
   
   I hate to be so harsh here but I hope that the message gets across that developers are really looking for a solid technical book with practical examples on how to program for this framework, and tips and tricks for leveraging the DNN framework as well. Daniel Egan's first book covering DNN 3 was a very good attempt (his second was yet another re-hash, though). Traincert.net has a video which describes a creative way to setup your development environment to develop DNN modules for DNN4/VS 2k5, but that's about all...
   
   I hope that Shaun and the other's who are responsible for putting together such a terrific open source application see an opportunity here.



2. This book is NOT for you if you need to seriously use DotNetNuke or if you are going to embark on custom module development.
   
   This book is definitely for you if you want to know why Shaun Walker and the other core folks made certain decisions from 1.x through 4.x. This is only useful if you have to write a review or report on DotNetNuke for a magazine or blog.
   
   I've been using DotNetNuke seriously since before it was DotNetNuke and I have read all the books written about DotNetNuke through version 4.x. Frustratingly, none of the books gets my recommendation and this particular book is at the bottom. This book is full of general explanations that do you no good if you need to use DotNetNuke.
   
   This book is a shining example of the Achilles heel of DotNetNuke: it's a framework by architects, for architects.
   
   If you want to see what DotNetNuke ought to be more like, get the XMod module (it's a third-party product and I'm not affiliated with it in anyway and I'm not going to give you a link to it, just search for XMod).
   
   XMod is doing what DotNetNuke should be doing because XMod is a user's product. If you don't really want to make your own module or find that the documentation on customizing DNN just does not cut it -- get something like XMod. You'll still be using DotNetNuke but something like XMod is well documented and provides many duplicate features of DNN that accomplish functions similar to DNN but in a much, much more robust and usable way.
   
   In the case of both DNN and XMod the "user" refers to a developer.
   
   Don't let anyone fool you, DNN is a developer's product and you need to know a lot about all the web applicaiton technologies involved and ought to be able to use Visual Studio and SQL at a minimum.
   
   But the nutty thing about this book is that it spends half its time speaking above the developer talking about architectural decisions and other esoterica that will not tell you enough to mimic the architecture or use the code unless you are already a DNN expert developer.
   
   This book will drive you mad if you are a developer who is not afraid to compile a VS project and you are looking for an answer such as, "How do I just add a couple of columns to the Survey module table, a bit of extra business logic and a few cosmetic changes I need?" This book will only reiterate that DNN modules are scattered all over the place in this provider and that or this App_Code folder or that. And that DNN achieves an oh-so-wonderful but madingly obfuscatory 'separation of Church and State' architecture.
   
   The rest of the time this book talks below the developer and gives worthless "For Dummies" information about how to use the various modules like Announcements and Links. For goodness sake Wrox, how in the world did you pass off such a disjoint amalgam of chapters?
   
   DotNetNuke is a very good application framework. Today (Spring 2007) DotNetNuke 4.5 is the best starting point for your web application regardless of size or deployment. DNN blows the LAMP alternatives out of the water.
   
   It remains to be seen if DNN will continue to be needed. My prediciton is "No". DNN is already being absorbed into .NET & Visual Studio and will continue to be absorbed. The only wildcard is the need for Microsoft to present the illusion of "Open Source". It is an illusion because in truth, Microsoft directly funds and virtually controls DotNetNuke. (Sorry, Shaun, it's a fact even you admit in this book. But it's okay with me and most DNN users.)
   
   Even though this book spends and inordinate amount of time explaining "For Dummies" details, it does not provide enough to be useful! For instance, it tells yous about the editor and the discussion module and then promptly dismisses both as inferior to modules you ought to go download. So, you are left on your own to use a module that is not documented.
   
   Trying to develop a custom module in any version of DotNetNuke is not for the uninitiated and chances are you bought this book because you are endeavoring to create a custom module. You would think this book would excel at providing assistance to the custom module developer. But alas it does not.
   
   It is full of "we did this in version 3 because people wanted that in version 2, etc." rather than getting down and dirty into custom module development. Also the examples are incomplete snippets and only in VB.
   
   I will conclude this epistle with a plea to Shaun and the Core: Stop writing books! Instead, provide thorough, updated online documentation, tutorials and private forums. I'd pay way more than the price of this book for a library of sample projects (And please in C#!) with tutorials and explicit instructions. For instance, take Michael Washington's tutorials. I'd pay for access to that type of resource if it were fleshed out a bit more, presented in a more organized fashion and included in-depth documentation and access to private forums to ask questions and get help when deadlines need to be met (on a pay-per-use basis if necessary).
   
   Trying to follow an example in this book will drive you mad because it always leaves out all the REALLY IMPORTANT details like paths, settings, options, creating and configuring IIS for webhost sites versus localhost sites etc. Constantly the book says things like, "If your site is hosted, you'll have to do this part differently." REALLY!? Just HOW is it done differently!? THAT'S WHAT I BOUGHT THE BOOK FOR!
   
   P.S. It is quite evident that few of the Core Team actually use DotNetNuke. The Core really needs to add some serious users to its ranks. Right now it is just a bunch of (very good) system programmers. System programmers we all know are topnotch in their areas of expertise but usually suck at knowing what makes an application a winner with the end users. The upshot is that we who do know the latter end up spending the bulk of our DNN time tweaking under, over and around the ugliness and clumsiness of DNN. This ugly clumsiness can be seen architecturally where too many times, when you need another of something you have to create a new modules and there is no way you (the developer) are going to let end users add modules to pages. So you end up not being able to use a module only because you cannot get "another" one without adding a new module to a page.



3. When I started with DotNetNuke a year ago I knew absolutely nothing about it. I bought a copy of professional DotNetNuke 4 read it cover to cover and it did wonders. It is very easy to understand it covers everything you need to know, and best of all it is a great reference even when you have experience with DotNetNuke. I still reach for this book to answer most of my questions.



4. This book might be the worst software book I have read. The most helpful thing in the book is the appendix with dotnetnuke related links. The examples are lame and the content is scattered like a bunch of different people wrote sections in a vacuum. No flow.



5. If you are unlucky enough to get tasked with working with this godawful technology, I guess you have one of two options:
   
   1) Buy this book. It's far, far from being comprehensive, but it's enough to keep you treading water for awhile.
   2) Get a new job. This is my personal recommendation.

5 comments about SAP R/3 for Everyone: Step-by-Step Instructions, Practical Advice, and Other Tips and Tricks for Working with SAP.

1. I recommend this books to everyone who are new to SAP R/3 and are just starting to learn the system. This is a very good BEGINNER'S book and teaches you how to navigate around the SAP R/3 interface.
   
   It does what it promises very well!



2. One of the easiest books to read ans get a solid understanding of SAP. We liked in so much we purchased two. One for our us and another to share.



3. Well that was my feeling after I browsed through it - if you are an SAP user then you must be investing a good part of your time using SAP - then you must have a live SAP system and some users manual. Then why do you need this book.
   Most of the things taught in this book are also in windows for dummies.
   due to the nature of SAP - before you use the software you must know a little bit of the architecture and unless you know that screen shots will not help you. If you need to know details please go to help.sap.com or sap service market place but please do not waste your money on this book.
   I guess he is a teacher who wants to make his students buy this book - well then he is succesful



4. THE SELLER WAS FAST, ACCURATE & FOLLOW UP WAS GREAT. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO LEARN SAP, THIS BOOK IS TOO BASIC & DOES NOT EXPLAIN IN DETAILS. I GUESS FOR THE PRICE OF THE BOOK IT WAS WORTH IT. IT IS SITTING ON MY BOOK SHELF. THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE SELLER BUT THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK. THE SERVICE OF THE SELLER WAS GREAT! I HAVE BOUGHT OTHER BOOKS FROM THEM & HAVE BEEN QUITE HAPPY. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS SELLER AGAIN....PRICES ARE GREAT, SERVICE IS FAST, AND ACCURATE. THANKS!



5. I am very pleased with this book as an introduction to SAP R/3. It gives a great overview of the main concepts in using it and how the pieces function on the user level. This is not a technical book and do not recommend it for those wanting to utilize it for technical purposes, unless for an introduction and overview to the topic.

5 comments about Learning the UNIX Operating System, Fifth Edition.

1. I found this book nominally useful. I have found better references that give an easier way to learn UNIX and aren't such a drag to read. It is OK if you need a cross reference, but to understand and learn the system keep looking. I suggest UNIX Power Tools by Power, Peek, O'Reilly & Loukides.



2. As someone who has only worked with Windows, the thought of needing to learn UNIX was daunting at first. I knew the power of the command prompt from the days of DOS, and needed somewhere to get a strong foothold. This book is an excellent place for newbies of UNIX to begin. It takes what any and every user will need and explains just enough to get simple jobs done. It leaves each topic explaining that there is much more, but that is beyond the scope of this book. O'Reilly set out to make a beginner's guide, and that is what you should expect. Advanced users will be bored, but that isn't who this book is aimed at. Doubled with "UNIX in a Nutshell", I have been able to find just what I need to get off to a good start. Highly Recommended!!!!



3. I didn't know anything about Unix at all. After reading the reviews here, I decided on this book. It's for beginners like me. After finishing the book and practicing the exercises, I believe that I'm ready to go to the next level. And I didn't need any over-priced DVDs to go with it (and neither do you!)



4. This book is a great book to start-up on your Unix commands. The examples re-iterate their meaning and I think this book is a great start to the world of Unix.
   
   The X Win discussion though I thought could have been at the end of the book instead of the beginning.



5. Excellent program - I just decided that I would not be able to use Linux while in school