5 comments about Foundation Flash 8 (Foundation).

1. I just finishing reading Foundation Flash 8, co-authored by Sham Bhangal and Kristian Besley. The technical reviewer was Todd Yard, a role that he has played in 11 other Friends of ED books. I was checking out Todd's company website, and was very impressed. He works for Jeremy Allaire, former CTO of Macromedia. You might recognize him as the creator of the product that made Dreamweaver so great - Allaire Homesite. I digress, back to the book review.
   
   First of all, let me specify who this book is for: Those looking to get a handle on Flash, starting from square one. One fellow gave it a really harsh review, probably expecting it to be something along the lines of Flash 8 Essentials. That being said, Foundation Flash 8 is a very good book in its own right. Sure, the first few chapters are elementary, but considering that this text is supposed to take you from beginner to intermediate in your skill-level, it's right on target. It takes you step by step through each part of the interface, and then builds from there. By the end, you're making simple video games.
   
   Even seasoned veterans could benefit from reading through the introductory chapters, because of some of the significant changes to the way Flash works. For instance, object drawing used to cut out shapes that overlapped each other, which was an annoyance those who were used to a different graphics program.
   
   This was always confusing to me, being a big fan of Macromedia Adobe Fireworks, the interface of which looks very similar to Flash. Now that this has been tweaked, the two cousin programs behave more similarly. This book does a good job of pointing out things like this, that while simple, could possibly prove confusing for those already used to the previous behavior. You could say that before, Flash was in "quirks" mode, and now it's more streamlined.
   
   One of my favorite section of the book was chapter 12, which covers sound and video optimization. Flash 8 goes leaps and bounds beyond where its MX 2004 predecessor had been. I like that fact that the authors emphasize that you should tweak, listen to, and watch your projects as you work on them. While Flash has some heavy-duty compression by default, you would do well to choose specific settings for each media file you use, as this will help you get the best sound / picture clarity, while keeping your file size as low as possible. As is the case with most things in digital / physical art, practice makes perfect.
   
   Another thing I appreciate about this book is its emphasis on learning real code. Some of the Flash books I've read in the past tend to gloss over this as too difficult for newer users. This may be true, but it does them a disservice not to teach it. Thankfully, these guys encourage the reader to delve in further, and draw the line between beginner or expert at the point of ActionScript...
   
   "You can use a drag-and-drop behavior. It's fast and efficient, but at the expense of reducing your understanding of the problem, and it offers a solution that addresses problems that may not be part of your particular task. It's also a 'one size fits all' solution - and how many times have you bought a one-size-fits all shirt and thought 'Mmm, fits perfectly, almost as if it was tailor-made for me?' Me neither." - Page 302
   
   The above quote pretty much sums up the jist of all web-based design. I can't tell you how many times I've got an email or been asked in person, even by experienced visual designers: "What program do you use to make your CSS websites?" What they mean is: How can I point-and-click my way through it? The short answer is: You can't, not of you intend on learning anything. Most people are disappointed to find out I use Araneae for all of my hand-coding.
   
   Likewise, if you want to really harness the power of dynamic animations in Flash, you need to get comfortable with ActionScript. For those of you who are familiar with JavaScript already, it shouldn't be too hard to pick up because AS syntax is modeled after JS. If you're new to both, fear not, because Flash comes in with a built-in code assistant, similar to that in Dreamweaver.
   
   The authors start out the ActionScript chapters using the code assistant, and then gradually steer the reader towards typing out code by hand. You could think of it this way: at the beginning of the book, you're riding a tricycle, but by the end you're handling a Harley Davidson.
   
   My advice is this: as you're reading this book, take it all with a small grain of salt. They tend to hail Flash as the final point in web evolution, and sort of treat HTML as a necessary step for embedding your SWF file. I would swing the pendelum back towards the center, treating Flash as part of a wholistic solution to the web, using the most logical solutions where appropriate. Sometimes we over-complicate things, and lose the beauty of simplicity. As long as you maintain a larger perspective, you will learn much from this book.



2. Being a novice designer, I learn most effectively when I have experts telling me the ins and outs of how things work in a program, explaining the logic behind a certain sequence of actions, and sharing the tips and tricks from their wealth of experiences using the program. And this is how I exactly felt embarking on the exciting exploration of the Flash world using the Foundation Flash 8 book by Sham Bhangal and Kristian Besley.
   
   The book covers Flash 8 from its basic tools and techniques in dealing with shapes, text, colors and animations to the more advanced action/interactions and ActionScript. Rather than just prescribing step by step procedures to use the many tools and functions in Flash 8, the authors reveal what is behind the scene - from simply how terms such as "Tweening", "Onion Skins" and "Masking" came about to the underlying mechanisms of ActionScript. In addition, I found also most useful the many "rules of thumb" of using Flash that the authors share throughout the book.
   
   The book proved to be very helpful for me as a novice Flash user to gain some solid foundational skills and a well-formed beginning understanding of how things work in Flash. The authors achieved this through their well-written explanations and illustrations, plus hands-on practices for the users, which consist of numerous mini exercises in each chapter of the book and a larger project that the users continuously build on throughout the chapters. The final few chapters also provide some nice additions including how Flash works with the Internet, principles of good design, and so on. These help put learning Flash in context and making it fit nicely in the large picture of Web design.
   
   In the end, the five hundred plus pages of the book were fairly easy to go through, (also thanks to the light humors intermittently found in the writing). I felt more confident working with the powerful program, and I just cannot wait to roll up the sleeves and get started with some real work using Flash!



3. This book covers a lot of ground and does so in a detailed and friendly way. It's organized and laid out logically enough, getting you started with the interface, tool types and basic animation, and then working its way through more and more complex topics. The book's working examples are appropriate for each level the book advances through,and the writing style is approachable enough that a wide range of users should find it worth their while.
   
   I gave this book four stars and not five because it wasn't proofed well in some areas. For example, the chapter on Flash video notes incorrectly, that Mac users -even prior to the days of OS X- could download a free version of iMovie to start making movie content. The actual situation is that iMovie has only been available since OS X arrived, and only to those who have purchased a new Mac with a super-drive, or purchased the iLife suite. It is not and has never been available as a free download.
   
   Another flaw this book has is that many of the screenshots are scaled down so much, that you cannot read the dialog text without squinting or looking very closely. (I don't wear glasses btw : ) Not all the screenshots suffer from this problem, but enough do to make it frustrating at points. A better idea for the next edition is cropping out the empty space or unimportant parts of a given dialog box, rather than scaling the whole dialog box -even the parts with important text- down.
   
   Overall still a good book, and worth owning if you only have time or resources for one Flash Book. I prefer this book's learning style to that of the Lynda.com type books, which seeminly are all made from the same cookie cutter. When an author becomes and industry unto themselves, look out. : )



4. I am an animation student at Brooks College and Flash is part of the curriculum. One of the challenges of these intensive courses is that we cover so much material, so fast, that it is hard to get any depth before we are off to the next tool. I looked around the net for tutorials and other resources to supplement class materials and having had previous good experiences with this publisher I picked up Foundation Flash 8 as a beginner book (and ActionScript for Flash 8 as my next step up).
   
   I found this to be a very solid book. The early chapters are, in effect, the manual that didn't come with my Education Version product. All the basics that we zoomed through in class were right there when I needed them and I found myself enhancing my homework assignments by doing what was required, looking up topics when I was stuck and adding extras to the projects that helped me nail an A in the class.
   
   I reviewed many programming books a few years back, and my first impression was that these books felt a bit different. I think some of the complaints one or two have voiced may be related to this. But upon review of the material and test projects I find this book friendly and well laid out. The material covered served both as a ready reference and as a good foundation for more advanced material. It starts at raw beginner and moves into some meatier intermediate stuff that I am still using to get ready for the more advanced ActionScript I am interested in.
   
   About the only complaint I can register is that my personal interests lie more towards producing games and animated cartoons so I would have found an emphasis on that more `fun' - but that isn't a reflection on the book, just my childish nature. ;)
   
   I recommend this book for beginners as a good reference and foundation for more advanced Flash topics.



5. "Foundation Flash 8" by Sham Bhangal and Kristian Besley is, overall, an excellent introduction for all new Flash users, be they right-brained artists who think a line is something you draw in a picture or left-brained techies who think a line is something you write in a program.
   
   Right-brained readers will be enthralled by the first half of the book's focuses on Flash's drawing and animating features, with exhaustive treatment of symbols, colors, tweening, and masks. There's even an excellent section on text and text animation. Left-brained readers will drool over the second half of the book, which runs from simple behaviors to intelligent actions to "intermediate" ActionScript. Somewhere in the middle, there is lots of talk about buttons -- and artists will be thrilled with all the things they learn to do to make them look pretty and programmers will be equally thrilled with all the things they learn to do to make them do neat things when pushed.
   
   Of course, if artists didn't learn some ActionScript (or at least some basic Flash behaviors), or if programmers didn't learn animation, then there would be no point to learning Flash. Bhangal and Besley manage, in "Foundation Flash 8," to teach the full range of foundation Flash functionality to the full range of novice Flash users. While programmers might yawn a bit during the first few, graphics-intensive chapters (and, I imagine, while artists' eyes might spin somewhat during the last couple of ActionScript chapters), there's plenty in this book to keep everybody happy. Conveniently, the authors have structured the ongoing case study -- and have provided intermediate project files -- so that skipping sections or chapters is possible.
   
   The authors make no assumptions about the level of knowledge of readers, other than that experienced Flash users are not their target audience. Everything is taught from square one (or, sometimes a bit frustratingly, from square zero). Straightforward and moderately complex topics are explained well throughout, and the more advanced scripting topics are equally well presented. One shortcoming is the less-than-stellar handling of complex, abstract graphics topics, such as advanced gradients and Bézier curves; as the authors put it on page 63, "It's easier to do than to explain!"
   
   Friends of ED publishes what are probably the best design-oriented books in the business, and "Foundation Flash 8" certainly fits their usual high standards. The paper is thick and bright, the typography is pleasant, and the writing style is friendly -- at times bordering on plucky (page 132: "Colors, fills, and gradients are the extra paprika on the already tongue-tingling dish that is Flash"). This particular volume does suffer a bit from its two-column layout, which results in figures -- particularly screenshots -- being a bit too small for comfort, and from its one-color printing, which is not so much a problem in a book on, say, Dreamweaver or PHP but which is a significant disadvantage in a book dealing with a drawing and animation tool. (As the authors themselves acknowledge on page 132, "It's never going to be entirely satisfactory to discuss color in a book printed in black and white...")
   
   Pluckiness and monochromicity notwithstanding, "Foundation Flash 8" does exactly what its name suggests -- it gives the reader a solid foundation in Flash 8 -- and it does it well. The book is comprehensive, accurate, clear, and well organized, and most importantly, it bears the "Friends of ED" cachet and is backed up by the best support in the business: the Friends of ED readers' forum, a lively and helpful online community frequented by authors and other experts always willing to answer question and to help solve problems. "Foundation Flash 8" is a fine choice for anyone eager to get his hands wet with Flash. I strongly recommend this book.

2 comments about Handbook of Data Structures and Applications (Chapman & Hall/Crc Computer and Information Science Series.).

1. In CRC's usual comprehensive way, the editors have compiled a set of papers that describe many types of data structures likely to be needed by a programmer.
   
   The text starts with trees and graphs. Then goes on to heaps, priority queues and general purpose queues. And then to hash tables and search trees. The latter are shown to be importantly different from generic trees. Naturally, B and B* trees also come into the picture.
   
   More complex structures that arise out of the multidimensional nature of data are also investigated.
   
   The typical chapter can be a little terse if you have not encountered its ideas before. The book is best suited to someone also well versed in data structures, and who needs a solid reference manual.



2. This is a very useful book to have. It looks to me that the book is a compilation of various research papers by different authors. Provides a unique view to Data structures and their applications.

No comments about Excel 2007 PivotTables Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach (Expert's Voice in .Net).

5 comments about Pair Programming Illuminated.

1. I started a bit skeptical about pairing until I read this book. After completing the book I realized that I was thoroughly mistaking about my premature conclusions and comments on the topic.
   
   This is a very thorough, interesting and entertaining book. After reading it from cover to cover, I realized that pair-programming is not only a good thing-in many instances for most software processes-but that it addresses a problem that many individual in our field suffers from-and I am a prime examplar of a programmer with some form of the symptoms of that problem:

   General lack of social skills, or interest, for interacting, communicating and working in teams to create "good" large software... as well as sharing our knowledge without prejudice and with humility. Not too mention dealing with our not so small egos...

   I also realized that in some sense, I have experienced (positively) some form of pair-programming without really knowing it. At the large software company where I work, we do spend a fair amount of time reviewing code and coaching, which reminds me of some of the tactics that is proposed in the book. Further, in a recent project I personally did spend a lot of time in a "coaching" role (as the lead) with the team... and the feedback I got from members of the team was only positive.

   I am convinced now that my initial attitude and thoughts towards pairing was wrong and was based on misunderstanding and probably on recollections of "expert-novice" pairing that I had experienced a few times in the past; and which is singled out in the book as one instance where pairing might not work well. Further, my "soloist" programming background coupled with a more introverted personality does not help the matter. However, I do also realize that any decent software system (delivered in competitive business time and quality) has to be done by a team and is not a trivial endeavor-I speak from experience here. So breeding "soloist" programmers is not in the interest of the field nor is it for any company. Finally, as is indicated many times, pairing might also be a lot more fun.

   I know now what changes I will be pushing for, in my next project.




2. As the title suggests, Pair Programming Illuminated casts light on many of the frequently asked questions about pair programming. This very readable book helps you to understand why pair programming works, how to implement it, and when to consider not using it. Statements about pair programming are supported by data as well as stories by the authors and other practioners of pair programming. Buy this book if you want to understand pair programming better, implement pair programming in your team, or explain pair programming's benefits to someone else.



3. 
   A well-rounded discussion of pair programming, this book presents not only where pair programming excels, but also where the problems lie. Whether you are looking for a sales pitch, implementation advice, or statistical data from pair programming studies, the book contains useful information for project managers, technical leads, and developers alike.
   
   Part One covers general information about pair programming. It dispels some of the fear and uncertainty that revolves around the practice (myths) and highlights some of the positive aspects that can be derived (synergistic behaviors). It includes a chapter titled "Overcoming Management Resistance to Pair Programming" which lists achievable goals that any project manager would wish for. In addition, there's a short chapter on selling pair programming to reluctant peers. But the authors warn that it is probably best to use a pyramid marketing approach and just let the advocates sell it for you versus forcing it on staff. Part One closes with a list of problems to avoid when implementing pairing.
   
   Part Two explains in less than 30 pages how to implement pair programming from the workspace layout to "Tips 'n Tricks" for making it work better. If read and applied carefully, this last chapter may help the developer looking for implementation advice to save a failing pair programming attempt. That alone makes this book a worthwhile read!
   
   Part Three spans close to half of the book and walks through the various pairings that might occur when you have different technical abilities (expert, average, novice), sex, race, and attitudes involved in the process. Each of the technical ability pairings is examined with both positive and negative aspects highlighted. Relevant anecdotal information from experienced pair programmers is also included.
   
   Part Four looks at pair programming as part of a software process, in particular, Extreme Programming (XP) and the Collaborative Software Process (CSP). The chapter on XP reviews the process in 10 pages and explains why the authors believe pair programming is an integral part of the process. The CSP chapter is derived from the author Laurie Williams' dissertation and is an extension of XP and Watt's Humphrey's Personal Software Process (PSP).
   
   Part Five closes the book out with edge case information on pair programming in a distributed environment, using it in an educational setting, the continued relevance of code inspections, and more. Also included is a "Seven Habits of Effective Pair Programmers" list which couples nicely with the "Tips 'n Tricks" chapter in Part Two.
   
   You will also find useful information in the appendices. There is a Pair Programming Tutorial designed to lead people through a half-day pair programming exercise. An economic analysis of an empirical study conducted at the University of Utah looks at supporting data from both an efficiency and economic perspective.
   
   Pros
   * Covers pair programming from multiple perspectives.
   * Advises on improving pair programming sessions.
   * Contains empircal data supporting the practice.
   
   Cons
   * Part Three could have been abbreviated but is easily scanned for relevant information.



4. This book is simply excellent. I found it on the shelf in our office, so I grabbed it and read it mostly on the train commuting to work. I enjoyed reading it from the front cover to the end.
   
   This book is purely focused of pair programming, so if you have not had an exposure to extreme programming I recommend you read "Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change" by Kent Beck and Cynthia Andres first.
   
   We started practicing XP in our development team. Our manager got several copies of XP Explained book for us. As I have already read it, I read another book about XP: "Extreme Programming Applied: Playing to Win." After that, I found this one and let me tell you, it is a real treasure. Some of the times, when I came to the office and we had the stand-up meeting, we discussed how we could make XP work better for us. There were so many things from real life that were in this book!
   
   This book is very easy to read and very true to practices of pair programming. You won't be disappointed.



5. Finally, "full disclosure". Instead of assertions that pair programming must be good, everyone should do it, and "just get going", Williams and Kessler tell us honestly that pair programming is "simply not for all" and requires continous maintenance. And they admit they "don't know yet" how pair programming might or might not replace formal code reviews. (Rather honestly, they admit that in a context where most people don't do any code reviews, pair programming could help a bit.)
   
   With that out of the way, Pair Programming Illuminated really does illuminate: explanations and examples of how to start pair programming, what to expect, and how to address problems. Practicality instead of magic. Well worth the read.

5 comments about Mathematics for 3D Game Programming & Computer Graphics (Game Development Series (Charles River Media).).

1. Surely this is the book I was looking for.
   Mostly of the 3D games books just presents codes and some few mentions to the maths techniques, without regarding the concepts behind them.
   This one presents the Maths we use in 3D game development in such way that it does not bore the reader and yet makes him learn the math basis behind the 3D graphics programming, presenting, yet, some physics notes to implement a physics based engine.
   If you just wanna code, certainly this is not the book for you, but if you are a serious developer (and programmer), surely this is the only book you should need.



2. This book provides a solid foundation for anyone who wants to develop a good understanding of the math behind computer graphics. The author provides clear and concise explanations of the concepts covered, backs them up with mathematical proofs, and usually discusses how the concepts can be applied in games, often with sample code. Each chapter has accompanying exercises that I recommended working through.

   The topics covered include things you would expect like matrices, vectors, transformations, 3D geometry, and lighting, but also includes are topics like collision detection, ray tracing, visibility determination, and techniques such as billboarding and shadows. It concludes with several chapters on physics including fluid simulation, and a few useful appendices covering trig, complex numbers, and Taylor series.

   If you're brand new to graphics and game programming and haven't had a math class in a while, then the somewhat textbook-like language may be a little daunting, but otherwise, this book is an excellent resource for those interested in solidifying their knowledge of 3D math.




3. Excellent Book, I am very pleased with it and encourage it to anyone who already has ground knowledge in Trig + Calc. No fluffer in this book, all content and well written.



4. like others books in charles media , written by someone in the industry , which means value infos will be in the book .
   this book is good for someone studied linear algebra I,II + calculs courses and want to see the applied math in computer applications such as games .
   i suggest before reading this book , reading a book about linear algebra + gemetry + calculs so as not to lost in that book because this book not for beginners in math .



5. If you're trying to find examples of 3D vector operations (dot and cross products, especially) that keep the interest of a mixed class of 18-25 year olds, this book is a fantastic source. If you're approaching the topic from the point of view of a programmer, trying to acquire the necessary math, it may be a bit dense. I'm sure many of the examples are now out-of-date, compared to current 3D implementations, but I learned quite a bit, anyway.

5 comments about Programming the Microsoft Windows Driver Model (Microsoft Professional Series).

1. This book is written in an extremely hard to read style, with long and convoluted sentences.

   The writing style is almost unbearably boring. It you thought Hardy's "Return of the Native" was too fast paced, this is the book for you!

   It also tends to explain the micro details without clearly explaining how it all fits together. In this respect, it almost assumes you have read and understood the Device Driver Kits, although the reader will be generally looking for help getting started with the DDKs.

   There also seem to be a lot of omissions, in that it does not do a very good job of getting you started. Want to write a winmodem driver? This book gives you no idea where to start.

   Having said all that, you probably need this book if you are writing a WDM driver. It does have a lot of useful information and tips. However it assumes you are a guru already.




2. This book was a valuable resource for my successful driver development project.

   For newbie's, the book is a great companion to the DDK. The text provides simple and concise sample code. The examples on the CD-ROM are a great way to start exploring driver programming concepts using a kernel debugger. The DDK samples are far too complicated for understanding the fundamentals, so use the book to get started and then the DDK samples will be much easier to comprehend.

   I recommend that you read through the entire book at a high enough level that you don't get caught up in the details. Next, find the chapter and sample driver that is most appropriate for your task and get started. Throughout the rest of development, you'll reference various parts of the book to understand the details and avoid the hidden pitfalls in kernel mode programming.

   For experts, the book provides comprehensive treatment of the topic. It's full of tips and suggestions based on real-world experience. Many of the driver components on the CD-ROM can be integrated into real drivers in order to reduce development time and complexity. If you are creating a production driver that you intend to ship to real customers, the book will also provide you many options for creating a top-notch user experience during the install process. WHQL and driver security issues are addressed as well.

   The author updates the CD-ROM sources in service packs located on the web site. These updates are based on his continuing work and feedback from readers.




3. I am borrowing a copy of this book at work, and I agree with the other reviewers that its helpful, and it doesnt "talk down"

   But it can get quite rambly, the IO Request Chapter is a great example of this.

   That being said I actually tried to include his DEVQUEUE in my driver code im using at work...Ive been programming for 10+ years so im not a slouch.

   Problems:
   1) C code written using C++ rules. This is annoying.
   2) Doesn't compile at tighter warning levels...LOTS of warnings
   3) Bug in DEVQUEUE initialization sent me on an IRP goosechase for good part of a day, and YES I did download his code service packs first. Watch out for stallcount being initialized to 1, StartNextPacket will refuse to run unless you change this to zero.




4. Oney's book provided the right overview and explanations I needed to get up to speed. I didn't expect a man to pop out of his book and do the work for me. Most any serious development is never done by the purchase of a book alone.

   I do recall certain areas where I mumbled a little, where I'd wished he'd elaborated and/or expanded a little more, but this is meant only to hint at a slight criticism.

   Oney's book was used in helping to produce successful results for real-world commercial software development. Thanks Mr. Oney!




5. I've been working on Linux kernel driver for sometime and recently started porting my driver to Windows platform, which is totally new to me. I started by going through DDK online manual for over a month, during which I spent a ton of energy trying to find the Windows counterparts of the functions I'm using in Linux driver. Then I came across this book, which is saving me a lot.
   
   That's right, this book is no newbie one, but it is definitley well-written, organized, and neat if compared to "Linux Device Driver 3rd", if you happen to have one.
   
   Strongly recommend this book if you are a serious DDK writter. And BTW, use this book with DDK online manual intensively.
   
   Expecting the 3rd edition!

No comments about Programmable Logic Controllers.

No comments about Beginning C# 2008: From Novice to Professional, Second Edition (Beginning from Novice to Professional).

No comments about Practical CakePHP Projects (Practical Projects).

5 comments about Pro .NET Oracle Programming.

1. From the title you would expect this to drill into some deep Oracle technical issues. It doesn't do that. It's a fairly screenshot intensive walkthrough of basic Oracle use in .NET. It starts with connectivity, information retrieval and manipulation. Then exception handling, stored procedures and large object operations. There is some coverage of performance issues.
   
   There is a lot of good content here. It's well written and organized. The screenshots aren't overwhelming and the sample code is good. A good book on Oracle use in .NET, even if it is a little mis-titled.



2. I would like to have given this book a 5 stars
   but the title is greatly over-exagerated for Pros
   
   This is the first time I have accessed oracle for the first
   time thru visual studio and the book has helped me overcome
   that fear. The examples are clear and concise in its into
   to oracle so even an idiot could pick it up.
   
   I would like to see a book which extends more on real life examples. A drawback i would like to add about this book.
   This book is TOO exepensive for a introductory book
   
   I am thrilled that all the examples do work which was a MAJOR plus.



3. I put a system into production last fall with .NET and Oracle. Wish I had this book nine months ago! Mark has good advice for someone new to Oracle, but familiar with .NET. I've gone back and tweaked the system based on Mark's recommendations. I'm happy.



4. I got this book when in started working with oracle db using .net 2.0 beta1. It's really good book for understanding .net and oracle using odp.net and MS driver.



5. Best one, nicely explains the basics and advanced topics of oracle - .NET programming.
   
   A Must read for beginners in Oracle/.NET.