5 comments about Microsoft® Office Project 2007 Inside Out.

1. This book has easy step by step approach with all the quirks and strategies to work with MS project.
   I would recommend it for any PM or project user who wants to learn Microsoft project quickly. I also believe that it good a reference. Good luck with Project 2007.



2. I got the book on time and in good condition. but the CD included doesn't have all the files that should have in the list. At least the e-book is missing. I appreciate if you can email me the ebook.
   
   I will buy more stuff from Amazon.
   
   DJ



3. I love Microsoft Project 2007.
   
   I know there are other tools that can do better job in some PM areas, but I love MS Project for its simplicity, ease of use, and its ubiquitousness.
   
   The 2007 version, in my opinion, does not break any miraculous new ground, but it does have cool new features such as multiple undos, better tracking with change highlights, better calendar, task drivers etc. - little stuffs that make PMs happy.
   
   I extensively use CA's Clarity (previously called Niku) as well. It is a powerful tool and quite a good one, but not as agile as I would like by itself. Fortunately, my PMO has integrated Project with Clarity, which has consequently made my life much easier. Of course, had they integrated Open Workbench, that would've been a viable alternative as well - plus significantly cheaper - but not as powerful. OR you could just go for the whole shebang and invest on Microsoft's EPM solution.
   
   Anyway, whether you are just a curious person who likes to know what the Project Managers are talking about around the watercooler or a Project Manager who wants to do things faster/quicker/better or a PMO Director who wants to be at the forefront of our trade, Microsoft Project 2007 is worth exploring. This book can be the worthy first step in that fascinating adventure.
   
   - a PMP's 2 Yen.



4. eBook is missing in the CD. How do I receive/download the copy of the eBook? Please advise.



5. The CD with the book was defective, it did not contain all the files that the book stated it did, I contacted Microsoft and they made good on the CD and sent me a new one that contained all the files.
   
   The book is great and should be used by anybody wanting to learn the program.

5 comments about 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius.

1. I got this for my friend's 16 year old son and he LOVES it! He is so excited about just knowing how all these things work, even though his mother refuses to let him into a Radio Shack in case he tries to build some of it! I've made him promise not to use any of his evil knowledge against our family and in return, I'll get him book 2 for his birthday! Great fun!



2. This is a fun book, with lots of great ideas. However, it really needed tighter editing. There are several instances where the text did not agree with the schematics (schematic has 50K ohm pot, text discusses 50 ohm, etc). This is unfortunate, since novice readers may not spot the problems, and end up with circuits which don't work.
   
   I'd also recommend a more traditional, left-to-right layout of the schematics. Some are left-right top-down, others are right-left. This makes it more difficult to follow the "flow" through the circuits.
   
   Regardless of these hiccups, I'd recommend this book to those who'd like to tinker with "spy gear" or who are looking for simplier project ideas.



3. In this world where unexpected suprises are not always welcome - and if your thoughts lean toward keeping an eye on things, this publication will certainly help. There are chapters the younger set would appreciate as well the seasoned info gatherer will not hesitate to start putting something together.
   Not electronic savvy? Not a concern. Just a few of the ideas presented here will get you headed in the right direction with property protection, keeping tabs, and real time viewing scenarios.
   
   Before reading this I thought; "Get a camera, put it up, check it once in awhile." Wrong. This easy reading material will get you thinking in important directions about surveilance you probably haven't thought of previously, unless you were a professional.



4. Great book! I give it five stars! Fun projects you can build cheaply using stuff you find in thrift stores or for free if you are willing to look inside Salvation Army dumpsters! Projects are great if you are a private eye, company internal security guy, or a kid who wants to really bother your family, friends and neighbors! On the more serious side,if you are into nature, you could probably use alot of the night scope and amplified ear stuff for bird/ animal monitoring. Be rational using this stuff! You could get in trouble if you follow your evil genius side! But...that's why you are looking at this book isn't it...MAH!, HA!, HA!, and HA!



5. Not quite what I was expecting. Pretty awesome projects but for practical use, meh, some of it.

5 comments about Jack: Straight from the Gut.

1. Jack Welch's life has been about excellence, winning....and having fun. His autobiography, "Jack: Straight From the Gut", tells how he rose from small town roots to become CEO of General Electric, arguably the greatest corporation in America and the world at the end of the 20th Century. During his life's journey, Welch accomplished more than most ever dream of. He earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering by the age of 25. During his 20 year tenure as head of GE, company revenues soared from $27 billion in 1981 to $130 billion in 2001. GE's annual growth rate averaged 18.9 percent during this period, and its stock rose a staggering 3,098 percent.
   
   Without any formal management training, Welch worked his way up from "process development specialist" in 1960 to CEO of GE in 1981. His management secret? Welch attributes his success in life and business to living the lessons his mother drilled into him during his youth. She taught him early that he had better face the facts of any tough situation if he was to succeed: "Don't kid yourself. It is the way it is." she would tell him repeatedly. "Grace Welch taught me the value of competition, just as she taught me the pleasure of winning and the need to take defeat in stride,"... "If I have any leadership style, a way of getting the best out of people, I owe it to her," Welch writes.
   
   And getting the best out of people, himself included, is what Jack Welch did best. He was such a great manager largely because he focused on bringing out the best in his employees, making GE into a "people factory". He knew that a business cannot afford to be soft-hearted when it comes to grading and rewarding, or punishing, employees based upon their performance. He knew that the value of a business is primarily the talents, skills, and knowledge of its people. Under Jack Welch, GE changed from bureaucracy to meritocracy - focused on grading its people, rewarding the best, encouraging the middle, and getting rid of the rest. As he writes: "Performance management has been part of everyone's life from the first grade. It starts in grade school with advanced placement. Differentiation applies to football teams, cheerleading squads, and honor societies....There's differentiation for all of us in our first 20 years. Why should it stop in the workplace, where most of our waking hours are spent?"
   
   Welch characterized the traits that made him successful and that he sought in others as "The Four E's": 1. Energy of personality, 2. the Enthusiasm to communicate that energy to others, 3. the Edge to make tough decisions, and 4. the Execution to see those decisions implemented. The Four E's were connected by the "Big P: Passion". Welch's integrity to this vision of employee excellence is seen repeatedly in the book when he promotes unrecognized and unrewarded employees because he saw the four E's and big P in them, where others did not. Most of these individuals went on to become successful upper managers at GE and even CEO's of other large corporations.
   
   Whether being blasted in the media as "Neutron Jack" for laying off thousands of employees while building a state-of-the-art management training center, or executing the buyout of other companies, such as RCA with its NBC network, or implementing a system to share best practices among GE companies world-wide (a concept he termed "boundaryless"), Welch dove into each project with seemingly inexhaustible passion and zeal. He brought the same dedication to implementing each company-wide program he initiated: Globalization, Growing Services, Six Sigma, and E-business. Welch loves what he created at GE. The company definitely became his baby - and he was the heart and soul of GE during his time as CEO.
   
   As an autobiography, Jack Straight from the Gut, is a pleasure to read. Welch's A-type, straight talking personality comes through, with the help of co-author John A. Byrne, in a natural, down-to-earth writing style. Jack Welch's rise from small town Irish immigrant roots to chairman of General Electric is one of the most engaging and inspiring business tales you will ever read. Welch is a late Twentieth Century version of Andrew Carnegie: rising to fame and fortune from a humble background. His life is a confirmation of the American virtues of free enterprise system, with its focus on the values of hard work, integrity, ambition and excellence. Jack Welch is a real life Ayn Rand business hero. Like Howard Roark or John Galt, he struggled across his career, and despite numerous set-backs, he ultimately rose up to create a life of great achievements. Welch sought excellence in himself and those around him. As a result, he drove GE, its thousands of employees, and the American economy to unprecedented levels of productivity and prosperity.



2. Jack Who? People who are in college at this moment might not know the name. Does that really matter? No!
   
   This book is about Jack Welch and his amazing story up the ladder of corporate America. It teaches us about guts, hard work and true dedication. It actually reads like 'Once upon a time in America' featuring Robert de Niro.
   
   As Jack begins his journey with childhood memories, it shows how anyone can achieve great things and have an amazing career. It features hard work and some luck, but most of all the book shows there are no shortcuts. As so many books tell you how you can get that promotion as fast as possible, this story shows no 'dot-com millionaire' or 'america's next top model'. These are all longshots.
   
   If you value a career and are ready to learn from someone who's been there and done that, grab your copy. When you want to succeed in business, it'll take more than just a fancy website... it'll take a lot of guts.



3. It's very interesting, entertaining and fun to read the autobiography of Jack Welch, the CEO icon of the 80's and 90's. He's very direct, honest and detailed on his professional life while touching sometimes on his personal one. He explains how hard work, wit and a mix of luck made him the man he has become. It's full of General Electric episodes - the good and the bad - which makes it a very compelling read. I highly recommend it.



4. I've met Jack Welch in Pasadena few weeks after the book came out. Jack Welch just confirmed his keen intellect," tough" guy fame but he discussed with passion about Six Sigma, one of initiatives he championed together with globalization and e-business. This book though is not the textbook on Welch Style of Management but is a good inside in some of his thinking and approaches. This book is for those who want to listen to what he wants to say.



5. What makes an 'A performer'? Jack's years at GE have seen their share of successes, narrow escapes, and missteps along the way - and it is Jack's treatment of the former that makes this an incredibly insightful book to read. You cannot be right all the time, nor should you expect your peers or subordinates to be, but at the same time, it is your role as a leader to identify and cultivate the best performers continuously. Yes, that means letting go of your bottom 10%, every year.
   
   Aside from being an inspiring and educational read, the book also offers a rare glimpse of the corporate growth strategies and acquisitions made by GE - a side of corporate America that is rarely covered and poorly understood outside of the top financial circles.
   
   Highly recommended for any entrepreneur and business owner out there. (Yes, the lessons apply outside of multi-billion dollar corporate context.)

5 comments about Operations Management for Competitive Advantage with Student DVD.

1. This is a very good book required by many MBA programs. The book contains much useful information with detailed analysis and examples. The biggest problem I have with this book is the use of the word "it." I find it hard to figure out what "it" is. "Rule 3. Merge Information-Processing Work into the Real Work That Produces the Information. This means that people who collect information should also be responsible for processing it. It minimizes the need for another group to reconcile and process that information..." There are countless examples of the use of "it." In the same section (Principles of Reengineering) the authors make note that "it" refers to the actual rule 3, while in rule 4, "it" is noted as the result of the rule. The authors could have chosen an alternate phrase instead of confusing the reader with the lack vocabulary. Although, I have the problem with pronoun usage, the book is very well laid out and flows greatly from operations strategy to supply chain planning and control. The supplements that are available with the book include financial analysis tools, operations technology tools as well as sample problems.



2. I didn't get a chance to use this book, dropped the class after I ordered it.



3. you should get the international addition. the hard cover was too heavy to carry to all the open book exams haha.



4. This book seems to pretty good. My instructor that had us buy it for class has decided to not really use now though. But as far as I can tell it is pretty good book if you are interested in manufacturing.



5. Outdated edition still a bit pricey for some reason. But it is exactly what I purchased.

5 comments about The Lean Manufacturing Pocket Handbook.

1. I purchased this handbook to be used as a quick reference guide and as part training aid when I talk to my Clients in the manufacturing sector. It has completely satisfied these requirements and the other factor that appealed was its true "pocket" size.



2. If I had to give a 1-2 day seminar on the subject, this would be a handy handbook. For that purpose, it should be used, not as a general reference on lean manufacturing.
   
   If this review was helpful, please add your vote. Thanks.



3. Very tiny book. I was not expecting such a small book. Very expensive item for its size.
   Book arrived with a grease stain on the cover!



4. This book will help reduce and even eliminate waste in your organization. It's worth trying. It makes manufacturing processes to flow better and brings quality improvement to the work place. I recommend it. All our employees should read it (Spanish Version) / Este libro ayuda a reducir e incluso a eliminar desperdicio en su organización. Vale la pena intentarlo. Hace que los processos de manufactura fluyan mejor y trae mejoría a la calidad en el lugar de trabajo. Lo recomiendo (Version en Español)



5. I am preparing for LEAN certification by SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineering). I have built a library of LEAN and Six Sigma reference and training books. This book is useless.
   If you need a pocket guide for mobility go with the The Lean Pocket Guide@ $7.95.

5 comments about Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals.

1. It is an excellent book on manufacturing processes and materials. Not overbearingly technical, just the right thing for designers. A step in the right direction, like Ashby and Johnson's book Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design



2. This is the best book I've seen so far about this subject. Attractive for (industrial) design students, but also for professionals. Very good graphics, photography and printing quality. The choice of examples is not too technical -mostly consumer products- and therefore recognizable for designers. Low price for such quality, the only disadvantage is that with 2,6 kg the book is not easy to carry!



3. About time someone made a book this good! Most of the other books on the subject are incomplete, out-of-date, or just plain butt-ugly. This is the new standard! In fact, I just recommended it to the department chair at the design school where I teach, so we can make this part of the curriculum. I give it six out of five stars.



4. This is an excellent book for designers, well worth buying. It is a great reference guide for all material manufacturing processes, highlighted by colorful photos of processes and products. Over all it is awesome and I've found it very useful.
   
   Another great book that has a bit more on material properties and useful stats is Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design. These two books make an unbeatable combo.



5. This book give a great overview (not in detail) of many manufacturing process with lots of case studies. For me, it felt like reading a magazine, which keep me excite every time I read it.

5 comments about Typographic Design: Form and Communication.

1. I am taking a course right now with Rob Carter. So at the risk of this sounding like a biased review, please know that I'm not the kind of person who allows personal feelings to stand in the way of my opinion on what's good and bad.
   
   Professor Carter's ability to effectively communicate is carried over to this text remarkably. Any obscure questions that I've had regarding typography and design have been answered by him personally and he nearly always pulls this text out to illustrate exactly what he means.
   
   Point is, I'm in my third year in a design program and even the "random, not covered by other professor" topics, are covered in this text.
   
   This is a text that designers will be going back to long after they've obtained their degree and are working in the field. It's a fantastic investment.
   
   --s



2. I had to get this book for school and I have to say it is a great book. It is packed with content and examples. Examples are kept to a minimum instead of plastering every page with 90% examples and 10% text. The content is solid and all of the examples have their place. If you are interested in typography don't pass the book up, it is probably one of the best I have seen.



3. I am so happy that i can buy my books and many many things from amazon with good price and amazon surprised me by sending them to me sooner than i expected it .nice job amazon keep going



4. Got the book for a class im taking. It has a decent history of type and is a good book for a graphic designer.



5. The book is great and if you're into graphic design or even want to understand type.If you're a teacher there are many creative exercises you can get out of this book too that students should enjoy.

2 comments about New Epson Complete Guide to Digital Printing (A Lark Photography Book).

1. If you are looking for the intricacies of the different Epson Printers and their output, like I was, this is not the book. For Beginners in Ink jet printers it is good.



2. This is a beautiful book, very nicely done. But, having already read quite a bit about color management and inkjet printing, I was hoping for more specific technical details. The author makes many statements which I'm sure are true (I do believe he knows what he's talking about), but aren't illustrated with examples. For example, he says 200 to 360 ppi is the ideal range when sizing an image for printing, and that going over 360 can actually be detrimental. Ok -- how about an example to show exactly what the effect would be? Yes, I can spend the time (and cost) to run my own tests to see, but the book should have done that for me.

2 comments about Buckminster Fuller: Starting with the Universe (Whitney Museum of American Art Book).

1. The book has 258 pages, 44 figures, and 175 plates. The parts are: foreword, acknowledgements, introduction, five essay/articles, plates, selected contextual chronology, selected bibliography, exhibition checklist, lenders, and index. The essays are: "Fuller's Geological Engagements with Architecture" (by K. Michael Hays, co-curator), "Thought Patterns: Buckminster Fuller the Scientist-Artist" (by Dana Miller, co-curator), "Fuller's Avatars: a view from the Present" (by Antoine Picon), and "The Comprehensivist: Buckminster Fuller and Contemporary Artists" (by Elizabeth A. T. Smith). A reprint of the 1966 New Yorker magazine article is: "In the Outlaw Area" (by Calvin Tomkins).
   
   I learned many things about Fuller in this book. I also learned how he fits into our world, then and now. An essay covers artists that have been influenced by Fuller, showing how his work has a continuing impact. Like the exhibit, the catalogue focuses on his visual output: his designs for cars, structures, cities, books, and how they were built. His views on math and his starting point, the universe, aren't much in sight. It shows where he ended up as of now.
   
   In an interview in Metropolis Magazine, Michael Hays said, "We thought about calling the exhibition "shapes of the universe" because Bucky thought that a geodesic dome was what the universe looked like in some diagrammatic way. And now we know that nanotechnology actually does use that kind of geometry." On the contrary, in his essay Antoine Picon says, "Of course, we no longer believe that the universe obeys at a fundamental level the laws of synergetic geometry." Presented with such widely divergent views I'm forced, as Bucky often recommended, to do my own thinking. And it is deepened reading this book, looking at its many figures and plates, and following its leads as a valuable addition to a library of other Fuller books (both by and about).
   
   I paid $50 for the catalog at the museum. It costs considerably less online.



2. This book is the perfect companion to an inspirational exhibit. For those who saw it this is a perfect way to revisit the exhibit. For those who can't attend this is a great introduction to Bucky Fuller and his universal view.

5 comments about Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion.

1. This is one of those books that will change the way you look at the world, or at least, your computer (which, as you'll learn, might be a lot more of the world than you think!) In a very readable prose, the authors explain how the world is fundamentally different now that so much information -- so many bits -- is being generated, monitored, and stored about nearly everything we do. The book covers not just how the internet actually works but also weaves together many applicable examples from the worlds of commerce, entertainment, government, and law.
   
   It is one of those books that will cause you to share what you just read with whomever happens to be in the room, as it is filled with many gee-whiz moments. A great read.



2. This book is perfect for people who want to understand more about information technology and don't want to read something long or technical to learn it. The authors do a superb job taking the reader through how major technologies function (computers, the internet, cell phones, etc.), how they are shaping our lives, and what impacts they have on our laws and society. Amazing stories are woven throughout it, making it readable and fun for techies and non-techies alike. At the end of the book, you'll have a new understanding of the things we take for granted - and what possibilities and threats they pose. You'll also be light years ahead of most other people - who themselves will need to come up to speed in the coming years. A great read!



3. Few people would deny that the world has changed significantly since the explosion of the Internet. Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen, and Harry Lewis have written an intriguing analysis of many of the issues that have erupted due to the ubiquity of digital data, not only on the Internet but elsewhere. Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion, published by Addison-Wesley, digs into many of the ramifications of making so much information available to the world at large. As I read through the book, I was alternately fascinated and horrified at what information is available, and how it is being used and abused.
   
   While the subject matter is primarily about a technology that many people may still not comprehend, the book is written at a level permitting most people to understand how it affects them. There is sufficient tutorial information on how the Internet functions to allow all to follow the reasoning. For those more web-savvy, there are many references to web sites illustrating the authors' points. The reader is encouraged to check them out as you go. While there is a natural flow from one chapter to the next, each one is sufficiently encapsulated so that you can read chapters in any order you like.
   
   Blown to Bits is a fascinating read which will get you thinking about how technology is changing our lives, for better and for worse. Each chapter will alternatively interest you and leave you appalled (and perhaps a little frightened). You will be given the insight to protect yourself a little better, and it provides background for intelligent discussions about the legalities that impact our use of technology.



4. I have tried hard, but about a 3rd of the way in I have put this down. I find the prose and style very hard to read. It uses what should be interesting and illustrative stories that leave you with more unanswered questions than answered ones. In between the text is complex and hard to read. I heard the authors at a talk about the book and found them equally difficult to follow; their style and delivery did not keep my attention. I wanted to like this book, the subject is very interesting and something we should all have a much better understanding of in our online world, but it needs someone else to craft and polish the text.



5. Big brother is watching. The world that George Orwell predicted in his book 1984 is here. What's more, we love it.
   
   The digital age has changed our lives. So much is now at our disposable, instantly. Need to contact someone who is out of their office, just phone their cell phone. Want the latest news or gossip about your favorite movie star, just surf the internet. Looking for a great deal on your next new car, do a little research on the net. Nothing could be more simply.
   
   On a day to day basis most of us only think about the convenience factor. Yes, we all are irritated by spam and once in a while we might do a virus or spyware scan in an attempt to make sure that our information stays safe. What we don't tend to realize is that our personal information is already out there: every angry blog entry you ever wrote, information about what sites you visit, medical history, credit rating information. The list is endless.
   
   Blown to Bits educates us about what bits of our life is available for public view. The reality is that we can't completely erase our personal digital footprint. However, there are a few things we can do to protect ourselves to some extent.