1 comments about Informed Assessment: An Introduction to Information, Entropy and Statistics.

1. good good good good good good good good good good good good good good goo

2 comments about General Systems Theory: Problems, Perspectives, Practice.

1. It is vague and confused and superficial and juvenile.
   
   The classic by von Bertalanffy is far superior.



2. I purchased this book for a systems theory class. I found it to have enormous amounts of information on a wide variety of topics, issues, theories, and scientists as well as numerous disciplines provided within a historical context that illuminates the evolution of systems theory and systems thinking. Skytnner's discussion of GST as morphing into a metadiscipline of Systems Science, a new holistic approach in conjunction with a review of numerous systems, and his discussion on everyone from Bertalanffy and Boulding to ideas of GST covers any and all questions, topics, issues and contributions anyone could ask about GST.
   
   It stands as quite an ambitious book in its scope. I felt it could have been two possibly three separate and distinct books. While amazing in the amount of information it holds, it proves more than adequate in covering that information in a user friendly format.
   
   I have read Bertalanffy's GST and found that to be quite small in its breadth. Reading both books provides an excellent scope for any systems class or paper discussing the theory. I highly recommend this book.
   
   Skytnner starts with an introduction to systems theory, its evolution and
   covers an impressive amount of theories from various authors and disciplines. Part 2, 7 covers artificial intelligence which I found most intriguing, as well as the section 10 on informatics. The book concludes with the future of systems theory and man's search for a unifying general principle or theory and the problems that arise from excessive splintering of new sub-disciplines within fields.
   
   I favor the discussions on consciousness and the mind body connection and enjoy how Skytnner fully exposes all the criticisms and the respect for system theory. Purchase this book along with Bertalanffy's and you will not need any further reading to successfully understand both the past and the present state of systems theory and how it evolved within its historical context and all of the contributions in a wide variety of disciplines. The review questions and problems at the end of each chapter encourages absorption and retention of the material and is a successful tool in reviewing often complex and intertwining topics, as are the definitions of great importance the author highlights in bold.

No comments about Adaptive Filtering: Prediction and Control (Prentice-Hall Information & System Sciences Series).

No comments about Cladistics: A Practical Course in Systematics (The Systematics Association Series : Volume 10).

No comments about Rock, Paper, Scissors: Game Theory in Everyday Life.

5 comments about Principles of Plasma Discharges and Materials Processing , 2nd Edition.

1. This book provides a theoretical overview of plasma's, including coverage of ECR applications. This was very valuable for Hitachi Etchers. The theory is presented at an undergraduate level and assumes the reader has knowledge of vector analysis. Highly recommended for any Etch Process Engineer in the Semiconductor Industry.



2. Lieberman covers many of the standard processing devices and much of the physics needed to model them effectively.

   The presentation is clear and extremely useful both as a reference and as a tutorial. A must-have book for anyone interested in plasma processing.




3. This book provides an excellent introduction and overview of plasma discharges applied to semiconductor manufacturing. It is well-organized, clearly-written and full of useful examples and exercises. And unlike many books on plasma physics, it is not overly-mathematical and contains many useful physical insights. I strongly recommend this book for anyone wanting to review the field of plasma processing.



4. As a praciticing process engineer my opinion is this book lacks insight. Typical text book written a professor in the academic community with no practical experience. This book spends far to much time deriving equations and not discussing the basics concepts. The author makes a half hearted attempt to relate the first 14 chapters to the real worl, in a short and inadequate Chapter 15. This is the first mail book order book i took the time to return. In all honesty this book is not worth the $90.00. Spend your money elsewhere



5. One of the most practical and comprehensive resources on plasma phyics and engineering. The book is much easier to understand and more in depth than most other books on the subject, except for maybe chen (who takes more of a physics approach, whereas lieberman takes more of an engineering approach) This book is a must have for anyone working with or studying plasmas.

1 comments about Synchronization: A Universal Concept in Nonlinear Sciences (Cambridge Nonlinear Science Series).

1. A well-accessible and authoritative book describing all forms of synchronizations both graphically and in formulae. Includes numerous examples of synchronization in different fields of science.

3 comments about General Principles of Systems Design.

1. An outstanding follow up to the first book Weinberg wrote(An Introduction to General Systems Thinking, 1975). Anyone who considers themseleves a systems thinker must read this book! Whereas the first book attempts to answer the first question in the systems triumvirate, "Why do we see what we see?", this books tackles the next question, namely "Why do things stay the same?" As a marriage and family therapist, understanding systems is crucial to my work. This book is clearly written, and provides real world examples of sometimes difficult topics. I have read this book cover to cover 3 times in the last 2 years, and continue to get something new from it every time. One of the best books around to think about the organization of systems, regardless of the context.



2. One of the wonderful things about the Weinbergs' early series of books -- and this one in particular -- is that the ideas and the examples really make you think. With examples chosen from many fields, the book illustrates its central ideas with a cross-fertilization that helps one think outside ones box.

   It starts with a very simple idea -- stability. Things change so little most of the time we hardly notice. And yet stability usually requires active forces to sustain it. As an information systems designer, Weinberg helped me see why this simple idea, and a few simple ideas that follow, turn out to explain a great deal about why projects information technology projects fail, and how they can be made more successful.




3. Perhaps I bought this book with expecting too much. The books does talk about general system thinking, but:
   - I find the book itself rather unsystematic and jumpy
   - The style really annoying
   - Most of the material is primitive
   On the positive side, if you do want to get a feel of system thinking, this might be one of the books. I would also recommend to check out popular books on Complexity (such as Complexity by Mitchell Walldrop).

5 comments about Chaos in Dynamical Systems.

1. A good introduction to chaos in dynamical systems for physicists. The emphasis is not on time-series analysis or nonlinear systems, but chaos in "physical" systems (in the sense of applications in physics). A good reading for undergrads in physics and maths. One of the best starters for getting deeper into chaos theory...



2. The best book on chaos in Dynamical Systems for physicists: clear, well written, contains the right things and does not waste time treating less necessary sections on the subject. Particularly valuable is the part on Entropy, Information and strange attractors. A good choice is to use it together with V.I. Arnold's CM. Contains also a final part on connections between QM and chaos.



3. Ott gives a very clear description of the concept of chaos or chaotic behaviour in a dynamical system of equations. Where often these equations are nonlinear. While containing rigour, the text proceeds at a pace suitable for a non-mathematician in the physical sciences. In other words, it is not at a very formal level, like the epsilon-delta approach to teaching calculus. The concepts are also backed by well drawn diagrams, that illustrate key points.
   
   The book does not have the lovely diagrams of Julia sets and fractals, that you often see in other books on this subject. Those are certainly pretty and useful. But Ott's book concentrates on the ideas.



4. 
   The book is a good introduction to chaos and the new edition has a chapter on synchronization that is a good review of the literature



5. I can only echo the comments made by other reviewers: excellent, well-paced introduction that focuses on the meat of the subject and leaves out all the pretty-picture stuff. Suitably pitched at non-mathematicians who are drawn to this fascinating subject, it eschews the formal theorem-proof format and carefully explains concepts, then applies them. If you are scientifically literate, I highly recommend this textbook. Genuinely useful.

2 comments about Modeling and Analysis of Dynamic Systems.

1. Professional engineering these days strongly rely on accurate mathematical modelling of systems. This book is a good introduction to the subject without loosing the link to the numeral solving techniques. Advanced mathematical equations are omitted so this text will serve only as an introduction and not as a complete treatment. Nevertheless, it is a good book when starting to study mathematical modelling of physical systems.



2. I had to buy this book for my last semester in electrical engineering. It is a good choice as an introduction to mathematical tools used in representation and analysis of dynamic systems, electrical or mecanical.
   
   First, there are a few chapters about basic notions of dynamic (translational and rotational. You can pass this part quickly if you had a few mechanic classes, because it is just to show the good way to represent systems in modeling. Next, a good explanation of state variable modeling, transfert function, linear vs non linear equations, etc, is well written, with good examples, without too advanced maths. If you have learned basic notions in calculus and linear algebra, you can follow the text pretty easily.