4 comments about Digital Signal Processing (4th Edition).

1. I have read many DSP books, this turns out to be the best one. The other good DSP book to mention is the "Understanding Digital Signal Processing" (Lyons) which is written in favor of beginners. The Proakis book not only explains the basic idea as clear as the Lyons's book but it covers deeper materials.



2. I just got it the other day, and saw much more changes than was originally reported.
   
   Most of the deletions are in the earlier chapters dealing with basic concepts of DSP (something usually dealt with in a senior undergraduate class on DSP), while the additions are mostly in the later chapters dealing with more advanced concepts - stuff usually dealt with in an advanced/graduate level course.
   
   Topics on LTI systems and their state space representation have been dropped en masse, while Adaptive filtering has been added as a new chapter.
   
   Some of the deletions are (Section #s are from the IIIrd ed.:
   
   2.6.4 - Computation of Autocorrelation Sequences
   
   3.6.7 - Schür-Cohn Stability Test
   
   4.2.12 - Physical and Mathematical Duality
   
   4.4 - Freuqnecy domain characteristics of LTI systems
   
   4.5 - LTI systems as frequency selective filters
   
   4.6 - Inverse systems and deconvolution
   
   7.4 - State space analysis and structures
   
   8.3.4 - Matched-z transformation
   
   8.5 - Design of Digital Filters based on Least-Squares method
   
   10.5 - The Direct Form FIR filter part of this section
   
   10.5.3 - Time variant filter structures
   
   Some additions:
   
   Chapter 4 - Frequency domain and time domain signal properties
   
   Chapter 7 - The Discrete Cosine Transform
   
   4 new subsections on Polyphase filter structures and sampling rate conversion added
   
   Section on Digital Filter Banks and Quadrature Mirror Filters (previously part of 'Applications of Multirate Signal Processing') considerably expanded (in new subsection)
   
   Section on M-channel QMF banks added
   
   Section on Random Signals, Correlation Functions and Power Spectra (formaerly in Appendix A) added
   
   A whole new chapter on Adaptive Filters added
   
   Section on Minimum Variance Spectral Estimation expanded
   
   Some other changes include:
   
   Section on 'Response of Pole-Zero systems with non-zero initial conditions' has been combined with other topics. Topics on 'Sampling and Reconstruction of Signals' have been completely revamped and reworked; Outlying topics dealing with this material have all been brought together in one place.
   
   Topic covering 'Oversampling A/D and D/A converters' has been moved to the Sampling chapter.
   
   In a few words, the new version has moved away from its DSP basics background to give space more advanced topics - in this respect, it has begun resembling, to an extent, the initial parts of Manolakis' other book (with Ingle and Kogon).
   
   Although still relevant to undergraduate students or relative newcomers to DSP, many of the topics are now best handled at the graduate level, which already has a slew of good tomes on the vast subject (including one by Manolakis himself).
   
   Moreover, if you need to study LTI and time variant systems, this edition is no longer of any use - stick to ed. III or look for Signals and Systems by either Haykin and Van Veen or Ziemer, Tranter and Fannin.



3. This book is comprehensive. It covers not only the basics for the beginning student but the second-half covers advanced subjects whereas other books do not, or at least not with the same clean organization and thoroughness. Some authors tend to be sparse in their explanations and helping you understand derivations. Others put in too many lengthy details and you get lost. Here, Proakis has a way of getting to the point and reiterating it. He also provides you with the critical concepts mathematically as well as in worded descriptions. Best overall DSP text/reference I have found in one volume...



4. I bought it as an undergrad. Easy to read and much more easy to implement its algorithms. It's hard to compare it to Schafer's book Discrete-Time Signal Processing (2nd Edition) (Prentice-Hall Signal Processing Series), they are both very good. The competition has worked and both author teams have done amazing job in renewing the content. If you need a reference book just buy it, it's worth its price

5 comments about Enterprise Integration Patterns: Designing, Building, and Deploying Messaging Solutions (Addison-Wesley Signature Series).

1. Upon recently changing jobs and focusing on messaging design and architecture, I was steered toward this book by my peers. Without getting into too much detail, before joining my new team, I had never heard of patterns (came from a product support area), much less asynchronous messaging design. Needless to say, this book has been invaluable in my learning process as well as conveying our direction to others.
   
   This book is written in such a way that it is very intuitive. Diagrams help support the concepts and code examples as well.
   
   I would highly recommend this as a must read/reference guide for anyone designing messaging solutions.



2. This is the best book I've found that helps to organize the integration space within the industry. This book has helped to organize my thoughts and communicate with others effectively on how to leverage integration patterns. I highly recommend this book to help obtain a foundational understaning of the integration space.



3. Many books have been written about SOA, but most of them are just about the theory of SOA. It's important for Software Architects and Software Engineers to understand the theory, but just knowing the theory is not enough to develop system utilizing SOA principles.
   
   This book fits nicely to bridge the gap between theory and practice. It contains not only the theory behind the patterns that can be used to design a loosely coupled, scalable system, but also the code in Java and C# on how to implement the pattern to build the system.
   
   If you are serious on building a loosely couple system and strongly believe on the powerful of messaging system to accomplish this task, then you have to read this book from the beginning to the end, it will help you to design the system without reinventing the wheel.



4. I am an occasional buyer of reference works on software technologies I need to get familiar with, and I teach an evening section at a local area college in object oriented analysis and design. After reading this book, I am actively trying to construct a proposal for a new course based on its contents ... it's that good.
   
   Quite simply, Enterprise Integration Patterns blew me away, on both a technical and pedagogical level. On the technical level, it's all here (except for "aspect" patterns like security, robustness and scalability which would each have really required another book). All the patterns necessary to successfully support asynchronous messaging between groups of remote applications ... which is the basic situation facing anyone trying to do a mashup of web services and / or construct business processes by integrating internal services via an ESB. Even the Process Manager pattern is here.
   
   On a pedagogical level, the material is complete, very easy to read, well illustrated, and above all, well organized. Even a first look at the inside covers reveals this. The front has each of the 60+ patterns listed alphabetically, with its respective icon and 2 sentence paragraph. The back has the patterns (name and icon) clumped into 6 hierarchical "pattern buckets" (Message Endpoints, Message Construction, Message Channels, Message Routing, Message Transformation, and System Management), linked together in a single diagram, showing where the buckets fit when Application A is connected to Application B.
   
   And on both inside covers as well as every place in the text where a pattern is mentioned (quite a bit since patterns are extensively contrasted with each other), the page number where it is defined is given with its name. This makes it very easy to use this book as a reference, because all the patterns it contains are cross-referenced in so many ways.
   
   After an excellent introduction the first chapter explains what a pattern is, what the domain of integration patterns are, and introduces the Widget Manufacturing Company, whose problem grows as tools to handle those problems are introduced.
   
   Bottom line ... I read this book during the two legs of a round trip flight from Chicago to San Francisco, took copious notes within the pages of the book, and walked off the 2nd plane feeling that I had seriously increased my understanding of the entire topic of how to integrate loosely coupled applications.
   
   Not bad ... plus since I snagged an upgrade on the return flight, I can also report that two glasses of wine did not interfere in the slightest with the learning experience. The book is THAT good.



5. I used this book on a recent consulting engagement and found it to be extremely useful. The authors discuss topics in depth then identify patterns in that area.
   
   As an experienced Architect, one of the challenges I find in discussing solutions at a design level is the tendency of people to speak in implementation terms. This skews the design and makes it difficult to connect the solution with the business goals.
   
   Hohpe & Woolfe's book provides an informative and practical language to creating flexible integration architecture.

5 comments about The ARRL Extra Class License Manual: For Ham Radio (Arrl Extra Class License Manual for the Radio Amateur).

1. This book is very easy to understand and follow. If you read it and take note to everything they cover then I feel you will easy pass the exam. The photos and illustrations make it all the more easier to get a grip on the subjects in the book.



2. if you want to "go all the way" and get your extra class ham radio license this is the book for you. it has the entire test and all the supporting information to go with it.



3. The Extra Class question pool changed as of July 1, 2008. ARRL has a newer, ninth edition out, so be sure that edition is what you are buying. The theory presented in the eighth edition is well written and still valid, but the question pool is now out of date and you would be well advised to get the latest edition.
   
   73 de W3MIT



4. The content deserves a full 5 stars, but the book suffers from a couple of deficiencies as an exam study book. First, it is actually too detailed - presenting so much that the exam-specific material is sometimes hard to find! Second, while the book has a logical progression in chapters and content within chapters, the progression doesn't follow the subelements of the exam itself. It works really well - taken as a whole - for teaching purposes, but it makes it hard to study topically along the lines of the exam, something that I regard as critical, given the complexity of the Extra class material. I also agree with another reviewer that math is over-emphasized in this book. Once again, that's not a comment on whether the content is worthwhile (it is), but that its over-emphasis is so far beyond the needs of the exam that it makes studying more difficult than it needs to be.
   
   What worked for me was studying (not just reading or memorizing) ARRL's Q&A book first. The very brief teaching content in the answer descriptions in the Q&A book is actually sufficient for a good percentage of the concepts! You really can't learn the more technical or advanced material from the Q&A book, but studying it first will focus your attention appropriately when you read the relevant sections in the full license manual.
   
   I give it 4 stars for over-reaching as a study manual, which is, after all the intended purpose. Buy it anyway, though. First, it's the best manual available, especially when coupled with the Q&A book. Second, like ARRL's Tech and General manuals, you'll find it invaluable as a reference.



5. What can I say, easy to use and read. Simple down to earth ways to explain complex units regarding radio and the service.

3 comments about The New Media Reader.

1. Fascinating, thorough in its analysis, beautifully designed reader/player. Good, well-rounded selection of texts and new media objects with no attempt to be exhaustive (to the editors' credit). I plan to use it as one of the texts in an upcoming university course.



2. This huge tome is a must have for anyone who wants to deeply understand hypertext and its precursors. From William Burroughs to Doug Englebart and Augosto Boal to Ted Nelson this book presents a huge range of articles (and discursive commentary) of interest to computer scientists, writers, new media workers, artists and everyone in between. This is one stop shopping for new media literacy with over 800 pages of good stuff, much of it very hard to find outside of this volume.



3. The concepts of the book are very interesting, and some of the articles are engaging, but overall I found this book to be an tedious and dry read.

5 comments about Microwave Engineering.

1. I took a graduate course in Microwaves at ASU taught by a former student of the author for which this was the text. Overall, the book is well written and is an excellent teaching and learning tool. The problems at the end of each chapter are superb. The text provides excellent coverage of practical microwave engineering at an intermediate level.
   
   While coverage of basic EM theory is adequate enough as a refresher for someone who has seen the material, for a good introductory text, I would recommend the late John Kraus' classic Electromagnetics, or Field and Wave Electromagnetics by David Cheng.
   
   As a reference for practicing engineers it leaves a little something to be desired, in that many of the real nuggets of insight are glossed over in the text and developed in the problems at the end of each chapter. Hence - the book is great as a tool for learning, but not always as a ready reference for someone who has not worked the problems at the end of each chapter.
   
   That said, the book is very practical and clear, and will be of value to students and practicing engineers alike.



2. This serves well as an introductory textbook; however, when one wants to go deeper (which will be necessary in most uses outside of the classroom), the references aren't always comprehensive enough. That being said, this is often where I start.



3. Awesome book. Covers all the fundamentals, clearly, without sacrificing the math but keeping the reader alive. If you want to learn about microwave design, work in this field, do research in it, buy this book, it is the standard microwave text for the current generation of engineers.



4. This is a terrific book on microwave engineering. I bought this book because a professor recommended it, and I'm glad he did. My only complaints are that the book doesn't seem to have as much in depth coverage of mixers and oscillators as I would like (the section on mixers seems especially weak - for a better treatment of mixers you might want to try "The Design of CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits" by Thomas Lee).



5. A friend showed me a copy of this book and after reviewing several chapteres I order my own copy. With so many books available it is hard to find an author who's information and explanation is clear, correct and valuable when working with transmission lines and antennas. This book covers the theory then breaks it down from complicated math models into simplified models for practical use. There are plentiful examples to follow or make clear the ideas. It is an excellent book to further onces knowledge of printed circuit board design or for applications which require the detailed anaylsis.

5 comments about Schaum's Outline of Signals and Systems.

1. I don't even know how to start to express how much i love this book...i almost have tears in my eyes as im writing this LOL This book saved the rest of my studies in Electrical engineering. The book by OPPENHEIM is a WASTE of money AND time!!! It's a huge book that confuses students for nothing! But this one instead is more detailed and waaaaay smaller than OPPENHEIM's book. So that you actually learn waaaaay faster! It doesn't contain no stupid stories that we don't give a **** about LOL It goes straight to the point.
   For me it's been the best book EVEEEEEEER!!!!! PERIOD!!!



2. Not one of Schaums good books. Skips too many steps in solving problems. Other EE students and also complained about this one. Usually Schaums a safe bet, just not this time.



3. this book is terrific.
   It is short and concise relatively speaking.
   It is not too wordy and fairly mathmatically based. It should be used in conjunction with other textbooks of course as it is a workbook or outline only but the math is everywhere explained and there are many examples worked through from beginning to end.
   agree with previous reviewer "teddy", an absolute gem!



4. I am currently taking my first semester in systems and signal analysis. While the subject matter is a little intimidating in terms of math, this outline cuts through the generalities and provides great, worked out, stepped out examples for everything from the basic properties of LTI systems to convolution, laplace transforms, z-transforms, fourier analysis, and space state analysis. Between the class text and this outline, I am very well prepared for future classes in signals and systems. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels they may need a little help with signal analysis, especially since the price is right.



5. Book almost like new - in great condition!! Would purchase from same seller again... And it was delivered quite quickly.

3 comments about Modern Control Systems (11th Edition) (Pie).

1. I am taking a 1 semester long control course from EE department.
   This is the book we use. It features numerous mistakes and skimpish explanations. It also skips a lot of derivations of concepts. Very weak text for the course. I am not sure of the alternatives but it is not hard to imagine something better.
   It is also virutally identical to the previous editions - i get by just fine with the 9th edition which i obtained for $15 used.



2. Taking control theory course at my school where the book is required. As a student introduced to the theory for the first time, this book has been no help at all. Explanations are very limited and I find myself re-reading the same page numerous times just to figure out how did the author came up with derivations. Text is often too dry without any real world connection (essential for engineering students - at least for me). If this text is required, prepare to spend a lot of time with your professor. This is NOT a good book for intro course.



3. This book is one of the worst I've had in Engineering school. The explanations are weak, only going over the simplest version of a concept. Just wait until your professor actually assigns problems from the book. The problems are difficult and complex, and there are zero answers in the back to verify your answers. So, you have no clue if you're doing it right. If your professor is not very helpful, you're in trouble.

5 comments about Electronics For Dummies.

1. I bought this book to cram for a test for a new job. I had no previous electronics experience. I read it in a week and passed the test! Very easy to understand and peaked my interest in side projects as well.



2. After reading this book cover to cover I finished with a vague understanding of the concepts of electricity, almost no understanding of components, and absolutely no understanding of any of the projects or circuits it showed. He will go over certain concepts endlessly (like what a soldering iron is, or how a switch works) but then will leave transistors, diodes, and capacitors to be explained in a paragraph. I had to clarify everything with my own research, I am getting a different book.



3. I gave this book to an intern we have working for us in our sales dept. He is representing a technical product and does not have a technical background. He says that it has helped. Its on his desk with lots of bookmarks hanging out of it so it looks as though he's using it. I personally haven't opened it.



4. This book does not explain enough of what is going on. It is way way way too superficial. One of the neat things about electronics is that it is not that heard to understand what is really going on, and what individual components do. That is knowledge you can build in. This book does not deliver that, despite having numerous pages devotes to the most insanely pedestrian subjects. The good tidbits here could be condensed down to a 10 page pamphlet.



5. Very good book.
   If you are a student, a hobbyist, or an aspiring electrician, this is the book to start with.

5 comments about Digital Design (4th Edition).

1. This was the text book used in one of my computer science courses.
   Trying to learn from this book was very difficult because there are many errors in the diagrams. Considering that diagrams are a vital part of a book on computer circuitry I would have expected the diagrams to be accurate and replete with detailed explanations. This book is in its third edition yet it somehow manages to still have errors, this is inexcusable; were it the first edition I may have been more lenient. If you look closely you will find errors in many of the diagrams, sometimes two or more errors on the same page. Definitely not worth the $100+.



2. In first year engineering at Simon Fraser University, many of my classmates and I absolutely hated Mano's other text, "Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals (2nd ed. updated)". However since I have picked this text up I have found Mano to be much easier to read, but that could be because I have adjusted to the material and his writing style.
   
   Unfortunately there are no solutions to any of the exercises in this text, only selected answers. His other text has some solutions posted on the companion site (http://www.prenhall.com/mano/), you may be able to use them to learn from with this text as well.
   
   And there are little mistakes in the text that may make things difficult to understand at first, but I did find a decent errata on the web (http://www.ece.uvic.ca/~amirali/courses/CENG290/textmistakes.html).
   
   I don't know how good the text is for self-teaching, but it isn't bad for brushing up on the basics after being away from digital design for a couple years.



3. It's a good book for beginners in Digital Design
   
   It gives a clear guidelines to understand the Combinational and Sequential Logics.



4. This book is one of the worst books I have seen. It does not help at all but is one of the required books that you have to get because the homework problems are in it. Book will not help you much.



5. This book is an excellent companion to computer science/computer engineering classes. It tends to be fairly short and concise for almost every topic, which is why I would only recommend this book to those who really need it (required). Without guidance the concepts of digital design, especially as presented here, will no doubt escape people quickly. There is a couple errors in the book, which can be expected when they have to include data from external sources such as block diagrams for integrated circuits. If you need this book for a college CS/CE/EE intro course no doubt the book, you, and your professor will have alot of fun with some basic computer engineering and labs, BUT, as a self-study or reference, I do not recommend, at all. I have used this book for a computer science course at MN State, and while everything has gone very smoothly, it's only because collaboration with a professor has smoothed out the bumps and even filled in minor gaps or shown alternate methods.

5 comments about Modern Digital and Analog Communication Systems (The Oxford Series in Electrical and Computer Engineering).

1. EXCELLENT:
   =========
   This is an amazing book with many sections that are gems! Shannon's theorem is explained so beautifully in such detail that I have never seen anything like it. The chapters on Optimum signal detection and error correction codes are so beautifully written and easy to follow that I want to congratulate the author. The section on how to calculate the power spectral density of different line codes like bipolar, split phase, and polar was the easiest to read yet very detailed.
   
   BAD:
   ========
   However the book is scattered. The same material sometimes is covered in multiple chapters in bits and pieces. Partially this is because the author wants to first introduce some of the concepts without discussing probability and later covers them again after studying probability. But, this still can't explain why things are so scattered. The new chapters added in the third edition covering some of the new applications are not written well. The contribution by a guest author to one of the chapters was horrible!
   
   What will make this book excellent is to get rid of the guest author and some of the new material, clean up the presentation of the fundamentals and present in a more unified matter.
   
   This book is a good relief from reading Proakis. I have read many advanced books which were easy to read. The reason Proakis was hard to read wasn't because the subject was advanced but simply it wasn't written well.
   
   p.s. My second edition was read so often that the glued pages started falling out. I bought the third edition and once again the glued pages fell out! I don't know if it is because this is one of the books I most frequently use or just the binding should be improved.



2. The nice thing about this textbook is that it provides the needed background in probability and random processes. The first nine chapters discuss in detail how digital and analog communication systems work. Chapter 1 is an introduction to communications systems, and signal analysis is covered in chapters 2 and 3. Here the student is encouraged to see a signal as a vector and to think of the Fourier spectrum as a way of representing a signal in terms of its vector components. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss amplitude and then angular modulation. In the digital age many might feel that modulation should be deemphasized. However, modulation is a basic tool of signal processing and its understanding is therefore still necessary. Chapter 6 deals with sampling, pulse code modulation, and delta modulation. Chapter 7 discusses the transmission of digital data while chapters 8 and 9 discuss emerging digital technologies in communications as they were considered cutting edge in 1998. Chapters 10 and 11 are the promised chapters on probability and random processes, sufficient to the point of understanding what is covered in this book. Chapters 12 and 13 discuss the behavior of communication systems in the presence of noise. Optimum signal detection is the subject of chapter 14, and information theory is introduced in chapter 15. Error control coding is the subject of the final chapter of the book.
   
   The best features of this book are its visual style with plenty of diagrams and also its numerous worked out numerical examples. The mathematics is as complex as necessary to explain concepts, but the author doesn't lose sight of the forest for the trees in this aspect of the book. Exercises include not only traditional numerical type problems but computer exercises as well. Although there are entire books written on what this book covers in chapters, particularly in the last half of the book when the author is surveying topics rather than laying foundations, this is a good first book to read even on these advanced topics as far as getting the big picture and seeing how these topics tie into the design of communication systems. Highly recommended.



3. My only concern about this book is that I have discovered it too late, after graduating in electronic engineering! Really, many explanations that Prof. Lathi gives about Shannon, Nyquist, and the exchange of bandwidth for SNR, both intuitive and rigorous, would have helped me very much at that time.
   
   I really recommend this book for several reasons:
   1) Clarity
   2) examples
   3) Historical background for the development of analog and digital communications.
   
   I hope Lathi will write many other books like this one: I've never found any explanation better than his. He makes you love the subject.



4. I read this book for 2 of my semesters in my undergrad. In the beginning I didn't like the book much but today all that what I got from this book is helping me back in my Grad studies. One of the finest. Much better than many around.



5. This is a great book for building the foundations of communication theory. Serves great as an introductory text on analog and digital communications. Concepts are explained very well.