Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Break into the Game Industry or The Complete Idiots Guide to Project Management with Microsoftproject 2003

Break into the Game Industry: How to Get a Job Making Video Games (Career Series)

Author: Ernest Adams

Find out from an industry veteran exactly what you need to do to become a game designer, tester, artist, producer, programmer, writer, soundtrack composer, videographer, or sales/marketing professional. You’ll get full-spectrum coverage of positions available within the game industry as well as details on how a game is created--from start to finish--and much more.

Ernest Adams’ experience includes over 12 years in the game industry as a lead designer, producer, and software engineer. More than 8 of those years were spent working on the very successful Electronic Arts (EA) Madden franchise. In addition to being a founder of the International Game Developer’s Association, a former Director of the Game Developer’s Conference, Adams writes a well-respected game design column for the popular game industry portal, gamasutra.com. As a high-profile member of the game industry, Adams speaks regularly at the Game Developer’s Conference and has been profiled in many publications including The New York Times.



New interesting book: So You Want to Be a Teacher or Cases in Public Relations Management

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Project Management with Microsoftproject 2003

Author: Ron Black

Get this book and get it done!

This up-to-date, unique guide provides solutions for anyone who's been assigned a project to manage. Instead of just focusing on how to use Microsoft Project 2003, it teaches you the concepts of formal project management, and then shows you how to set this popular project management software to work. This book includes everything managers will need to organize projects, track their progress, and present them like professionals.

• Includes updated standards and terms in compliance with the Project Management Institute's Project Management Book of Knowledge
• Features step-by-step instructions, web collaboration and publishing for projects, team communication, and full explanations of common and more intermediate project management terms
• Covers Microsoft Project 2003—the most up-to-date version—plus MS Project 2000 and 2002

Author Biography: Ron Black, the founder of The Mentor Group, specializes in consulting and corporate training for project managers using Microsoft Project. He founded and served in executive-level positions in numerous companies, including one at the Fortune 500-level. He runs seminars and workshops, and serves as a keynote speaker specializing in project management, team building, group process facilitation, and sales and marketing strategies.



So Thats How 2007 Microsoft Office System or Health Care Data and the SAS System

So That's How! 2007 Microsoft Office System: Timesavers, Breakthroughs & Everyday Genius

Author: Evan Archilla

Get timesaving solutions and practical advice-and make the 2007 Microsoft Office system work for you!

Turn your productivity drains into productivity gains! With this practical (and fun) guide, you'll discover the best ways to tackle your daily work with the 2007 Microsoft Office system. The authors have taught thousands of people to get better results with less effort. Now these efficiency experts let you steal from their "tip jar" full of timesaving shortcuts and other brilliant ideas. You'll explore what's new in your favorite Microsoft Office programs-and transform the way you work.

Get timesavers, breakthroughs, & everyday genius to:
•Take control of your inbox, calendar, and everyday information deluge
•Create stunning documents that leave them asking "How'd you do that?"
•Make meetings less frustrating and more productive for everyone
•Change the way you capture, share, and act on digital notes
•Simplify document sharing-and make collaboration painless
•Find new ways to boost your mobile productivity

PLUS-See "Tips & Tricks" in action on CD.
Get 20 videos from the authors' popular training series!



New interesting book: Big Book Unplugged or Mindful Eating 101

Health Care Data and the SAS System

Author: Marge Scerbo

Finally! A book that draws together tried and true techniques for using SAS to work with health care data. New and experienced SAS programmers and analysts working in health care data analysis will find this book invaluable in their daily professional life. Health care data can be diverse and complicated. With this book you will learn how to use SAS to access the information within the data.



Table of Contents:
Prefacexi
Acknowledgmentsxiii
Chapter 1Health Care Data
Introduction1
People and Health Care2
Recipients/Users/Patients2
Providers3
Health Care Language4
Diagnoses4
Treatment Protocols5
Combinations of Diagnoses and Treatments5
Types of Administrative Files5
HCFA-15006
Pharmacy6
UB-926
Claims and Encounters7
Conclusion8
Chapter 2Health Care Codes
Introduction9
The Coding of Diagnoses11
ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Codes11
ICD-10-CM Diagnoses15
Diagnostic Related Groups15
Major Diagnostic Categories19
The Coding of Procedures21
ICD-9-CM Surgical Procedures22
Level ICPT codes24
Level IIHCPCS27
Level IIILocal Codes28
Pharmacy-Specific Codes29
National Drug Codes29
Therapeutic Class30
Generic Product Packaging Codes33
Billing Codes or Revenue Codes33
Location of Codes and Descriptors35
ICD-9 Diagnosis Codes35
DRGs37
ICD-9 Surgical Procedures37
CPT, HCPCS, and Local Codes37
Billing or Revenue Codes37
Short Example of Code Usage38
Conclusion39
Chapter 3Data Forms, Layouts, and Files
Introduction41
Data Forms42
HCFA-150042
Pharmacy45
UB-9245
Data Layouts49
HCFA-1500 File Layout50
Pharmacy File Layout52
UB-92 File Layout52
Data Files53
Source Data Format53
HCFA-1500 Data File53
Pharmacy Data File54
UB-92 Data File55
Data in Other Formats56
Conclusion57
Chapter 4Reading the Data
Introduction59
Step 1Write the SAS Code60
Reading the Variables62
Step 2Test the Code65
Step 3Correct the Code66
Diagnoses (Dx) and Solutions (Rx) to the Errors67
Step 4Re-Test the Code68
Step 5Check the Results69
Printing the Data70
Diagnoses (Dx) and Solutions (Rx) to the Errors70
Step 6Correct the Code71
Diagnoses (Dx) and Solutions (Rx) to Missing Dates71
Creating User-Defined Formats and Informats72
Step 7Check the Results73
Step 8Enhance the Code73
Comments73
The LENGTH Statement74
The FORMAT Statement75
Variable Labels75
Pharmacy Files: New ideas76
UB-92 Files: New Ideas77
ARRAY Statements77
Conditional Selection upon Input79
Putting It All Together81
Reading SAS Data Sets82
Data in Other Formats83
Working with Data and Files across Years84
Conclusion85
Chapter 5Validating the Data
Introduction87
The Data Content88
The CONTENTS Procedure89
Viewing the Data90
Quantity: Volume of Data92
Services94
Visits95
Users97
Selected Populations or Sub-groups97
Discharges and Stays100
Charges and Payments102
Quantity: Completeness102
Frequencies103
Frequency of Missing Values104
Dates105
Numeric Fields106
Quality: Accuracy108
Chart Review108
Frequency of Codes108
Two-Way Tables110
Means111
Comparative Data Sources112
Quality: Clinical Relevance113
Conclusion113
Chapter 6Manipulating the Data
Introduction116
Operators116
Missing Values118
Exclusion of Selected Observations118
Calculations119
Date Formats and Functions120
The MDY Function120
The TODAY Function120
Parsing Dates121
Date Formats121
Numeric Functions122
The INT Function122
The TRUNC and ROUND Functions123
Character Functions123
The COMPRESS Function124
The DEQUOTE Function124
The SUBSTR Function125
The SCAN and INDEX Functions125
The CONTAINS Operator in Where Statements126
The COLON Operator Modifier127
Other Character Functions129
Creating new variables129
Character-to-Numeric Recording130
Numeric-to-Character Recoding131
More about Formats132
Stratification and Aggregation132
Subset and Selection133
Reporting Options134
Transforming Data Sets135
Using Arrays137
PROC TRANSPOSE139
More Macros139
Conclusion141
Chapter 7Combining the Data
Introduction143
Data Structures and Terminology144
Concatenation and Appending145
Study Design145
Concatenation: The Set Statement146
Appending147
Interleaving150
Merging Data153
One-to-One Match Merge153
Many-to-One Match Merge158
Many-to-Many Match Merge159
Other Types of Merges165
Conclusion165
Chapter 8Analysis and Reporting: The Basics
Introduction167
Basic Statistical Concepts168
Variable Types168
Independent versus Dependent169
Population versus Sample170
The Normal Distribution171
SAS Procedures171
Descriptive Statistics172
Measures of Central Tendency173
Measures of Variability173
Useful Procedures174
Prescription for Use179
Data Summarization179
Summary Statistics179
Row and Column Totals184
Other Useful Procedures187
Prescription for Use187
Analytics187
Measures of Association188
Comparing Population Means189
Other Useful Procedures190
Prescription for Use191
Information Presentation192
Tables192
Plots, Charts, and Maps194
Other Useful Procedures196
Prescription for Use196
Conclusion196
Chapter 9Case Study
Introduction198
Study Design198
Data Files199
Initial Analytic Steps201
Identification of ER visits201
Preliminary Steps202
Demographic Field Identification202
Algorithm for Age Calculation202
Formatting Specifications203
Other Key Points203
Comparative Frequencies203
Study Design Modifications205
SAS Programs205
Step 1Identify Format Library and Create New Formats206
Step 2Build SAS Macros to Access Different Years206
Step 3Sort and Subset the Physician Claims Files206
Step 4Sort and Subset the Outpatient Claims Files208
Step 5Merge the Claims Files and Enrollment Files208
Step 6Summarize the Claims Dollars209
Step 7Create a Data Set to Store Charges210
Step 8Sort to Unduplicate Dates in Claims Files211
Step 9Merge the Visit Data Sets211
Step 10Produce a Report of Top 20 Diagnoses212
Step 11Produce Summarized Tables213
Step 12End the SAS Macro and Pass the Parameters213
Results214
Output Data Sets214
More about_TYPE_215
Tables216
Graphs217
Further Studies220
Conclusion221
Chapter 10The Future of Health Care Data
Introduction223
Future Information Flow224
HIPAA: Electronic Data Transmittal224
Standard Formats225
Electronic Data Submissions227
National Provider Identifier (NPI)227
Electronic Death Registration Systems (EDRS)227
Future Coding Systems228
ICD-10228
Current System: New Initiatives230
ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS230
Future Technology230
Internet Health Care230
Medical Records Privacy231
Future Health Care Economics231
Risk Adjustment232
Some Predictive Models233
HEDIS234
Pharmacy-Based Models234
AIDS Risk Adjustment234
Health Care Data and the SAS System234
Appendix237
Glossary245
References253
Index255

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Windows Vista Ultimate Bible or Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 Classroom in a Book

Windows Vista Ultimate Bible

Author: Derek Torres

The ultimate book on the ultimate Vista for gamers and digital media buffs.

If you're the ultimate gamer and multimedia fan, Windows Vista Ultimate and this information-packed book are for you. Want to launch games with a single click? Share files with your Xbox 360? Try out new audio and media tools? It's all here and then some. You'll find step-by-step tutorials, techniques, and hacks-plus in-depth discussions of games, gaming, performance tips, and much more. Whether you're a veteran Windows gearhead or just getting started, this is the book you need!



• Try out the new Aero Glass user interface and new desktop features.

• Set up your graphics card, sound card, and speakers.

• Keep Vista secure with stronger firewall and family safety settings.

• Meet the new DirectX with 32-bit floating point audio and high-speed DLLs.

• Share multimedia across a network with ease.

• Enrich your audio with crossfade, shuffle, and volume leveling.

• Get up to speed on the new Media Center and Media Player 11.

• Use the Universal Controller and WinSAT for gaming.

• Find out how to run Windows(r) XP games on Vista.

• Edit video like a pro.





New interesting book: More Perfect Constitution or The New Case Against Immigration

Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 Classroom in a Book

Author: Adobe Creative Team

Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, Adobe's flagship digital video editing application, offers both Mac and Windows users an all-in-one tool that includes Adobe Encore CS4 (for authoring DVDs) and Adobe OnLocation CS4 (a workflow management tool that’s now cross-platform and redesigned in this version).

This project-based book covers not just the basics of working with audio,creating transitions, and producing titles, but also provides a clear roadmap for using Premiere Pro most efficiently for your editing projects and utilizing tools such as Adobe Dynamic Link (previously only available in Creative Suite Production Premium), Soundbooth, and the components in the Creative Suite. Readers will also learn how to use the editing tools new to this version, as well as other new features such as direct-to-disk recording,  batch encoding, project intelligence with XMP metadata support, Blu-ray Disc output that can be easily transferable to the Web, and Speech Search, a new tool that makes dialog in your video assets searchable. Best of all, the book's accompanying DVD includes real footage that you can practice on.




Table of Contents:

Getting Started
1. Touring Premiere Pro CS4
2. Adobe On Location
3. Shooting and Capturing Video & Audio
4. Importing and Managing Tapeless Media
5. Selecting Settings, Adjusting Preferences and Managing Assets
6. Creating Cuts only videos
7. Adding Video Transitions
8. Creating Dynamic Titles
9. Specialized Editing Tools
10. Adding Video Effects
11. Putting Clips in Motion
12. Changing Time
13. Acquiring and Editing Audio
14. Sweetening Your Sound and Mixing Audio
15. Audio Transcription
16. Compositing Techniques
17. Enhancing Color, Editing Tips, & Shortcuts
18. Project Management
19. Using Photoshop and After Effects to Enhance Your DV Project
20. Exporting Frames, Clips and Sequences
21. Authoring DVDs with Premiere Pro and Encore CS4


How Colleges Work or Management Information Systems Sixth Edition

How Colleges Work: The Cybernetics of Academic Organization and Leadership

Author: Robert Birnbaum

One of the best theoretical and applied analyses of university academic organization and leadership in print. This book is significant because it is not only thoughtfully developed and based on careful reading of the extensive literature on leadership and governance, but it is also deliberately intAnded to enable the author to bridge the gap between theories of organization, on one hand, and practical application, on the other.
Journal of Higher Education



Book review: Principles of Metal Manufacturing Processes or Understanding Macroeconomic Theory

Management Information Systems, Sixth Edition

Author: Effy Oz

With a clear emphasis on the business and management elements of information technology, Management Information Systems, Sixth Edition continues to be the ideal resource for upper-level business students and MBA students. Updated to include the latest information technologies, practices, and trends, this book uses more real-world examples and case studies than ever before, providing skills and knowledge that are easily transferable to the business world. From overviews of the information age to online business and business intelligence, readers will gain a sound balance of the technical and business elements of information technology.



Table of Contents:
Part 1: The Information Age
1. Business Information Systems: An Overview
2. Strategic Uses of Information Systems
3. Business Functions and Supply Chains
Part 2: Information Technology
4. Business Hardware
5. Business Software
6. Business Networks and Telecommunications
7. Databases and Data Warehouses
Part 3: Web-Enabled Commerce
8. The Web-Enabled Enterprise
9. Challenges of Global Information Systems
Part 4: Decision Support and Business Intelligence
10. Decision Support and Expert Systems
11. Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management
Part Five: Planning, Acquisition, and Controls
12. Systems Planning and Development
13. Choices in Systems Acquisition
14. Risks, Security, and Disaster Recovery

Monday, December 29, 2008

Linux or Essential MATLAB for Engineers and Scientists

Linux+

Author: Robb H Tracy

The most exam-focused CompTIA Linux+ study guide available

This fully integrated study system delivers trusted and up-to-date coverage of the newly revised CompTIA Linux+ certification exam. Featuring more than 200 review questions, step-by-step exercises, and in-depth explanations, this is the only study guide to include platform-independent practice exams. The CD-ROM contains sample questions, video training, and more.

Robb Tracy, CNE, A+, Network+, Linux+ is co-founder of Nebo Technical Institute, Inc., a leading provider of information technology training and consulting.



Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Linux+ Certification

Chapter 2: Introducing Linux

Chapter 3: Working with PC Hardware

Chapter 4: Installing Linux

Chapter 5: Getting Help

Chapter 6: Using Linux Text Editors

Chapter 7: Working with Linux Users and Groups

Chapter 8: Installing and Managing Software Packages

Chapter 9: Using Shells

Chapter 10: Managing Processes, Jobs and Services

Chapter 11: Configuring Hardware

Chapter 12: Configuring Network Boards

Chapter 13: Configuring Linux Network Services

Chapter 14: Configuring Linux Security

Chapter 15: Documenting Your System

Chapter 16: Troubleshooting Linux Issues

Appendix A: About the CD

Glossary

New interesting textbook: The Irritable Male Syndrome or Sensational Stevia Desserts

Essential MATLAB for Engineers and Scientists

Author: Brian Hahn

The essential guide to MATLAB as a problem solving tool

This text presents MATLAB both as a mathematical tool and a programming language, giving a concise and easy to master introduction to its potential and power. Stressing the importance of a structured approach to problem solving, the text gives a step-by-step method for program design and algorithm development. The fundamentals of MATLAB are illustrated throughout with many examples from a wide range of familiar scientific and engineering areas, as well as from everyday life.

Features:
* Numerous simple exercises provide hands-on learning of MATLAB's functions
* A new chapter on dynamical systems shows how a structured approach is used to solve more complex problems.
* Common errors and pitfalls highlighted
* Concise introduction to useful topics for solving problems in later engineering and science courses: vectors as arrays, arrays of characters, GUIs, advanced graphics, simulation and numerical methods
* Text and graphics in four colour
* Extensive instructor support

Essential MATLAB for Engineers and Scientists is an ideal textbook for a first course on MATLAB or an engineering problem solving course using MATLAB, as well as a self-learning tutorial for students and professionals expected to learn and apply MATLAB for themselves.



Enterprise Resource Planning Third Edition or Digital Image Processing

Enterprise Resource Planning, Third Edition

Author: Bret Wagner

In today's cutting-edge business world, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software plays a critical role. By bringing a company's many different functions together into one large integrated system, it creates an abundance of opportunities for growth and increased productivity. However, mastery of ERP is central to success and Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Third Edition, provides the perfect tool for making sense of this vastly important technology. The book examines enterprise software in general and shows readers how ERP software can improve the functions of a company, how it can streamline operations, and how the functional areas of any package relate to each other. The third edition has been updated to reflect the very latest trends and updates in ERP software. With all new sidebar cases and real-world examples throughout, this text will not only provide a thorough introduction to the world of enterprise resource planning, but will also prepare readers for success in today's marketplace.



Book review: Body Awareness as Healing Therapy or Elements

Digital Image Processing

Author: Rafael C Gonzalez

THE leader in the field for more than twenty years, this introduction to basic concepts and methodologies for digital image processing continues its cutting-edge focus on contemporary developments in all mainstream areas of image processing. Completely self-contained, heavily illustrated, and mathematically accessible, it has a scope of application that is not limited to the solution of specialized problems. Digital Image Fundamentals. Image Enhancement in the Spatial Domain. Image Enhancement in the Frequency Domain. Image Restoration. Color Image Processing. Wavelets and Multiresolution Processing. Image Compression. Morphological Image Processing. Image Segmentation. Representation and Description. Object Recognition. For technicians interested in the fundamentals and contemporary applications of digital imaging processing

Booknews

Second edition of a respected textbook in a rapidly evolving field. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)



Table of Contents:
DRAFT


Chapters end with a Summary, References and Further Reading, and Problems.

1. Introduction.



What Is Digital Image Processing? The Origins of Digital Image Processing. Examples of Fields that Use Digital Image Processing. Fundamental Steps in Digital Image Processing. Components of an Image Processing System.




2. Digital Image Fundamentals.



Elements of Visual Perception. Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum. Image Sensing and Acquisition. Image Sampling and Quantization. Some Basic Relationships Between Pixels. Linear and Nonlinear Operations.




3. Image Enhancement in the Spatial Domain.



Background. Some Basic Gray Level Transformations. Histogram Processing. Enhancement Using Arithmetic/Logic Operations. Basics of Spatial Filtering. Smoothing Spatial Filters. Sharpening Spatial Filters. Combining Spatial Enhancement Methods.




4. Image Enhancement in the Frequency Domain.



Background. Introduction to the Fourier Transform and the Frequency Domain. Smoothing Frequency-Domain Filters. Sharpening Frequency Domain Filters. Homomorphic Filtering. Implementation.




5. Image Restoration.



A Model of the Image Degradation/Restoration Process. Noise Models. Restoration in the Presence of Noise Only-Spatial Filtering. Periodic Noise Reduction by Frequency Domain Filtering. Linear, Position-Invariant Degradations. Estimating the Degradation Function. Inverse Filtering. Minimum Mean Square Error (Wiener) Filtering. Constrained Least Squares Filtering. Geometric Mean Filter. GeometricTransformations.




6. Color Image Processing.



Color Fundamentals. Color Models. Pseudocolor Image Processing. Basics of Full-Color Image Processing. Color Transformations. Smoothing and Sharpening. Color Segmentation. Noise in Color Images. Color Image Compression.




7. Wavelets and Multiresolution Processing.



Background. Multiresolution Expansions. Wavelet Transforms in One Dimension. The Fast Wavelet Transform. Wavelet Transforms in Two Dimensions. Wavelet Packets.




8. Image Compression.



Fundamentals. Image Compression Models. Elements of Information Theory. Error-Free Compression. Lossy Compression. Image Compression Standards.




9. Morphological Image Processing.



Preliminaries. Dilation and Erosion. Opening and Closing. The Hit-or-Miss Transformation. Some Basic Morphological Algorithms. Extensions to Gray-Scale Images.




10. Image Segmentation.



Detection of Discontinuities. Edge Linking and Boundary Detection. Thresholding. Region-Based Segmentation. Segmentation by Morphological Watersheds. The Use of Motion in Segmentation.




11. Representation and Description.



Representation. Boundary Descriptors. Regional Descriptors. Use of Principal Components for Description. Relational Descriptors.




12. Object Recognition.



Patterns and Pattern Classes. Recognition Based on Decision-Theoretic Methods. Structural Methods.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Excel 2007 Formulas or Excel VBA Macro Programming

Excel 2007 Formulas

Author: John Walkenbach



• This book is a single reference that’s indispensable for Excel beginners, intermediate users, power users, and would-be power users everywhere

• Fully updated for the new release, this latest edition provides comprehensive, soup-to-nuts coverage, delivering over 900 pages of Excel tips, tricks, and techniques readers won’t find anywhere else

• John Walkenbach, aka "Mr. Spreadsheet," is one of the world’s leading authorities on Excel

• Thoroughly updated to cover the revamped Excel interface, new file formats, enhanced interactivity with other Office applications, and upgraded collaboration features

• Includes a valuable CD-ROM with templates and worksheets from the book




New interesting book: 350 THAI AND NOPINESE LOW FAT RECIPES FOR HEALTHY L or El Vino

Excel VBA Macro Programming

Author: Richard Shepherd

Make Excel work harder and faster for you. This unique book presents sample code for more than twenty practical, high-powered Excel VBA macro applications. You’ll get all the essentials of VBA, and then explore ways to power Excel with VBA. Automate tasks, convert numbers to labels, transpose cells, add formula details, globally changes values, and much, much more.

Richard Shepherd (Reading, Berkshire, England) is a qualified accountant with a special interest in computer languages, particularly Visual Basic, and he’s spent the last 20 years developing computer software in blue chip organizations.



Table of Contents:
Ch. 1The basics3
Ch. 2Variables, arrays, constants, and data types11
Ch. 3Modules, functions, and subroutines25
Ch. 4Programming basics : decisions and looping33
Ch. 5Strings and functions and message boxes43
Ch. 6Operators67
Ch. 7Debugging77
Ch. 8Errors and the error function87
Ch. 9Dialogs91
Ch. 10Common dialog control107
Ch. 11Command bars and buttons117
Ch. 12The Excel object model125
Ch. 13The Excel object model - main objects141
Ch. 14Using Excel to interact with other office programs161
Ch. 15Charts and graphs171
Ch. 16Working with databases177
Ch. 17API calls183
Ch. 18Class modules193
Ch. 19Animation199
Ch. 20Converting labels to numbers and numbers to labels205
Ch. 21Transposing a range of cells209
Ch. 22Adding formula details into comments213
Ch. 23Calculating a range217
Ch. 24Reversing a label219
Ch. 25Who created the workbook?221
Ch. 26Evaluating a cell225
Ch. 27Sorting worksheets into alphabetical order229
Ch. 28Replacing characters in a string231
Ch. 29Timed events235
Ch. 30Auto totaling a matrix of numbers237
Ch. 31Absolute and relative formulas241
Ch. 32Coloring alternate rows and columns of the spreadsheet245
Ch. 33Coloring cells containing formulas251
Ch. 34Summing cells by reference to a master cell255
Ch. 35Globally changing a range of values259
Ch. 36Displaying hidden sheets without a password263
Ch. 37Searching multiple sheets and workbooks269
Ch. 38Brighten up your comments277
Ch. 39An alternative to message boxes287
Ch. 40Working with shapes291
Ch. 41Turning your VBA code into an add-in295
App. AASCII character codes303

Blogging or Pokemon Fire Red Version Leaf Green Version

Blogging (Quamut)

Author: Quamut

 

Quamut is the fastest, most convenient way to learn how to do almost anything. From tasting wine to managing your retirement accounts, Quamut gives you reliable information in a concise chart format that you can take anywhere. Quamut charts are:

  • Authoritative: Written by experts in their field so you have the most reliable information available.
  • Clear: Our explanations take you step-by-step through everything from performing CPR to threading a needle.
  • Concise: You’ll learn just what you need to know—no more, no less.
  • Precise: Quamut charts include detailed text, photos, and illustrations to show you exactly how to do just about anything.
  • Portable: Your know-how goes with you wherever your projects lead.
  • Durable: A laminated finish helps Quamut charts withstand repeated use (Car Care & Roadside Emergencies) and abuse (Cooking Basics).

Claim your own corner of the web.

Blogs let you publish your ideas, experiences, and opinions on the internet and share them with the world. If you’re lucky, you could make some money in the process. Join a community of millions and learn how to:

  • Launch your blog and decide what to include on it
  • Add photo, video, and audio files to your blog
  • Use your blog to make money or promote your business



Interesting textbook: Menus for Entertaining or Probiotic and Prebiotic Recipes for Health

Pokemon Fire Red Version / Leaf Green Version: Prima Official Game Guide

Author: Prima Publishing

Catch 'Em All Over Again!
·Extensive strategy for new and veteran Pokémaniacs
·Massive walkthrough with stats on every enemy
·Exclusive maps to help you navigate each area
·Detailed battle tactics for dominating your Pokémon® Ruby & Sapphire—playing friends!
·Essential PokéDex, featuring stats and how to catch them



Hacking Roomba or Perfect Digital Photography

Hacking Roomba: ExtremeTech

Author: Tod E Kurt

The Jetsons would be proud!

A gizmo as cool as Roomba just begs to be hacked. Now, with this book and the official ROI specification furnished by iRobot®, you can become the robotic engineer you've always dreamed of being. Build a Bluetooth interface for your Roomba. Turn it into an artist. Install Linux on it and give it a new brain. Some hacks are functional, others are purely fun. All of them let you play with robotics, and not one will void your warranty.



• Build a serial interface tether.

• Set up a Bluetooth® interface.

• Drive Roomba.

• Play with sensors.

• Make it sing.

• Create a Roomba artist.

• Use your Roomba as a mouse.

• Connect Roomba to the Net.

• Wi-Fi your Roomba.

• Replace Roomba's brain.

• Install Roomba-cam.

• Put Linux® on Roomba.

• Features a companion Web site.



All this and it will still clean your floor!

Get the official iRobot Roomba Open Interface (ROI) specification and all code presented in the book in ready-to-run form at .



Book review: Alzheimers Answer or Sailor Jerrys Tattoo Stencils II

Perfect Digital Photography: Expert Advice for Capturing, Correcting, and Printing Exceptional Images

Author: Jay Dickman

Written by photography experts--including a Pulitzer-Prize winning National Geographic photographer--this full-color book is a must-have for amateur photographers serious about improving both the quality of their photographs and their proficiency in the digital darkroom. The book is the perfect combination of a technical treatise on digital imaging and an artistic exploration of light, composition, and form, allowing you to glean the essential techniques needed for digital photography without losing sight of the artistic and aesthetic aspects of the craft. Using an easy-to-follow approach, the authors explain the image conceptualization process through shooting, editing, and image correction to finished print. In addition, top photographers from a variety of disciplines offer real-world advice on how they use digital photography to create compelling images for high-profile magazine articles, advertising campaigns, and fine art prints.



Table of Contents:

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Programming in Objective C or Flash CS3 Professional for Windows and Macintosh

Programming in Objective-C

Author: Stephen G Kochan

Programming in Objective-C is a concise, carefully written tutorial on the basics of Objective-C and object-oriented programming. The book makes no assumption about prior experience with object-oriented programming languages or with the C language (upon which Objective-C is based). And because of this, both novice and experienced programmers alike can use this book to quickly and effectively learn the fundamentals of Objective-C. Readers can also learn the concepts of object-oriented programming without having to first learn all of the intricacies of the underlying procedural language (C). This approach, combined with many small program examples and exercises at the end of each chapter, makes it ideally suited for either classroom use or self-study. Growth is expected in this language. At the January 2003 MacWorld, it was announced that there are 5 million Mac OS X users and each of their boxes ships with Objective-C built in.



Read also Leadership or The Economics of Cities and Suburbs

Flash CS3 Professional for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

Author: Katherine Ulrich

With Adobe's acquisition of Macromedia, millions of Photoshop users may be installing Flash for the first time and Flash CS3 Professional for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide is there to show them what to do. From basic first steps, such as exploring the drawing tools, including Flash CS3's new Pen tool, to frame-by-frame animation, motion tweening, and shape tweening, this book serves as the beginner's guide to Flash. But it doesn’t stop there: sections on interactivity, sound, and video have been fully updated to demonstrate best practices in ActionScript 3.0, as well as the latest in Flash's video technology.



Table of Contents:
Introduction
About Flash
Chapter 1. The Flash Authoring Tool
Chapter 2. Creating Simple Graphics
Chapter 3. Working with Text
Chapter 4. Modifying Simple Graphics
Chapter 5. Complex Graphics on a Single Layer
Chapter 6. Graphics on Multiple Layers
Chapter 7. Working with Symbols
Chapter 8. Frame- by-Frame Animations
Chapter 9. Animation with Motion Tweening
Chapter 10. Animation with Shape Tweening
Chapter 11. More-Complex Animation Tasks
Chapter 12. Building Buttons for Interactivity
Chapter 13. Basic Interactivity
Chapter 14. Using Non-Flash Graphics
Chapter 15. Adding Sound
Chapter 16. Adding Video
Chapter 17. Delivering Movies to Your Audience

Version Control with Subversion or Malware Forensics

Version Control with Subversion

Author: Ben Collins Sussman

Written by members of the development team that maintains Subversion, this is the official guide and reference manual for the popular open source revision control technology. The new edition covers Subversion 1.5 with a complete introduction and guided tour of its capabilities, along with best practice recommendations. Version Control with Subversion is useful for people from a wide variety of backgrounds, from those with no previous version control experience to experienced system administrators. Subversion is the perfect tool to track individual changes when several people collaborate on documentation or, particularly, software development projects. As a more powerful and flexible successor to the CVS revision control system, Subversion makes life so much simpler, allowing each team member to work separately and then merge source code changes into a single repository that keeps a record of each separate version. Inside the updated edition Version Control with Subversion, you'll find: An introduction to Subversion and basic concepts behind version control A guided tour of the capabilities and structure of Subversion 1.5 Guidelines for installing and configuring Subversion to manage programming, documentation, or any other team-based project Detailed coverage of complex topics such as branching and repository administration Advanced features such as properties, externals, and access control A guide to best practices Complete Subversion reference and troubleshooting guide If you've never used version control, you'll find everything you need to get started. And if you're a seasoned CVS pro, this book will help you make a painless leap into Subversion.



See also: Italian Wine Guide or New England Cookbook

Malware Forensics: Investigating and Analyzing Malicious Code

Author: Cameron H Malin

Malware Forensics: Investigating and Analyzing Malicious Code covers the emerging and evolving field of "live forensics," where investigators examine a computer system to collect and preserve critical live data that may be lost if the system is shut down. Unlike other forensic texts that discuss "live forensics" on a particular operating system, or in a generic context, this book emphasizes a live forensics and evidence collection methodology on both Windows and Linux operating systems in the context of identifying and capturing malicious code and evidence of its effect on the compromised system.
Malware Forensics: Investigating and Analyzing Malicious Code also devotes extensive coverage of the burgeoning forensic field of physical and process memory analysis on both Windows and Linux platforms. This book provides clear and concise guidance as to how to forensically capture and examine physical and process memory as a key investigative step in malicious code forensics.
Prior to this book, competing texts have described malicious code, accounted for its evolutionary history, and in some instances, dedicated a mere chapter or two to analyzing malicious code. Conversely, Malware Forensics: Investigating and Analyzing Malicious Code emphasizes the practical "how-to" aspect of malicious code investigation, giving deep coverage on the tools and techniques of conducting runtime behavioral malware analysis (such as file, registry, network and port monitoring) and static code analysis (such as file identification and profiling, strings discovery, armoring/packing detection, disassembling, debugging), and more.



* Authors have investigated andprosecuted federal malware cases, which allows them to provide unparalleled insight to the reader.
* First book to detail how to perform "live forensic" techniques on malicous code.
* In addition to the technical topics discussed, this book also offers critical legal considerations addressing the legal ramifications and requirements governing the subject matter



Table of Contents:

Ch. 1 Malware Incident Response: Volatile Data Collection and Examination on a Live Windows System 1

Ch. 2 Malware Incident Response: Volatile Data Collection and Examination on a Live Linux System 93

Ch. 3 Memory Forensics: Analyzing Physical and Process Memory Dumps for Malware Artifacts 121

Ch. 4 Post-Mortem Forensics: Discovering and Extracting Malware and Associated Artifacts from Windows Systems 193

Ch. 5 Post-Mortem Forensics: Discovering and Extracting Malware and Associated Artifacts from Linux Systems 231

Ch. 6 Legal Considerations 253

Ch. 7 File Identification and Profiling: Initial Analysis of a Suspect File on a Windows System 283

Ch. 8 File Identification and Profiling: Initial Analysis of a Suspect File On a Linux System 379

Ch. 9 Analysis of a Suspect Program: Windows 489

Ch. 10 Analysis of a Suspect Program: Linux 575

Index 661

Friday, December 26, 2008

Taking on the System or QuickBooks 2007 For Dummies

Taking on the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era

Author: Markos Moulitsas Zuniga

As founder of one of the most influential political blogs, DailyKos, Markos Moulitsas Zúniga establishes the fundamental laws that govern today's new era of digital activism.

The Sixties are over—and the rules of power have been transformed. In order to change the world one needs to know how to manipulate the media, not just march in the streets. Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, otherwise known as "Kos," is today's symbol of digital activism, giving a voice to everyday people. In Taking on the System, Kos has taken a cue from his revolutionary predecessor's doctrine, Saul Alinksy's Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, and places this epic hand-book in today's digital era, empowering every American to make a difference in the 21st century.

As founder of the largest political blog in the nation, Kos knows how it's done, because he's done it with tremendous success. In Taking on the System, he shares practical guidelines on how grassroots movements can thrive in the age of global information, while referencing historical and present examples of the tragedy caused without those actions.

The walls between the people and the power—the so-called rabble and the so-called elite—are being torn down by technology, and a new army of amateurs are storming the barriers to effect political, cultural, and environmental transformation. Readers will come to understand how they too can change the world.

The Washington Post - Suki Casanave

Moulitsas's book is a call to join the fray, and it is peppered with examples of people who are managing, against the odds, to be heard.

Publishers Weekly

In this primer for activists in the digital age, Zúniga, founder of the influential lefty blog DailyKos, argues that if activists harness new technology such as blogs, podcasting and YouTube, they can "bypass the old-world gatekeepers to communicate to the masses" in order to bring about political change. Tidily organized into pithy directives, including mobilizing, reinventing the street protest and feeding the backlash, this informative and entertaining book-inspired by Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals-moves easily among the current campaign cycle, pop culture phenomena such as Stephen Colbert and the successes and failures of the progressive movement in America. Zúniga's pragmatic, inclusive tone takes the edge off his sometimes didactic insistence that "there's no reason anyone should whine or complain that they are being shut out of the system." It should be noted, however, that the book is targeted directly to other liberals and wastes no time with conciliatory measures toward the right. Anyone in his camp, however, will be rewarded by the read. (Sept.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Library Journal

Zúniga, popular political blogger (dailykos.com) and reluctant leader of the netroots-those technocratic raiders now seen as a catalyzing political-action force fomenting populist action-gives us a set of tools and strategies for finding and exposing cracks within the social political-media system. With deft narrative ability, he insightfully dissects the hows and whys of many blog-driven political upsets over the past three years, from the unfortunate circuslike atmosphere unfolding around Cindy Sheehan outside of President Bush's ranch in Texas to the senatorial upset of George Allen in Virginia. Zúniga unfolds the nature and extent of netroots persistence, which is indicative of a seemingly new digital citizenship in which those with access to blogs as platforms can potentially expose and open gates to the democratic process. Zúniga's latest is focused more on practical tools and techniques of political action than his earlier Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics (with Jerome Armstrong). This book will be in demand in libraries serving communities with a blogosphere readership.-Jim Hahn, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana



Read also Starting an Online Business All in One Desk Reference For Dummies or Operating System Concepts

QuickBooks 2007 For Dummies

Author: Stephen L Nelson CPA MBA MS

Keep your small business finances in tip-top form

Manage your business accounting and financial management tasks—quickly and accurately

If you're like most small-business people, accounting is the last thing you want to spend lots of time on. That's where this handy guide comes in. Written by a CPA, it quickly walks you through bookkeeping basics -- and shows how QuickBooks can put your accounts in order so you can spend less time with the books and more time on business.

Discover how to



• Build the perfect budget

• Prepare customer invoices and record sales

• Produce common financial statements

• Manage inventory

• Simplify tax return preparation

• Balance accounts




Table of Contents:
Introduction.

Part I: Quickly into QuickBooks.

Chapter 1: QuickBooks: The Heart of Your Business.

Chapter 2: Answering Mr. Wizard.

Chapter 3: Populating the QuickBooks Lists.

Part II: Daily Entry Tasks.

Chapter 4: Creating Invoices and Credit Memos.

Chapter 5: Reeling In the Dough.

Chapter 6: Paying the Bills.

Chapter 7: Inventory Magic.

Chapter 8: Keeping Your Checkbook.

Chapter 9: Paying with Plastic.

Part III: Stuff You Do from Time to Time.

Chapter 10: Printing Checks.

Chapter 11: Payroll.

Chapter 12: Building the Perfect Budget.

Chapter 13: Online with QuickBooks.

Part IV: Housekeeping Chores.

Chapter 14: The Balancing Act.

Chapter 15: Reporting on the State of Affairs.

Chapter 16: Job Estimating, Billing, and Tracking.

Chapter 17: File Management Tips.

Chapter 18: Fixed Assets and Vehicle Lists.

Part V: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 19: (Almost) Ten Tips for Business Owners.

Chapter 20: Tips for Handling (Almost) Ten Tricky Situations.

Chapter 21: (Almost) Ten Secret Business Formulas.

Part VI: Appendixes.

Appendix A: Installing QuickBooks in Ten Easy Steps.

Appendix B: If Numbers Are Your Friends.

Appendix C: Sharing QuickBooks Files.

Index.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Effective Java or Microsoft Office 2007

Effective Java (Java Series)

Author: Joshua Bloch

Raves for the First Edition!

 

“I sure wish I had this book ten years ago. Some might think that I don’t need any Java books, but I need this one.”

–James Gosling, fellow and vice president, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

“An excellent book, crammed with good advice on using the Java programming language and object-oriented programming in general.”

–Gilad Bracha, coauthor of The Java™ Language Specification, Third Edition

“10/10–anyone aspiring to write good Java code that others will appreciate reading and maintaining should be required to own a copy of this book. This is one of those rare books where the information won’t become obsolete with subsequent releases of the JDK library.”
–Peter Tran, bartender, JavaRanch.com

“The best Java book yet written.... Really great; very readable and eminently useful. I can’t say enough good things about this book. At JavaOne 2001, James Gosling said, ‘Go buy this book!’ I’m glad I did, and I couldn’t agree more.”
–Keith Edwards, senior member of research staff, Computer Science Lab at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), and author of Core JINI (Prentice Hall, 2000)

“This is a truly excellent book done by the guy who designed several of the better recent Java platform APIs (including the Collections API).”
–James Clark, technical lead of the XML Working Group during the creation of the XML 1.0 Recommendation, editor of the XPath and XSLT Recommendations

“Great content. Analogous to ScottMeyers’ classic Effective C++. If you know the basics of Java, this has to be your next book.”
–Gary K. Evans, OO mentor and consultant, Evanetics, Inc

“Josh Bloch gives great insight into best practices that really can only be discovered after years of study and experience.”
–Mark Mascolino, software engineer

“This is a superb book. It clearly covers many of the language/platform subtleties and trickery you need to learn to become a real Java master.”
–Victor Wiewiorowski, vice president development and code quality manager, ValueCommerce Co., Tokyo, Japan

 

“I like books that under-promise in their titles and over-deliver in their contents. This book has 57 items of programming advice that are well chosen. Each item reveals a clear, deep grasp of the language. Each one illustrates in simple, practical terms the limits of programming on intuition alone, or taking the most direct path to a solution without fully understanding what the language offers.”

–Michael Ernest, Inkling Research, Inc.

“I don’t find many programming books that make me want to read every page–this is one of them.”
–Matt Tucker, chief technical officer, Jive Software

“Great how-to resource for the experienced developer.”
–John Zukowski, author of numerous Java technology books

“I picked this book up two weeks ago and can safely say I learned more about the Java language in three days of reading than I did in three months of study! An excellent book and a welcome addition to my Java library.”
–Jane Griscti, I/T advisory specialist

Are you looking for a deeper understanding of the Java™ programming language so that you can write code that is clearer, more correct, more robust, and more reusable? Look no further! Effective Java™, Second Edition, brings together seventy-eight indispensable programmer’s rules of thumb: working, best-practice solutions for the programming challenges you encounter every day.

This highly anticipated new edition of the classic, Jolt Award-winning work has been thoroughly updated to cover Java SE 5 and Java SE 6 features introduced since the first edition. Bloch explores new design patterns and language idioms, showing you how to make the most of features ranging from generics to enums, annotations to autoboxing.

Each chapter in the book consists of several “items” presented in the form of a short, standalone essay that provides specific advice, insight into Java platform subtleties, and outstanding code examples. The comprehensive descriptions and explanations for each item illuminate what to do, what not to do, and why.

Highlights include:

New coverage of generics, enums, annotations, autoboxing, the for-each loop, varargs, concurrency utilities, and much more

Updated techniques and best practices on classic topics, including objects, classes, libraries, methods, and serialization

How to avoid the traps and pitfalls of commonly misunderstood subtleties of the language

Focus on the language and its most fundamental libraries: java.lang, java.util, and, to a lesser extent, java.util.concurrent and java.io

Simply put, Effective Java™, Second Edition, presents the most practical, authoritative guidelines available for writing efficient, well-designed programs.

Booknews

Having worked as a platform libraries architect for Java since 1996, Bloch shares with programmers what he has learned about what works, what does not, and how to use the language and its libraries to best effect. He presents 57 specific hints in sections on creating and destroying objects, methods common to all objects, classes and interfaces, substitutes for C constructs, methods, general programming, exceptions, threads, and serialization. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)



New interesting book: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave or Lincoln President Elect

Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory Concepts and Techniques, Windows XP Edi

Author: Gary B Shelly

In Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory Concepts and Techniques Windows XP edition you'll find features that are specifically designed to improve retention, and prepare readers for future success. Our trademark step-by-step, screen-by-screen approach now encourages users to expand their understanding of the Office 2007 software through experimentation, exploration, and planning ahead.



Table of Contents:
Essential Introduction to Computers Microsoft Windows XP
1. Introduction to Microsoft Windows XP Microsoft Word 2007
1. Creating and Editing a Word Document
2. Creating a Research Paper
3. Creating a Cover Letter and a Resume Web Feature: Creating a Web Page Using Word Microsoft Excel 2007
1. Creating a Worksheet and an Embedded Chart
2. Formulas, Functions, Formatting, and Web Queries
3. What-If Analysis, Charting, and Working with Large Worksheets Web Feature: Creating Web Pages Using Excel Microsoft Access 2007
1. Creating and Using a Database
2. Querying a Database
3. Maintaining a Database Integration Feature: Sharing Data Among Applications Microsoft PowerPoint 2007
1. Creating and Editing a Presentation
2. Creating a Presentation with Illustrations and Shapes Web Feature: Creating Web Pages Using PowerPoint Microsoft Outlook 2007
1. Managing E-Mail and Contacts with Outlook Microsoft Office 2007 Integration
1. Integrating Office 2007 Applications and the World Wide Web
Appendices A: Project Planning Guidelines B: Introduction to Microsoft Office 2007 C: Microsoft Office 2007 Help D: Publishing Office 2007 Web Pages to a Web Server E: Customizing Microsoft Office 2007 F: Microsoft Business Certification Program

iPod or Digital Photography

iPod: The Missing Manual

Author: Jude Biersdorfer

With the tiny Shuffle, the Nano, the Classic, and the Touch, Apple's gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, videos -- and the iPod. One thing they haven't delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from this sleek entertainment center. Enter iPod: The Missing Manual, 7th Edition -- a book as breathtaking, satisfying, and reliable as its subject. Now in a sleek, travel-friendly size, this new edition provides a no-nonsense view of iTunes 8 and everything in the latest iPod line, with crystal-clear explanations, easy-to-follow color graphics, and guidance on all the amazing things you can do, including: Out of the box and into your ears. Find out how to install iTunes and load music on your iPod. And get advice on buying copy-protection free songs from stores like Amazon and Rhapsody. Bopping around the iPod. Learn everything from turning it on and off to shaking your iPod Nano to shuffle your tracks. In tune with iTunes. Choose which parts of your iTunes library loads onto your iPod, move your sacred iTunes Folder to a bigger hard drive, and add album covers to your collection. Picking playlists like a Genius. Let iTunes' new Genius feature whip up smart playlists from your library, and suggest songs from the iTunes Store that fit with what you already own. The power of the 'Pod. Download movies and TV shows and learn how to play them on your iPod and finish viewing them on your TV. Play photo slideshows, find cool podcasts, and more. Welcome to the App Store. Soup up your iPod Touch, from upgrading to the 2.0 firmware to installing the iTunes Store's nifty new collection of programs -- including games that turn the Touch into a pocket 3-D arcade.

Even ifyou don't buy one of the new iPod models, this Missing Manual has plenty of information on the latest version of iTunes, the App Store and a whole lot more about Apple's incredible device.



Go to: Taking Charge of ADHD or Kid Friendly Food Allergy Cookbook

Digital Photography (Quamut)

Author: Quamut

Quamut is the fastest, most convenient way to learn how to do almost anything. From tasting wine to managing your retirement accounts, Quamut gives you reliable information in a concise chart format that you can take anywhere. Quamut charts are:

  • Authoritative: Written by experts in their field so you have the most reliable information available.
  • Clear: Our explanations take you step-by-step through everything from performing CPR to threading a needle.
  • Concise: You’ll learn just what you need to know—no more, no less.
  • Precise: Quamut charts include detailed text, photos, and illustrations to show you exactly how to do just about anything.
  • Portable: Your know-how goes with you wherever your projects lead.
  • Durable: A laminated finish helps Quamut charts withstand repeated use (Car Care & Roadside Emergencies) and abuse (Cooking Basics).

Never load another roll of film.

Gone are the days of waiting for technicians to develop your photos, only to discover there isn't a good one in the bunch. Digital photography lets you take and tweak as many photos as you like (for free!) and share them in an instant. Teach yourself to:

  • Use shooting modes, such as manual, portrait, and panoramic
  • Adjust your camera's basic and advanced settings and features 
  • Take, save, and share your photos, as well as avoid common pitfalls



Sunday, December 21, 2008

How to Survive a Robot Uprising or How to Photograph Absolutely Everything

How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself against the Coming Rebellion

Author: Daniel H Wilson

An inspired and hilarious look at how humans can defeat the inevitable robot rebellion—as revealed by a robotics expert.

How do you spot a robot mimicking a human? How do you recognize and then deactivate a rebel servant robot? How do you escape a murderous “smart” house, or evade a swarm of marauding robotic flies? In this dryly hilarious survival guide, roboticist Daniel H. Wilson teaches worried humans the keys to quashing a robot mutiny.

From treating laser wounds to fooling face and speech recognition, besting robot logic to engaging in hand-to-pincer combat, How to Survive a Robot Uprising covers every possible doomsday scenario facing the newest endangered species: humans. And with its thorough overview of current robot prototypes—including giant walkers, insect, gecko, and snake robots—How to Survive a Robot Uprising is also a witty yet legitimate introduction to contemporary robotics. Full of cool illustrations, and referencing some of the most famous robots in pop-culture, How to Survive a Robot Uprising is a one-of-a-kind book that is sure to be a hit with all ages.     



How to Photograph Absolutely Everything: Successful Pictures from Your Digital Camera

Author: Tom Ang

This comprehensive step-by-step guide to photographing an unbelievably wide range of subjects includes hundreds of inspirational images, each of which is accompanied by detailed step-by-step instructions. From sporting events and safaris to family gatherings and flowers, this is the most comprehensive photography manual ever assembled.

Daniel Lombardo - Library Journal

When Ang first began working professionally as a photographer and picture editor, digital photography was in its infancy. Today, it has removed the expense and inconvenience from picture taking and put the creative capability of a darkroom within reach of anyone with a computer. This author of 17 titles on video and photography has just published two landmarks for this particular time in an ever-changing field. How To Photograph Absolutely Everythingis the most useful and comprehensive book on the subject available for the nonprofessional. Ang begins with the elements of digital photography, from choosing equipment to framing images. Five chapters follow on how to photograph real-life situations and events, e.g., portraits, weddings, and sports events. Artistic expression (working with reflections, color, light, and abstract forms) and practical photography (for auctions, selling a car, and business promotion) round out the volume. Ang's Advanced Digital Photographyrevises a book first issued in 2003. Technically detailed yet clearly written, it's for the serious photographer or professional and remains a rich source for mastering the manipulation of digital images. Both books are highly recommended.



Table of Contents:
Introduction     08
Elements of photography
Introduction     12
Which digital camera do I choose?     14
What else to consider?     16
Camera settings     18
Finding focus     20
Judging exposure     22
Zoom settings     24
Framing images     26
Picture space     30
Time tips     32
Capturing light     34
Using color     36
Brightness and levels     40
Color balance and saturation     42
Contrast and tone     44
Removing distractions and sharpening     46
Cropping and resizing     46
People
Introduction     52
Portraits on sunny days     54
Children at play     56
People in action     58
Holiday highlight     64
Creating a silhouette     66
Informal child portraits     68
Candid shots     70
Using dramatic lighting     74
Posed child portraits     76
Alternative portraiture     80
Beautiful baby pictures     82
Children year by year     84
Family self portrait     88
Informal family portraits     92
Formal portraiture     94
Capturing the party spirit     96
Nude study     98
Character-driven portraits     100
Unposed portraiture     104
Gallery     106
Landscapes and nature
Introduction     112
A mountain view     114
Gardens in bloom     116
Flowers in close-up     118
Flowers and foliage     120
A rustic landscape     126
Panoramic views     128
Landscapes in black and white     130
Sunlight through trees     132
Misty woodlands     134
Seasons and weather     136
Reality and reflection     142
Colors of the seashore     144
Crashing waves     146
Fast-flowing water     148
A tranquil scene     150
A city waterscape     154
The colors of sunset     156
An alluring moonlight     158
Cloud formations     160
Gallery     162
Animals
Introduction     170
Posed pet portraits      172
Fun pet portraits     174
Equine elegance     176
Birds in flight     180
Exotic birds in close-up     182
Garden birds     184
Wildlife close to home     186
The natural look     192
Wildlife from a car     194
Around the animal park     198
At the aquarium     202
Movement underwater     204
Gallery     206
Architecture
Introduction     212
Focusing on details     214
Form and space     216
The postcard look     220
Nighttime illuminations     222
Romantic ruins     224
Abstract views     226
Large enclosed areas     228
Dimly lit interiors     230
Modern interior spaces     232
Iconic city landmarks     236
World landmarks     238
Radiant stained glass     242
City fountains     244
Bridge life     246
Contrasting old and new     250
An unusual city skyline     252
City streets     254
A nocturnal cityscape     258
City skyscrapers     260
Reflected city     264
The city by night     266
Black-and-white street scene     268
Cityscapes from a vehicle     270
An urban landscape     272
Gallery     276
Events
Introduction     282
An explosion of color     284
Milestone moments     286
A children's party     288
Wedding photography     290
Wedding-day details     292
The spirit of carnival     296
A street demonstration     300
The magic of Christmas     302
Festivals around the world     304
Intimate music venues     308
On-stage drama     310
The thrill of the race     312
A theatrical production     314
Gallery     318
Artistic expression
Introduction     324
Exploring art     326
Sharpness and blur     330
Light trails at night     332
Abstracting the everyday     334
Color and light     336
Reflections     338
Impromptu still lifes     344
Still lifes      346
Patterns from chaos     350
Exploring textures     352
Art on the street     354
Gallery     358
Other applications
Introduction     364
Practical photography     366
Photography for online auctions
Promoting a business
Selling your car
Recording your belongings
Charting a building project
Photographing home interiors
Promoting a cause
Scrapbooking
Cataloguing collections
What the eye can't see     372
Strobe lighting
Satellite imaging
Kirlian photography
Space photography
Galaxy photography
Infrared imaging
X-ray photography
High-speed photography
Glossary     376
Index     379
Ackowledgments     384

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Groundswell or Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers

Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies

Author: Charlene Li

Corporate executives are struggling with a new trend: people using online social technologies (blogs, social networking sites, YouTube, podcasts) to discuss products and companies, write their own news, and find their own deals. This groundswell is global, it's unstoppable, it affects every industry -- and it's utterly foreign to the powerful companies running things now.

When consumers you've never met are rating your company's products in public forums with which you have no experience or influence, your company is vulnerable. In Groundswell, Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff of Forrester, Inc. explain how to turn this threat into an opportunity.

Using tools and data straight from Forrester, you'll learn how to:

· Evaluate new social technologies as they emerge

· Determine how different groups of consumers are participating in social technology arenas

· Apply a four-step process for formulating your future strategy

· Build social technologies into your business -- including monitoring your brand value, talking with the groundswell through marketing and PR campaigns, and energizing your best customers to recruit their peers

Timely and insightful, this book is required reading for executives seeking to protect and strengthen their company's public image

The Financial Times

... for Groundswell's intended audience - managers struggling to answer questions such as "should my soap company have a presence on Facebook?" or "why isn't anyone reading our company blog?" - the emphasis on data and analytics is not a bug - it's a feature.

CIO Magazine

...you can't control users looking to utilize Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis and social networks... CIOs and other business leaders must embrace these technologies in the enterprise, and enable their employees to share and work collectively with each other to foster new innovations.

What People Are Saying

Seth Godin
"Groundswell is jammed with big ideas, useful stories, and quotable stats. This is the new industrial revolution. Are you on board?"--(Seth Godin, author, Meatball Sundae)


Scott Cook
"This book will rock your world, if social technology hasn't rocked it already. It's a tsunami of unstoppable force. Amazon, Procter & Gamble, Facebook, Google, and Dell are profiting from the crest of the wave. Are you? Li and Bernoff are the apostles of the tsunami. This book will be your bible."--(Scott Cook, Founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit)


Cathie Black
"Groundswell provides practical advice on how to stay nimble and flexible in an ever-morphing digital world. Enabling your company to respond to change quickly-especially when talking to and supporting your consumers-is essential for business success."--(Cathie Black, President, Hearst Magazines)


Christina Norman
"Heed the Groundswell! It's critical reading and helped us master the new dynamics of social media."--(Christina Norman, President, MTV)


John T. Chambers
"The first phase of the Internet was about getting everyone connected. In this next phase, which changes the way we work, live, play, and learn, we're starting to realize the value of those connections as well as the new communications and experiences those interactions lead to-the 'human network.' Groundswell effectively documents this shift and underscores the opportunities available to all from this major market transition."--(John T. Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco)


Clark Kokich
"Groundswell is a comprehensive look at the tidal wave of change engulfing marketers. Nobody should attempt to engage the newly empowered and emboldened consumer without first hearing what Li and Bernoff have to say on the subject."--(Clark Kokich, CEO, Avenue A




Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers

Author: Scott Kelby

Written in concert with Adobe's development of the Photoshop Lightroom 2 Beta, The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers - by #1 bestselling computer and technology author, Scott Kelby - is the most complete and concise Lightroom "how-to" book for digital photographers of all skill levels.

In The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers, Scott walks readers through the basics of Lightroom use, leading them to a brilliantly devised and super efficient digital photography workflow that dramatically improves productivity and allows photographers to spend less time processing photos and more time shooting them.

Throughout the book Scott shares his personal camera and Lightroom settings, as well as the studio-tested techniques he's developed for his own photography workflow. The book is written in his trademark step-by-step, plain English style, and because he knows what really works and what doesn't, he isn't shy to tell you flat out which tools to use, which to avoid, and why. This allows digital photographers of any skill level to jump right in using Lightroom like a pro from the very start, sidestepping a lot of the frustrations that typically haunt those unfamiliar with new applications…especially those as powerful as Lightroom.

What really sets The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers apart from other Lightroom books on the market are the last two bonus chapters where Scott answers the questions, "In exactly what order am I supposed to do things in Lightoom," and "Where does Photoshop fit in to the mix?" Both chapters start with an on-location photo shoot, including full detailson the equipment, camera settings, and lighting techniques. Readers then witness as he takes the photos from each shoot through the entire workflow process, to the final output of the 16"x20" prints. And, because he incorporates Photoshop seamlessly right into this workflow, you'll learn some of the latest Photoshop techniques for portrait and landscape photography as well.

If you're one of those people who learns best by actually doing the projects yourself; who learns best without all the complicated technical explanations and confusing jargon, and if you really want to start using Lightroom today to unlock the productivity secrets of "The new digital photography workflow,"---there is no faster, more "straight-to-the-point" or more fun way to learn than this groundbreaking new book, and you are absolutely going to love it!



Table of Contents:

Ch. 1 Importing: Getting Your Photos into Photoshop Lightroom 1

Ch. 2 Library: Organizing Your Photos 35

Ch. 3 Customizing: How to Set Up Things Your Way 103

Ch. 4 Editing Essentials: How to Develop Your Photos 129

Ch. 5 Local Adjustments: How to Edit Just Part of Your Images 169

Ch. 6 Problem Photos: Correcting Digital Camera Dilemmas 187

Ch. 7 Exporting Images: Saving JPEGs, TIFFs, and More 219

Ch. 8 Jumping to Photoshop: How and When to Do It 237

Ch. 9 Gorgeous: B&W Converting from Color to Black and White 271

Ch. 10 Slideshow: Sharing Your Photos Onscreen 291

Ch. 11 Print: Printing Your Photos 317

Ch. 12 Web: Getting Your Photos on the Web 355

Ch. 13 Portrait Workflow: My Step-by-Step On-Location Portrait Shoot Process 375

Ch. 14 Travel Workflow: My Step-by-Step Travel Photography Process 399

Index 420