Editorial Review

Discover the many features of the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 set. The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book is the complete,illustrated, beginner's guide to MINDSTORMS that you've been lookingfor.

The crystal clear instructions in the Discovery Book will showyou how to harness the capabilities of the NXT 2.0 set to build andprogram your own robots. Author and robotics instructor Laurens Valkwalks you through the set, showing you how to use its various pieces,and how to use the NXT software to program robots. Interactive tutorials make it easy for you to reach an advanced level of programming as youlearn to build robots that move, monitor sensors, and use advancedprogramming techniques like data wires and variables. You'll build eight increasingly sophisticated robots like the Strider (a six-leggedwalking creature), the CCC (a climbing vehicle), the Hybrid Brick Sorter (a robot that sorts by color and size), and the Snatcher (an autonomous robotic arm). Numerous building and programming challenges throughoutencourage you to think creatively and to apply what you've learned asyou develop the skills essential to creating your own robots.

Requirements: One LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 set (#8547)

Features

• A complete introduction to LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0
• Building and programming instructions for eight innovative robots
• 50 sample programs and 72 programming challenges (ranging from easyto hard) encourage you to explore newly learned programming techniques
• 15 building challenges expand on the robot designs and help youdevelop ideas for new robots

Reviews

Take the NXT Step, May 27, 2010
I (a hardware/software developer and radio ham for some 30 years) bought LEGO Mindstorms for my now eight-year-old son last Christmas. Being a LEGO nut since he was old enough not to swallow the pieces, he's had great fun with Mindstorms since then.

But after you've built the models detailed in the Mindstorms kit, where do you go next? The Mindstorms online help is pretty good, but tiresome to read on the screen, and not the best medium for a youngster. The Alpha Rex etc. are impressive but it's hard for a child to try to make his own models of a similar complexity on the basis of the models in the Mindstorms kit. There is a huge gap between copying ready-made models and learning to create real robots from scratch, and Laurens Valk's book fills that gap perfectly.

As "the missing manual", this book thoroughly explains the NXT hardware and NXT-G software, in enough technical detail to satisfy a seasoned programmer like me, but without overloading someone who is completely new to the technology. That is no mean feat!

The building instructions are of a similar quality to those provided in the all-too-slim Mindstorms manual, and my son was able to follow them and the programming instructions with only minimal guidance from me (usually because we hadn't yet read the accompanying text! :-)

Now, there are several ways to approach this book. To get started quickly, you or your child genius can simply follow the detailed building and programming instructions to create any of the eight robots detailed in the book. My son had almost no trouble doing this: in fact, he first went after the more complex models like the Strider featured on the cover, followed by the very impressive Chimney Climber. If, like us, you're new to the LEGO Technic and Mindstorms systems, you'll be surprised how they can be made to do such remarkable things.

The program instructions feature a simplified overview - essentially a flow diagram - that lets you follow the basic structure of the program and learn about loops, "if-then-else" blocks, etc. Your young robotics engineer can learn about the how-and-why of the programs, and gradually improvise to deepen his/her understanding of what the NXT controller is "thinking", and then devise clever ways to change it.

Then there are the challenges, or "discoveries" to use Laurens' word: 87 of them in all. Once we have settled down to reading the book together start-to-finish (give us a chance, we've only had this book for a week!), the discoveries will provide many new paths to explore and consolidate our understanding of robotic systems.

I would have expected to pay three times what Amazon is charging for this book, based on similar books aimed at software developers. At under $20, it is excellent value for money and an essential "NXT" step on any robot designer's path of discovery. Buy it!

Are you ready for a journey of discovery?, May 10, 2010
This book is the culmination of more than a year's work and it shows. It's broken up into 4 parts and will guide you through a journey of discovery. On your route to becoming a robotics master you will build no less than 8 different robots and learn about every aspect of NXT-G programming with the help of 50 sample programs. If that's not enough, you can test just how good you've become with any one of the 85 building and programming challenges.

The building and programming instructions are really nice, clear and clean; it's not hard to tell the author has done this before. Learning to program and build with your new NXT 2.0 kit will be so much more fun with this book by your side. It will knock your socks off (don't worry, there's a robot in the book that can help you pick them up again).

A Tremendous NXT Teaching Accomplishment By A Young Roboticist, June 30, 2010
From his infectious enthusiasm for the Mindstorms NXT System it might be easy to guess that Laurens Valk was introduced to Lego Robotics at age 13 just five short years ago. But, from the careful logical pedagogy of this book and his interesting approach mixing successively more advanced robots intermixed with a clearly arranged taxonomy of parts, programming tools and motor/drive train and sensor categorization, I would have imagined that this book was written by an excellent teacher with many years of experience bringing engineering concepts to youthful learners. Not only does the book offer a clear top-down beginning to end approach to both the NXT Parts Architecture and NXT-G Programming Language while combining this end-to-end approach with interesting projects of increasing difficulty, but he stimulates the reader with building and programming challenges to increase their skill at independent thought in robot building and programming. Just how far and how thoughtfully Laurens' teaching approach goes is indicated by by his unique system of flowcharting/state diagrams which both provides the logical decisions involved in programming this system with a graphical correspondence to the NXT-G Programming language.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough as an aid to using the Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 robotics system, and bringing a
new generation of roboticists and engineers to a deep and intuitive understanding these sciences. This handbook should be included in every Mindstorms NXT Set to insure that the recipient will learn, absorb and extend the concepts which this powerful educational system can teach.

--Ira Laefsky
MSE/MBA I.T. Consultant and Former Senior Staff Member Arthur D. Little, Inc. and Digital Equipment Corporation

This is the book I needed a year ago!, May 17, 2010
My eight year old son was invited to go to an FLL demonstration last August, he loved it so I enquired about the nearest team for him to join. It turned out to be me and I ended up coaching not one but two of the 23 teams entered in New Zealand's first ever FLL tournament! I knew absolutely nothing about NXT so had a VERY steep learning curve. The Help on the NXT software is great - if you know what you are looking for. I struggled for 4 months to upskill myself enough to help the kids answer their questions. I must have been partially successful in that one of my teams won the NZ competition and qualified for Atlanta. Atlanta was awesome but only made me realise how little I know and how much more I have got to learn. My team is determined to get to St Louis next year and this marvellous book will help us on the way.
This book doesn't assume you know anything about NXT but also takes you far beyond what my team needed to know to get to Atlanta. It is not just a beginner's guide.
If you are totally new to NXT or self-taught like me then this is the book for you. I got it two days ago and have already read through it once. My 9 year old son is also reading it and keeps saying "Did you know....."
A must have for anyone who is new to NXT or knows a bit and is wanting to move beyond basic programming.
When is the next book coming out Laurens?

The best companion book to NXT 2.0 !, May 22, 2010
My son (11) and I have just received the book, so this is a "first impressions" review. We went right ahead and built "The Snatcher" which is a beautiful robot and also teaches how to perform two actions with a one motor.

Appearance: browsing through the book I was very pleased by its overall graphic quality, which is probably the best of all the NXT books we own. The graphics are grayscale, nevertheless they are outstanding, both in layout, scale and resolution. No more magnifying glass required to build the models! The resulting building instructions are very similar and follow the same conventions as real Lego building instructions. In fact, if they were published in color, I could not tell the difference from original Lego instructions, as they come in any Lego original set. The programming is explained block-by-block, also taking advantage of the print quality, as do the diagrams and of course the text.

Content: I wished we had this book when we started building NXT robots with my son a couple of years ago. It starts from the very basic and progresses to the more advanced topics. It engages the reader to go beyond the instructions of the models with "discoveries". This is a great learning method.

Conclusion: This book will greatly enhance the experience of any NXT 2.0 buyer. It goes way beyond the models that come "bundled" with the set. It will keep youngsters glued to the set, learning and having fun. I think any prospective NXT 2.0 set purchaser would do very well in purchasing the book together with the set. Or perhaps Lego should bundle the book with the set!

When we build more models of the book, I will review it further.

Excellent Teaching Guide, June 20, 2010
The Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Discovery Book by Laurens Valk is a beginner's guide to building and programming robots. It is the perfect handbook for anyone who owns the new Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 set (Lego Set #8547), which is designed for ages 10 and up to enjoy learning about robotics and engineering while building an actual working robot. The book details step by step with excellent pictures and simple instructions just how to create many different robots from the kit. The kit, however, is just under $300, so it is not just a toy but a real classroom learning experience, which can be done with a group or at home. The author, who helps design NXT robots for Lego, is an instructor of robotics in the Netherlands. (The book and kit are in English.) The technical reviewer for the book is Dr. Damien Kee, who is an electrical engineer and robotics expert who has designed many forms of robots, including humanoids. He is editor in chief of the NXT classroom at [..] , a website that provides support and resources for teachers. The book excellent and clear, like having the teacher right on the table with you, for anyone who wants to learn robotics from this fun building kit.

Excellent introduction., May 17, 2010
I am a 4-H Tech leader and have been involved with Lego Robotics RCX and NXT for some time. The book is a great getting started source or as help to fill in the blanks for the self taught. New and experienced members enjoy the book and want to start building as soon as they see it. The reference chart inside the front cover will save the novice builder many hours searching for the correct part.

The Missing Manual to the NXT 2.0 Kit, June 24, 2010
The LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Discovery Book: a beginner's guide to building and programming robots! is the missing manual to the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit. It is an excellent step-by-step guide to using the new kit. I has lot of diagrams and pictures which makes the book easy to use. So whether you are a novice or an experienced NXTer, you will find this book a wonderful resource guide to the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit with some rather interesting new robot building ideas.

Good for Beginner, May 16, 2010
Someone has taught about this book when I was asking "Recommended MINDSTORMS book" for my 8years old MINDSTORMS beginner son at MINDSTORMS community web-site.
Now he has spent 2days and is reading by page 120 by himself. He has created 2 robots following this book. He said "It is easy to read and understand". He is very happy so I am happy too. I recommend this book for kids or youth who wants to learn MINDSTORMS. I can hardly wait for publishing the next one from same author. Because it has been hard for me to find MINDSTORMS programming book for kids.
Thank you.

great book, May 18, 2010
I bought the 2.0 lego kit and two books for my son, age 10. I glanced at the other book a couple weeks ago and this one just arrived a couple days ago in the mail. When we opened his lego kit for his birthday, this was the closest book so I started with it. We read the first pages together and stopped for bed at the middle of constructing the first project. The introduction is enough to convince me the order and presentation are well thought out. The author is just 18 or 19 and started with lego mindstorms when he was 13. This book took a lot of planning and thought and being still a young adult, he has the time. This is not just a book of collections of robots and projects, but more like a workbook meant to be done in the order presented. Each new project introducing more complex programming. The other books may have that too, but this book has all the polish I need for now so I'll get to those when we're done with this. Nice work author. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This attractive boxed set includes:
The Digital Photography Book (ISBN 0-321-47404-X)
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2 (ISBN 0-321-52476-4)
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 (ISBN 0-321-61765-7)

Scott Kelby, the man who changed the "digital darkroom" forever with his groundbreaking, #1 bestselling, award-winning book The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, shows which button to push, which setting to use, when to use them, and hundreds of the most closely guarded photographic "tricks of the trade" to get budding photographers shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos with their digital camera every time they press the shutter button.

Scott tackles the most important side of digital photography--how to take pro-quality shots using the same tricks today's top digital pros use (and it's easier than you'd think). Each chapter is packed with plain English tips on using flash, shooting close up photography, travel photography, shooting people, and even how to build a studio from scratch, where he demystifies the process so anyone can start taking pro-quality portraits today! Plus, he's got full chapters on his most requested topics, including loads of tips for landscape photographers, wedding photographers, and there's an entire chapter devoted to sharing some of the pro's secrets for making your photos look more professional, no matter what you're shooting.
... Read more

Reviews

Tips and tricks 'from a friend', October 28, 2009
In the usual Scott Kelby style he write these books as a collection of pointers to a friend photographer. Every page in all three books are written with one pointer or tip on each page. As Scott writes in the prelude:

"If you and I were out on a shoot, and you asked me, 'Hey, how do I get this flower to be in focus, but I want the background out of focus?' I wouldn't stand there and give you a lecture about aperture, exposure, and depth of field. In real life, I'd just say, 'Get out your telephoto lens, set your f/stop to f/2.8, focus on the flower, and fire away.' You would say, 'OK,' and you'd get the shot. That's what this book is all about. A book of you and I shooting, and I answer the questions, give you advice and share the secrets I've learned just like I would with a friend, without all the technical explanations and without all the techno-photo-speak."

This being said, this also means that he doesn't dwell deeply within each tip or pointer explaining _why_ everything works as it does. This is for the reader to find out researching the topic further in other reference books.
Surprisingly to me, this works very well! I thoroughly enjoyed reading these books and I would say that I have become a much better photographer reading through all the tips.

Book one is quite general in topic, spanning from how to create really sharp photos to a description of wedding photography. This book is, according to me, a must have in every digital photographers bookshelf. This book is also clearly aimed at beginner photographers.

Coming to book 2 and 3 they differ a bit, especially of how they are written. These books also have the 'pointer and tip' layout, but more detailed information can be found here. Book 2 for example describe thoroughly which gear to use when using flash and how to set up your mini-studio and book three goes even further on how to shoot specific subjects.

This box set offer any digital photographer a helicopter view of how to use your digital camera in the best way to get 'professional' photos. Primarily these books - as all Scott Kelby books - offer small insights of what to think about when shooting digital photos. Kelby also does this with a huge amount of humor, making all his books a joy to read.

Good info for DSLR Beginners, October 21, 2009
These books are aimed a novice DSLR users. If you've done much photography or read up on the subject, you won't find much real new material in here. Fortunately, Scott Kelby avoids the traps of getting bogged down in the operational specifics of the equipment he is discussing (this is not a rehash of the Owners Guide). The books are to the point, light hearted and fun (with lots of the usual Kelby humor).

Great for beginners, December 14, 2009
These books are great for beginners who've usually invested in fancy camera gear and would now like to know - how does this damn thing work? And why don't my pics (weddings, babies, landscapes, flowers) look anything like the pros? Well, Kelby provides quick cook recipes for a host of usually occurring subjects and topics and enough info to get better than average shots. Enough to please you and your subject without getting into the tech details. And that's great for starters and for most people ...

Kindle Version Difficult to Use, December 11, 2010
This review is specific to the Kindle version of the box set. These are great books. So good, in fact that I bought the Kindle version for my iPad even though I already own a set of print edition. I intend to use this as a reference while traveling with my camera.

Despite my enthusiasm for the content, the Kindle edition set is very difficult to use. All three books are delivered as a single file, but the table of contents pulled up by the menu only refers to book one. To find the contents of book 2 & 3, one must search or manually scan the pages. This issue renders the Kindle book very difficult to use as a reference.

Updated: Amazon informs me that the only option is to contact the publisher or take a refund. With regret, I have accepted a refund and will continue to use the print edition. I cannot recommend that you buy the kindle edition of this set.

Great set of books, November 24, 2009
I purchased this set after reading the previous reviews for it. I must say that this set is amazing. I've only read the first book and about half of the second book and the results are incredible. I've used this book as it should be, a reference. It is nothing more and nothing less. If you want to know how to set you camera up to shoot a sunset, then it tells you. It explains a little bit about the different settings such as aperature, shutter speeds, etc. But it doesn't get too deep. Just enough for you to understand what is being explained. I recommend this book to anyone that is ready to take the next step in digital photography.

Don't wait...it's a definite keeper!, May 13, 2010
For the longest time, I kept this book series in the back of my mind and continued to look at other titles. However, none of the other books had the ease of use, practicality, and tips that Scott Kelby provides in "Digital Photography"! After several months, I finally broke down and bought it. If I had purchased them at the beginning, I would have saved myself the time and effort of trying to find something better than Scott Kelby's series. To others out there that are procrastinating: "Get it while you are first thinking of it. That way when just about any "shoot" (expected or unexpected) arises, you won't be lacking at the moment of truth!"

If you can get past his DRY humor, the books are perfect., March 30, 2010
I've had a camera in my hands since I was 5. And there are many tricks I've picked up along the way to make my photos all the more enjoyable. I decided to get really serious about photography during the film to digital crossover. But there wasn't enough information to help that could get through to me. Having dyslexia makes learning through text virtually unbearable. All too often, I have to have someone read it to me. And then a couple months ago, I came across Vol. 2 of this collection at the local library. I flipped at the structure Kelby put his lessons into...

Each page is a different lesson. Each lesson includes a photo. And it's all great information--much of which I could apply immediately--written as a conversation he'd be having with me while out on a shoot. Knowing all the technical jargon isn't as important as getting the shot. And with his instruction, I FINALLY understand what my owner's manual and all those magazine articles have been trying to explain!

Kelby found a way to teach with hands on learning right out of a book. And when it comes to learning how to take great pictures, it's really the only way to go. After making it halfway through Vol. 2, I hopped on Amazon and bought the 3 volume set so I could start from the beginning. And lemme tell ya, my photos have never been better! Applying what I'm learning to photos I share with my friends just shot me into semi-pro status. Once I can financial tackle the suggestions he's made, going Pro doesn't sound so daunting anymore.

I recommend this to every person I know with a DSLR camera; whether they're hobbyists, semi-pro or pro. This collection should be in every digital photographer's home.

Straight forward...very helpful, November 24, 2009
This set of books is very helpful and to the point. Scott's humor is tolerable and actually quite humorous at times. But the main thing is there is a lot to be learned from these books for people who are less than Pro's. They can write their own books! My opinion is that it is a must read for anyone with an interest in photography who is looking for a guide for "how to do it and with what".

Fabulous photography books! Fun AND informative!, September 8, 2010
There are so many photography books out there that it can be a daunting task to choose one. This set by Scott Kelby greatly exceeded my expectations. The content ranges from beginner to what I would call advanced/intermediate. I've been an DSLR user for almost 2 years, but was new to any photography terms/skills beyond point and shoot cameras. These books are set up to offer a variety of topics in small chunks. Each specific subject is on 1-2 page - Easy to read a little bit at a time. I always have one of these books with me to read at appointments or when waiting on kids in carpool lines. I can't emphasize enough that these books are both a valuable resource and a pleasure to read. My husband probably thinks I'm crazy when he sees me laughing out loud, holding a book on Digital Photography. Kelby's skill combined with a good dose of humor makes these books great. Hobbies like photography have so many technical aspects that, if taken too seriously, can be overwhelming to the kinds of people who actually need to read a photography book. I have learned a lot from this series. I would suggest reading them with page markers in hand to mark the pages you want to remember and reference later. My set has colored flags sticking up all over them.

Digital Photography Guide for ANYONE, September 3, 2010
I purchased the three book set of Digital Photography by Scott Kelby. Book 1 is written in plain language, without a lot of technical terms that make you feel like a dummy. He explains how to get most any kind of shot you want, with helpful hints to guide you along. The other books are a bit more complicated, but I am able to understand and love all his advice. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Are you ready for an amazing new version of The Photoshop Book that breaks all the rules?

Scott Kelby, Editor and Publisher of Photoshop User magazine—and the best-selling Photoshop author in the world today—once again takes this book to a whole new level as he uncovers more of the latest, most important, and most useful new Adobe Photoshop CS5 techniques for digital photographers.

This major update to his award-winning, record-breaking book does something for digital photographers that’s never been done before—it cuts through the bull and shows you exactly “how to do it.” It’s not a bunch of theory; it doesn’t challenge you to come up with your own settings or figure it out on your own. Instead, Scott shows you step by step the exact techniques used by today’s cutting-edge digital photographers, and best of all, he shows you flat-out exactly which settings to use, when to use them, and why. That’s why the previous editions of this book are widely used as the official study guide in photography courses at colleges and universities around the world.

Learn how the pros do it
Each year, Scott trains thousands of professional photographers how to use Photoshop, and almost without exception they have the same questions, the same problems, and the same challenges—and that’s exactly what he covers in this book. You’ll learn:

• The sharpening techniques the pros really use.
• The pros’ tricks for fixing the most common digital photo problems fast!
• The step-by-step setup for getting what comes out of your printer to match exactly what you see onscreen.
• A whole chapter on how to process HDR (High Dynamic Range) images using CS5’s new Merge to HDR Pro.
• How to master CS5’s new Content-Aware Fill.
• How to color correct any photo without breaking a sweat.
• How to process RAW images like a pro (plus how to take advantage of all the new Camera Raw features in CS5!).
• How to use the included gray card to make color correction just a matter of three clicks.
• How to show your work like a pro!
• A host of shortcuts, workarounds, and slick “insider” tricks to send your productivity through the roof!

Reviews

The Mother of all things Photoshop!!!!!, August 12, 2010
I'm not new to photography, but I'm fairly new to Photoshop...CS5 in particular. In the interest of quickly getting up-to-speed, I signed up a few weeks ago with an Adobe Certified Instructor to provide personal Photoshop mentoring to me on a once-a-week basis. To supplement these sessions, I also joined NAPP and have watched dozens of their video tutorials; Adobe TV, etc. At the same time, I also picked up another highly respected author's book on CS5 (lets call it the "me" book) to try and put things together. The videos have helped, but I must candidly say that I quickly got lost in complexities of the writing in the "me" book and found it quite frustrating to say the least! Thats not to say that the "me" book isn't well done, but it is clearly written for someone that has had a fair amount of Photoshop experience in the past. IMHO, it's just way too detailed for the neophite user.
Then WOW...fast forward to Scott's new book which arrived at my home earlier this week. What an amazing book this is indeed. BANG...just open up to any Chapter and there you have a very straightforward, concise, step-by-step tutorial to guide and fast-track even the most inexperienced user through the process of getting the very best results out of his or her images. Photoshop frustration has been replaced with Photoshop fun. Trust me, using this book is like having Scott looking over you shoulder as you go through his easy-to-follow methodology. Even the complete novice can process some amazing images the very first time through.
Without reservation, I highly recommend you BUY THIS BOOK!!! Thanks, Scott, I'm having an absolute blast.

My Favorite Photoshop Resource, August 11, 2010
Scott Kelby keeps writing great books about Photoshop and somehow he makes each new book about the newest release of Adobe Photoshop better than the last. This book is no exception. Whether you are brand new to Photoshop or have been using it since Photoshop 2.0, like I have, you can quickly pick up the book and in a matter of minutes put to use some new technique or learn a new and better (i.e. faster and simpler) way of doing things. If you are a Photoshop user this book is a must have reference to have by your side.

What make Kelby's writing so effective is that he clearly walks you through each step of the process with photos, menus and directions - including before and after photos. His discussion of Camera Raw both basic and advanced is especially useful. His chapter on B&W is awesome. (I'm a former photojournalist with a predilection for Black & White images). But the chapter I refer to over and over, is the common problems chapter. He covers all of the ways to help you improve common image problems - backlit, removing reflections, group photos, and many more. Also not to be missed is his Photoshop Killer Tips section at the end of each chapter. If you are a photographer and a Photoshop user you won't be dissapointed with this book.

Great--but not if you have the last edition, August 13, 2010
I'm a big fan of Scott's books--so clear, practical, and fun to look at. I loved his previous version for CS4. However, this book is virtually identical, with the exception of some material on CS5's excellent new features, such Content Aware Fill. But these are easy to learn from Adobe's online video tutorials. If you already have this book for CS4, there's no reason to get this version. But if you don't have the last edition, you're in for a treat. I heartily recommend it!

Re-ignite Your Passion for Photography, August 20, 2010
I have purchased all of Scott Kelby's books. I keep them all. This one is no exception.

Does your photography need a "kick in the pants?" Buy Adobe Photoshop CS5 and then get this book.

Try his recommendations on black and white photography, Content-Aware Fill editing, and High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography.

Then press the "restart" button on your photography. Your passion is back.

End of story.

Simply the best.

Good but...., September 23, 2010
very good book, gives a lot of tips and useful information on Photoshop for all things photography related.


But here comes the drawback....If you have the previous version there is really not much difference in the two editions and is not worth the price tag for basically an "update" on some new functions.

Wil still read it and keep it handy for references, but I am a bit disappointed.

Scott Kelby does it again, October 5, 2010
Once again, a book by Scott Kelby has demystified photography and broken it down into easily understood terms and concepts, this time with Photoshop CS5. Rather than bury the reader with tech-speak he speaks to you as if he was sitting right next to you, showing you how to do various things in Photoshop. I went to an airshow in Virginia Beach in September and had processed about 1/2 of the shots I took over the two days I was there but after reading just the chapters dealing with Camera Raw I deleted them and started from scratch, and the difference is amazing.

To anyone just starting with Photoshop CS5, I highly recommend this book. It, along with his Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1, 2, and 3, should be required reading for any photographer.

A Digital Must have!, September 20, 2010
The Adobe Photoshop CS5 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)This is the second in the series by Scott Kelby (previous one was the CS4 book)which I have purchased. The presentation is simple, yet very thorough in covering every aspect of the CS5 product, and it is FUN! Scott Kelby is clearly not only an absolutely unbeatable expert in the subject, but also witty and fun to walk with when working one's way, step by step, through this extremely efficient software Adobe product. It is amazing that he can take one through the complexities of the product so thoroughly within a mere 736 pages (I would have expected a couple thousand pages!). Easily worth every cent of the small price it costs. What is the value of the fantastic product if one does not know how to use every aspect of its capabilities? Thanks again, Scott!

valuable fun-filled cs5 book, September 10, 2010
I enjoyed reading Scott Kelby's step-by-step problem solving approach that applies CS5 to a subset of issues and difficulties commonly encountered by digital photographers.

Overall judgment:

PROS:
1. Outstanding coverage of CS5's new Mini Bridge. While I am currently satisfied using regular Bridge, this book would be an invaluable reference if I ever switch to the mini version.
2. Very good coverage of CS5's innovations with HDR, Content Aware Fill, Camera Raw, and Refine Edges. (Its coverage of innovations involving Lens Correction is adequate.)

CONS:
1. I could not find material on CS5's new Puppet Warp.
2. I found Kelby's attempt at scatological humor on page 1 to be inappropriate and off-putting. (Throughout the remainder of the book, however, his humor makes for fun reading.)

Concurrent with my recent upgrade from CS2 to CS5, I bought three books: Evening's Adobe Photoshop CS5 for Photographers, Kelby's Adobe Photoshop CS5 Book For Digital Photographers, and Smith's Adobe Photoshop CS5 Digital Classroom. Evening's book is the most useful of the three, and will serve as my primary CS5 reference. At the same time, I expect to give Kelby's valuable, fun-filled book a heavy workout.

Wow! Wow! Wow!, September 4, 2010
I have been using Photoshop Elements but am totally new to CS5. I was about to buy another book when I read a review saying it was great for those with previous Photoshop experience. Then I read the reviews for this book which said it was easy to follow.

I got the book today and in just a little over an hour I have learned to do so many things with CS5. I am amazed. I am at a new level.

The only criticism of the book is that he is a little hokey in his introductions and here and there. But this is easily forgiven by the ease with which I can read the book and implement his instructions. BUY THIS BOOK. It is terrific. I am already a third of the way through the book and have learned so many fantastic things which I was never able to do in Elements.

Another winner from Scott Kelby, November 24, 2010
Like the other books in this series, the CS5 Book for Digital Photographers is another winner from Scott Kelby. This is the perfect addition to your library if you've upgraded to CS5 and want to be able to take advantage of all the new features without spending a ridiculous amount of time climbing the learning curve. Scott explains step by step how to use the new features in his usual, easy to follow format, and you'll be up to speed with a lot more editing tricks and skills at your disposal in no time with this latest book. The format is the same as previous editions so you can browse through the book and start reading anywhere you see something that interests you. None of Scott's books require you to read the sections in order, and this is one thing that makes his offerings so easy to use and so valuable as reference tools.

Also of great value is Scott's direction on some features to avoid in the software package. One example is using noise reduction in Adobe Camera Raw and avoiding the noise reduction feature of photoshop itself. Noise reduction in camera raw is far superior to the alternative and some experimentation with both quickly proves this out. You will learn so many more features in camera raw in CS5 compared to previous versions, that you find yourself using camera raw for most of your editing with this latest book, saving both time and effort. Note that even if you are shooting JPG, you can still open the image in camera raw and use the ACR noise reduction feature.

Another great feature is the "Photoshop Killer Tips" section at the end of each chapter. As if you didn't learn enough in the chapter itself, Scott throws in 8 to 12 more killer tips at the end. I've been using this software since the introduction of the CS series, and I still find things in Scott's tips that I never knew were there.

I purchased Scott's book for each of the Photoshop CS software upgrades I have purchased, and have found each and every one of them to be invaluable. I actually pre-purchased this CS5 book on Amazon prior to its release because I knew it would be another winner and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it (Amazon also had the lowest price). With each book I have found that I learn enough new skills in the first 15 or 20 minutes to justify its cost. In my opinion, Photoshop CS5 is the best software upgrade yet in the CS5 series. If you are a Photoshop CS5 user, you are cheating yourself if you don't get this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This valuable little book offers a thorough introduction to the open-source electronics prototyping platform that's taking the design and hobbyist world by storm. Getting Started with Arduino gives you lots of ideas for Arduino projects and helps you get going on them right away. From getting organized to putting the final touches on your prototype, all the information you need is right in the book.

Inside, you'll learn about:

• Interaction design and physical computing
• The Arduino hardware and software development environment
• Basics of electricity and electronics
• Prototyping on a solderless breadboard
• Drawing a schematic diagram

Reviews

Great, but be ready to buy some more parts!, June 23, 2009
While some reviewers decry the intro "fluff" chapters and the simplicity of some of the projects, by the end of this short book, you will have been exposed to many of the capabilities of the Arduino microcontroller. I found the book's projects to be very informative and fun. One warning to buyers: You will need to buy a few more electronic parts to take full advantage of this book and it's projects. Here's what you should get:
1. 5-10 x 10K-Ohm resistors
2. 1 x Momentary push button switch (4 pin), compatible with a breadboard
3. 5 x LEDs of differing colors (most will work with the 3-5V output of the Arduino).
4. 1 x MOSFET or 1 x 5V actuated relay (this is to turn on/off motors)
5. 1 x solder-less breadboard
6. 1 x jumper wire kit (various lengths and colors of short wires)
7. 1 x LDR (light dependent resistor)
8. 1 x 9V (or similar magnitude) battery case with leads for a breadboard
9. 1 x small motor (5-9V).

It seems like quite a bit, but if you get and use these parts with the projects, you will learn how to use sensors to take in data from the environment, have the Arduino process it, and then drive a response (in the form of lighting LEDs, turning on motors, etc.). Fortunately, the Arduino itself is USB-powered, so the other power sources (i.e. the battery case) will only be needed to run things like the motor.

A word from the Author, October 29, 2008
Hello
I would like to specify that the book can't be found online for free.
There is a booklet that was written in 2006 that was 30 pages, this is 128 pages and it's up to date and correct.

The booklet had a lot of mistakes, inaccuracies and the way some things are taught is now out of date and has been removed from the site.

Having said this, Arduino is an open source project that prides itself from having a lot of documentation online so if you read the thousands of pages online you can learn about Arduino.

This book is for the complete beginner that wants to be taken by hand through the basic steps that it takes to get started.

High Praise For Brief Artistic Introduction to The Arduino, November 11, 2008
I cannot offer high enough praise for this brief, artistic introduction to the Arduino Microcontroller and its enthusiastic user community. In this 118 page handbook, easily stored with your electronics tools, the author a co-designer of the Arduino controller, provides everything needed for the non-technical DIYer to program, test and build simple electronic projects with the Arduino board. In addition to Massimo Banzi's clear and informal writing about experimenting with electronics, software, and even descriptions of how to get answers from the open source community online, this pamphlet contains clear but artistic illustrations of the equipment used and ancillary tools by Elisa Canducci. It is an excellent introduction for the Artist, Teacher, DIYer, Electronics Hobbyists and Software People who are afraid to assemble physical electronics. I only wish there was more content along the lines of this book--but then it wouldn't fit in your toolkit or be available for $12.99.
--Ira Laefsky

Got me started, December 3, 2009
I've never done anything with electronics before, but I got through this book over the course of a couple days. Surprisingly few difficulties for a beginner. I liked the casual style of the book. The Arduino language was easy to learn and I found myself making adjustments to the code between projects. You learn by doing in this book, so it doesn't feel like arduous studying. Basically, a chapter will introduce a project with some new functions that you haven't learned before - you'll build it and write the sketch (the Arduino code) and then learn what you did. It was fun.
Another reviewer mentioned getting some extras with the book and I heeded his advice. I bought the Arduino Duemilanove Starter Kit through Amazon and it included pretty much everything I needed to go through this book:
(I'll modify the other reviewer's list a bit)
1. 5 x 330 Ohm resistors
2. 1 x Momentary push button switch
3. 6 x LEDs
4. 1 x solder-less breadboard
5. 1 x jumper wire kit
6. The Aruino Duemilanove of course
The things above are all included in that kit.
The only other things you'll want to buy are:
7. LDR (light dependent resistor) [fun sensor to use]
8. Some 10k Ohm resistors [these are recommended in the book, though you can probably get away with the 330 Ohms]

The following devices (9-12) are shown in a setup on page 71 - but with no explanation of how to use them. If you know electronics already, you could probably figure it out. If you're a beginner - I'd say no need to buy (9-12) for use with this book, because although they are pictured - there is no explanation or code.
9. 1 x 9V (or similar magnitude) battery case with leads for a breadboard
10. 1 x small motor (5-9V).
11. 1 x MOSFET or 1 x 5V actuated relay (this is to turn on/off motors)
12. (A diode is pictured, but no indication of what type).

If you want to really build a permanent lamp with the last project the author recommends the items below (13-16). I'd say this is unnecessary. You can build a temporary version with just items 1-8.
13. IKEA "FADO" table lamp
14. RGB LED (RED, GREEN, BLUE all in one LED with four leads)
15. Soldering Iron
16. Hot glue gun

My three criticisms of the book are:
a. No explanation for using a motor
b. The final project is easy to set up, but it introduces the Processing language so you don't understand half of the project (unless you can understand Processing). That said, you do get to combine all the other stuff you did in the book - so that makes it a worthwhile project.
c. Leaves you wishing for more content. It was fun to go through - but pretty quick and light.

Very Basic, September 21, 2010
This was a very basic overview of the Arduino. Most of the projects involve making a LED blink. While this is a great way to show the input and output concepts, I finished the book feeling like I wanted more examples to really see what the arduino can do. I would imagine that you could save your money and read a quick tutorial online to find what is in this book!

An easy to use primer, January 22, 2009
First, this is a primer. As a primer, this is one of the best primers I have ever used. The primer covers the coding and the hardware features of the Arduino platform quite well and the examples and circuit diagrams in the booklet are clear, concise, easy to build, and use. The author even tells you where to get any of the electronic components that you might need for prototyping and experimenting.

If you are buying, using or curious about the Arduino prototyping platform, you should definitely pick this up, it will save you a lot of time.

Neat little book., January 17, 2009
As mentioned, the material in this book is also available online, but it isn't really geared toward a technical person. The purpose of this book is to spark creativity in creative people who wouldn't think of what to do with a microcontroller. It's aimed at people who don't have a lot of experience with electronics and are considering making their art projects a bit more interactive. It has a few little examples in it. Not exhaustive by any means, but still a good primer. I would read this book and pass it on to those who may be on the fence about microcontrollers.

Very basic intro, September 27, 2010
This book provides some interesting backstory to how the Arduino architecture came about, but there is very little actual technical info here beyond the obvious. If you have some programming experience already, you probably don't need this book.

Best book for getting started with an Arduino!, February 9, 2009
If you're new to electronic circuits and micro controller programming, this book is a great introduction. It walks you through step by step creating basic circuits and programming the Arduino to activate LED's, accept input from various buttons and sensors, and even interact with data from the computer. It's a must read for any beginner!

Getting Started with Arduino, February 23, 2009
As other reviews have stated this book is worth the price -for beginners. It is not a difficult read and does a good job drawing the reader into the exciting world of microcontrollers. There are many other more in-depth books on the subject but if you are a newbie, this is the book for you.

I gave it 4 stars because there are a few code examples that could have been better explained, but it is still completely worth the price. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Learn Android in a Weekend, October 23, 2009
I've read several books on Android from cover to cover, and skimmed several others, and "Hello, Android" is hands-down the best introduction to Android development.

Here's why I say that --

You really can get through the book in a day or two. The explanations are clear, the topics focus on what's relevant to getting started in Android development, and when you're done you have the skills to dive into the SDK to continue learning.

There is a consistent example project that is developed throughout the book. I found this very helpful, because it showed me how all the different parts fit together. For example, launching activities from an existing activity, using multiple classes in your project, adding preferences, etc.

There are very few (if any) "gotchas" in this book. I followed the examples step by step without any problem. I think some people have used the book's online forum to ask about which packages to import, but when I used Eclipse it was done automatically for me. (By the way, all the files are also online.)

Even after having many months of Android development under my belt, I find that I still refer back to this book from time to time. That's saying something for a book that sets out to be an introduction.

Remember, this book is a great introduction. If you already know Android and are looking for a deep-dive, look elsewhere. But if you are curious about all the excitement around Android and have a few hours to spare, spend them with this book and find out what developing in Android is all about.

Great resource for beginners, with a few caveats, December 8, 2009
I have virtually no programming experience. Other than a solid beginner's understanding of LAMP (unix, apache, mysql, PHP and scripting stuff in general), I've never done more than fiddle with code. I do have a cursory knowledge of programming concepts and XML, but that's about it. I'm pretty much a curly brace language virgin.

Hello, Android does a solid job of introducing you to the fundamentals of programming for the Android OS -- it gives you a succinct overview of why you need to do 'XYZ' and when to do it. If you're looking for pages and pages of fundamentals and core concepts, you may want to look elsewhere because Hello, Android makes you hit the ground running and helps you immediately apply the quick concepts you just learned. This is excellent for a beginner like me because the results are immediate and gives you a sense of "this isn't so intimidating... I can actually do it!"

The one aspect I enjoyed about the book was that it gently gets the absolute beginner up to speed but then does less and less hand-holding as the tutorials moved along; this lets intermediate and advanced programmers move along at a brisk pace, but also forces beginners to think about previous concepts that were taught earlier. Instead of simply copying-and-pasting "recipe" code, it really challenged me to think and absorb what the author was teaching. This was invaluable for me as a beginner that likes to be challenged with more than just a simple 'copy and paste this code from page XX, then hit build and run'.

One intangible you won't find in the book -- the author is very helpful/responsive in the Pragmatic Programmer's forums, as are the other members. Any question I've had were answered (usually) within a day, and many times within an hour. For instance, I was having an issue with running 64-bit version of Java JDK in my Android dev environment. The author (and other members) were very helpful in getting my dev environment up and running. Needless to say, the community that goes along with the book is invaluable.

I've owned dozens of wrox, apress etc books since the 90s, and this is one of the few that I would not hesitate to recommend to both beginners and advanced programmers with no Java or XML dev experience. Get this book! 4.5 stars.

PS -- if you buy the paper version of the book, I'd also highly recommend the e-version. Having a PDF up side-by-side with Eclipse (Android's default IDE) is extremely useful.

Hello Andorid!, March 3, 2009
This book definitely started me off in the right direction for making my own applications for Android.
Although this application misses an important section, "Publishing your application", the book is on the design process of the applications.

The book starts you off by familiarizing you with how the Android is run and the general idea of its interface. Then come the example applications which can also be found online.
Each example application is a different use of the Android...
Sudoku, GPS tracking, MySQL, OpenGL, Browsers, etc... This shows you a basic example to a solution.
This book does everything it intends to do for a user of the G1 starting to program. I have never programmed in Java and XML(C and HTML, though), and this book managed to get me understanding and writing basic applications within several hours.

I wouldn't recommend this book if you don't understand basic code because the book does jump into it rather quick and has many technical words. However, for a small book of 200 pages, each summary is very concise and exactly what was necessary to learn the understanding of the material- if you really want more, Im sure Wikipedia and Android-forum along your side will solve all your problems.

The only problem I have with programming now, is customizing my applications to my liking. But this is just learning programming better.

I plan on having many applications on the market place after learning a bit more java, XML, and practicing just a bit!

Thanks and good luck G1 programmers!

Great way to start, February 20, 2010
I have been programming computers for more than 30 years. My background includes DOS Basic, c, C#, C++ .NET, but not Java.

I bought this book because I want to get started in writing some apps for my phone. I have found it to be the best beginning book available. I have looked at 3 or 4 others. It is complete, accurate and has real applications to develop. IT shows you how to set up the IDE and tells you where to get the tools. The author explains what he is doing but does not get bogged down in the details.

You should have a background in Java but if you have experience in some of the other languages out there you should be able to get by. A knowledge of XML would help too.

My recommendation for anyone trying to develop for the Android OS would be:
1. Get familiar with Java
2. get familiar with XML (rudimentary understanding)
3. Buy this book
4. Go for it!

I will be placing this author on my 'watch list' because his writing level is very comfortable for me.

Best Android book out there, February 4, 2010
I've been developing software for quite a while but I am new to Android, and Java is not my main forte. The first book I purchased, Wrox's "Android Application Development", left me wondering if I'd lost all my reading comprehension skills. So I browsed a lot of other books until I discovered this one. The writing is very clear, the examples are complete, and by building a Sudoku application you learn all the key aspects of Android development in a very logical way. The author also walks you through setting up, developing and debugging Android in the Eclipse environment, and guides you through preparing an application for the Android market. This is a very complete introduction to Android that never once left me scratching my head or frantically Googling for omitted information. Highly recommended.

Decent and Aggravating, August 31, 2010
At first glance this is a really good book on Android programming. The first two chapters set you up with the most basic knowledge you will need to get ready to program. The following 4 or 5 chapters are wholly frustrating. These chapters deal with making a Sudoku game. The author leaves many things unsaid. He will purposefully have you build your program so that it will have errors. Once to show your your mistake, once he just leaves an error in there for like 9 pages. The author will just throw random components out there that have nothing to add to what you are currently doing. At one point you are creating an "About" activity and the author randomly starts talking about themes. Maybe we should finish the program before we make it look pretty? Maybe we should finish our current concept before starting another one?

Aside from the beginning project, the rest of this book is quite good. Many topics are covered, including making widgets, 2D programming, 3D programming, live wallpapers, using SQL, publishing your apps and games, and more.

If you are a beginner to Java, get an intro to Java book first/too, the author assumes fairly competent knowledge of Java syntax, keywords, and the like. All and all not the worst book, but not the greatest. I, personally, would not recommend this book.

Excellent Android Coverage for Newbies, January 10, 2009
This is exactly the book I wanted and what any developer who wants to learn Google Android Needs.

The author did an excellent job in just 200+ pages to give you core concepts and tips to start coding an Android.

Ofcourse in 200 pages he cannot explain all the details but google itself has good documentation also to learn those details.

My overall experience of Android SDK is that it is very powerful SDK which can do many things that other Phone SDKs were never able to do because of phone limitations. But also a bit disappointed in somewhat poor design of the API itself.

Quick and Brief, April 12, 2010
Regarding books, one of the things I appreciate the most is an honest relationship between title and contents. Unfortunately it's quite common to find books out there promising things they don't fullfill.

"Hello, Android" meets perfectly the commitment of its title. Don't buy it expecting a reference manual of Android because it' just an introduction to this platform, and I must admit that it does the work gracefully. It's quick and brief so it tells you the essential and gives you resources for further research such as the sample projects that can be free downloaded from the book website. A nice aspect to highlight is the hands-on approach, throughout the book concepts are illustrated with lots of code. Furthermore a Sudoku game is parcially developed during a couple of chapters.

So I basically recommend this book for beginners mainly for two reasons:

1. Starts from the Scratch: Nothing is assumed so it's a good point to start out as Android developer.
2. Brevity: I don't have time for an eight-hundred-pages book to start to develop. I'll deal with the ins and outs as I go, not before.

Of course, like any book about Android, Java (or C++, C#, etc) basic understanding is recommended.

Best First Book for Android, October 22, 2009
The title, "Hello, Android", is perfect, because this is an introduction to Android. This is not designed as an exhaustive reference, nor should it be. Instead, it is the perfect length for quickly coming up to speed on the basics.

I am an experienced Java developer, and this book helped me learn Android quickly. It does not waste time explaining how to use Java, so if you are an absolute newbie, this might not be for you.

Android is rapidly evolving, and Ed is doing a great job keeping up with changes to Android. You can also get the PDF version, and Pragmatic Bookshelf lets you download beta chapters as they are updated.

Well worth getting all digital formats., August 3, 2010
I will preface my review by saying I am a C# developer used to Visual Studio (up to version 2010). I love the Visual Studio environment. Eclipse was a little bit of a learning curve for me. But, I got by just fine.

Here is a book that took me about 3 days to read cover to cover. I've been programming for many years and this book was perfect for me. High level overviews are the best way to figure out how things work. He even provides links for you to find more information for things that truly interest you.

I don't agree with some of other reviews. I really didn't have any issues implementing the code in the examples.

My only complaint would be in the OpenGL section. I wish there was more comments in the code as to what each line was doing. I looked each up myself easily though.

Get the PDF, Mobi, and epub. Amazon doesn't appear to offer it on their site. So, I had to go to the publishers site (The offer all three for a lower price than buying the hard copy). That could change. I didn't really see a reason for the actual print version since I have a Kindle DX.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Learning a complex new language is no easy task especially when it s an object-oriented computer programming language like Java.You might think the problem is your brain. It seems to have a mind of its own, a mind that doesn't always want to take in the dry, technical stuff you're forced to study.

The fact is your brain craves novelty. It's constantly searching, scanning, waiting for something unusual to happen. After all, that's the way it was built to help you stay alive. It takes all the routine, ordinary, dull stuff and filters it to the background so it won't interfere with your brain's real work--recording things that matter. How does your brain know what matters? It's like the creators of the Head First approach say, suppose you're out for a hike and a tiger jumps in front of you, what happens in your brain? Neurons fire. Emotions crank up. Chemicals surge.

That's how your brain knows.

And that's how your brain will learn Java. Head First Java combines puzzles, strong visuals, mysteries, and soul-searching interviews with famous Java objects to engage you in many different ways. It's fast, it's fun, and its effective. And, despite its playful appearance, Head First Java is serious stuff: a complete introduction to object-oriented programming and Java.You'll learn everything from the fundamentals to advanced topics, including threads, network sockets, and distributed programming with RMI.And the new. second edition focuses on Java 5.0, the latest version of the Java language and development platform.Because Java 5.0 is a major update to the platform, with deep, code-level changes, even more careful study and implementation is required.So learning the Head First way is more important than ever.

If you've read a Head First book, you know what to expect--a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. You'll see why people say it's unlike any other Java book you've ever read.

By exploiting how your brain works, Head First Java compresses the time it takes to learn and retain--complex information.Its unique approach not only shows you what you need to know about Java syntax, it teaches you to think like a Java programmer. If you want to be bored, buy some other book. But if you want to understand Java, this book's for you. ... Read more

Reviews

A different kind of Java book for beginners and experts, July 7, 2003
When I first saw "Head First Java", it reminds me of the colorful "conversational English" books I had when I started to learn English years ago. The casual, humorous books have turned out effective for English language learning. Is that style good for the Java language learners as well? Is this type of books for beginners only?

With those questions in mind, I started to read "Head First Java". Since I consider myself a Java expert (I wrote a Java book myself, after all), I decided that I would NOT read the book from cover to cover. Instead, I would randomly flip through the book for the humorous stories and photos. I figured that if I cannot learn much new about Java from a "beginner" book, I can at least have some fun.

Geez, I was wrong. I was ADDICTED to the book's short stories, annotated code snippets, mock interviews, puzzle games and brain exercises. They are not only entertaining but also informative. It may be a beginner's book but the stuff they cover are definitely deep enough for expert readers as well (e.g. multiple inheritance, polymorphism, inner classes, threads, RMI, ... just to name a few). The best of all is that I can actually remember the things I learned from the book because I associate them with the stories and pictures. I guess it has something to do with the fact that both sides of my brain are active when reading this book: The right side is for the stories and the left side is for the technical and logic stuff.

There are other great Java books (e.g. "Thinking in Java" by Bruce Eckel) in the market. But they are all very serious and require the readers to spend hours to read entire chapters. The great thing about "Head First Java" is that the bite-size code snippets and stories allow me to learn something about Java in my 5-10 minutes spare time, one piece a time.

The overall writing style is casual and enlightened. The presentation style (fonts and placements of graphical elements) fits the content very well. The book covers a wide variety of Java topics including: basic code structure and language syntax, OOP concepts, math and numbers, exception handling, the Swing GUI library, serialization, network, and distributed computing.

Of course, the casual style is not for everyone. I know people who love the re-assuring feeling from "serious" books. But I can re-assure you that Kathy and Bert are authoritative figures in the Java training community. The content is absolutely first class. I highly recommend "Head First Java" for both Java beginners and expert readers.

An Amazing Achievment, November 14, 2003
Who do Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates think they are? Don't they know that learning a programming language is supposed to be hard? Don't they know that it is supposed to involve suffering? Apparently not, as they have written a complete introduction to Java that is fun to read and easy to understand. If we don't stamp this out now, students will start expecting their teachers to be entertaining!

The book is an excellent introduction to Java. It covers all the typical topics of a basic introductory text and some extra including serialization, networking, and distributed computing. Each topic is covered in a fun way with important information highlighted. The authors use stories, fake interviews, pictures, and assorted other clever techniques to catch your imagination and make the topics memorable. There are plenty of exercises (with answers) to help you check to be sure you understood each chapter. And there are plenty of fun programs to code including a cool music machine instead of the typical "reverse a String" exercises.

If you are looking for a traditional text then this book is definitely not for you. Instructors should think carefully whether this book fits in with their style of teaching. This book is not for everyone but if you want to learn Java and object oriented programming in fun and unique way then this is the book you want. Now I just have to figure out how to keep it away from my students.

My all-time favorite tutorial on Java (or anything else), January 7, 2004
In all my years of reading technical books trying to learn new skills, the closest I have ever come to a book like this was when I first read a Dummies book. I liked it because it presented information in a humorous fashion that made things easy to comprehend. This style takes that type of learning to a whole new level. Using a combination of writing style, graphics, illustrations, and sample code, they draw you into each subject in such a way that you can't help but learn and understand.

This book starts with the basics of Java and progresses clear through to RMI and JINI. Granted, those last subjects are just touched on, but at least you're exposed to them. Even after all the Java tutorial manuals I've read, I still got a lot out of this book. For instance, I always was sort of fuzzy on the event listener logic. The Head First explanation was one of the most understandable (and entertaining) treatments of it that I've ever read. Likewise, inner classes were always confusing to me. The coverage of that subject here makes it sound so simple.

And why do you need this if you're a Notes/Domino developer? If you've never worked with Java, you're probably intimidated by the subject and afraid to get started. Don't be... This is the most fun you'll ever have learning a new skill. While it doesn't talk specifically about how to code a Java agent in a Notes application, you'll learn the concepts and the syntax you'll need to be able to do that. Once you have those skills in place, you can move on to a book specific to using Java in a Notes environment (such as Domino Development With Java by Tony Patton). The book doesn't assume you're a programming guru to get started. You will learn a lot from this material, and it's something you need to do in order to continue to stay relevant in the IBM/Lotus world.

Conclusion
If you're a C/C++ guru approaching Java, this book may not be for you. You'll already know much of the material from your exposure to those languages. But if you're a mere mortal like the rest of us, you need to buy this book if you're looking to learn Java. I am SO hoping that the Head First approach to tech writing becomes a series. If it does, I'm ruined for life in what I will expect from a book. This is really great stuff!

Who said learning could not be fun., June 3, 2003
I had the pleasure of reading Head First Java as Kathy & Bert turned out the chapters. Though the book has not hit the stores yet, I'd like to share my experience reading the work copy of the book.

I'm a 47 year old programmer that has basically seen it all in my 25+ years in IT. Though I've been busy with Java for more than 2 years, I until recently still saw myself as an absolute beginner. Why you might ask? Well for starters all my Java was simply "hobby" work, I did not use it at work. Secondly, and the most important reason, is that I simply did not understand and grasp some of the key concepts of OO that one needs to know to be able to fully use the capabilities Java has to offer.

As fate would have it, the work copy Kathy & Bert's book became available to me as I started to work in a new department where I have to program in Java. I was drowning. I had to keep on asking the youngsters on the team for assistance. You can't believe what that does for your self-confidence. But as I read more and more of Head First Java I found myself sitting in tech meetings not only understanding what was being said but I was actually coming up with some fresh ideas that helped us re-design our systems to become fully OO.

Why is that so. Simply because of the unique way Kathy and Bert teach and share their knowledge. The best way for me to describe this book is by using the teacher at school that we all have encountered in our school careers. You know the one that enthusiastically drew the most elaborate drawing on the black board to explain his point, the one that simply generates interest in his subject purely because of his sheer love of the subject he teaches. Now imagine that teacher in book form. The Head First way, your favourite teacher in a book.

I can carry on for quite awhile about the unique style of the Head First way, but I suggest you download the sample chapters at O'Reilly or go download the "demo" at Kathy & Bert's own site...

What has this book done for me. For one it finally made me grasp Polymorphism, and the use of interfaces. Though I've used it before, like a parrot without understanding, I never saw it's real strength. Now I use it all the time. I can't believe I programmed Java without them. Head First Java turned me into a Java OO programmer instead of a Java procedural programmer. Yep one can write pretty neat procedural programs in Java.

If you are a Java programmer that has problems understanding the finer points of the language and OO in general I suggest you go out and buy the book.

I want to end with a word of caution. This book, because of it's uniqueness, might not appeal to everybody. I suggest you browse (or download the demo) the book before buying. You will know immediately know if the book is for you.

If you want learning to be fun buy this book.

Makes other books look like the API, July 17, 2003
In short, it's a great book. It will make all your other Java books
indistinguishable from a printed copy of the API. This is how to
actually understand Java. I kept yelling "So THAT's how it works!" at
least once a chapter. It's really amazing how much I realized I didn't
know. Well, didn't understand. I knew stuff and could do the right
syntax and all that but now I think I really get Java a lot more. In
particular OO and polymorphism which, let's face it, are the kind of
thing that seem simple at first but are slippery to really get ahold of.

The exercises are excellent. I think I could learn more from just the
Head First exercises than from the other books on Java I've bought,
combined. When you buy this, do them all at least once.

I want to point out one particular thing they do with the weirder
concepts. They'll introduce and explain a topic, and then you go to the
next page and there's a picture of someone going "Huh???" And the text
will say yeah, this is a weird concept, and start again and explain it a
different way. And then clarify it again. By then you really do
understand it. I think this is great because it acknowledges that some
of these concepts are just hard to learn. No matter how brilliant you are or
whether you're the love child of Bill Joy and Carly Fiorina.

You absolutely must have this book if you want to learn Java, and you
absolutely must have this book if you've been programming for a couple
years but you have to admit deep down you're still a little fuzzy on a
how things really work.

To much funny, not enough fact, March 25, 2006
I really wanted to like this book. I bought the Head First book on design patterns and love it. It was the right mix of irreverance and information. So, I bought this book even though I have been a Java developer for over 5 years. I was excited to see how the Head First authors handled a beginners book for Java.

Not too well, in my opinion. Chapter Three, in particular, was a mess. This chapter introduces the notion of variables yet never explains what an integer variable is. No explanation is given of the float type. We are told that a byte holds 8 bits...but not told what a bit is. We are not told how to assign a hexadecimal value to an int. We are not told that if we assign a numeric value with a leading zero...the compiler will assume that you meant to use octal values. The reader is not told that Strings are immutable. These are all things that will trip up a beginner (the target market for this book). The author of this chapter doesn't even bother to mention that a Java array uses a zero-based index.

Both primitives and the notion of classes are introduced in Chapter Three. Yet, the author doesn't mention that all primitives (except boolean) have wrapper classes. Strings are introduced...but, no mention is made of the StringBuffer or StringBuilder (very useful and often used classes). These items are included in the back of the book in Appendix B.

There are so many things left out that I wonder if the publisher actually had any beginners read this book. Readers of this book will finish this book still ignorant of many Java essentials.

Here is one of their dumbed-down explanations for an object reference:

"Think of a Dog reference variable as a Dog remote control. You use it to get the object to do something (invoke methods). An object reference is just another variable value. Something that goes in a cup. Only, this time, the value is a remote control."

Huh? Granted, they had been using the "cup" metaphor before...but, still I found this book confusing, superficial, and somewhat insulting. It felt like reading a children's Weekly Reader book. (It even has crossword puzzles)

I like the idea of making learning fun. However, in their attempt to make it fun they left out so much info which is pertinent to the beginning Java programmer. Apparently, another rule of the Head First series is that there MUST be a cute picture on every page. Many times, the logical flow of text is hindered because they had to fit a non-illuminating, unnecessary graphic on the page. Many of the pictures are unnecessary and do not help to explain the content at all. Many paragraphs are confusing, unclear, or simply badly structured. The editors were asleep on this one.

Many newbies are giving this book high marks. Unfortunately, they are woefully ignorant of the fact that this book left out a ton of info that is pertinent to actually coding Java well. One poster here raves that he was able to cover 60 pages in one day. In my opinion...ease of reading is not the only criteria for a good programming book.

My recommendations for Java beginners: Beginning Java by Ivor Horton or Core Java by Cay Horstmann.

A great new teaching style, August 19, 2003
Earlier this year I decided to learn Java. Grabbing a copy of 'Learning Java' from O'Reilly I started learning.

Of course, you can't learn Java without a good understanding of object-oriented languages. I made fairly heavy going with 'Learning Java' until I decided to dive in head first, 'Head First Java' that is - I bought this book that has a totally different attitude to teaching than I've seen before in computer books. The style is humorous, full of graphics, cartoons, puzzles, quizzes and crosswords. It reminds me of the textbooks that used to try and teach me geometry and algebra in high school or my daughters elementary books on Roman and Greek history I purchased for her at the British Museum. The style didn't work to teach me much algebra and geometry, but I wasn't anywhere near as motivated. This time, it worked. In a couple of weeks I worked through the book and finally have Java skills where I can branch off and start coding the projects I had in mind (though something more advanced will be required soon.)

In the introduction the authors examine learning and explain why they designed the book as they did. To quote from one section: "Some of the Head First learning principles. Make it visual. Put the words within or near the graphics. Use a conversational and personalized style. Get the learner to think more deeply. Get-and keep-the reader's attention. Touch their emotions." They argue that our brain is tuned to novelty, and that their style provides the novelty to keep your brain turned on. They also provide ten tips for good learning. That's one thing that seems to set this book apart from most other computer books, they say they think of their reader as a learner and indeed that's the way you are treated by the book.

The book also has a good emphasis on test-driven development, a good style to get new programmers started. I also appreciated the excellent chapter on how to package all your code up for release, something that you might expect to be trivial but not quite as easy as expected.

When compared to 'Learning Java' the coverage is not as good, 'Head First' really only covers the basics, up to and including creating a GUI with SWING and then touches a number of others; 'Learning Java' goes on to explore, with a fair depth, network programming, web programming, servlets, applets, Java Beans, XML and other topics that are only touched on briefly in 'Head First.' If the style of learning does not suit you then this will be an incredibly irritating and useless book, I'd give it a try first, though.

This edition also has a fair number of errors, including some in the examples. To this all I can say is "shame, shame, shame." I keep on harping on this in computer book reviews but if you can't figure out a way of including code that compiles and/or runs in your book then give up. The example code is available online - how hard is it to check that it all runs and then include that source directly into the text.

When you get down to it, though, the only way to really decide on the worth of a tutorial is to decide how well it teaches. 'Head First Java' excels at teaching. OK, I thought it was silly, I had a hard time making myself do the exercises, fill out the crosswords and solve the puzzles. Then I realized that I was thoroughly learning the topics as I went through the book. 'Learning Java' was doing the same job, but the dry traditional method wasn't doing as well. Both books are well written, designed and constructed-the style of 'Headfirst Java' just made learning, well, easier.

It would seem to me that the 'Head First' approach is going to work wonderfully for the more 'beginner' topics, books for introducing you to a new style of programming, a new language or a radically different operating system or application. So if you're looking for a book to introduce you to Java then I can recommend 'Head First Java'. Now if I could only find a book as good to introduce me to Common Lisp.

Brilliant Work!, January 5, 2007
I am only 12 years old, and struggled to find a java book that would teach me the language without assuming that I had previous experience with programming. This book was the answer. It was a quick read, and the pages flew by very quickly. The visually enhanced text made learning as close as possible to fun. I would reccommend this book to all who have little to no programming expierience, because it does cover some basic topics that are common to all languages.

Get started with Java here, August 22, 2003
For those programmers that want to learn Java, this book is an excellent resource. It appears to be targeted towards experienced programmers coming from a different language. There is a great deal to like about this book. The content is at an appropriate depth and numerous topics are covered. Most important perhaps is the way that the material is covered. Graphics and text are mixed in such a way to keep the reader visually stimulated. The explanations are very atypical for a book on a technical subject.

The book is organized as a tutorial of seventeen chapters that start with object oriented concepts and progress through graphics, swing, networking, I/O, RMI and deployment issues. I really like the Code Kitchen project. It is built in an incremental fashion on the material covered in the later chapters. In each chapter there is a group of exercises to challenge your retention of the material. But even more powerful are the learning concepts that the book is based on. Kathy and Bert are experienced instructors, but they have taken their knowledge of the content and merged it with the latest information in learning concepts to create a book that is fun to read, but a tremendous teaching tool. Dry and boring authors beware; tedious technical tomes are no longer acceptable, if they ever were.

The book is an excellent investment in time and money for anyone that wants to learn Java, but if you prefer a more serious tone, there is always "Thinking in Java" by Bruce Eckel, another of my favorites. However, we liked the book so much that we bought several copies to start some of our staff down the Java road. One last point, do the exercises. They may seem a little trivial, but like calisthenics, they are very effective.

A converted skeptic, now I'm hooked., July 17, 2003
I was skeptical when I heard about this book, and even MORE skeptical when I saw it (at the JavaOne conference). At first glance, it looks like an explosion at the graphics factory. But it was fun to flip through, so I started looking at some of the pages, and I realized that I was learning things just looking at the pictures, that I hadn't known before. Whoever thinks this is a 'dummies book' hasn't read it, but I can see how it might appear that way if you don't really get into it.
This is a learning book, the authors go to great lengths to make that clear, and to explain the learning principles behind all the visuals. I have read three Java books, and even taken a two-day intro course, but there were still many key pieces that I didn't quite get until I worked through this book. I think its really important to do the exercises (I think the puzzles are optional).
I got through this book much faster than with the other books that cover the same topics (I won't give the book names, and they were very good books, but I can understand them better now that I really learned the topics from Head First Java), and now I understand some things much better than I had before. Things like OO concepts in particular, but also some of the distributed programming topics.
One nice thing about this book is that it makes even the advanced topics seem easy. I have the feeling sometimes that books make things even more complicated than they should be, and I am not sure why that is. Maybe it is because so many text books cover a topic in such detail (and with so many words) that you have a hard time getting just the key points out of it, so that you can understand and it and USE it.
There is a large optional exercise that covers several chapters, that uses JavaSound -- it is a multi-user, networked midi drum machine. If you are not into midi music, you might not want to take the time to go through it (but I think that is why they say it is optional), because it spend a fair amount of time teaching you about something (the sound API) that you will probably never use. But I thought it was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot more Java from it. And I am now building a 'learning music' application as a result of getting started with that.

If you see it in a store, take the time to read some pages, or look at the sample chapters before you say it's a dummies book. It is definitely not a dummies book! I really don't consider myself a dummy, I just prefer it when things are clear.
I guess there are some people who will not like this style, and it does seem geared toward a younger audience (I am 45, but I have teenagers in the house). But it was the right choice for me, and I think it will probably be the right choice for most people trying to learn Java for the first time (or in my case, the third or fourth time). I wish this had been the first Java book I had picked up. Yes, there is a certain amount of 'cute', but I will never forget some of this content simply BECAUSE those pictures are in my head. So in some ways, I guess it like having an annoying radio commercial or song that you can't stop humming. You might not necessarily like it, but you can't forget it.
They claim this is part of the learning principles behind it -- that if you store information as both a picture and text, it is in two different parts of your brain, and doubles your chance of recalling it.

It is a very differrent experience, and I guess that people who are more comfortable with traditional methods might not like it. I happen to like things that are off-beat, and this was the perfect way for me to learn. One problem is that now I am hooked on this style and it's going to be harder for me to go back to learning things with text books. I am waiting for them to apply this format to other things I need to learn. O'Reilly are you listening? ... Read more

Editorial Review

Follow the adventures of Evan and his archaeologist uncle as they explore for treasure from an ancient kingdom. Help them succeed by building a series of five robots using LEGO’s popular MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 robotics kit.Without your robots, Evan and his uncle are doomed to failure and in grave danger.Your robots are the keyto their success in unlocking the secret of The King’s Treasure.

In this sequelto the immensely popular book, LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: The Mayan Adventure, you get both an engaging story and a personal tutorial on robotics programming. You’ll learn about the motors and sensors in your NXT 2.0 kit. You’ll learn to constructively brainstorm solutions to problems. And you’ll follow clear, photo-illustrated instructions that help you build, test, and operate a series of five robots corresponding to the five challenges Evan and his uncle must overcome in their search for lost treasure.

• Provides an excellent series of parent/child projects
• Builds creative and problem-solving skills
• Lays a foundation for success and fun with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0

What you’ll learn

• Build working robots using the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 kit
• Constructively brainstorm solutions to challenging problems
• Troubleshoot when your robots do not work as you expect
• Design with a repeatable method, not randomly
• Document your designs using the Design Journal Worksheet
• Program your robots using the NXT-G graphical programming language

Who is this book for?

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0: The King’s Treasure is written for children ages 10 and up who want to learn to design, build, and operate robots using LEGO’s immensely popular MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 robotics kit. The book leads readers through a series of five projects centered on an engaging story line. It can be read by kids alone, or it can provide the spark for a wonderful series of parent/child activities. Teachers and FIRST LEGO League leaders can use the book teach NXT 2.0 programming, and will find complete instructions for building five sample robots and creating five programs.

Reviews

Superb!, January 6, 2010
We purchased this book for my 15 and 9 year old boys who received a Mindstorms NXT 2.0 robot for Christmas. This book is intended for further instruction AFTER the tutorials that came with Mindstorms are completed. It is a great way to keep your robot builders interested and challenged.

The book is well laid out, interesting to read, and easy to follow. As an engineer myself, I really like how the author teaches critical thinking and problem solving. The problem solving sheets included (and downloadable from the publisher's website) are a big help. The author's solutions are in the book, but the kids are encouraged to come up with their own ideas first, and they are taught how to creatively think through the problem. It is similar to having a math book with the answers in the back, except the challenges are great fun. This book is a great buy.

Teach Young Roboticists Engineering Design with Lego NXT 2.0, April 13, 2010
I have reviewed several books on Lego Mindstorms NXT, unfortunately most other books provide the young robotics student with pre-designed
robots to build and insert pre-written code which only allows the Mindstroms NXT system to serve as an interesting toy; but these books provide little to inspire creativity on the part of the young student. This book refreshingly takes a totally different approach; the hobbyist is presented with an interesting story and a set of problems to solve with their Mindstorms Robot; then he or she follows along with the author in designing a new robot that addresses the defined problem;
finally, they construct and interact with their solution (which may differ from the books design). I believe this is exactly the type of learning experimenters in Technology Education had in mind at the MIT Media Lab when they prototypes the Mindstorms system. As a graduate engineer myself, and one beginning to experiment with Microcontrollers I am immensely impressed with this book as a means of teaching young hobbyists engineering design. It deserves my highest recommendation.

--Ira Laefsky
MS Engineering/MBA

Jim Kelly has done it again!, December 22, 2009
The King's Treasure answers one of the most important questions left over from The Mayan Adventure: "Where can I get more?" This book continues the journey using the new version of LEGO MINDSTORMS as the basis for designing and building new robots for Evan and his uncle to solve 5 new mysteries of the Mayan king. Jim picks right off where he left off and makes it easy for both beginners and expert MINDSTORM builders to solve these missions. I plan on using this book as the basis for teaching my Middle School robotics class some key aspects of engineering and hope to share what we've learned with others who follow Jim's work.

Excellent Book!, April 19, 2010
My wife teaches robotics to kids in her school's evening clubs and also in various summer robotic camps in Silicon Valley CA, We bought this for teaching kids grades 5 thru' 8 and found that it has excellent resource for the teacher and kids alike.

This book as an interesting storyline to read which gets kids involved into robotic designs rather than cookie cutter instructions that we usually find in other books. Do not get me wrong, this book can be used as a very good instructional manual to get the robot built.

This is a sequel to the immensely popular book, LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: The Mayan Adventure (Technology in Action); you get both an engaging story and a personal tutorial on robotics programming. You'll learn about the motors and sensors in your NXT 2.0 kit. You'll learn to constructively brainstorm solutions to problems. And you'll follow clear, photo-illustrated instructions that help your build, test, and operate a series of five robots corresponding to the five challenges Evan and his uncle must overcome in their search for lost treasure.

PROS

[+] Provides an excellent series of parent/Teacher child projects
[+] Builds creative and problem-solving skills
[+] Lays a foundation for success and fun with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 based bricks

CONS:

[-] Wished it was in full color!

As others have pointed out here on Amazon, This is an excellent book and well worth every penny!

My kid loves it!, December 5, 2010
I bought this a few months ago and my son has been using it repeatedly. It challenges him but provides enough room for success. Not a week goes by that he does not thank me for it. It is a darn sight better than vegetating in front of the TV. ... Read more

Editorial Review

30 Ways to Have Some Computer-Controlled Evil Fun!

This wickedly inventive guide shows you how to program and build a variety of projects with the Arduino microcontroller development system. Covering Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms, 30 Arduino Projects for the Evil Genius gets you up to speed with the simplified C programming you need to know--no prior programming experience necessary.

Using easy-to-find components and equipment, this do-it-yourself book explains how to attach an Arduino board to your computer, program it, and connect electronics to it to create fiendishly fun projects. The only limit is your imagination!

30 Arduino Projects for the Evil Genius:

• Features step-by-step instructions and helpful illustrations
• Provides full schematic and construction details for every project
• Covers the scientific principles behind the projects
• Removes the frustration factor--all required parts are listed along with sources

Build these and other devious devices:

• Morse code translator
• High-powered strobe light
• Seasonal affective disorder light
• LED dice
• Keypad security code
• Pulse rate monitor
• USB temperature logger
• Oscilloscope
• Light harp
• LCD thermostat
• Computer-controlled fan
• Hypnotizer
• Servo-controlled laser
• Lie detector
• Magnetic door lock
• Infrared remote

Reviews

Best Arduino intro by far, October 1, 2010
Simon Monk provides Arduino newbies a guide that goes way beyond "Getting Started With Arduino", yet deals with the subject in an easy to read, accessible format. His projects are also far more practical eg he deals with flashing a simple led (like every other Arduino text) but then scales this up to high power Luxeon leds in various different applications but based on similar circuitry. This lead me to adapting one of his circuits to a real-world interest of mine, involving led lamps.

I look forward to a sequel where he might take us into the (so far) murky world of timers and interrupts, an area not covered very well (yet) in the Arduino world.

A good way into electronics, August 16, 2010
I had never even heard of Arduino boards but was lead here by the "Evil Genius" bit of the title whilst looking to improve my electronics knowledge. I have now bought the Arduino kit (clone because it is cheaper) and have had a go at a couple of the simpler projects which worked well. I was initially worried about the programming side given that it is C, but the Ardunio environment and clear explanation (and code listing) for each project made it a breeze. When I get time I will try more ambitious projects (particularly looking forward to the servo controlled lazer). Highly recommended.

Stephen

Excellent intro to the Arduino world., September 17, 2010
Great book with lots of interesting projects (especially the sensing type). The projects use inexpensive parts and some of the first projects don't really require the purchase of any parts at all. Some supplemental code explanations on the Evil Genius web site would add to this already great educational tool.

A Superb Starter Book for Arduino, November 13, 2010
This is the clearest introduction to the Arduino microcontroller development system I have read. I'm a tinkerer and every page in this book made me want to buy it and write notes and ideas in it.

I jot brainstorms and questions in the margins - create links to other pages - correct a few minor errors and ambiguities ("darn it, is it pin 11 or pin 12?"). I write in updates and corrections from the ArduinoEvilGenius-com website. My copy is a dog's breakfast of pencil smudges, beverage stains and sticky notes.

30 Arduino Projects catches the spirit of the mildly mischievous Evil Genius Series. It is light-hearted, conversational, and fun-loving. Beautifully and clearly written; with tremendous respect for readers and what they really need to know.

Before finding this book, I was frustrated by Arduino books which were too fluffy, pompous, or just too complicated. This book hits the sweet spot for me.

North American readers may be confused by what seems to be a RadioShack parts list in the back of the book. Even the part numbers look like RadioShack numbers. But in fact, "RS" stands for the UK RadioSpares company. It is still worth checking the RadioSpares-com website for useful information. Luckily, the author gives a general list of other suppliers and sources.

Some of the photos are too murky to give more than a general idea of the actual layout of the schematic. Fortunately there is usually a line-drawing as well.

All of the programming is available as a quick, one-time, free download from the author's web site. I've never used "C" before and my high-school BASIC is rusty. But this friendly author explains and clarifies as you go along. By starting all my own programs ("sketches" in Arduino jargon) by over-typing one of his, I get very few "grammatical" errors. I do get unexpected results though about half the time. But puzzling through my mistakes is very satisfying.

30 Arduino Projects is a rare book. Thanks to the author for his dedication and hard work on this book. It has pointed me in the right direction, and truly gotten me started learning more about this fascinating hobby.

Beginners beware, November 4, 2010
I do not consider myself evil, nor do I consider myself a genius, maybe that is why I'm having so many issues with this book. This book contains great project ideas. That is why I bought it. However, as I am new to electronics and the arduino platform, some of the mistakes in the book can cause great frustration. In the few projects I have tried, the schematic diagram, breadboard layout, and photograph of complete breadboard do not match. The first example is Project 4. The program from project 3 says use digital pin 12. The schematic diagram Fig. 3-5 says digital pin 11, and the breadboard layout fig 3-6 and photograph of complete breadboard fig 3-8 shows it connected to digital pin 12. This one is easy to figure out, however, breadboard layout fig 3-6 also shows Luxeon LED connecting to the wrong pin on the T1-BD139. It is hard to see, but it is showing it connected to the same pin as the 270 Ohm resistor. You need to look at the photograph of the complete breadboard fig 3-8 to see the correct way to wire the circuit. This is also incorrect on Fig 4-6 Breadboard layout for project 6.

Second example: the Components and equipment for project 7: Shows "R4-5 4 Ohm 2W resistor" This doesn't match the Schematic Fig 4-9, where you need two 4 Ohm 1 Watt (not 2 Watt) resistors.

I then jumped ahead to Project 28, which I'm still trying to figure out how to configure correctly. The Schematic diagram Fig. 9-8 has the IC1 component connected to Digital pin 9. The Breadboard layout has it connected to digital pin 3. The photograph fig 9-7 has it connected to digital pin 9. The text says it is connected to digital pin 9, so I assume three to one this is correct. The 100 Ohm resistor in the picture fig 9-7 is connected to ground. In the schematic it is connected to the arduino on digital pin 3, on the breadboard layout fig 9-9 it is again connected to ground. The picture on the arduinoevilgenuis web site is currently showing it connected to ground [...]. The web site referenced in the book is showing it connected to digital pin 3. [...]

I understand everyone makes mistakes. I'm looking forward to a web page that will correct the mistakes in the book.

A great book for anyone starting out with Arduino, December 18, 2010
One of the best I have read of the Evil Genius series. No previous Arduino or programming experience is required. All the Arduino code can be downloaded, and is of good quality and modular, can easily be reused in your own projects. You don't need to know any programming but a class in Java or C certainly wouldn't hurt if you want to understand everything going on. One of the things I liked immediately about this book is that it goes into detail about why and how you choose a certain electronic component and calculate its value. A simplified non-standard circuit schematic notation is used that makes it easy to wire the circuits. The projects are breadboarded but one of the projects is how to make "shields", soldered add-on boards from any of the projects that can be plugged in as a module above the main Arduino board. The author seems to have struck an excellent balance between cool projects and inexpensive components. So you won't find projects that use $30-60 ultrasonic sensors or 6-DOF accelerometers. But it does have a project that communicates with an LCD module. All the basics are here in this book that will prepare for more complex projects in robotics, art, and musical instruments.

30 Arduino Projects From the Evil Genius, November 8, 2010
This is the first time I have purchased a book from this series and was uncertain what to expect. I found tghis book to be well written with good explanations of the projects and the details of the programming. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to learn the Arduino or has plans to use it for a project.

rik ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Much (perhaps over) anticipated, November 8, 2010
Background: I stumbled across the author's blog post announcing his intention to write the book while looking for materials comparing language paradigms instead of particular languages (object-oriented, logical, functional, prototype, etc). The as yet unwritten book sounded like exactly what I was after (thus my enthusiastic anticipation). I purchased an electronic copy of this book from the Prag Press beta program about six months ago and began reading the chapters as they were completed and released. My paper copy just arrived from Amazon today. Thus I can comment on the whole content of the book and the physical object.

Languages: While the languages covered (Ruby, Io, Prolog, Scala, Erlang, Clojure, Haskell) are excitingly (painfully?) trendy the list is not without merit. In the introduction the author explains that he arrived at the list by asking readers and edited from there: swapping Io for JavaScript and excluding Python thereby making room for Prolog. One could debate the choice of Io over JavaScript (particularly in a post Node.js / Common.js world) and make a case for including Smalltalk as the canonical OO language over Ruby; however, the chosen languages each bring something to the book and represent a number of interesting paradigms.

Chapters: Each language has its own chapter. Each chapter has five sections:
- an introduction to the language covering topics like it's history, place in the modern language landscape, paradigm, etc
- 'Day 1'
- 'Day 2'
- 'Day 3'
- and a conclusion with a few parting words / 'the moral of the story is...'.
The boundaries between days are not particularly meaningful but roughly build from "here's the syntax" to "here's an interesting thing you can do with this paradigm". By Day 3 each chapter has moved beyond trivial "hello world" examples; not surprisingly then, the pace of progress is brisk and the details of how to get up and running with each language are largely left to the reader.
Each language chapter includes an interview with a user/creator of the language (Matz, Steve Dekorte, Brian Tarbox, Martin Odersky, Joe Armstrong, Rich Hickey, Philip Wadler / Simon Peyton-Jones). These were an unexpected addition and quite worth reading. In fact, I wish the interviews had been longer and gone into more technical detail.
In addition to the seven language chapters there is an introductory chapter that has the sort of information normally found in the pre-page-numbering introduction to a book (explanation of the book's contents, intended audience etc) and an excellent final wrap-up chapter (more on it later).

Length: I easily completed each language chapter in a weekend. The first and last chapters are very quick reads. Seven weeks should be more than enough time to work through the book.

Subjective annoyances:
- The quality of the physical book (not great) will be familiar to regular Prag Programmer shoppers. It is not up to O'Reilly standards (it's more like an Apress book). Although the typesetting is easy to read the top and bottom margins are unpleasantly tight. The outside margin leaves room for notes which I like, but the book is awkwardly square. For $22 what does one expect?
- Each chapter attempts creativity with a supposedly allegorical popular culture reference threaded through it (ex: Io = Ferris Bueller). I found these more distracting than informative. I'd include naming the chapter sections "day n" as similarly failed attempts and wish that instead attempting wit (ex Io Day1: An Excellent Driver) they had substantive names. Obviously this is totally personal opinion, you might like it.

Outright Disappointment: I wish that the individual chapters went into significantly more depth comparing the motivations for and consequences of each language design. While the key features of each language are demonstrated with annotated code samples and explanatory text little is offered in the way of discussion comparing across language. For example the Scala chapter (selected at random) is on pages 121-166 in the index under "Scala" the only references outside its own chapter are found on pages 302, 303, 305-306, and 308 (all in the final wrap-up chapter). I view this as a real missed opportunity given the books unique approach/content. The final wrap-up chapter seems to be the only place with this sort of cross-language discussion and as a result it is both excellent and much too short.

Conclusion: An interesting book that I enjoyed reading and expect to return to in the future. The physical book is of so-so quality and as such the electronic book may be the right product for you to buy. The missed opportunity (and loss star) are for a disappointing failure to draw cross-language comparisons within the text of each chapter.

Seventh heaven for language lovers, November 22, 2010
Seven Languages in Seven Weeks: A Pragmatic Guide to Learning Programming Languages


What first attracted me to this book is its coverage of several languages that I know little or nothing about. For reasons mostly due to chance, I've been exposed to only a handful of well-known programming languages, during my professional career. Recently, I've been quite intrigued by Erlang's concurrency model and robustness even though there is no place for it in my day-day tasks. Having the opportunity to read about Erlang being evaluated against other languages was just what I wanted. So, I took the red pill and found out just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

"Seven Languages in Seven Weeks" covers Ruby, Io, Prolog, Scala, Erlang, Clojure and Haskell. These languages were chosen as of the result of a survey. When the data was tallied, 8 potential candidates remained. Given that there are so many languages around I'm quite surprised that the initial list was so small. That speaks a lot of the languages that ended up in the book.

First off, I like this book a lot. It starts off with a brief, one-paragraph introduction on each of the languages. There's just enough information here to let you know what to expect in each of the chapters. This book follows a pragmatic consistency from beginning to end.

The structure of each chapter is logical and concise which makes it easy for the reader to compare and contrast elements of each language. I also like the history and language development sections as well as interviews with the language developers. Each chapter concludes with a nice "Wrap Up" segment which summarizes key areas of each language, such as performance, mutability, weaknesses, strengths, readability, etc. In fact, the final chapter is a "Wrap Up" of the whole book. I don't know of a better way to conclude this book.

The size of the book is a modest 317 pages, but it delivers a plentiful and concise overview into each of the seven languages. The book is just the right size to catch the reader's interest, introduce them to language basics features and fun, without overwhelming them.

I couldn't help but wonder if there would be a follow-on title comparing and contrasting another group of languages. And if so, which languages would they be?


The introduction concludes with the following statement:

"When you're through, you will not be an expert in any of these languages,
but you will know what each uniquely has to offer"

I can't agree more.

I can't say enough good things about this book. If you've worked with many languages in this book, you probably won't be as interested in this book as I am. However, if you've had a career like mine which hasn't exposed you to more than a few languages, this book is a must-have for your collection. It may even inspire me to delve into another language, after I get my head around Erlang and FP concepts.

Change in Languages Equal Change in Thinking, December 11, 2010
If you subscribe to Sapir-Whorf theory, you believe the choice of language affects your perspective of the world. And if you're a computer programmer on top of that, this book is definitely for you!

I read early drafts of this book, and thought "Oh Yeah!" There are places I could definitely use Scala for concurrency or Prolog for logic programming. But even when I didn't actually, physically use the languages, I found it affected the way I write Java. Because here's the thing. All languages are Turing complete just as, in theory, all physical languages can express the same thoughts. But if you find some elegant way to express something in a foreign language, you adopt your "native" language to do the same things. So the Java that I program every day started to look different - better, cleaner, more understandable, closer to domain language.

You might take up Ruby or Scala at some point. But first you have to get excited about these new languages, duck typing, dynamicism, and so forth. This book will do that for you. It'll push you forward in ways you didn't quite expect, or get from more straightforward tracts on your native language. Think "One Hundred Years of Solitude" for programming. That's what this book is.

A good book that CS professionals will appreciate having, December 11, 2010
I like the book, but it is not the alternative modern-day undergrad textbook for Programming Languages (PL) that I was seeking. It is inexpensive and it encourages a hands-on treatment of PL concepts across several language paradigms. However, its coverage of PL concepts is incomplete and the languages (Io, Scala, Erlang, Clojure, Haskell, Prolog, Ruby) will be unfamiliar to most who are not CS professionals or who are unfamiliar with ACM/SIGPLAN. So I am still looking for the PL "textbook" that includes several popular languages from the Info/Web Tech industry (e.g., JavaScript, PHP, Python, HTML5) as a way to introduce some PL terminology and make comparisons with less familiar languages/paradigms. So this was not the book to do that. None the less, I like this book and I recommend it to other computing professionals. I see this as a textbook for the computing professional to use for "continuing ed" to expand their horizons as software developers.

The author's writing style is first person and conversational. He illustrates a selection of features and syntax that is specific to each language using code clips and narrative text about it. There are not many illustrative diagrams or figures. Each chapter that covers one of the languages is best read from beginning to end since it is written in tutorial sequence rather than in "reference" style. The author likes to use movie references as metaphors, which for me were more distracting. The coding examples throughout are good. I liked those for Prolog which included a Sudoku program. The coverage for each language includes an interview-dialog with an expert or inventor of the language (which further contributes to the textual/conversational style). PL terminology is encountered and defined throughout and the index is helpful for finding them, but this is not the definitive text for programming language terms and definitions (e.g., Scoping is not mentioned and several terms are defined mostly by example). The author offers minimal guidance on how to get started (download/installation) with these languages. A companion web site for this book would be nice, especially if it provided details regarding downloads, installation, setup, and use of the development tools available (even at the risk of becoming outdated). But that can easily be found online, as the author points out.

Once again, I am glad I purchased the text.

A Great Start to a Promising Genre, December 16, 2010
Bruce Tate's _Seven Languages In Seven Weeks_ is a rewarding intellectual romp through the trendsetting languages and programming paradigms of interest to the contemporary programmer. In it, Tate presents seven one-week lesson plans to teach the basics of seven languages of diverse origin, application, and popularity. Each lesson plan-chapter mercifully presents its material over the space of three days, suggesting to prospective students that they may not have a full week's worth of study time each week, should they choose to follow the title's implied schedule literally.

I will confess not to having done that myself, although I think it would be quite profitable for the ambitious reader to do. Tate intentionally chooses languages that cover a broad array of concepts: dynamic typing, prototyped objects, functional programming, declarative programming, diverse concurrency constructs, and even monads. To fight through each language with the author would not only generate better familiarity with a set of languages most developers don't get to use regularly--when else are you going to write code in Prolog?--but would also certainly provide a solid grounding in the paradigms required for effective leadership in the next decade of software development. Real, thorough study of this book would be a long slog, but it's the kind of slog that separates the best from the rest. It is a worthy challenge.

Of course a survey book like this can't treat its subject languages in any kind of detail. The goal is to provide an overview in the form of a quick-start guide, hitting the high points and skipping many details. Often the real investment in learning a new language is learning its libraries, and those are prudently avoided in this volume. What the survey does bring into sharp relief is the distinguishing factors of the languages, which the Tate highlights in the conclusion of each chapter. He also makes a frank discussion of each language's strengths and weaknesses, even including the occasional (and self-conscious) subjective judgement on whose baby is ugly and whose is not. And no, not all babies are alike cute unto themselves.

To that point, I found Tate's generous self-disclosure a particularly enjoyable part of the experience. The reader feels as if he is learning, and at times struggling, with the author as he internalizes the important details and tradition-busting paradigms of each new language. It will be an encouragement to the novice reader that even a seasoned thought leader like Bruce Tate has a hard time with Erlang syntax and Haskell monads. Java comes to be seen as a welcome home base in the strange foreign lands of Lisp and Prolog. It's not just us parochial masses, but even Bruce who gets culture shock and runs into McDonald's for a Big Mac when he's overseas.

As valuable as _Seven Languages_ is for its content, I hope it also introduces a new genre in programming literature. The community would benefit immensely from Six NoSQL Databases In Six Weeks, Four Concurrency Paradigms in Four Months, and 22 JVM Web Frameworks in 22 Days. (The latter may find barriers to distribution due to international treaty restrictions on the treatment of prisoners, but it's worth a shot.) With the right subject matter, it's a great format that can only be carried off successfully by a very few authors. This initial instance of the class holds great promise that I hope is expanded upon in the future by others.

A great way to explore new ideas, December 12, 2010
At the core of every good programmer is a polyglot. This book helps gives you a great runway to explore some new languages that you may not have approached on your own. The hardest part to learning a new language can be the initial leap. Bruce has done a good job of helping the readers take that leap and keep engaged with some interesting challenges. If you are even considering learning a new programming language, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this book.

for experienced developers, November 28, 2010
I find this book to be a lot like "Programming Collective Intelligence" in that it introduces you to new concepts for even experienced developers. You're expected to know a lot about programming already, but as it's introducing new concepts, it gives you enough background to follow along, but not so much detail that you're bored. It also has a couple of different sections for each language, including short interviews with the language designers. You can learn ruby anywhere, but it's going to take you a while to find out what makes it unique, whereas this book gets right to what's important, with no boringness. You can get through one language a day, or faster if you don't bother trying to do the examples or questions, but those were well-chosen. The book is a little too playful at times (describing Ruby as like Mary Poppins), but it's entertaining and makes it less dry (ex. in a description of a possible mistake someone might make when programming Io it states "If that line of code is buried deeply into a complex package, Io just puked in your car."). ... Read more

Editorial Review

Tired of reading HTML books that only make sense after you're an expert? Then it's about time you picked up Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML and really learned HTML. You want to learn HTML so you can finally create those web pages you've always wanted, so you can communicate more effectively with friends, family, fans, and fanatic customers. You also want to do it right so you can actually maintain and expand your Web pages over time, and so your web pages work in all the browsers and mobile devices out there. Oh, and if you've never heard of CSS, that's okay--we won't tell anyone you're still partying like it's 1999--but if you're going to create Web pages in the 21st century then you'll want to know and understand CSS.

Learn the real secrets of creating Web pages, and why everything your boss told you about HTML tables is probably wrong (and what to do instead). Most importantly, hold your own with your co-worker (and impress cocktail party guests) when he casually mentions how his HTML is now strict, and his CSS is in an external style sheet.

With Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML, you'll avoid the embarrassment of thinking web-safe colors still matter, and the foolishness of slipping a font tag into your pages. Best of all, you'll learn HTML and CSS in a way that won't put you to sleep. If you've read a Head First book, you know what to expect: a visually-rich format designed for the way your brain works. Using the latest research in neurobiology, cognitive science, and learning theory, this book will load HTML, CSS, and XHTMLinto your brain in a way that sticks.

So what are you waiting for? Leave those other dusty books behind and come join us in Webville. Your tour is about to begin.

Praise
"Elegant design is at the core of every chapter here, each concept conveyed with equal doses of pragmatism and wit."
--Ken Goldstein, Executive Vice President, Disney Online

"This book is a thoroughly modern introduction to forward-looking practices in web page markup and presentation."
--Danny Goodman, author of Dynamic HTML: The Definitive Guide

"What used to be a long trial and error learning process has now been reduced neatly into an engaging paperback."
--Mike Davidson, CEO, Newsvine, Inc.

"I love Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML--it teaches you everything you need to learn in a 'fun coated' format!" -
-Sally Applin, UI Designer and Artist

"I haven't had as much fun reading a book (other than Harry Potter) in years. And your book finally helped me break out of my hapless so-last-century way of creating web pages."
--Professor David M. Arnow, Department of Computer and Information Science, Brooklyn College

"If you've ever had a family member who wanted you to design a website for them, buy them Head First HTML with CSS and XHTML. If you've ever asked a family member to design you a web site, buy this book. If you've ever bought an HTML book and ended up using it to level your desk, or for kindling on a cold winter day, buy this book. This is the book you've been waiting for. This is the learning system you've been waiting for."
--Warren Kelly, Blogcritics.org

Reviews

Best book for learning HTML and CSS, February 5, 2006
The "Head First" series by O'Reilly does it again. This book manages to take the conceptually easy yet complicated task of learning HTML, XHTML, and CSS and breaks it down so that anyone can figure out what is going on and what needs to be done in web page design using these technologies. Plus, if you learned HTML several years ago and you would like to update your skills to current technology, this is a great choice for a textbook.
The book starts out with the basics of HTML -text, webpage form via HTML, putting your webpage on the Internet and linking to other web resources, and adding images and thumbnails. Next the author tackles XHTML, starting by answering the questions What is XHTML? and Why would I want to use XHTML? The author composes three simple steps to take you from strict HTML to XHTML:
1. Change your DOCTYPE to XHTML 1.0 Strict.
2. Add the xmins, lang, and xml:lang attributes to your element.
3. All empty tags should end in "/>" not ">".
Next, CSS is introduced, along with the properties that can be controlled via CSS. When you read the CSS chapters you'll find yourself asking "Why don't other books just SAY this plainly like THIS book does?". Eventually, the author has you doing advanced layout and control using all the tools available to you without you ever noticing that you've been "studying". The book concludes with lessons on interactivity and tables. I think it is most interesting that the author saves the subject of tables for the end of the book versus other texts that usually introduce them early on. This is because the author is using the more advanced lessons on CSS to help make the subject of tabular data less confusing. The book's final chapter is entitled "The Top Ten Topics We Didn't Cover", thus acknowledging that this is not an advanced book on webpage design. Each chapter has a "There Are No Dumb Questions" section that answers common questions that may be a source of confusion to the reader.
Since this book is designed to be a textbook and not a reference, you might find it handy to have a copy of O'Reilly's "HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide" as a reference since it lists virtually all of the HTML tags and their properties.

The 1st HTML/CSS you should get, December 6, 2005
I've been involved with the Head First series as a reviewer from the beginning and, as such, my review might be biased, but I will regret not telling you how good this book is.

The Internet is fast becoming a means of sharing one's life with friends, colleagues and anybody out there who is prepared to listen. Some start by telling their story using a blog; the more adventurous create their own web sites, and it is that category of person that this book is aimed at. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this book, and the whole series, seems too upbeat and too young for you. This book is for all ages, The Head First series is designed to make learning fun, and though it was originally aimed at the younger generation, I personally think that old age pensioners will be able to learn HMTL the correct way just as easily as their grand children if they use this book - and you will be sooo cool if you have this book on your shelf when they, the grand kids, visit again next time.

The emphasis in this book is on creating web pages the correct way, to make pages that will work correctly in any browser. If you work through Elisabeth and Eric's book, you will end up with a web site that can withstand anything the W3C's Markup Validation Service can throw at it. And when your web pages pass the validation, you can put the W3C's cool "passed validation" logo on your site. A sign of recognition that you know what you are doing.

This book does not require you to have prior HTML knowledge; it takes you by the hand and teaches you everything you need from scratch. But don't be fooled, I was the review manager for this book and even some of the reviewers with years of HTML knowledge under their belt learnt new things from it. Sure, it isn't a complete HTML reference book, and it does not intend being one, but it lays the foundations for a solid start to becoming a true HTML/CSS expert.

I think this book should become the standard text book in HTML/CSS courses in schools, colleges and even professional training centers.

I highly recommend it to all. It will make the perfect Christmas gift for your family, all ages !!!, friends and even colleagues who are thinking about or are doing something with a web site of their own.
Have fun.

Like I said, I might be biased, but I am sure an independent reviewer will confirm what I said.

Fantastic book, Lousy index, full of blather, November 16, 2007
We're using this book in a college course I'm taking. This book contains a massive amount of REALLY good information, which has been buried in a landslide of unnecessary blather. Add to this the complete lack of a sensible, extensive index, and this book leaves me so frustrated, I am nearly ready to drop the class. (see below..)

The vast amount of useful information in the book makes it difficult to remember it all at one time. But it's impossible to refer back and find something a week after I've read it without leafing through an entire chapter or more, page by page, because the index is so brief and incomplete.

With a good, complete index, I'd give this book 4.5 stars for it's excellent content (withholding 1/2 star for all the blather). Without a usable index, the book is nearly worthless to me.

GOOD NEWS UPDATE!! The O'Reilly people have replied to my complaint about the index. They're compiling, and will be uploading a complete, extensive index online in January 2008! Too late for my class, but hey! Someone really does listen. Thanks, O'Reilly!

Great tutorial - will give you the basics, January 6, 2006
To learn HTML / CSS, you will probably need three books 1) a book to help you learn the topic; 2) a reference; 3) a book that describes the hacks and tricks for getting your own designs to work in various browers. This book does an excellent job of covering the first topic. It does not bill itself as a book for experts, or a reference.

It's well written in an engaging way that turns a potentially dry topic into a more conversational read. It has useful examples that are well-presented and that continue and build throughout the book. Examples are accomanied by sidebars and out-takes that break up the format in an engaging way that helps understand the material, why things work the way they do, alternative designs and their trade-offs.

My only gripe about the book and the reason I did not give it 5 stars, is that it seems to side-step the browser compatibility issue.

Best HTML/XHTML/CSS Book Ever, December 29, 2005
******
This book SHOULD receive 6+ stars.

Are you tired of reading reference manuals? Get ready for some fun with "Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML". This is not your ordinary technical manual. It is funny, interesting, VERY helpful---even for seasoned professionals, great for beginners, and unlike anything you've ever seen before, unless you're familiar with other "Head First" books.

I wish, I wish, I pray, that instructors will read this book and see that learning can be fun, interesting, and enjoyable. If you purchase this book, no matter what your level of HTML familiarity, I guarantee that you will be entertained and informed. Even if you have spent years designing web sites, you won't mind spending $23 to read a prototype of what technical manuals SHOULD be but never are...until now!!

Buy this book....you won't be sorry.

I stayed up until midnight last night reading answers to questions I'd always wanted to ask but never knew who to ask them of...and being fascinated. A true beginner will need to study this book. A professional will laugh and be refreshed and have a lot of fun with it. All should purchase it and support a new way of learning!
******

Wish I could give this 6 stars..., January 19, 2006
Head First HTML with CSS and XHTML is totally unlike any other HTML book I've ever read -- or owned. Most are basic references -- "if you want this, do this" type books. Very dry and dull, not something you're going to sit and read in one setting. Not helpful to someone who is not technologically inclined who wants to learn how to "do a website."

This book is written to teach. It's written so that you remember what you read, using techniques that teachers are being taught to use in the classroom. And it's one that I would actually use in the classroom if I were still teaching Computer Applications.

The first thing you notice about the book is that it's colorful. Normally, the only color in an HTML book is the chart of colors and their hex codes (which, ironically, this book doesn't have). Even the acknowledgements include color pictures of the people they are thanking. And everything in the book is worth reading through -- including the acknowledgements and the table of contents. There's a healthy use of humor throughout that makes it worth actually reading through, rather than just using as a reference.

And that's the point. The authors are quick to say that if you're looking for another HTML reference book, to keep looking. This is a book for people who want to learn.

I wasn't sure how much I'd really learn from this book -- after all, I'd just read and reviewed Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual. But while that book gave me a good basis for understanding CSS, this book has expanded my understanding considerably. I've got a CSS reference book that has been seldom used; I think I'll be dusting it off soon, because I know enough to be able to use it now.

If you've ever had a family member who wanted you to design a website for them, buy them Head First HTML with CSS and XHTML. If you've ever asked a family member to design you a web site, buy this book. If you've ever bought an HTML book and ended up using it to level your desk, or for kindling on a cold winter day, buy this book. This is the book you've been waiting for. This is the learning system you've been waiting for.

Good for nearly all experience levels, March 30, 2006
I know HTML and XML (I've designed a number of domain-specific XML vocabularies). The problem is my HTML knowledge was acquired in the dawn of the WWW when Mosaic was new technology and one could actually have a site announcing the dozen or so new sites appearing on the web each week. This was pre-CSS too. My skills needed some serious updating.

The first few chapters of the book are certainly elementary and I just skimmed them. But starting with chapter five I started getting new and useful information. Those first four chapters would be great for someone starting ab-initio. (I'll test them on my wife and kids.)

The rest of the book is good for fixing my bad-old HTML 1.0 habits and transitioning to strict XHTML. And by the end of the book I actually understood CSS, which had always been a black art to me.

I'm using my new-found knowledge to build some web sites using an XHTML template for Joomla and CSS for all the styling.

The treatment is light and fun, but not nearly as smarmy and condescending as, say, the XXX For Dummies series. It is kind of neat how they match the visual personalities of the make-believe actors with the questions and topics.

This is NOT a reference manual: you'll be very disappointed if you buy it for that purpose. Instead, read this book and keep it nearby when coding up your web sites; use an on-line XHTML or CSS reference when you need it.

Great starter book for beginners and moderately experienced, January 16, 2006
Our department has been making good use of the Head First series of books while we move out of our legacy applications and replace them with Java and Java related technologies. Many of the legacy app's are being replaced with JSP based web applications where CSS is used to present the common corporate look. We again turned to Head First to brush up on our HTML skills and learn what CSS is all about.

What an awesome book! It is both engaging and educating at the same time. The authors cover tons of information in a way that makes this dry subject something to look forward to and not to dread. Any college or tech school that offers an introductory course into this subject should consider using this book as a primary source for teaching.

I had previously though I was fairly fluent in HTML but I found a few things in the first 7 chapters I did not fully know. Even though this section was mostly review, I did not mind going through the exercise. Then once I got into the application of CSS concepts, Wow! Why had I shied away from CSS for so long?

I agree with the previous reviews...A book for the experts? No. A great reference book? Not great but OK. A book to get you going and get you 80% into the world of web page creation? Absolutely. Head First folks, keep up the great work!

Nice Intro to XHTML and CSS, February 8, 2006

What distinguishes "Head First: HTML With CSS and XHTML" from the plenitude of books about learning about creating web pages is its novel teaching approach. It takes knowledge from modern developments in the science of cognition to develop a teaching approach designed to increase learning and retention using a checklist of techniques. It emphasizes use of visual and graphic elements to facilitate learning, the placing of words near graphics, use of a conversational and personalized writing style, engaging the reader's emotions, and grabbing attention by eye and brain-catching presentations. All of this is plausible pedagogically and I believe it works. After reading 655 pages of technical material, rarely did it feel tedious, difficult, or confusing.

The subject matter is basic coding with XHTML and CSS and is designed for beginner code writers and web page creators. It explains basic material for understanding and writing standards-compliant code. It is not a reference book and it does not dig deeply into its topics. Many readers may find the instructional approach highly appealing as it does make reading fun. Learning is likely to be enhanced by the brain stimulation provided by the many dozens of activities, like crossword puzzles, tests, exercises, and question and answer sections.

This is a handsomely produced volume with heavyweight glossy paper, clear, detailed photographs, and many illustrations and graphics. It is easy on the eye and stimulating to the brain. The discussion is suitable for virtually any beginners in XHTML and CSS. The presentation will appeal to the MTV generation especially, with its high density of graphics, bold illustrations, and low-density text.

Authors Elisabeth Freeman and Eric Freeman are software developers and computer scientists. The book emphasizes standards-compliant coding for all the right reasons - newer browsers may not correctly display older noncompliant code, accessibility for handicapped web users is heightened, efficiencies in code writing is enhanced, and more options are available for web page authors to display and style their content. It covers HTML 4.01 and XHTML, and covers both Mac and PC aspects of the topics.

After a couple of very basic chapters dealing with rudimentary HTML and hypertext, the authors turn to the building blocks of satisfactory, compliant coding - sketching structures, adding elements, learning inline vs. block element positioning, and similar items.

There are small sections throughout which inform on various related matters, like dealing with different browsers, using a hosting company and organizing one's site, but the bulk and better of the material deals with systematic construction of web pages using essential building blocks.

Headings, paragraphs, images, element identification, and the various components of CSS styling are carefully described and explained via examples using sample sites. The writing throughout is very clear and straightforward (as enhanced by the teaching elements noted earlier). The best chapter in my view is Chapter 10 explaining the "box model" of XHTML elements. The components of padding, margins, content, and body are very well illustrated within the context of the examples.

The chapter on layout is also very well done, showing how to create two and three column layouts and addressing how to handle common layout problems in positioning. Other matters covered include floating elements, liquid and frozen designs, and relative and absolute positioning.

Later chapters cover using XHTML to create lists, tables and forms, and then styling with CSS. The sections or CSS are very clear, but limited. This is an introduction, after all, and most of the most important and useful style components are described and illustrated. More advanced components like DIV and SPAN are covered nicely. The sections on classes and pseudo-classes are well done.

This is a fine introduction to the topics for the nontechnical reader. Higher-level computer types will not be satisfied; those people not attracted to the unconventional presentation may not be pleased. But, for the most part, this is a worthwhile introduction to the topics.

Better than it looks, August 25, 2006
I passed over this book initially because it looked too goofy, and the first half of the book seemed to take a lot of pages to cover HTML, which I basically already knew. I picked up Richard York's Beginning CSS instead, because it seemed more serious, and it looked a lot more dense with technical detail.

What a mistake. Beginning CSS was incredibly obtuse and difficult to get through, and the examples were just ugly (not to mention they don't work properly in any browser). A couple hundred pages in, I got lost in all the "direct adjacent sibling combinators" and "@import notations" and I gave up.

Then I decided to give Head First HTML a shot. It's about the same thickness as Beginning CSS, but it's much much much easier to read. The type is bigger, and there are lots of illustrations and puzzles and what-not. Most importantly, it's written much more clearly. The examples are easy to code, they look great, and they actually work in real web browsers.

I got through the book in about a week and a half, and boom, I know how to write standards-compliant XHTML & CSS. Obviously, I still have plenty of room for advancement, but I know enough to put together some pretty decent web pages. The book is up-to-date (it even mentions iWeb, which was just released earlier this year), and it really does make the learning process easy and, dare I say, fun. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Get complete coverage of the latest release of the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exam inside this comprehensive, fully updated resource. Written by the leading expert in IT security certification and training, this authoritative guide covers all 10 CISSP exam domains developed by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2). You'll find learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, exam tips, practice exam questions, and in-depth explanations. Designed to help you pass the CISSP exam with ease, this definitive volume also serves as an essential on-the-job reference.

COVERS ALL 10 CISSP DOMAINS:

• Information security and risk management
• Access control
• Security architecture and design
• Physical and environmental security
• Telecommunications and network security
• Cryptography
• Business continuity and disaster recovery planning
• Legal regulations, compliance, and investigations
• Application security
• Operations security

THE CD-ROM FEATURES:

• Hundreds of practice exam questions
• Video training excerpt from the author
• E-book

Shon Harris, CISSP, is a security consultant, a former member of the Information Warfare unit in the Air Force, and a contributing writer to Information Security Magazine and Windows 2000 Magazine. She is the author of the previous editions of this book. ... Read more

Reviews

I passed the CISSP using only this book and a TON of preparation, May 30, 2010
There is no simple formula to prepare for the CISSP certification, and no single resource which can guarantee success on the certification exam since every applicant's background is unique. However, this book (fifth edition) was my only resource in preparing for the exam and I passed on my first attempt (April 24, 2010).

I spent 60+ hours in preparation for the exam... that's 60+ hours of DEDICATED individual study using this book and CD, not 60+ hours spent web surfing during lunch hours or commercial breaks. My recent background is in middle management, with 20 years experience in network architecture and data security, so I already had a firm technical foundation for the test areas dealing with protocols and encryption variations. I also have an MS in Computer Science. Nonetheless, the exam was so broad, with topics covering general principles and concepts, that I could have prepared twice as long and still left the exam with questions about the outcome.

My personal opinion is that formal classroom instruction, through one of the many organizations offering CISSP preparation courses, is a worthwhile companion to Shon Harris' book. A study group is also a good idea. You will not obtain CISSP certification if you take the exam without preparation. This book (fifth edition) was sufficient, but not 100% comprehensive, to prepare me for passing the CISSP test.

Note: Some reviewers do not appreciate Shon's frequent analogies and humor. Most of her analogies helped me internalize the complex topics, but that's my personal learning style. The efforts at humor were generally awful, but every once in a while she was subtle and brilliant enough to make me laugh out loud. Working through Shon's unique writing style was not a problem for me... I actually found it refreshing.

Useful, but hardly a technical book, March 26, 2010
From a perspective of preparation for the CISSP examination this book is one of the standard places to start from. In that respect, I would give it a 4-start simply because it follows the core notion of the exam itself in that it is a mile wide and an inch deep.

However, do not expect this book to provide technical details or even technical language consistently. There's a lot of verbiage, needless attempts at humor - which really degrades the overall standing of the book - and just the right amount of information, but no more.

Also, do not make this book the sole resource for preparation. You *may* pass the exam but will be none the wiser for most of what the book covers.

Given that this is a technical examination after all, I would have much appreciated if the author did not try and frame the same statement in multiple ways in the same paragraph, stuck to using consistent technical language and provided more links to resources for additional information. It would also have been nicer if the key technical points, definitions, important values were better highlighted - or even repeated in a prominent tip - after every section so that a second reading becomes a lot less demanding. The exam is challenging in itself and the book and author can do a lot more to make preparation a less demanding experience.

It is difficult to come across books that are worthy of technical appreciation and I am afraid the above points make this a middle of the road effort.

I have no particular affinity to either the author or publication but would recommend giving the Mike Chapple book a shot. You will be a lot less frustrated reading technical matter for a technical examination than with the narrative-style of the Shon Harris book.

Edition comparison, February 24, 2010
I bought the third edition of this book in October 2009 to prepare for the exam. The reason for buying that instead of this fifth edition is obvious. It cost me only $2.95 plus $4.00 shipping. I was a little worry at the beginning because of the new material that was added since 2005. However, I though I can supplement with material in the internet. At the end, I don't have the time because the exam was on January 16, 2010 which gave me less than 4 months. During the exam, I did not see anything that I have not seen in the third edition. If you know something about the exam, you know they are not going to ask you directly about a concept or technology. So, you really have to understand the material. Since CISSP is more about principle and concept and less about specific technology, using a third or fifth edition is not going to make a big different. I passed the exam in one shot. Don't get me wrong. Getting the latest and the greatest is always good and I will consider getting the fifth in the near future when I need to brush up the knowledge. But if you want to save a little of money, consider getting the fourth or the third.

The Gold Standard for CISSP, January 30, 2010
This is the absolute gold standard, the one-stop shopping reference for CISSP certification! The price is economical enough to highlight its passages and put notes in its margins. It is the fifty-dollar solution to the horrifically expensive test.

Every IT professional I met, who passed the CISSP test the FIRST time, credits the Shon Harris CISSP manual.

It is the preferred reference for corporations to hand out free to thier employees.

Shon Harris, CISSP AIO 5th Edition - Great Buy!, January 30, 2010
I find this book to be very well written and contains alot of updated materials. I was getting a bit upset that I couldnt find a updated reference material until I found out about this edition. I would recommend this book to anyone who is attempting to get their CISSP. I've just started reading the book today and managed to get to Chapter 3. This book is very well written, and the cd contains multiple PDF's, that I use to read on my cell phone. I also like how the PDF's are broken down into chapters. It helps set small goals and allows you to feel accomplished after reading a 100+ page chapter!

CISSP All in one Exam Guide, July 6, 2010
I cannot say enough good things about this book. I used this and Exam Cram as my sole sources to prepare for this exam and I passed on my first try. I don't have a very technical background so this book prepared me thoroughly for the exam and also helped a great deal in my work as an IT Security Specialist.

Best written resource to study for your CISSP, March 26, 2010
Shon's fluid writing style is enjoyable to read, and communicates effectively, much better than what I've seen from any other CISSP book. However, it takes some time to get through. I only gave myself a month to read it before the exam and I was CRAZY. I think two months would be more reasonable, but to get it done you really need to come up with a schedule and track your progress. If you don't have time for that, I'd recommend attending a bootcamp.

Superb Domain Coverage, June 10, 2010
I've had the pleasure to attend a CCISP class conducted by Shon Harris. She is an exceptional instructor and her All in One book translates the classroom discussions well to the written form.
Great coverage of all the required domains. Highly recommended!

Provides complete coverage of the latest release of the CISSP exam, May 18, 2010
The fifth updated edition of All-in-One CISSP Exam Guide provides complete coverage of the latest release of the CISSP exam, is written by a leading expert in IT security certification, and offers a course text accompanied by a CD-ROM of hundreds of practice exam questions and a video training excerpt by the author. Both students practicing for the exam and workers on the job need this detailed, in-depth course, jam packed with information and tests to be certain of comprehension.

The Bible for CISSP Certification, April 4, 2010
This Study Guide is the one for CISSP Certification. Almost everyone I've know who has the CISSP certification has this book on their shelf. Shon has struck a homerun with CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide. Jeffrey W. Bennett, ISP author of: ISP Certification-The Industrial Security Professional Exam Manual or How to Prepare for and Pass the Industrial Security Professional Certification Exam;
National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) ... Read more

Editorial Review

Suddenly, everyone’s talking about HTML5, and ready or not, you need to get acquainted with this powerful new development in web and application design. Some of its new features are already being implemented by existing browsers, and much more is around the corner.
 
Written by developers who have been using the new language for the past year in their work, this book shows you how to start adapting the language now to realize its benefits on today’s browsers. Rather than being just an academic investigation, it concentrates on the practical—the problems HTML5 can solve for you right away. By following the book’s hands-on HTML5 code examples you’ll learn:

• new semantics and structures to help your site become richer and more accessible
  

• how to apply the most important JavaScript APIs that are already implemented
  

• the uses of native multimedia for video and audio

• techniques for drawing lines, fills, gradients, images and text with canvas
  

• how to build more intelligent web forms

• implementation of new storage options and web databases

• how geolocation works with HTML5 in both web and mobile applications

Reviews

Great and Informative Book, July 21, 2010
It's hard to find informative books these days because it seems everyone claims to be a Web standards expert, and bookstores are filled with reference books that aren't worth the paper they're printed on. This book is different. It's written by two people who actually know what they're talking about and live and breathe what they're writing; it shows.

Many have recently purchased "HTML5 for Web Designers" by Jeremy Keith. It covers many of the things described in this book and does a very good job, but it's not long enough to go into any necessary and helpful detail as it's only 85 pages. This book only costs a few more dollars and is more than double its size and detail. I'd strongly suggest buying this book instead of that one.

"Introducing HTML5" is far from a stuffy reference manual as it contains lots of little jokes within to maintain the reader's full attention, and there's not so much there to make the book seem silly. The book is, while not overly wordy, extremely informative. Mostly what is the most important part of understanding HTML5 are the semantics that are involved in using the new elements, and the book goes into great detail with plenty of examples on exactly how to markup documents using the new elements HTML5 provides. That's only just a portion of the book. WAI-ARIA, Audio and Video, Canvas, Data Storage, Geolocation, etc. are all also presented in ample detail.

The only complaint I have about the book has to do with the printing quality itself. The cover of the book I received has a semigloss treatment on it which was badly applied to the paper as it can easily be rubbed off, leaving unsightly fingerprint marks and abrasions where its been touched. On the contents of the book the printer didn't seem to be bothered by mundane things such as press registration; some of the code examples are difficult to read because of the bad printing quality.

I'm unsure if I just received a bad copy, but it's the reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. However, content is king, and the content itself is more than worth the price.

A densely packed, informative read, July 29, 2010
HTML5 is creating more and more a name for itself in our industry, but while it excites those on the cutting edge of web technology, many are left feeling uncertain about it. Its ongoing development has been victim of politics, fragmentation and more, leaving few to have a good grasp of its current status. However, a lot of the technologies that make up HTML5 (and more) have become mature, even implemented across all the latest browsers--but did you know that? If you've kept an arms length to everything going on with HTML5, now is the time to dive into its waters and explore.

Fortunately, you don't have to do it all by yourself: just get Introducing HTML5, written by Bruce Lawson (Opera) and Remy Sharp (Left Logic).

Exactly as its name implies, Introducing HTML5 is an introduction to all the new semantics and application-oriented technologies that make up the HTML5 spec. You don't have to be a web development expert to read this, but you'll come out closer to one when you've finished. All you need is a good grasp of web standards-based techniques, e.g. semantic markup; separation of structure, presentation and behavior; and accessibility. Bruce and Remy will teach you everything you need to know to bring your skill set to the next level.

Starting out light, Introducing HTML5 first teaches you the most important new HTML5 elements and their semantic purposes, which is especially helpful if, like me, you kept an eye on these since the early stages of HTML5, but got confused as their meanings were changed or redefined.

The book continues with the new HTML5 Forms, serving as a nice segue into the more JavaScript-reliant HTML5 Audio and Video, before it hunkers down on the real new technologies in HTML5, starting with Canvas and going all the way to the Messages, Web Workers and Web Sockets APIs.

Throughout the book, Bruce and Remy do a great job at not just introducing the new technologies, but informing you exactly of what does and doesn't work in which browsers. Even the latest releases of browsers have some glaring bugs here and there, but where fixes are available, they are presented, and where not, workarounds explained. As a result, Introducing HTML5 is a tremendously practical book, going well beyond a surface-level introduction and straight-up teaching you how to wield these new technologies today.

One thing I am personally very happy about is how the book teaches you how to implement things in an accessible way (via ARIA or otherwise), making sure that visitors to your sites aren't left out. HTML5 is exciting, but our excitement shouldn't come at the cost of accessibility--and following Bruce and Remy's advice, it won't.

The compact but dense information in Introducing HTML5 means that in just an afternoon or two, you'll find yourself brimming with new knowledge, excitement and ideas for making your websites or web applications richer, more exciting and more powerful. All in all, a highly recommended read.

Great Read -- never dry!, August 31, 2010
Rarely is it a joy to read a tech book. Yes, the information you glean may be a wonderful, if it helps you increase your skills, but the book itself can be fairly mundane. This book blows that mold apart. I found myself chuckling my way through it, looking forward to the next little wise-crack. And lest you think it's a couple good writers without a lot of knowledge--think again. The information is top shelf as Bruce and Remy have been involved with the development of HTML5 and absolutely know their stuff.

Read it cover to cover or skip around in the chapters as a reference--it's well laid out, logical and highly informative. They don't mince words about what works and doesn't right now. As a front-end developer myself, I'm extremely into the practical--what can I implement in my work now--what needs to wait? This book has enough pages to really give you a feel for this evolution of HTML as well as some of the new APIs that will soon be at your fingertips.

As to the previous people removing a star for the book's printing problem--while I get what you're saying, it's a shame to make this book seem like any less than 5 stars. It's about the information. I got one of the messy books (they've been reprinted now) and to be honest, my books look like that in no time anyway--well the good ones that I dog ear anyway. ;) It's a shame the printer flubbed the first run since anything other than a 5 star average for this book is just wrong (many won't read the reasons and will just look at the overall average).

Regardless of the initial issues, this book is a must have in the library of anyone that is keeping their eye on the future of our craft and wanting to stay ahead of the masses.

Learning technical stuff need not be dry/dull. With this, it isn't, August 31, 2010
It seems that one way of making sure your web site is ultra cool and can do anything you ever wanted it to with no browser problems whatsoever is to use HTML5. Or, at least, that's what a rather worryingly high number of publications and web sites might have you believe. The reality is somewhat different, though. HTML is an evolution, not a revolution, and while it attempts to standardise a number of practices that developers have been using over many years, it won't necessarily fix existing problems. Actually, using some HTML5 will introduce fresh problems if you don't apply it right. What you need, then, is a book that takes a pragmatic approach, doesn't sell it as a cure-all fix, identifies the nasties and even sticks its neck out when it feels that the HTML5 spec has got it wrong. I say 'it' but of course, this is a book written by real people, in this case Bruce Lawson and Remy Sharp. Both have been very much involved with the development of HTML5 and its related technologies, and there are few people who I'd trust more to give you the real picture.

I began reading the book with the full intention of zipping straight through but found myself repeatedly putting it to one side while muttering to myself "I can implement that now, shouldn't take long". This is a good thing - none of your 'cloud cuckoo land' thinking here, just sensible advice and examples that you, as a web developer, can implement now or at least be starting to experiment with.

Technical books are not always the most enjoyable of reads. It may be a clich� that techies can sometimes be a bit weak in the area of easy-to-understand communication (and, some might argue, personal grooming) but this is not an accusation that you could level at Bruce or Remy. Reading this book is educational but also fun. You can just tell that the two of them had a few laughs while writing their respective chapters and also seeing which colloquial phrases (with dubious double meanings) they could sneak past the editors (the answer to this is 'quite a lot'; I won't reveal them, you can find them for yourself!). If you find sitting in a seminar room with amphitheatre style seating, learning from a stuffy professor (possibly bearded, maybe wearing tweed blazer) a bit difficult, perhaps you'd prefer a straight talk down the pub with a couple of guys who really know their stuff and will enthusiastically explain it to you as long as the bar remains open, then this is the book for you.

Interesting, informative, descriptive, explanatory and amusing, September 18, 2010
If I was to describe this book in five words, the review title says it all.

As an early (but not as early as Bruce or Remy) adopter of HTML5, I know a fair bit about the subject matter but after reading this book I realised how much I didn't know. As well as talking about the well known new features of HTML5 such as video, audio, canvas and forms, Bruce and Remy also delve into such diverse topics as ARIA (for accessibility), data storage, offline applications, the (nasty) drag and drop API and even the geolocation API (even though it's not strictly part of HTML5).

The book is littered with clear explanations and well written, amusing, sometimes weird, coding examples. There is no glossing over the fact that HTML5 is far from perfect, and that the HTML5 specification itself isn't finalised and therefore subject to change but the authors do a great job of keeping the content interesting and fresh.

It's a refreshing and honest approach to a technical book and one I highly recommend to web developers either new to the world of HTML5 or wanting to find out more.

4 star content, 1 start printing/production, August 17, 2010
Great intro to HTML5. If you are new to web design, this isn't the book for you. But, if you want more than just a cursory introduction to HTML5, with good examples and plenty of links to further info on the web, this book is for you. Previous reviews cover the details quite well. Content is a solid 4 stars, bordering on 5.

My complaint is with the printing. As noted, it's horrible. I've looked at three copies of this book now, from three different sources. All have matte surfaces that haven't been applied well--they peel off and/or smear off if they get just a little wet. Interior color is brown and orange, but the difference between the two colors is so subtle that it's hard to tell them apart unless you view in plenty of light. This is bad because there are times the color of the text is used to indicate changes from one code example to another. Registration for the "color" printing is horribly off. More than half the color text is blurry. And again, this affects the code examples throughout the book.

In short, production values ruin what is otherwise a terrific HTML5 primer.

Good overview, October 27, 2010
This book provides a good overview of the newer technologies of HTML 5. There are parts that are glossed over where I would have appreciated the ability to see the javascript code that was being discussed. It almost seemed like he didn't want to give up his secret code that he'd slaved over.

I'm an experienced HTML developer and a mediocre javascript, so the more javascript examples there are, the better for me. If you want to keep up with the latest trends but don't need a reference book, this would be a good option. The authors seemed to place a priority on accessibility concerns, while this is laudable, I believe some of that space could have been used for more code or depth.

HTML5, the messy truth, October 4, 2010
This excellent book, damn well written, clearly presents the messy complexities of the shift into HTML5. The authors not only walk you through hands-on examples to teach you to get an HTML5 site up and running immediately, but also take the time to discuss the rationale, the historical context, the odd nonsense, and the potentially necessary work-arounds behind them. Read it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A review on the book -- not on Mandelbrot, August 25, 2002
Mandelbrot is the person who introduced the fractal theory to the world in its present form. Many fields of science including geophysics have gained from fractals. However, this is not the book one should read to gain knowledge on the subject.

It is not an easily readable book. 1. It is not well-organized 2. It does not cover necessary things in detail 3. Frustratingly long in some parts. Instead the books: Feder, Fractals; Turcotte, Fractals and Chaos in Geology and Geophysics can be recommended.

Fractal geometry may be interesting as a historical book, after one gains a sufficient knowledge on fractals.

beauty does not equate to depth or thoroughness, February 27, 2000
Mandelbrot's update of his classic work is certainly eye-catching. However, just like its forerunner, it fails to answer the simplest questions, including, "How do I calculate the fractal dimension of this curve?" and "How can I manage to plot the Julia set for myself?" The answers to such questions have to be gleaned by the intelligent--and mathematically sophisticated--reader for himself. (One sees this phenomenon all the time in "advanced" mathematics books. It means that either [a] the author has his head stuck in the clouds and expects the reader to use divination, or [b] he prefers to keep his readers ignorant.) For a much more practical and rewarding discussion, read "The Science of Fractal Images" edited by Peitgen and Saupe. The math is clear; the algorithms are plainly stated for the PC enthusiast with some simple programming skills; and the color plates are astounding.

A seminal work, September 7, 2005
Very few books have so many quotes as this one. I am not sure if there is much left to be said, but I know this. For those professionals who still think that fractals are "spurious solutions coming from the discretization of differential equations", should take a closer look to this book. Not only won't harm, but also will show many interesting features about the nature of fractals and the "fractality" of nature, besides the fact that many of them come from *difference* equations, which are not necessarily related to the discretization of a differential equation. This book is based on serious work from many well-reputed mathematicians before Mandelbrot, e.g., Haussdorff, Lyapunov and some others. Although the book does talk about the mathematics behind fractals (wouldn't be so much a book of mathematics if it didn't, but also a philosophical one) and the necessity of coining some new mathematical terms, it also contains so much about history of mathematics, the path that leads towards fractals. As I said, the book is many times quoted, but (without trying to point a firing, accusing finger), there is a difference in quoting a book because it is famous, and another actually reading it, and having enlightenment for our own sake. Certainly I think is a "must-have-it" for most mathematicians, for many physicists, philosophers of science and engineers, but also it wouldn't be a bad guest in the library of any layman, provided the layman overcomes for some minutes the initial "classical" fear to mathematics. I would say this layman won't regret it at all. Mandelbrot does explain most of the concepts practically "ab initio", from the very scratch, including etymology and history as I previously said. One little thing against this book though: it doesn't have so many color plates as some other books on the subject, but it does have all the needed graphics to grasp the concepts.

A dated but still fascinating book, August 26, 2002
This was the book that first caught my attention. It was the cover diagram: a figure the like of which I had never seen. One thing led to another until I finally wrote my own application of fractals, Fractals in Music.

Mandelbrot is an odd character, but a superb thinker. His book does not offer a lot of science, but rather a compelling view of how this fascinating and growing topic developed. I recommend it highly.

The premiere primer on the subject of fractal geometry., July 31, 1998
This tome is the immortal classic that introduces fractals to the layman and scholar alike. The mechanics and beauty of fractals are presented in a very readable manner that is sure to pique the interest of anyone seeking a deterministic, yet almost supernaturally pervasive paradigm of the structure of the universe. This book fundamentally affected my personal outlook on nature irrecovably. I would advise leaving it on the coffee table for your children to examine.

This book started it all, June 14, 1998
This book is by far the very root by which chaos and the interrelations with that of nature came into existance. Mandelbrot describes chaos and dynamical systems as applied in the real world, and how fractals do appear in nature. Mandelbrot gets an A+.

How We Mandel, October 14, 2009
This book is the latest version of a book the famous Benoit Mandelbrot wrote back in the mid-1970s, in which he coined the term "fractal". The subsequent version was released around 1980 and had, among other pictures, a black blotchy image on a white background which he called "the �-map". Then some joker started calling it "The Mandelbrot Set" and he had to change the book again.

It is true that this is not the best-written book on fractal geometry. However, for a time it was the ONLY book on fractal geometry, and as such has incredible historic value. Imagine in ancient Greece where people had to borrow one of Euclid's latest scrolls to read about things found in no other work.

Personally, this book has taught me only a few things. I had already learned about fractals from articles in 1980s issues of Scientific American, and computer programs in Compute! magazine.

Many black-and-white images suffuse this tome, though there are some color plates which are by no means as complex as today's fractallographies, but will serve as an introduction to the genre.

The only Mandelbrot Set image is the blotchy one mentioned earlier. That's because Dr. Mandelbrot, though he discovered the set, wasn't the first to color the complement, and it was Heinz-Otto Peitgen's 1984 book "The Beauty of Fractals" that has the first color Mandelbrot pictures.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for a glimpse into history, and the uninitiated may learn something as well; though I wouldn't demand that much of it.

A fractal is by definition, October 10, 2009
A set for which the Hausdorff Besicovitch dimension strictly exceeds the topological dimension.

The definition of a fractal pretty much sets the tone for the book. There are mostly definitions and monochrome diagrams to explain the more classical fractals. The book does shows some practical geometric uses for fractals but I would not let it get anywhere near my Koch Curve.

I am not being kind to this book as there is a color section in the center. That shows "The Great Wave" by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-12849.) And an extensive reference section.

The book its self could easily be used as a text book for school.

Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension (Blu-ray) [Blu-ray]

An Eye For Fractals: A Graphic And Photographic Essay (Studies in Nonlinearity)

Not as good as I expected, August 24, 2000
After having studied fractals in school and reading numerous books on chaos and fractals on my own, I figured that Mandelbrot's book would be the pinnacle, surpassing everybody else's interpretations and getting the information "straight from the horse's mouth". I was wrong. Mandelbrot, while he may be a brilliant mathematician, has not quite mastered the English language. The topics that he speaks of in this book are basic, not exactly what you would expect from the leader in his field. He doesn't even go into real specifics, or not the specifics that I wanted to see going into this book. In fact, I didn't even bother finishing it. There was nothing new, no powerful insights that other books may have missed. Mandelbrot, it seems is much better at mathematics then at writing. My suggestion is to buy a different book on the subject.

It's OK but...., June 4, 2008
Beno�t Mandelbrot is unquestionably a great savant but he should have taken some lessons on how to write books.

There is an intense feeling of disappointment after reading this book and it is hard to pinpoint why. It's all there: nature in a wondrous new light. An original work which almost singlehandedly (well... almost) spawned a new field, a field which is not only beautiful but immensely useful as well. The discourse is not too complicated and it is not simplistic pap-science either. Yet there is something missing, a passion or what some might call 'heart'.

When I pick up a book about fractals, even when it is a highly technical work like formal fractal geometry, there is always a certain sense of excitement, of dabbling with a new and beautiful toy. You won't get that feeling with this book.

I still recommend it, in fact I think that it is a must-have if you are serious about this topic, but don't expect too much excitement. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Wish I had this book when I first started Javascript, June 27, 2008
Do you struggle when creating objects in Javascript?
Do you find the syntax to be non-intuitive and frustrating?
Do you know the difference between using a function as an object vs using an object literal?
Do you know how using object literals can simplify your code and create something similar to namespaces?
Do you know how to augment the type system -- for example, if wanted all strings to have a trim() method?
Do you know why the "new" statement is so dangerous? Do you know an alternative that eliminates the use of "new" entirely?

These are some of the topics that the book touches upon.

This book is aimed at someone with intermediate programming experience that wants to know the best way to create and use objects, arrays, types, etc. Crockford takes his experience with Javascript to show you best practices coding techniques and styles to use with Javascript. In addition, the book provides insights into what makes Javascript so confusing and what can be done about it.

You might ask "Isn't this stuff already covered in other books that I have?" The answer is no. For one, most other books use a psuedo-classical coding style (see below) to explain objects that is a source of confusion.

Javascript can be very confusing, especially for programmers who have extensive experience in other C-based languages (like myself). Writing good Javascript that uses objects, methods, etc. is hard. In Javascript, if you want to create objects, use inheritance and create methods, you have several different ways to write your code and it's difficult to know what the strengths and weaknesses of each are.

Crockford explains the problem plainly. Other C-based languages use class inheritance (Crockford calls this classical inheritance). Javascript, on the other hand, is the only popular language that uses prototype inheritance, which does not have classes. However, the syntax which Javascript uses to create object is Java-like (Crockford calls this pseudo-classical syntax). It's confusing, because it keeps you in a class-based frame of mind while working in a language that has no concept of classes.

Clarifying what's going on with the object model is the best part of this book. Crockford also explains other parts of Javascript that can be problematic and the techniques that he prefers for handling them. I don't necessarily agree with all of them, but the important thing is that he explains his reasoning.

To effectively learn Javascript, I recommend that you buy 1) a book that covers the details of the language and can be used as a reference (e.g. Javascript, the Definitive Guide) and 2) Crockford's book. Advanced programmers might also enjoy Pro Javascript Design Patterns, which shows a number of ways to combine Javascript with some of the GoF patterns. I would avoid any cookbook style books on Javascript, because you're better off using YUI, JQuery or one of the other Javascript libraries than writing your own drag-and-drops, calendars, etc.

There are a series of Yahoo! videos by Crockford that mirror the material in this book and can be found as podcasts under YUI Theater. They contain nearly all of the material in the book and probably a little more. Those videos are:

- Douglas Crockford/An Inconvenient API: The Theory of the DOM (3 parts)
- Douglas Crockford/The JavaScript Programming Language (4 parts)
- Douglas Crockford/Advanced JavaScript (3 parts)
- Douglas Crockford/Javascript The Good Parts

Beautiful book, May 16, 2008
This is a beautiful book.

First of all - at only 170 pages it is short. Even though some of the key points are repeated through the book it's dense with information. You don't need any JavaScript experience, but it's not a "beginning programming" book so if you haven't been programming before this is not the right book for you.

Reading this book a couple of times will give you an appreciation for the JavaScript language that you almost certainly didn't have before. It'll give you tools to write better programs that you and others will actually be able to maintain over time.

I've learned lots of little things that I maybe knew from experience, but now I _know_ and I know why.

This book will help you battle with JavaScript rather than against it.

Serious JavaScript programming requires strong discipline, June 16, 2008
Serious JavaScript programming requires strong discipline to avoid many pitfalls that are somewhat encouraged by the language itself. The author is very aware of this problem and wrote a small, but very dense book, full of useful advices that comes from somebody who has doing sophisticated JavaScript programming for a long time. Crockford is very opinionated, and I don't always agree 100% with his suggestions, nevertheless, even whenever I disagree, I find his points are worth reading, his opinion is always valuable. This book would serve well both veteran JavaScript developers and programmers that, coming from different languages, may get lost among JavaScript's idiosyncrasies.

JavaScript: The Pretty Good Book, June 14, 2008
I'm not sure what I thought this book would be; I guess I assumed it would be along the lines of "C Traps and Pitfalls". At times, however, it seems almost more like an essay.

Certainly, parts of the book are worth five stars. I was especially pleased to see the author's treatment of how null, undefined, and NaN all relate to one another in unexpected ways -- something that has puzzled me in the past. It was also good to see a list of the reserved keywords, some of which I didn't know before, and concrete examples of the dangers of == and != versus === and !==.

An unexpected treat was to read his discussions on the technical aspects and slowness of arrays, bitwise operators, and "with" statements in JavaScript, and the origins of "switch" in FORTRAN IV, and JavaScript's similarity to Lisp, despite its outward resemblance to C.

It was also bemusing to see his example of "flight.equipment && flight.equipment.model" on page 21, as I also learned that same lesson while working on a flight-related application.

Yet, for the head Javascript guy at Yahoo, it seems that a few things are missing. For example, while he does say on page 80 that slice() creates a shallow copy of an array, he does not make it explicitly clear that array2 = array1 will effectively create a pointer, i.e., a copy by reference. To make a truly independent copy of an array, one needs array2 = array1.slice() (no arguments necessary). This caused me a day of frustration when I first learned it.

And was it not Yahoo themselves that determined that scripts should come at the end of a web page to improve load speed? Why is that not in here?

We also have nothing about compression techniques.

On the web, for free, one can read Andy King's superb 2003 article on "Optimizing JavaScript For Execution Speed". And most of the discussion on objects can be learned much more succinctly and with better examples from MDC's "Core JavaScript 1.5 Guide".

One can learn a lot about download optimization from Dean Edwards.

Chapter 4 (Functions) was good; Chapter 2 (Grammar) did nothing for me.

I was also a little disappointed with Appendix B, "The Bad Parts". Most of this dealt with undisciplined programming as opposed to flaws with the language itself. E.g., "switch" statement fall-throughs are bad. Are they? If one of your people creates an unintentional fall-through, then deal with him; don't blame the language. Does Crockford also believe that firearms should be banned because of the potential of misuse, even though they have a valid purpose? How about steak knives? This is kind of like Edsger W. Dijkstra telling us that we can never use GOTO, even though it does have its place.

Further, I've used "continue" statements effectively, albeit not so often. Maybe I'm a bad programmer?

And then, he advises against autoincrements!! (++)

Regarding style, the book is definitely filled with the usual O'Reilly collegiate pompousness that's often good, sometimes not-so-good.

In summary, there are some good parts, but as a whole this is yet another pricey programming book from which I only needed 10 pages.

If you're at the plateau of understanding that it's actually the DOM that's slow and inefficient, and that Javascript is only guilty by association, and that it's actually an elegant little language, then there's probably something in this book for you.

Approachable, no non-sense, thrilling to read, an excellent reference, proof that great books don't have to be huge, June 7, 2008
Weighing in at 140+ pages of content, this book cuts through the obscurities, pleasantries, and filler found in most technical books. Instead, this book dives straight into the heart of the JavaScript language. It presents the clearest comprehensive explanation of what makes JavaScript a great programming language that I've encountered to date. It nails the important concepts, like JavaScript's: object oriented nature, its classless (pseudoclassical) nature, and functional nature. While covering the fundamentals like JavaScript's: functions, lexical scoping, lambdas, prototypal inheritance, and functional inheritance.

This book's size makes it approachable for all audiences, its style is terse and concise. This book has the potential to do for JavaScript, what Richie's inspirational classic the C Programming Language did for the C language.

JavaScript is the programming language of the web (AJAX), and this book will guide you through the good parts of this often misunderstood language - while this book is an excellent reference, it is not intended to replace JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, you'll do best to have both these books on hand.

If you enjoyed (or are considering) this book then you may want to hear more of what Douglas Crockford has to say, check out his great JavaScript video series on the YUI Theater.

A Great JavaScript Book for Everybody, July 7, 2008
This is the first book by Douglas Crockford a Senior Software Archtitect at Yahoo. He is widely known as one of the most knowledgeable on JavaScript apart from the creater of JavaScript (Brendan Eich). Douglas Crockford is the creator of JSON and has written many articles and presentations on JavaScript-related topics in web development.

His book JavaScript: the Good Parts, is a short (145 pages including Appendix) but is very useful for the person who wants to expand his/her JavaScript skills and knowledge. It reviews the basics of the language in the first two chapters and then focus on intermediate and advanced topics such as objects, inheritance, arrays, and methods.

The appendix categorizes the "bad" parts of JavaScript that are not good programming syntax and should be avoided such as global variables, scope, eval function, with statement, undefined variables and so forth.

I really like how Douglas Crockford gives you everything you need in this book that is relevant to how modern developers using JavaScript program and helping you understand it easily and quickly. No long-winded explanations or extra "filler" just to make the book longer. He is right to the point and explains it in a coherent, understandable way no matter what your "technical" level is.

This is a very useful book for the client-side developer who wants either a great reference book or somebody who wants to take their skills to the next level using JavaScript.

A must buy!

Essential Read For Javascript Developers, June 19, 2008
'JavaScript: The Good Parts' is a beautiful book that is a must-buy for all Javascript developers out there. Written with brevity clearly in mind (total is only a scant 150+ pages), this book will teach you how to become a BETTER Javascript developer and know why you want to do some things one way and avoid the pitfalls of doing things the WRONG way.

This book is all about efficiency and cleanliness. Written by one of the main developers of JSON, this book is organized smartly and craftfully. I love the fact that there isn't bloat and it's very easy to get through this book in no time at all. Does that mean you aren't getting your money's worth with this book??? HELLS NO!!

If you want to improve your Javascript developing skillset you owe it to yourself to pick up this book, it's one of the best books on the market in this subject matter.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Second best book on JavaScript, October 26, 2008
This is an excellent book, as it concisely illustrates a number of details that would be impossible to find in other books. Moderate/advanced JavaScript programmers will gain the most from this book, it is not particularly geared towards the beginner.

The book has a very specific focus, so do not be deceived into thinking this book covers the entire language. For information like that, Flanagan's JavaScript The Definitive Guide will be better. This book, however, is an excellent discussion of the important features of the language. Highly recommended.

Excellent way to become fluent in Javascript., October 10, 2008
I decided to pick up this book because I had been using Javascript for years as a "garnish" on top of my web development, but usually only in the form of a few hacked-together utility functions and edited scripts. In truth, I was afraid of the language - it appeared to be a very inconsistent, buggy system that took arcane knowledge to master across browsers. After starting to work with a number of JS frameworks, I knew I needed to confront the language and learn it properly.

This book is possibly one of the best technical/programming related books I have had the pleasure of reading. It doesn't try to be a massive encyclopedic volume like most of my other technical books, so I didn't have to devote countless hours and days pushing through lengthy filler. Every section contains brief information about the most critical parts of Javascript you need to begin coding what you need right away in a tidy object-oriented fashion. If you have experience with any other C-based language and understand general OOP concepts, this book will make you fluent in Javascript with the least amount of time and effort on your part!

The book itself has its good and bad parts, August 24, 2008
I bought this book after reading a lot of articles by Douglas Crockford. While the book has very interesting parts and explain in depth things that you take for granted it also has some non-interesting (chapter 8: around 15 pages of "standard methods in standard types" including string.charAt, string.concat, and a lot more).

While I liked the book, I think it was 'filled' with this juiceless chapter because it was already too short (around 145 pages).

I think reading Douglas online is a better deal! See: http://www.crockford.com/ ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

The ultimate guide on HOW to animate, February 19, 2002
Any animator looking for a book to help them improve their craft knows that most books on animation usually fall short in so many ways, it's easy to think it's impossible to write a comprehensive and accurate book on the subject (don't even get me started about the abysmal state of computer character animation books). Williams is the penultimate animator's animator and he tells it like it is. Williams systematically demystifies virtually every aspect of animation from simple walk cycles, to breaking joints to dialogue and acting. Along the way, he corrects or eliminates information that is inaccurate or practices that distract (lose the headphones and the rad tunes when you work and watch your quality and quantity improve). Williams also is a great storyteller and writer. His accounts with Milt Kahl, Art Babbit and Ken Harris are gems, giving real insight into the personalities of these ingenious men. Since so much of the book is gleaned from his tutaluge under the now-gone "greats" of animation, any price for this tome is a steal. His gift to the world is this book.

If you want learn to REALLY animate characters with life and believability, get this book.

A Legendary Animator Tells it Like It Is, January 3, 2002
Richard Williams is a man who is largely responsible for the revival of the art of animation in the early 1970s. Williams had Disney animator Art Babbitt and Warner great Ken Harris working in his studio in London and training a new generation of animators in the techniques of good character animation, which was not taught at the time in any school or considered an art form.

Williams' long awaited book on animation technique is the logical successor to Preston Blair's CARTOON ANIMATION and it successfully updates some of the weaknesses of that book, particularly in handling dialogue animation. He covers a lot of the same ground that Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston did in their now out-of-print THE ILLUSION OF LIFE.

There is some history, but that's available in other books. What is unique about this book is that Williams writes how surprised he, an Academy Award winning animator with a successful professional studio, was to learn that he needed to learn just about everything over again from Harris and Babbitt. Fortunately for us he is now sharing these priceless lessons with the public.

The most important thing that an aspiring animator will get from this book is: that animation IS an art form, and good animation has nothing to do with whether it is done on computer or on paper. Williams exhorts his readers to 'draw whenever possible' and even though there is a computer modelled figure on the cover of the book, there is not a single piece of computer generated imagery in it. The book is about the bare bones, about creating life in art. Animation is the twentieth century's contribution to world art and deserves to be taken very seriously.

Buy this book.

Must read for animators trying to reach the next level, April 10, 2002
I have been a computer animator for 4 years, with a focus on character animation for 1 year. I have been searching for information that will get my work closer to ILM/Pixar quality, and this book has advanced my skills a generation ahead, bringing me much closer to my goal. Richard Williams breaks down all sorts of different walks (maybe a hundred?), runs and motions that imply weight, which is essential for a complete animator. He also gives suggested timings for different types of motions, so you have a starting point for a certain action... you don't have to reinvent the wheel. He has a straightforward style of animating that really improved my workflow, as well. As I act out the motions of a character I want to move a certain way, using Williams's techniques I can now breakdown the important parts of the motion with much more accuracy and efficiency. I read this book while working on a project, and the quality of my shots went up exponentially with every page I read. I now have tons of confidence in my abilities, I can animate better and quicker, and I have an added level of life in my characters that was lacking before. For me, this was a must read. I thank Richard Williams profusely for writing this book, and I recommend it to everybody that wants to animate characters.

My "Second Year" of school., February 26, 2002
I'm a graduate of a one year animation certificate program in classical animation. In many ways, this book covers a lot of the ground of Preson Blair's classic bible "Cartoon Animation", as well as Tony White's excellent "Animator's Handbook". However, it also deals with practical examples to extend the lessons from these initial books. The whole section on 'walks' has lessons on acting, character and animation that deal with all areas of acting in animation, not simply walk cycles.

It's also more practical than the Illusion of Life, in that it has a logical progression of lessons and enough custom illustrations to more precicely demonstrate these points. In many ways, It's the intermediate book between the intellectual aspects of the Illusion of Life, and the basic principals of Cartoon Animation.

For me, this was like a second year of school: I had learned all the concepts and basic principals I needed in that first year of school using Tony White and Preson Blair. Richard William's book expanded on those concepts, and has already started to improve my work in the first two months of receiving it. I highly recommend this book to any animation students out there, as well as graduates looking to increase their skills.

I've never written a review before but this book demands it, August 18, 2005
Okay so I read lots of reviews before I buy anything seldom do I come back and review them but I felt compelled to do it for this book. I'm an animation student and I have to say that I can't believe I took so long to buy this book. If you only ever buy one animation (if you're an animator and you only buy one book on the subject there's something horribly wrong) BUY THIS BOOK. This book speaks in a language visual people can understand. My favourite thing about the book is that near the end Richard abandons typed text and everything becomes handwritten notes clustered around drawings. It's really a beautiful book it makes you want to run over to your lightbox or whatever your preffered media is (mine is clay, but this book makes you appreciate drawn animators alot) and animate. I read it whenever I'm feeling uninspired it reminds me why I'm studying this beautiful artform. Buy now. Or at least add it to your wishlist so even if you have no money of your own (like me) someone might buy it for you (like me - thanks dad). Oh as some other reviews say this is a character animation book but if you're doing anykind of animation you should give it character traits emotions etc unless you're doing flying logos and spaceships (flying logos can benifit from some character too I'm sure, if you're being paid to animate you should have at least read this book in the library preferably you should own it). Anyway must get back to work now. Procrastination, like motion capture, is the devil.

Entering the mind of a genius, May 1, 2003
This book is at the level of importance as that of Thomas and Johnston's "Disney Animation: Illusion of Life" and Preston Blairs how to books. An animator's only excuse for not buying it would be bankruptcy. When it first arrived I opened it expecting a decent number of illustrations, but was overwhelmed with what I found. The wealth of knowledge he passes along not just in text but primarily in examples has never been matched. Although I've never been able to attend Mr William's animation seminars now I feel like I have. See more stunning artwork demonstrating his theories than you ever imagined. Richard Williams will have to live to be 150 to accumulate enough info to come out with a sequel to this treasure, and I hope he does for our sake.

10 STARS AND THEN SOME!!, February 12, 2002
If you happen to be a character animator that spends time at lunch talking about the principles of animation that are presented in 'The Illusion of Life' or perhaps you animate quadrapeds with the Preston Blair book open, then you definitely want to get this Survival Kit. I opened the book a week ago and started reading and by the end of the day I was a couple hundred pages deep. I opened up a walk cycle I'd created a week earlier and started toying around with the passing poses and the next thing you know I have a 'sad' walk....and then a 'proud' walk...and then a 'lazy' walk. This book has enabled me to animate quicker and also more effectively. The simple 'Recipe' style of creating walks with 'Vitality' is a tremendous guide.

I'm still not finished with the book because I've started going back over the walk and run sections while applying the lessons to animations that I have up on my computer. I'm convinced that applying the principles and methods described in this goldmine of a book will undoubtedly make anyone a better animator. I have friends in Film, Television, and Games and without exception this book is quickly becoming the talk among those in the animation industry.

If "The Illusion of Life" is the animators Bible, then "The Animator's Survival Kit" is the New Testament of what was once a forerunner to this remarkable book.

are you prepared to be a total animator?, July 13, 2006
This book fleshes out the process of traditional (pre-computer) animation more than the Preston Blair book which I had purchased earlier. If you found that book useful, this one will be even more helpful in understanding overall workflow.

A prerequisite for this book would be good fundamentals at sketching humanoids and understanding volume, especially with figures. Just a warning -- until you are able to draw shapes consistently, you will be stuck on the first few pages.

Williams' book begins with an overview of moving simple volumes, but quickly dives into the complexity of making figures walk. He spells out similar-but-different nuts-and-bolts approaches to the traditional animation process through the construction of walk cycles, of which there are many examples. I am strictly a beginner, but for the seasoned animator, I expect this book would be a handy reference for walk cycles.

Over the course of the book, Williams touches on virtually all key areas which animators have to deal with including fabric and mouth movements. The author also offers sagely advice from the colleagues he learned from over the years. The text is very readable and makes you feel like you are moving along, learning the business of animation from the inside out.

This edition DOES NOT give detailed explanation of the nuts-and-bolts, tools, or workflow of COMPUTER animation as it is evolving today. HOWEVER, anyone who masters the fundamentals stressed in this book would be prepared for most any style of animation.

This is not a book to give you quick-and-dirty shortcuts. The examples progress in a direction to build you into a total animator. I found the examples to be very clear upon studying and practicing them. The forms begin simple and gain complexity throughout. For someone who is very serious about the CRAFT of animation, I would recommend this book.

MUST HAVE BOOK FOR STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS, January 24, 2002
This is the book I was planning on creating but Richard Williams beat me to the punch. I am a pro animator and animation instructor (teaching At The Center For Character Animation in Levittown, NY) and I highly recommend this book; a wonderful informative bible of animation information from one of the very best in the business. I have made this A mandatory book for all our students.
Basically, there are thousands of dollars worth of information crammed into this under 300+ page book. To the point, clear and concise, this gem is terrific for Cartoon animators and a definite necessity for computer animators. Mr. Williams book is The MUST HAVE out of all the other animation books on the marketplace. Read it from cover to cover, then read it again and again. A+++++++

Best Textbook Ever, January 30, 2007
I've been in college for a while and when my first animation teacher assigned this book, I realized it's the only textbook in my entire life that I'll keep forever. And re-read. And re-read again.

It's thorough, easy to read, and has a really good sense of humor.

I'd daresay this book is mandatory for *anyone* who wants to animate in 2d and 3d (I do both) at *any* skill level from novice to master. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Now in the 4th edition, Cracking the Coding Interview gives you the interview preparation you need to get the top software developer jobs. This book provides:

* 150 Programming Interview Questions and Solutions: From binary trees to binary search, this list of 150 questions includes the most common and most useful questions in data structures, algorithms, and knowledge based questions.

* Ten Mistakes Candidates Make -- And How to Avoid Them: Don't lose your dream job by making these common mistakes.� Learn what many candidates do wrong, and how to avoid these issues.

* Steps to Prepare for Behavioral and Technical Questions: Stop meandering through an endless set of questions, while missing some of the most important preparation techniques.� Follow these steps to more thoroughly prepare in less time.

* Interview War Stories: A View from the Interviewer's Side: Humorous but instructive stories from our interviewers show you how some candidates really flopped on the most important question - and how you can avoid doing the same. ... Read more

Reviews

If you're going to interview with the top SW companies...get this book...NOW!, October 3, 2010
Getting into one of the top companies in the software industry, is not normally an easy task. There are certain things they're looking for and if you don't know what they are and how to prepare, you'll most likely get the dreaded "Thank You" email or phone call.

This book will prepare you for what to expect from companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Yahoo and Apple. Then it will give you the tools to solve the problems that they will throw at you during an interview. Follow the instructions, and you'll have a chance to stay in the hunt. Try to memorize answers and you'll be eaten alive.

Get a whiteboard, practice the problems without looking at the answers until you're done. Don't use your IDE to help you and learn to think through problems without knowing the answer in advance.

This book helped me get into Microsoft.

Good luck!

Cover Theory along with Questions, October 27, 2010
This is a great book regardless you plan to go for an interview or not. Every chapter of the book starts with basic theory which will allow the reader to wake up the brain before going for the questions. Each chapter has great interview questions and answers are very well explained. Not only that some questions are given with two answers where the second answer is optimized version of the code. Also first chapter of this book has very good information about the nature of the big software companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft. I highly recommend this book regardless you prepare for an interview or not. Cracking the Coding Interview, Fourth Edition: 150 Programming Interview Questions and Solutions

Practice makes perfect, May 10, 2010
My background: worked as a software developer for 5 years before changing companies and I needed to freshen up my interview skills. Having conducted dev interviews before, I wanted to be as prepared as possible.

I used this book as a practice guide for my interviews with Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Got offered to two of the companies through practicing the questions in this book over and over again. I was only caught off guard by one or two questions during my interviews through at least 15 interview loops. Most of the interview questions at the above companies follow the same two dozen or so coding patterns and the questions in this book thoroughly covers them. Learn the coding patterns from this book and you won't be surprised or nervous during your loops. I tried not to act too surprised when 1/5 of the questions from my interviews were straight from the book.

Excellent resource for interviewing, May 9, 2010
Even rock star coders need to prepare for coding interviews, and this book is THE way to do that. The author has interviewed with virtually every tech company out there, worked for what are (in my opinion) the three coolest tech companies (Google, Microsoft and Apple), and spent three years as an interviewer for Google. According to her bio, she interviewed for 120 people at Google alone!

The book covers every aspect of the interview process: creating a good resume, preparing for both behavioral and technical questions, coming up with good algorithms during the interviews, how to write good interview code, mistakes to avoid, etc. The advice is very concrete, applicable and useful. I can definitely say that it made a huge difference in my interview process (and my subsequent job offers).

In addition to all that stuff, the book offers 150 programming interview questions (and answers), from the most common basic questions, to advanced algorithm questions. And, though I don't encourage trying to memorize interview questions, I have actually been asked several of these questions while interviewing with Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc.

Regardless of how much interviewing experience you have, this book will make you perform substantially better. I found myself more easily able to think through problems, and less likely to make mistakes.

I would recommend that any interviewee prep with this book.

Still have many errors even in 4th edition, September 23, 2010
In general this is a good book to cover technical interview questions and some very useful tips for how to prepare and act for the on-site interview on technical questions. However, there are still several obvious errors in the books, especially codes and some formulas. For example,

in page 47 Question: What is the running time of this code?
The two sample codes are exactly the same and the first one should be something not using StringBuffer().

And in page 258, in the middle paragraph
Time_Stamp(P2_1) - Time_Stamp(P2_N)
should be
Time_Stamp(P2_1) - Time_Stamp(P1_N)

Hope this error can be identified by readers and they can still get the job.

Must Buy, May 9, 2010
Though I personally have mixed feelings on the value of so-called "coding interviews," the harsh reality is that all the top companies ask programmers to code on the spot. If you're a software engineer, you're almost sure to face this type of interview - and this book is basically required reading for it. DO NOT walk into one of those interviews without reading this book first.

Excellent Prep Book, August 24, 2010
I have a fairly strong CS background (BSE & MSE in Computer Science from a top school), but I still learned a ton from this book. Note that this book is not intended to teach you the basics of CS - there are plenty of other places you can learn that stuff from - it teaches you how to interview well (from a CS perspective).

The author has deep experience with interviewing from a variety of companies, and it shows. She offers a good overview of the process at Microsoft, Apple, Google, Yahoo and Amazon, and mentions what each company tends to focus on.

She then goes on to talk about how to do well on coding problems, and gives a few ways to handle algorithm problems. If you feel like you're grappling in the dark when you get an algorithm problem, these will be really useful for you.

The rest of the book discusses a bunch of different types of problems, how to approach them, and give a bunch of sample questions and answers.

Personally I got a ton out of this book.

Well worth it, May 11, 2010
This book is a must have for anyone who will be undergoing coding interviews, anyone who will be conducting coding interviews, or anyone who just wants to sharpen their programming skills.

I have found that my interviews go better when I have spent time studying this book. Not only do I feel more calm, but my brain is also warmed up to the type of questions that I will be asked during the interview. More than once I have been asked questions directly out of this book. Even if the question is not directly from the book, it usually follows a pattern presented in the book.

Get this book and get the job.

Best Book for Real Interviews!, May 9, 2010
I purchased a bunch of interview books before my interviews (expensive, yes - but a great investment), and Cracking the Coding Interview was by far the best. A lot of other books are either very outdated and spend the entire time talking about silly brain teasers (not really asked any more), or try to teach ridiculously simple topics (hello? I know what a linked list is!).

This book, on the other hand, gives an extensive array (get it? ok, stupid pun) of advice that every interviewing programmer can use. With its 150 questions, it focuses on questions that are actually being asked in programming jobs, and walks you through the solutions in a clear, comprehensible way.

Inside the book, you can also find a link to download all (or almost all) of the solutions. I found this very handy when I didn't fully understand how to solve it, or when I wanted to experiment with small tweaks. This was a great addition to what was already a fantastic book.

Tips are good but explanation of problem is not good, November 2, 2010
It includes quite useful tip and recommendation for the interview. However, the coding problems are little bit disappointing.
Comparing other coding quiz books, the explanation and quality of problems is lower than others. Especially, it does not use the equation for the mathematical formulas. It prints that like 1/2^2. Common~ I do use superscripts and subscripts for my assignment.
It also includes critical typo in the solution which make me really confuse. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Game Makers Apprentice shows you how to create nine exciting games using the wildly popular Game Maker game creation tool. This book covers a range of genres, including action, adventure, and puzzle games complete with professional quality sound effects and visuals. It discusses game design theory and features practical examples of how this can be applied to making games that are more fun to play.

Game Maker allows games to be created using a simple drag-and-drop interface, so you don't need to have any prior coding experience. It includes an optional programming language for adding advanced features to your games, when you feel ready to do so. You can obtain more information by visiting book.gamemaker.nl.

The authors include the creator of the Game Maker tool and a former professional game programmer, so you'll glean understanding from their expertise. The book also includes a DVD containing Game Maker software and all of the game projects that are created in the bookplus a host of professional-quality graphics and sound effects that you can use in your own games.

Reviews

An excellent book for children interested in programming, March 19, 2007
My 12 year old son got interested in how computers work and especially how computer games get written. Being a software developer myself, I however could not explain him well these topics in a language that would be easily understood by a kid. And I am not a game programming expert, so I simply don't know how this stuff is written.

When I first saw this book, I was not sure if it would be suitable for a kid. But I decided to take a risk, since the book had a lot of illustrations and language did not seem to be very technical. I gave it to my son two days ago, and I can see alredy now that this was an excellent gift: he used all weekend on reading chapters from the book, trying making his first games, calling his parents all the time to show us his achievement. He even found a forum for game development, asked questions, received answers and made improvements in his first programs based on discussion results! And by the way - English is a foreign language for him.

I wish all books for beginners was written in a such entertaining way.

A Must Have for Game Developer Wannabe's!, April 11, 2007
The title should be The Game Maker's Master Teacher! This book is very well written with clear, step by step instructions and visual images for reference. After completing a section, the authors provide a graphic of what your computer screen should look like if you followed directions correctly. My son, 9, and I worked through the first chapter over a 2 day period (about 3 hours total) and created our first game. He was thrilled! He immediately had ideas on how to "tweak" the game to make it even better. The great thing with this book and accompanying software is that you have the freedom to do so! The disc provides many images to use in game development or you can create your own. Each chapter adds new skills and details to make more interesting and complex games. However, even the first game is fun!

I would highly reccommend this book to anyone interested in creating your own video games. It is extremely user friendly and perfect for the beginner. My son is able to read through and understand it on his own, but it's more fun to work on it together. (Also, he was more apt to use the visuals to take him through the process but not read the supporting information along the way!) By the end of the first chapter he understood the process fairly well and was able to remember (more than me!) most of the steps as he started creating his own new game. The only improvement I could see is having a "quick reference" page outlining the major steps. With it's user-friendly format, however, it has been pretty easy to flip back through the chapter for reference.

Game Making Simplicity and Strength at its Best !, July 24, 2006
The Game Maker's Apprentice has to be one of my most eagerly awaited Computer Book purchases for quite sometime. The fabulous presentation and great use of terminology, really makes it a joy to read. Each chapter guides you through gently, in order to achieve more confidence into creating your own game or project. Each page is colourful and the beautiful illustrations brings things to life.

The book is accompanied by a great CD with all of the examples, resources and Game Maker itself, which is really easy to get into. Within no time at all, you'll get used to it's interface and workings. The tutorials start you off with the basics and progressively bring you to the wonderfully powerful Game Maker Language (GML). So not only can you create games using a Drag 'n' Drop interface, you can also use a powerful programming language as well. All of this is included in the unregistered version, but by paying an ever so reasonable registration fee, you unlock the full potential of Game Maker.

I used Game Maker to create my first ever PC game, Bugsy. The Game Maker Forum helped me out when I came across a problem or a bug I couldn't resolve. There a lots of games and projects created with this wonderful program. You will also find many other sites across the Internet that provide helpful advice and tutorials. Not forgetting the official Game Maker site run and hosted by Mark Overmars.

The books co-writer, Jacob Habgood, has made a marvellous job along side Mark, to make this a very interesting book indeed.

You might also be interested to know, that another book covering the Game Maker theme, Basic Game Design and Creation by Namu Swamy is available as well. This also brings you to the Game Maker stable to learn some very easy steps into the basics of game design without it appearing too boring or tiresome.

Your gaming ideas and projects start here !

Excellent resource for learning game oriented programming., August 20, 2006
This book is an excellent resource for learning the fundamentals of game programming and the logic necessary to be successful at it. The book is well written, easy to follow and understand. The tutorials are fun and the games you create, while relatively simple, are quite enjoyable. The 3 or so chapters on game development are also sound and offer some excellent insight into making a good game. The Game Maker software included with the book, with it's built in programming language, is surprisingly powerful and intuitive. Additionally, Game Maker has a very strong on-line presence and has an extremely active forum for asking questions that aren't covered, or are beyond the scope of the book. (And it's all free too!!)

I really can't say enough good things about this book\CD package. The book is well done and the Game Maker software really makes it fun to learn programming, which is soemthing you won't hear often about other "learn-how-to-program" books.

Works Great in my Classes, January 9, 2007
I use this book as a textbook on Game Maker, which is one of the modules in my Advanced Technology class for Middle School Students. It is absolutely perfect for this age group. The CD provides all the necessary support resources so we don't lose time and interest having to build sprites, objects, and rooms. Before I taught the whole class, I gave the book to one of the brighter students. He was able to build the Evil Clutches game working completely independent of the class, having only the book. This confirmed to me that the book can be used by beginners. The book is so well done that all I have to do is facilitate the class and provide help to students who have questions. It also provides the completed games that I show to those students who need to see the completed product to understand the concepts.

Best Of Its Kind, November 27, 2006
There is no question this is the best book available to teach a beginner how to write a computer game. There is not even a close second place. Within minutes, a beginner can start working on writing a game, within hours he will have learned enough to write his own great looking game and within days he can create programs that have a polished look and feel.

Congratuations to the author. This book and the included program have hooked my kids and opened up the world of computer programming to them.

If I ran a school, a computer course would be offered using this as its textbook.

Absolutely What it Claims. Excellent., December 30, 2006
I started using Game Maker and then five days later got this book -- what a help. My high school students are going to love learning to build their own games. Along the way, they will master most of the principles of object oriented programming without even knowing it. If this book (and software) had been available when I was their age, I might seriously have considered a career in programming or game design. This book makes it easy for students to rapidly add a series of successful projects to their portfolio -- AND they will be ready to move into an object-oriented programming language by the end.

D�j� Vu - Hoping for More (3.5 Stars), April 13, 2008
I downloaded Game Maker 7.0 and read its manual prior to purchasing this book.

My hope was that it would fill in the "holes" not explained by the program manual.

First, the good.

The book gives an excellent explanation of program logic and keeps things simple and effective for any experience level.

I also liked the fact that you could read the book and see examples without actually completing the tutorials.

I especially liked the way the book would demonstrate a particular game tutorial with an easy-to-read flow chart.

So if you didn't understand the Game Maker's manual this book IS for you.

Here is where my 3.5 star rating comes in.

I paid about $25 for the book to go beyond the program manual.

The book had a couple of the tutorials that were listed on Yo-Yo games web site. I don't like the idea of paying for something that is provided for free. However, it gave a better explanation of Game Maker's interface.

Although you can make a fully functioning game without programming, I was hoping for more guidance on Game Maker Language (GML), which you will need in fine tuning games created with Game Maker.

I was also hoping for more variety in the tutorials. Not everyone may want to make an action oriented game. For example, I wanted to make a little board game, but that isn't discussed in the book. Hopefully, it will be covered in the next edition or another book.

I still recommend the book, but make sure you are getting it for the right reasons. Review the PDF file and sample text carefully looking at the table of contents and index. You might be able to accomplish your goals by reading Game Maker's manual and looking through the forums.

Recommended GM Read, August 11, 2006
I bought this book mainly to relearn the basics in Game Maker, and work my way into more advanced levels of GM programming, like AI and Multiplayer. I was quite pleased with the colorful graphics and easy reading of this book.

Bottom Line - If you own Game Maker, I suggest you buy this book along with the registered version of Game Maker, which is ad free and lets you perform the more complicated functions by unlocking them (multiplayer, particles, 3D, etc.) However, the book is compatable with the free version too! If you dont own Game Maker, this book still has many good sections about proper game design; quite helpful in laying out your games!

You wont be Disappointed!

Outstanding Teacher and Student Resource, August 7, 2006
As a teacher of game making to high school students, I cannot commend this book highly enough. Game making is a rapidly expanding area included in most forward thinking school curricula, enabling students to engage with learning in new and exciting ways. Through game making students can learn critical thinking skills, problem solving, logic & mathematical reasoning and much more. This book supports the teaching of game making and should be included in the toolbox for all teachers wanting students who are excited about their learning.
The Game Maker's Apprentice contains step by step instructions, presented in a clear and attractive way, to create 9 great games using the freely available Game Maker software. My students are so desperate to get hold of my copy that I have had to order five more, so that they can get started at the earliest possible opportunity. The book leads the learner in a clear but gentle way to develop all the foundation skills necessary to begin designing and making their own games. Game design theory is developed alongside the example games. An added bonus is the included CD containing the Game Maker software, resources needed to build the games and examples completed to a number of different stages.
The Game Maker's Apprentice is a quality presentation, printed on good quality paper with excellent graphics, making it highly attractive to use. Although there is an electronic version available, the print version is so attractive it is worth getting. A must for every classroom! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Four top-notch authors present the first book containing a catalog of object-oriented design patterns. Readers will learn how to use design patterns in the object-oriented development process, how to solve specific design problems using patterns, and gain a common vocabulary for object-oriented design. ... Read more

Reviews

The best way to really learn object-oriented design, March 6, 1997
This book really changed my way of thinking about object-oriented design. The idea is that when designing a new class hierarchy, though implementation details may differ, you often find yourself using the same kinds of solutions over and over again. Rather than approaching each design task out of context as an individual, isolated problem, the strategy is to study the task and identify the underlying design pattern most likely to be applicable, and follow the class structure outlined by that pattern. It's a "cookbook" school of design that works amazingly well.

There are other advantages to this book. It isolates 23 of the most common patterns and presents them in detail. You wouldn't think that 23 patterns would be enough, but once you become adept at recognizing patterns, you'll find that a large fraction of the patterns you use in practice are among these 23. For each pattern, the book carefully presents the intent of the pattern, a motivating example, consequences of using that pattern, implementation considerations and pitfalls, sample code (C++ or Smalltalk), known uses of that pattern in real-world applications, and a list of related patterns.

Upon first reading, you will start to recognize these patterns in the frameworks you see. Upon second reading, you'll begin to see how these patterns can help you in your own designs, and may also start to see new patterns not listed in the book. Once you become familiar with the pattern concept, you will be able to originate your own patterns, which will serve you well in the future. One of the most valuable contributions of this book is that it is designed not merely to help you identify patterns, but to give you a sense of which patterns are appropriate in which contexts.

I think this book is particularly valuable to many C++ and Java programmers, because of the dynamic and flexible design philosophy it follows. (Its two fundamental principles of reusable OO design are: "Program to an interface, not an implementation" and "Favor object composition over class inheritance".) I've found that many C++ books unfortunately tend to emphasize a rather static and inflexible design philosophy. Many C++ programmers do not realize how the language and the books they've studied from have been limiting their thinking until they have been exposed to ideas from other lanugages. The authors of this book have obviously been influenced by other languages as well, especially Smalltalk, and have brought many of its best lessons to C++ design. Most Java books seem to take after the C++ books, even though Java is a more dynamic language. This book may help Java programmers take full advantage of the extra power offered by their language, if they look deeply enough into some of the lesser-known features its runtime system affords.

Last, but not least, this book is valuable because it names the patterns it uses, and so gives programmers a common vocabulary to describe design concepts, rather than particular implementations. You'll find yourself saying things like, "That would be a good use for a Decorator", or "Should we use a Facade or a Mediator in this case?" I encourage readers of this book to use this vocabulary with other programmers.

In summary, this is one of the few books that I think belongs on every programmer's "must-have" list. Not to overuse a cliche, but like object-oriented design itself, the pattern concept is one of those rare paradigm-shifts in computer programming. It is equally valuable to expert professional and novice student alike. The book has a home page at http://st-www.cs.uiuc.edu/users/patterns/DPBook/DPBook.html

Must read, but requires some sophistication, May 15, 2000
As you probably already realize from the large number of reviews, this book is one of the seminal books on patterns in software development. If you are a professional software developer, you must read this. If you are learning to write good software, this is a book that you will need to take on at some point, but I urge some caution.

In particular, many of the patterns in this book represent highly distilled wisdom about effective solutions -- distilled so far that, unless you have implemented code that realizes the pattern in question already, you may have trouble absorbing the material. I find that programmers-to-be who dive into this book, often end up talking annoyingly about "applying patterns" without having a real grasp of how these things translate (with some distortion and compromise) into real projects.

That being said, an excellent way to bridge the gap is to read this book along with "Pattern Hatching : Design Patterns Applied" by John Vlissides. That book is a chatty companion piece for this one -- I found myself understanding how to incorporate patterns into my day-to-day design work much more after reading both books.

See: Pattern Hatching : Design Patterns Applied [also at Amazon.com]

Overall, while this book is an extremely important contribution to software developers, it is structured in a way that makes the material difficult to absorb if you aren't approaching it with substantial previous knowledge about developing software. You can start with some of the simpler patterns (Singleton, for example) and work through the harder ones, but only by implementing projects and stumbling upon these yourself will you really feel a flash of recognition as you read them in the book.

Now that the hype is over..., January 19, 2005
... well, it's over. "Patterns" have not revolutionized the world. Nor does this book need to be "studied" for deep insights.

What it seems patterns are actually good for is giving common names to popular solutions to problems, to make them easier to call to mind, and easier to discuss with others. Even this much is overrated. Before the advent of patterns, you could have said "callbacks" and people would have understood. Now you say "the Observer pattern".

_Design Patterns_ is none the less valuable, because it is one of those few books that EVERYONE is expected to have read. This is helpful in practice, as you can expect everyone to be familiar with its vocabulary. Few books truly fall into this "required reading" category. The only other that comes to mind is the MIT algorithms text. Many tech pundits claim that every next book is "required reading", and the claim becomes tiring after a while, but this is one of the few that really is.

I would not necessarily purchase it, though. The "pattern" schematic is verbose, and requires pages upon pages to describe something that, once you have seen it in practice once or twice, you will recognize immediately. Omitting the appendixes, the book is barely 350 pages, and presents only 23 patterns. Only a handful of the patterns are truly famous: Singleton, Observer, Template Method ... perhaps a few more. A number of them are poorly presented. Chain of Responsibility, for instance, is just one of many ways to define an event framework and does not belong in a book that doesn't present the alternatives. Mediator is another; there must be dozens of ways to create a Mediator, which most people would call an "event registry" or something else, rather than a Mediator. "Mediator" itself is little more than a name, and won't help you in design.

Some patterns are boring, since modern languages tend to provide them, and we've heard about them many times already: Iterator, Proxy, Memento (serialization). Others, like Command, are geared towards GUIs, and provide little value to other types of applications. Then there are the State and Strategy patterns, which are two sides of the same coin, and needn't be given two different names.

And so on. Definitely do not "study" this book if it seems you "just don't get it". Chances are the book is wrong. It is worth a read through, and a second read through if the terminology doesn't stick the first time, but stop at that. My gut feeling is that this book is most appropriate for someone working on his or her first large project. After that, once the terminology sinks in, the book has little else to offer. And if taken dogmatically, or considered "inspired" or infallible, the book is a hindrance. Finally, overuse of patterns can result in a "kitchen sink" design, instead of a simple one that takes a few patterns, that may or may not be ones from this book, and implements them cleanly. Take the book for what it's worth, but remain skeptical.

Not for the faint-hearted, but a must read., February 10, 2000
Obviously, this book is *the* most recognized reference work on software-related Design Patterns, and as such cannot be ignored. If you want to know about patterns, here is where to start.

The main asset of this book is in its trustworthiness and credibility - not such an easy thing to come by in computer books these days. I went through many if not most of the C++ examples in detail, and did not find a case where it didn't hold up, at least to the extent where it clarified what the point of the pattern was. The UML diagrams are also extremely helpful.

Be forewarned, however; this is not light reading. The examples are based on heavy-duty design tasks your average programmer doesn't face, like language-parsing, toolkit creation, compiler writing, and the like. It makes one wonder how applicable many of the patterns are to less complex programming tasks.

Also, most of the examples are in C++, so you really have to understand the syntax of C++ before you can get much value out of this book. Another drawback is that many of the examples are abridged, so at times you have to kind of extrapolate on what some of the code *would* look like in order to understand the examples. The chapter on Interpreter in particular was a tough nut to crack due to this. I actually would have liked to have seen *more* explanatory text associated with the code itself.

For all that, many of the patterns are pretty staightforward. The trick is to nail down that you "get it" for each pattern. One technique I found enormously helpful in accomplishing this was to write a summary of the pattern after reading a chapter - right in the book, so it can referenced later (there's often an entire blank page opposite the beginning of each chapter you can use for this). You may find yourself delving back into the chapter to confirm your understanding.

Overall, a challenging but ultimately rewarding read for anyone who wants to understand what design patterns are all about.

Possibly the most practical textbook I've read, October 31, 2000
I've been a software developer in C++ for some time. I would have to agree with the reviews that mention that most C++ textbooks rarely show the full scope and power of what this language is capable of, until you look at modern OO languages like Java and how they have been put to use. After all, those are language textbooks, not OO design/philosophy books.

This book, on the other hand, made clear the "why" behind many software library architectures I've used, from the basic Java classes and AWT to things done in MFC, COM and the Stingray MFC extension libraries. Not only did it give an explanation, but it explicitly set out the "how-tos" on using these patterns yourself (complete with diagrams illustrating the structures and interactions), and more importantly when and when not to use particular patterns.

For me at least, the most difficult part of designing an application is not coming up with good algorithms or efficient routines, but is constructing a sensible, easy-to-maintain architecture that will hand the demands placed on it...without writing excessively convoluted code. This seems more all the more difficult the larger the application gets. The patterns in this book clarified many things which I wish I had known earlier. A few patterns that I had "discovered" through much trial-and-error and observation were set out, often in a much cleaner form than I had come up with myself. Several of the patterns in the book were immediately applicable to a project I was working on, helping to speed through what likely would have been another messy and slow design phase.

I would recommend ths book for any OO designer. At the very least, it will enable you to understand why various libraries were implemented in certain ways. At best, it will provide a useful toolkit of proven solutions enabling one to get the most out of an OO language such as C++ or Java, a toolkit that can be drawn on to solve your own architectural issues without reinventing the wheel.

The only warning I would give about this book is to reiterate the warning in the preface's very first paragraph: "This book assumes you are reasonably proficient in at least one object-oriented programming language, and you should have some experience in object-oriented design as well. You definitely shouldn't have to rush to the nearest dictionary the moment we mention 'types' and 'polymorphism', or 'interface' as opposed to 'implementation' inheritance."

The classic, and still the best, August 13, 2002
From all other people's reviews, you have already known this is the classic text on the subject of design patterns. This is indisputable so I don't need to waste time trying to prove it again.

However, I would like to say something to those readers who are totally new to design patterns and C++/Smalltalk -- please do not be intimidated by the seemingly terse, dry and difficult style of this book. Since I myself am new to the world of design patterns, I would like to share with you my own experience and hope you can make a better decision when you pick your design patterns book.

"Design Patterns" is the classic text; its style is academic-oriented, rigorous, and terse. Unlike most popular computer books, you will find reading this book takes a lot of thinking, for each paragraph or even each sentence. Most examples used in this book are adapted from real world systems popular many years ago, so you will likely find you're not familiar with them at all. Moreover, some examples are related to GUI programming, so if you're mainly programming for backend, you will probably feel it's tough to understand some of the examples. Most code example in the book is written in C++ (some in Smalltalk.) If you're a Java programmer and have limited knowledge in C++, it might take you some time to guess what certain C++ syntax means.

These all seem to be negative comment, but my conclusion is to the contrary -- this is the BEST book in the area, and you should read it despite of all the issues I mentioned above. I started my design pattern learning by using a couple of other books, such as "Java Design Patterns: A Tutorial", "Design Patterns Explained: A New Perspective on Object-Oriented Design", and "Applied Java Patterns". I chose these books mainly because they seem to be much easier to understand than "Design Patterns". However, after spending time in these alternative books, I found none of them offers the accuracy and depth as "Design Patterns". Often, after I read a chapter of the "easy" book, I feel I am still kind of lost. I seem to have understood the pattern I just learned, but then I feel it's not quite so. I guess I only learned the pattern in a superficial way, with little depth, and without being part of "big picture." Later, I turned to the classic, "Design Patterns". I forced myself to sit down and try to understand the authors' terse and rigorous writing and their unfamiliar examples. Gradually I found I was getting used to the style and the examples, and I actually started to learn much more from this book than from others. After reading half-way through the book, I felt the rigorous style is actually a big plus for this book, because I can get more accurate and in-depth information.

Therefore, I strongly suggest that you buy and read this book, even if you feel it's difficult to read. Your effort will pay off eventually. Use other books as reference only.

Too bad I can not give 10 stars, February 6, 2001
This is absolutely one of the best books on OO design. I am a System Archtect and I can't image how my design (and Java) would look like without applying the concepts and patterns described in this book. This book, IMHO, plays a much more important role and should enjoy a much higher reputation than the UML series written by the 3 Amigos.

This book is definitely not for those who still do not understand the virtue of the concepts presented in the book. This book is not for programmer level either(although they can still greatly benefit from the book to enter the next level). The examples in the book are in C++ but the patterns it describes is language independent. Those who really know Java(not just reading sth like Teach Yourself Java in XX days,weekends,in a nutshells, etc) should tell immediately that lots of patterns are already applied in Java, especially in J2EE. Knowing the patterns in the books not only make your design step up to the next level, but now also a MUST if you want to pass the perfessional certificate exam like SCEA. I have to say no one can claim they know OO design without knowing the concepts and patterns described in this book.

This is one of those few books in computer world that will receive more and more recognization as time gose by. In three years no one will even mention 90% of those books currently getting five stars, but this one, I have to say, will be in top in foreseeable future and much longer.

I totally agree that this book is a little bit hard to read. Please think it this way, anything you can learn in 10 minutes is useless and of little market value because anybody can do the same. Those who grasp the essence missed by the majority are distinguished and of high value....

a must read, but a very tough read., July 2, 1998
The authors define design patterns as: descriptions of communicating objects and classes that are customised to solve a general design problem in a particular context. A design pattern names, abstracts, and identifies the key aspects of a common design structure that make it useful for creating a reusable object-oriented design. The design pattern identifies the participating classes and instances, their roles and collaborations, and the distribution of responsibilities. Easy to wrap your mind around, eh? Design Pattern people are in love with the power of abstraction and generality. You might even say they prefer to impress rather than inform. However, somehow you are going to have to learn this stuff, even if only to get into the heads of the guys who designed the AWT. Try starting with the code samples in the Design Patterns book. You have to read this book at least twice before it begins to make any sense. However, if you want to call yourself a programmer you MUST understand this book. I hope somebody writes a version of this book for Java programmers. It is written from the perspective of C++ and Smalltalk. This is a book where the you want the hardcover version. You go back to it again and again.

The original and definitive work on OO design patterns, May 16, 2001
Design Patterns, referred to warmly as the "Gang of Four" book by it's fans, is the book that introduced me to the world of design patterns. After reading this book, you'll immediately see patterns from it everywhere - many classes you use every day will suddenly all fit together in a pattern.

Besides being a tool for writing good maintainable code, patterns are a crucial tool for communication among developers. Knowing even a half-dozen of the basic patterns will facilitate communication among team members immensely. For instance, you may be having a whiteboard design session with another developer or two, explaining some particular design you have in your head. Instead of having to detail 3 or 4 or more classes and how they would interact, you could simply say that you are thinking of using the Factory pattern here, and the Decorator pattern over there, and the others will know exactly what you are thinking.

The patterns are grouped into three groups: Creational, Structual, and Behavioral patterns. Each pattern is considered in turn, each having sections detailing the intent of the pattern, the motivation for using it, the consequences (both good and bad) of its application, collaboration among the objects involved, and examples.

The examples are mostly in C++ with a small dose of Smalltalk, but the patterns are equally applicable to any object-oriented language, Java in particular. Some of the patterns can be implemented even more simply and cleanly in Java, as a result of language features such as dynamic class loading, among others.

This book is well-written, and it's a quality book well worth owning. It even has two nice ribbon bookmarks attached to the binding which makes to book even more practical as well as handsome.

An excellent complement to the book of the same name., July 9, 1998
This CD should not be considered a replacement for the book, at least as long as you are like me and like the portability of a book, it's ability to record notes, etc.

What John Vlissides and the folks at AWL have done very well is re-shaping the book to electronic form. This is not just a duplication of the book, but a genuine adaptation of the content to a different medium, in this case HTML. Perhaps most valuable for me is the ability to pop this in and do a full-text search. I still use the paper book, though.

It would have rated 5 stars but for one thing: the inability to record notes within the medium. That's not the fault of the publisher or anyone--it's a difficult technical problem that hopefully someone will solve.

I would heartily recommend this to consultants or anybody who doesn't necessarily have a "home base" because these are much easier to lug through airports than the hardcover GoF book. :-) ... Read more

Editorial Review

THE #1 BESTSELLING BOOK ON OBJECTIVE-C 2.0

Programming in Objective-C 2.0 provides the new programmer a complete, step-by-step introduction to Objective-C, the primary language used to develop applications for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac OS X platforms.

The book does not assume previous experience with either C or object-oriented programming languages, and it includes many detailed, practical examples of how to put Objective-C to use in your everyday iPhone/iPad or Mac OS X programming tasks.

A powerful yet simple object-oriented programming language that’s based on the C programming language, Objective-C is widely available not only on OS X and the iPhone/iPad platform but across many operating systems that support the gcc compiler, including Linux, Unix, and Windows systems.

The second edition of this book thoroughly covers the latest version of the language, Objective-C 2.0. And it shows not only how to take advantage of the Foundation framework’s rich built-in library of classes but also how to use the iPhone SDK to develop programs designed for the iPhone/iPad platform.

Table of Contents

   1    Introduction

Part I: The Objective-C 2.0 Language

    2    Programming in Objective-C 

    3    Classes, Objects, and Methods

    4    Data Types and Expressions

    5    Program Looping

    6    Making Decisions

    7    More on Classes

    8    Inheritance

    9    Polymorphism, Dynamic Typing, and Dynamic Binding

  10    More on Variables and Data Types

  11    Categories and Protocols

  12    The Preprocessor

  13    Underlying C Language Features

Part II: The Foundation Framework

  14    Introduction to the Foundation Framework

  15    Numbers, Strings, and Collections

  16    Working with Files

  17    Memory Management

  18    Copying Objects

  19    Archiving

Part III: Cocoa and the iPhone SDK

  20    Introduction to Cocoa 

  21    Writing iPhone Applications

Part IV: Appendixes

  A    Glossary

  B    Objective-C 2.0 Language Summary

  C    Address Book Source Code

Reviews

Outstanding Beginner's Guide to Objective-C, January 3, 2009
This book is both comprehensive and easy to understand. The sequence of chapters chosen to be read chronologically is well thought out (e.g. having the reader use static data types before introducing the generic id type, or having the reader declare and implement accessor methods before introducing the property and synthesize directives). The end of chapter exercises are also short (i.e. quick to complete) but also thoughtfully designed.

The author chose to make this book serve not only as a reference, but as a tutorial. In other words, a bit like the "... for Dummies" series in its hand-holding (i.e. tutorial) style. However, this book is certainly not for "dummies" as the author does not assume the reader to be slow or requiring interjections of humor or casualness. Other books will have authors write things like "Now grab a slice of pizza before we hit this really hard subject!", but this author thankfully spares the reader of this. Kochan is concise and direct. There are very few wasted or unnecessary sentences.

Kochan does not assume prior Objective-C, Cocoa framework, or X-code knowledge. However, if you have experience with just about any procedural or object-oriented language, you will have a much easier time with learning any new language, including Objective-C. If you do not have experience with ANY other language, then you will still have a difficult time with learning all of the Objective-C language as some topics just by their very nature are difficult to grasp immediately without practical experience.

Although there is a chapter each on the Cocoa framework and iPhone development, this book is focused on the Objective-C language and Apple's Foundation framework. Other resources will have to be utilized to learn Cocoa or Cocoa Touch.


BOOK'S TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. Introduction
2. Programming in Objective-C
3. Classes, Objects, and methods
4. Data Types and Expressions
5. Program Looping
6. Making Decisions
7. More on Classes
8. Inheritance
9. Polymorphism, Dynamic Typing, and Dynamic Binding
10. More on variables and Data Types
11. Categories and Protocols
12. The Preprocessor
13. Underlying C Language Features
14. Introduction to the Foundation Framework Foundation Documentation
15. Numbers, Strings, and Collections
16. Working with Files
17. Memory Management
18. Copying Objects
19. Archiving
20. Introduction to Cocoa Framework Layers
21. Writing iPhone Applications
22. Appendix A. Glossary
23. Appendix B. Objective-C 2.0 Language Summary
24. Appendix C. Address Book Source Code
25. Appendix D. Resources


You may also want to consider reading Apple's developers' guides:

-Learning Objective-C: A Primer
-Object-Oriented Programming with Objective-C
-The Objective-C 2.0 Programming Language

Apple's guides are not easy for a novice, but having read them before reading Kochan's book definitely made using his book significantly easier and faster for me.

In summary, this book will make learning Objective-C about as easy as it can be since it starts with the assumption that the reader has no prior programming knowledge.

Fantastic book organization!, January 11, 2009
I am a web designer and developer and I've programmed in a lot of languages (i.e. HTML, javascript, actionscript, visual basic, etc.). I wanted to learn Objective-C as the quickly as I could. I quickly found out that not having experience in programming in C (the predecessor to Objective-C) made it hard to understand the reasoning behind the code syntax and finding resources that didn't assume I knew C was almost impossible...

After going through the first three chapters of this book in less than an hour, my confidence in the language has increased exponentially. The book is roughly 624 pages, but I feel like I could code the samples and finish the book in just a few days...

The book is organized into four main sections:
I: The Objective-C 2.0 Language
II: The Foundation Framework
III: Cocoa and the iPhone SDK
IV: Appendixes

The separation of these main topics, Objective-C Language features and the Foundation Framework for example, almost guarantees that there won't be much confusion if you are learning the language for the first time and that there will be a distinction between the topics and concepts for each section.

Kochan does a good job of creating a deep understanding of the material instead of simply saying `just write the code and we'll explain later'. For example, each chapter provides instructions on how to fulfill basic concepts using Objective-C such as writing classes, inheritance, loops, operators, etc. At the end of each chapter, there are `Exercises' which may range anywhere from 5-9, which more or less tests the reader's comprehension on the material that was just covered.

I bought the Beginning iPhone Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK and Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (3rd Edition) before this book and I should have done the exact opposite. This book can serve as a foolproof foundation and reference guide for either of the aforementioned books and definitely shortens the learning curve to mastery.

Best book to learn Objective-C 2.0, January 24, 2009
Note: Typos have been fixed since the edition I originally purchased. I've kept my original review below, which was influenced by the number of typos and formatting glitches I encountered in the original edition. Now that it's all been rectified, there is NO BETTER BOOK for learning Objective-C 2.0 than this book.


*** ORIGINAL REVIEW (noted deficiencies corrected in updated revisions) ***

I'd love to recommend this book as the gateway to learning to program Mac OS X applications, but unfortunately I cannot. It contains more than a few typographical errors, especially in the first few chapters. Those new to programming in C may end up confused and unable to understand why their programs will not compile. This is unacceptable for this type of book.

Beyond typos, my second gripe is the lack of exercise solutions. This book provides challenging exercises at the end of each chapter that are designed to hone your skills and solidify your understanding of taught topics. Frustratingly, there does not seem to be a source containing exercise solutions. None are found in the book, and surprisingly -- nothing is offered on the book's web page either. Nada. Learning is difficult when you cannot check your solution against the author's intended solution.

My surmise is to blame the editors -- someone unaccustomed to working on programming/technical books likely did the final layout.

I learned C Programming over 20 years ago, thanks in large part to Stephen G. Kochan's original 1988 masterpiece, "Programming In C." I picked up his latest book looking to master my Objective-C programming skills. Personally, I accomplished my goals -- but only because I have a 20+ year history of programming in C (and many other languages). Those new to the language may have to hobble through typos.

This book (minus typos) does an excellent job teaching you Objective-C 2.0. Knowing ObjC is a prerequisite to learning the Cocoa framework for Mac OS X.

Final thoughts:

TWO to THREE STARS for those new to programming. Don't frustrate yourself with typos and lack of solutions to chapter exercises.

FOUR to FIVE STARS for experienced C/C++ developers looking to jump to Objective-C 2.0.

NOTE: Those giving FIVE STAR reviews to this book knowing that it contains typos are not providing any service to those who are new to programming. What good is it to reward a publisher for poor performance? With any luck, the publisher will fix future versions.

Great book: Clear, concise, and comprehensive!, January 12, 2009
I had heard about Kochan's reputation for writing clear and concise books, so I was anxiously awaiting the release of the second edition of what has been recommended to me as THE book to learn Objective-C from. I was certainly not disappointed. I was able to work through this book in a week's time and even write my first iPhone application, just from the material presented in this text.

Kochan methodically teaches the mechanics of the language, followed by the Foundation Framework, and then the iPhone SDK. In the last chapter on the iPhone, Kochan shows how to use two of the classes taught in the book (a calculator class and a fraction class) to develop a fraction calculator that runs on the iPhone. I was able to get the program running on the iPhone simulator that comes with the iPhone SDK. You should note that there was a mistake in listing some of the code for this example. I contacted the author and he was aware of the error. He mentioned that all the code, the answers to the exercises, and the errata will be posted shortly. It's helpful to note that Kochan is active in MacRumors forums and seems to respond quickly to questions posted there as well as to the several emails I sent him.

After I got the iPhone fraction calculator working, I started adding features to the calculator (some came from suggestions in the exercises at the end of the chapter), and this has greatly improved my understanding of how everything works and how it all works together: XCode, Interface Builder, the iPhone Simulator, and Objective-C.

Now I have to dive deeper into Cocoa programming and the iPhone SDK. Kochan has given me a great start to move on to one of the recommended follow-on texts with confidence and a strong footing in the language..

In my opinion, this book is the best way to learn Objective-C and a must read for prospective mac and iPhone application developers.

Just buy it!!, March 15, 2010
If you are reading the reviews because you're on the fence, stop now and buy this book. Of the many, many programming books I've purchased over the years, this is by far the best. (Really!) The book itself is well organized, builds steadily on previous chapters, and I'm sure will also be a great reference for some time to come. But what really sets this book apart is the author's forum. There is a TON of information, including study guides, quizzes, questions answered (often by the author himself!) topics clarified, and ideas shared. If you are already a programmer the book alone is worth purchasing. But if you are starting out or still have a thing or two to learn, the book combined with the site is invaluable.

Superb text for learning objective-C, March 6, 2010
As an instructor looking for a text for students taking an introductory programming course, this book is perfect. I had waded through several other works on objective-c but none took the approach of starting from square one. Even though I have programmed in many languages (APL, C, Forth, Pascal) I was new to OOP and I found most other texts very tiring to understand.

This book is a breath of fresh air and includes good exercises at the end of each chapter. Coupled with a great on-line forum site with additional quizzes and solutions to problems, this is one of the best works I could have found for learning this material.

I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to learn about object oriented programming and for anyone who wants to learn how to create iPhone (or Mac) applications. Writing iPhone apps is just too different an area to jump into without first getting a good grasp of the programming fundamentals. This is a necessary first step in that process.

Dave Crabbe

Excellent Book, Formatted Perfectly for Kindle!, March 29, 2009
This book is fantastic for beginning programers. I have a little bit of experience with C, and programming in other languages, but am completely ignorant when it comes to Objective-C. Kochan had me understanding complex subjects in minutes.

The analogies used in this book are very clear--using the analogy in this book, I explained how classes work to my wife (whose eyes glaze over when programming is mentioned) and she understood it well.

Another thing the author does well is avoiding overburdening the reader with too many concepts at once. Frequently, the explanations for complex concepts that are not totally relevant to the task at hand are deferred until a later section in the book. This helps you grasp the simple things early on, without feeling overwhelmed. You are then prepared when things get more complex.

If you are a Kindle owner, you'll be happy to know that the conversion to Kindle has been done flawlessly. When important concepts are referred to, or previous examples mentioned, they are always linked for a quick click back or forward to the relevant location. Images and tables are rendered nice and large, and easy to read. One of the best Kindle formatting jobs I have ever seen.

I fell in love with Objective-C almost immediately after starting this book. Those new to programming or Objective-C will find a lot to love here.

Outstanding book and works great on the Kindle!, March 17, 2010
This is the fourth programming book I have bought in as many months, and it will most probably be the only one that I manage to complete! I won't repeat everything that others have written, and I will confess I am still near the beginning, but I can say that:
- His text is clear and well presented.
- His examples are relevant and easy to follow.
- He actually explains WHY he is doing something!
(How many of you have read detailed technical books and by the end of it you are just typing stuff in like a monkey with no clue why the syntax is what it is, etc.?)
- Every chapter ends with exercises that are interesting, fun, and actually cement your learning.

After much mental debate, I bought the Kindle version of this book (which I was pleasantly surprised to see available!). Although I find the weight of a textbook somehow comforting, in this case I was getting a bit weary of carrying around multiple 3" thick books. I can say now that I am very pleased with the Kindle version (which I actually read via "Kindle for PC"). The text is very clear, the code examples are well formatted, and the illustrations are excellent (and some are even in color!).

And what better way to learn: I have this book open on the PC (on a MacBook Pro running in a VM window) right next to XCode (where you can enter and test the examples and exercises in parallel with your study of the book). I love it!

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn Obj-C, perhaps on the way to learning the iPhone (as in my case).

Much more than an Excellent Book!, November 3, 2009
I graduated as a mechanical engineer in 06' and during that time took one class on C programming. Being that it was 8 years ago and I guess you could say I was a beginner as a programmer. I was looking for a book on Objective-C back in December of '08 and after a lot of research ended up choosing this book. At the time I had read numerous good things about the book but I was unprepared for what I was actually getting. Learning computer programming is tough but this book is an excellent step by step guide to taking you comfortably from a beginner to someone who is comfortable with the Objective-C language. I started the book in March of this year and soon after was searching for answers to the exercises in Google. I ended up finding the authors forum for the book which has been worth ten times the price of the book and it is all free. There are numerous sections where you can get the answers to exercises, ask for help, make suggestions, help other etc. The really great part is the authors involvement. I have been a member since April and have over 100 posts on the site as I came across things I had further questions on. I would say at least 80% of the time the author was the one who responded and in less then 24 hours and most times less than 12 hours. Steve has a real passion for teaching and in my opinion has a real knack for doing so.

I just finished the book today. My approach was probably more thorough than most. I first read the chapter, then reread it taking notes and then completed the exercises at the end of each chapter I also completed all of the program examples in the chapters. There are claims in the reviews that you can get through this book in 3 weeks which I find awfully hard to believe. I spent on average 7-10 a week on the book and it took me eight months to complete it. I also took advantage of the live lessons which are available online. There is a series of 16 lessons which walk you through the book. The author guides you through the book using the material from the book and there is also additional information. Conveniently it was close to the time I was finishing the book and served as a great review of what I had learned.

While waiting for this book I picked up a copy of Learn C on the Mac and read through it. I will say that this book helped refresh my memory and did give me a good head start. I would read this again first if I had to do it over again. I am not saying that you need to learn C first I am just saying having a base knowledge didn't hurt me.

All in all I really can't say enough about the author, the forum, the book and the community of people who are behind this book. If you are looking for a way to learn about Objective-C and you don't choose this book I think you are making a big mistake. I really wish that Steve had a book on iPhone programming. I only hope that my next steps are met with as much support and dedication as I have received from Steve. Thanks Steve!

Strongly recommended!, March 27, 2010
OK, this is THE book if you want to start with Objective-C programming for Mac OS X, the iPhone, and now the iPad. In fact, you should read it as a prelude to any book about Cocoa programming, because having a good foundation in Objective-C is fundamental. Don't let anybody tell you that you should learn C first, Objective-C is a superset of C and you pick up enough C in the process. You can always dive into C a little bit more later. Learning C first can be even detrimental as it sometimes goes against good object oriented programming practice. There's an online forum in support of the book, where some concepts can be talked about in more detail. (Even the author is around!) Strongly recommended. ... Read more

Editorial Review

These days it seems like everyone is collecting data. But all of that data is just raw information -- to make that information meaningful, it has to be organized, filtered, and analyzed. Anyone can apply data analysis tools and get results, but without the right approach those results may be useless.

Author Philipp Janert teaches you how to think about data: how to effectively approach data analysis problems, and how to extract all of the available information from your data. Janert covers univariate data, data in multiple dimensions, time series data, graphical techniques, data mining, machine learning, and many other topics. He also reveals how seat-of-the-pants knowledge can lead you to the best approach right from the start, and how to assess results to determine if they're meaningful. ... Read more

Reviews

Wow!, November 22, 2010
Lucid, learned, and full of insights--a great book on a difficult subject. When I pre-ordered this title, I expected it to be more cookbook-oriented. There are certainly cookbook aspects to it, but it goes way beyond that. For one, it's deep: Janert gives you solutions, sure, but you also get considerable background to go with them. I particularly like chapter 9's sagacious treatment of probability models, especially the section on power law distributions. For another, it's comprehensive--there is a lot of material here, and it's delivered with discipline and care. You can tell that Janert really pushed himself (maybe with a bit of help from his editor) when writing this book. Finally, this book has heart. Data analysis is a means to an end (albeit a wonderful, fascinating one), and the author does his best to ensure that we the reader keep the objective in mind--to inform and enlighten--all the while ensuring that we know enough to pick the right tool for the job. Chapter 16 is another stand-out, and I especially appreciated Janert's distinction here between operational and representative reports and his point about the former: good design emphasizes the content. That's a bit of Tufte-esque advice that we would all do well to remember.

Outstanding Compilation of Valuable Techniques, December 4, 2010
Anyone looking to analyze any sort of data should get this book - I gleaned more value from the first 30 minutes I had this in my hands than hours of internet surfing. This book has taken me far beyond my limited Excel techniques of analyzing data and 1) given me a refresher course on concepts I'd forgotten, and 2) taught me many new ways of looking at the various data sets I need to analyze on a day to day basis. Those with no formal Math background may struggle a bit with some of the concepts, so it may force some to learn new math concepts, but the value provided makes this book well worth the effort. ... Read more