General Books - Page 2

Head First Design Patterns (Head First)

Elisabeth Freeman, Eric Freeman, Bert Bates, Kathy Sierra

Amazon Price: $29.67 List Price: $44.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: O'Reilly Media, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 59 new & used starting at $23.00

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Programming -> Java -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Programming -> Java -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 252 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

You're not alone.

At any given moment, somewhere in the world someone struggles with the same software design problems you have. You know you don't want to reinvent the wheel (or worse, a flat tire), so you look to Design Patterns--the lessons learned by those who've faced the same problems. With Design Patterns, you get to take advantage of the best practices and experience of others, so that you can spend your time on... something else. Something more challenging. Something more complex. Something more fun.

You want to learn about the patterns that matter--why to use them, when to use them, how to use them (and when NOT to use them). But you don't just want to see how patterns look in a book, you want to know how they look "in the wild". In their native environment. In other words, in real world applications. You also want to learn how patterns are used in the Java API, and how to exploit Java's built-in pattern support in your own code.

You want to learn the real OO design principles and why everything your boss told you about inheritance might be wrong (and what to do instead). You want to learn how those principles will help the next time you're up a creek without a design paddle pattern.

Most importantly, you want to learn the "secret language" of Design Patterns so that you can hold your own with your co-worker (and impress cocktail party guests) when he casually mentions his stunningly clever use of Command, Facade, Proxy, and Factory in between sips of a martini. You'll easily counter with your deep understanding of why Singleton isn't as simple as it sounds, how the Factory is so often misunderstood, or on the real relationship between Decorator, Facade and Adapter.

With Head First Design Patterns, you'll avoid the embarrassment of thinking Decorator is something from the "Trading Spaces" show. Best of all, in a way that won't put you to sleep! We think your time is too important (and too short) to spend it struggling with academic texts.

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, Head First Design Patterns will load patterns into your brain in a way that sticks. In a way that lets you put them to work immediately. In a way that makes you better at solving software design problems, and better at speaking the language of patterns with others on your team.

Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML

Eric Freeman, Elisabeth Freeman

Amazon Price: $26.39 List Price: $39.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: O'Reilly Media, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 77 new & used starting at $22.87

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Home Computing -> Internet -> Web Browsers
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Programming -> Languages & Tools -> CSS
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Programming -> Languages & Tools -> XHTML

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 240 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

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 XHTML into 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.

"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

PHP and MySQL Web Development (4th Edition) (Developer's Library)

Luke Welling, Laura Thomson

Amazon Price: $31.49 List Price: $49.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Addison-Wesley Professional Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $27.00

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Databases -> Database Design
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Databases -> Specific Databases -> MySQL & mSQL
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Databases -> SQL -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 178 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

PHP and MySQL are popular open-source technologies that are ideal for quickly developing database-driven Web applications. PHP is a powerful scripting language designed to enable developers to create highly featured Web applications quickly, and MySQL is a fast, reliable database that integrates well with PHP and is suited for dynamic Internet-based applications.

 

PHP and MySQL Web Development shows how to use these tools together to produce effective, interactive Web applications. It clearly describes the basics of the PHP language, explains how to set up and work with a MySQL database, and then shows how to use PHP to interact with the database and the server.

 

This practical, hands-on book includes numerous examples that demonstrate common tasks such as authenticating users, constructing a shopping cart, generating PDF documents and images dynamically, sending and managing email, facilitating user discussions, connecting to Web services using XML, and developing Web 2.0 applications with Ajax-based interactivity.

 

The fourth edition of PHP and MySQL Web Development has been thoroughly updated, revised, and expanded to cover developments in PHP 5 through version 5.3, such as namespaces and closures, as well as features introduced in MySQL 5.1.

 

 

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World

Eric Weiner

Amazon Price: $11.19 List Price: $13.99 Not yet published By: Twelve

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Psychology & Counseling -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 87 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Audio Interview with Eric ~ Come Listen In... 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I had the honor of reading Eric's book and speaking with him on my author interview Internet talk show, Words To Mouth. If you're here checking out his reviews, you may be interested in hearing Eric talk about The Geography of Bliss in his own words at http://wordstomouth.com/?p=276.

In the least, try Eric's "Be Thai" Happiness Recipe:
*Don't obsess about happiness;
*Don't think too much;
*Put much effort into life, but lower your results expectations;
*Don't be envious; and
*Cultivate trust and relationship

Great Read...I'm planning my move to Iceland...uh, maybe NOT

Editorial Review:

Part foreign affairs discourse, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, The Geography of Bliss takes the reader from America to Iceland to India in search of happiness, or, in the crabby author's case, moments of "un-unhappiness." The book uses a beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Qatar, awash in petrodollars, find joy in all that cash? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina so damn happy? With engaging wit and surprising insights, Eric Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions. (2007)

Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions

Tim Ash

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Sybex Amazon Marketplace: 52 new & used starting at $16.03

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 38 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An instant online marketing classic 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Tim truly "gets it" when it comes to landing page optimization. This book is "right on the money".

A Helpful Guide 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The book is pretty insightful for the price.A good book and has some good information.

A good book on this topic 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This in fact is a great book on this topic.well written and very easy to read.

A Must-Have for anyone serious about landing page optimization 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have been working as a consultant for the past 3-4 years for clients who want to optimize their landing and/or buy pages. I get paid on a percentage basis on how much I increase their conversions by so I'm very selective of testing theories found in optimization books... With that said - I can full heartedly recommend this book.

My book is worned out from reading it multiple times and earmarked on multiple pages on specific items that I tested myself with great results.

If you are a beginner in optimization the chapters dedicated to the math is a must read as I have found many people in my field don't fully understand the math involved to declare specific variables a winner and therefore make incorrect decisions that could be costing them many percentage points in the long run. And even with all the great tools like google optimizer that automatically calculate it for you - it helps to understand what goes on "under the hood".

Also the author, Tim Ash is very personable and amazingly reachable! I had questions on some of his calculations on his standard deviation shortcuts and he responded back to me within a day!

I think the best indicator on how helpful this book is to me is that I always have it within an arms reach when coming out with a new multivariable testing scheme for every one of my clients.

Editorial Review:

How much money are you losing because of poor landing page design? In this comprehensive, step-by-step guide, you’ll learn all the skills necessary to dramatically improve your bottom line, including identifying mission critical parts of your website and their true economic value, defining important visitor classes and key conversion tasks,   gaining insight on customer decision-making, uncovering problems with your page and deciding which elements to test, developing an action plan, and avoiding common pitfalls. Includes a companion website and a detailed review of the Google Website Optimizer tool.

Effective Java (2nd Edition) (Java Series)

Joshua Bloch

Amazon Price: $40.50 List Price: $49.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Prentice Hall PTR Amazon Marketplace: 75 new & used starting at $35.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Raves for the First Edition!

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

–Michael Ernest, Inkling Research, Inc.

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

Highlights include:

• New coverage of generics, enums, annotations, autoboxing, the for-each loop, varargs, concurrency utilities, and much more
• Updated techniques and best practices on classic topics, including objects, classes, libraries, methods, and serialization
• How to avoid the traps and pitfalls of commonly misunderstood subtleties of the language
• Focus on the language and its most fundamental libraries: java.lang, java.util, and, to a lesser extent, java.util.concurrent and java.io

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

The Web Designer's Idea Book: The Ultimate Guide To Themes, Trends & Styles In Website Design

Patrick Mcneil

Amazon Price: $16.50 List Price: $25.00 In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. By: How Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $16.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Exactly what it says on the tin! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book does just one thing, it showcases beautifully made websites and the author does this extremely well. The Web Designer's Idea Book is a must have for any web designer/graphic designer out there to have real world examples of good design on hand.

Current Websites for Today's Industry 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is a great resource for inspiration if you're in a creative rut. The best part about it is that it's a collection of modern websites that apply to today's design standards, not some ancient collection of Web 1.0 artifacts. And there are plenty of examples within it.

Editorial Review:

Inspiring Web Design at a Glance

The Web Designer's Idea Book includes more than 700 websites arranged thematically, so you can find inspiration for layout, color, style and more. Author Patrick McNeil has cataloged more than 20,000 sites on his website, and showcased in this book are the very best examples.

Sites are organized by color, design style, type, theme, element and structure. It's easy to use and reference again and again, whether you're talking with a co-worker or discussing website design options with a client. As a handy desk reference for design layout, color and style, this book is a must-have for starting new projects.

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide

David Flanagan

Amazon Price: $31.49 List Price: $49.99 By: O'Reilly Media, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 60 new & used starting at $19.87

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 278 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This Fifth Edition is completely revised and expanded to cover JavaScript as it is used in today's Web 2.0 applications. This book is both an example-driven programmer's guide and a keep-on-your-desk reference, with new chapters that explain everything you need to know to get the most out of JavaScript, including: Scripted HTTP and Ajax XML processing Client-side graphics using the canvas tag Namespaces in JavaScript--essential when writing complex programs Classes, closures, persistence, Flash, and JavaScript embedded in Java applications

Part I explains the core JavaScript language in detail. If you are new to JavaScript, it will teach you the language. If you are already a JavaScript programmer, Part I will sharpen your skills and deepen your understanding of the language.

Part II explains the scripting environment provided by web browsers, with a focus on DOM scripting with unobtrusive JavaScript. The broad and deep coverage of client-side JavaScript is illustrated with many sophisticated examples that demonstrate how to: Generate a table of contents for an HTML document Display DHTML animations Automate form validation Draw dynamic pie charts Make HTML elements draggable Define keyboard shortcuts for web applications Create Ajax-enabled tool tips Use XPath and XSLT on XML documents loaded with Ajax And much more

Part III is a complete reference for core JavaScript. It documents every class, object, constructor, method, function, property, and constant defined by JavaScript 1.5 and ECMAScript Version 3.

Part IV is a reference for client-side JavaScript, covering legacy web browser APIs, the standard Level 2 DOM API, and emerging standards such as the XMLHttpRequestobject and the canvas tag.

More than 300,000 JavaScript programmers around the world have made this their indispensable reference book for building JavaScript applications.

""A must-have reference for expert JavaScript programmers...well-organized and detailed."" -- Brendan Eich, creator of JavaScript

WordPress For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Lisa Sabin-Wilson

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Business & Culture -> Blogging & Blogs
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Are you a wannabe blogger? A seasoned pro migrating your blog to WordPress? Looking to do more cool stuff with your existing WordPress blog? Then this fun guide is for you! WordPress for Dummies is a veritable smorgasbord of WordPress information, ideas, tools, resources, and instruction on everything you need to create and maintain your dream blog.

Unlike other blog hosts, WordPress gives you the ability to create a blog that is tailored to your own tastes and needs. Sure, the codes, tags, and terminology can seem a little intimidating at first, but WordPress for Dummies breaks it all down to show you just how intuitive, friendly, and extensible the software really is. This easy-to-follow guide shows you how to:

• Sign up for a free WordPress account
• Set up and use a hosted blog with WordPress.com
• Install and set up the WordPress.Org and WordPress.MU software for single- and multi-user versions
• Find great themes, plugins, and consultants that will help you achieve JUST the kind of blog you want
• Use tags to work with WordPress templates
• Combat challenges with comments, trackback spam, and “splogs”
• Add special technologies to your blog, such as RSS feed, podcasting, vlogging, and photoblogging
• Find online support, tips, and resources for WordPress software

Whether you want to keep family and friends updated on your latest adventures, post pictures of your new puppy, or communicate your passion with millions of readers worldwide, WordPress for Dummies is your passport to creating the kind of blog that will keep your visitors coming back for more!

The PMP Exam: How to Pass On Your First Try (Test Prep series)

PMP, Andy Crowe

Amazon Price: $50.37 List Price: $79.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Velociteach Amazon Marketplace: 43 new & used starting at $43.92

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Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Management & Leadership -> Project Management
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Certification Central -> Exams -> PMP
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Certification Central -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 186 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

I had the luck to discover this book, 1 month previous to the exam 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I can recommend this book and even the price seems high than other books around, It made a siginificant contribution for my exam that I passed yesterday!!. It was easier to understand the concepts of the PM Book with the examples along the book. I had the chance to review it in 4 weeks previous to my exam and it helped me a lot!!!

One of the best on the market for the topic 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The best! This book is concise, to the point and covers most of the material. Has a very intuitive way of explaining how outputs from one process flow into inputs of the next process. Without this book I would have never understood the flows. The book gets the job done i.e. If you read this book and follow the author you will pass the exam on your first try. Unlike other books that are just an expansion of PMBOK or insult your intelligence this book is an easy read and covers all the material that you need to pass the exam.

Why a 4 star review? There are some mistakes in this book. e.g. the author confuses PERT and 3 point estimate as the same thing. Also, the book overlooks details of Organization Process Assets and Enterprise Environment Factors as "common inputs". They are crucial to understanding the initiation and closing of a project.

Editorial Review:

This self-study guide for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam from the Project Management Institute contains everything project managers need to pass the PMP Exam, including 44 processes, and 592 inputs, tools, and outputs. Exam topics are covered and insider secrets, complete explanations of all PMP subjects, test tricks and tips, hundreds of highly realistic sample questions, and exercises designed to strengthen understanding of PMP concepts and prepare managers for exam success on the first attempt are provided.