Learning C# 3.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm a recent Master's graduate, in Computer Science. Programming concepts certainly aren't new to me. I've done C++, VB, Java, JSP, SQL, etc, etc, and figured it was time to pick up C#. I didn't even get this book from Amazon, I picked it up at my local B&N, but I was so pleased with it I had to make a post here.
The Good For Beginners:
He starts off with easy concepts, each chapter is broken up just right. Just when you may start to fidget and wonder how you're going to remember all of it, the chapter will end with a summary, a set of questions, and exercises. And the exercises are done well. If you grasped the concepts you can do them, and they are not too complicated that you may fumble. Plus, the solution is in the back of the book.
The Good For The Experienced:
I may have personally been better off with C# Programming, which is the more advanced book, but I started off with this since it had been a while since I touched a C-styled language. I read through even the introductory chapters, rather than skipping through, and was surprised at what I picked up. I know all of the concepts discussed, but he also includes best practices, as well as very good explanations that make you understand even these simple concepts better.
In my classes, the focus was all on 'This is how you make the code do this', with only one class focused on 'This is how you *should* write your code for readability, updating, some standards, etc'. This really answered a lot of my questions in that department. I feel like a slightly more professional programmer just from paying attention to these bits.
Basically, I liked the format and writing style enough that O'Reilly books, those by Jesse Liberty in particular, are where I look first to learn something new.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Learning C# 3.0


If you're new to C#, this popular book is the ideal way to get started. Completely revised for the latest version of the language, Learning C# 3.0 starts with the fundamentals and takes you through intermediate and advanced C# features -- including generics, interfaces, delegates, lambda expressions, and LINQ. You'll also learn how to build Windows applications and handle data with C#. No previous programming experience is required -- in fact, if you've never written a line of code in your life, bestselling authors Jesse Liberty and Brian MacDonald will show you how it's done. Each chapter offers a self-contained lesson to help you master key concepts, with plenty of annotated examples, illustrations, and a concise summary. With this book, you will:

Learn how to program as you learn C#
Grasp the principles of object-oriented programming through C#
Discover how to use the latest features in C# 3.0 and the .NET 3.5 Framework--including LINQ and the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)
Create Windows applications and data-driven applications

You'll also find a unique Test Your Knowledge section in each chapter, with practical exercises and review quizzes, so you can practice new skills and test your understanding. If you're ready to dive into C# and .NET programming, this book is a great way to quickly get up to speed.

Get 35% OFF

Buy cheap Learning C# 3.0 now.

The Art of Agile Development Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Art of Agile Development is one of my best purchases in a long time. I've read a lot of Extreme Programming and Agile Software Development books and this one really nails it. Many are too theoretical, vague, or just plain developer-centric. This book however is of real practical value to everyone in the team: customers/business analysts, testers, and developers alike.
The book builds around 37 agile development practices in five categories: Thinking, Collaborating, Releasing, Planning, and Developing. Respective examples of practices are: Energized Work, Ubiquitous Language, No Bugs, Vision, and Incremental Design & Architecture. It's obvious that the authors are experienced practitioners as the text is littered with symptoms of common problems and remedial advice. Each practice has a clear explanation, answers to common questions, results you should expect to see, and when to and when not to adopt the practice given your current environment.
As a developer I'm finding this book invaluable. It's helped me think and communicate far more succinctly and effectively - even for material I was intimately familiar with. It's also a book that's accessible to everyone in and outside the team. In short, this is a great book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Art of Agile Development


The Art of Agile Development contains practical guidance for anyone considering or applying agile development for building valuable software. Plenty of books describe what agile development is or why it helps software projects succeed, but very few combine information for developers, managers, testers, and customers into a single package that they can apply directly. This book provides no-nonsense advice on agile planning, development, delivery, and management taken from the authors' many years of experience with Extreme Programming (XP). You get a gestalt view of the agile development process, including comprehensive guidance for non-technical readers and hands-on technical practices for developers and testers. The Art of Agile Development gives you clear answers to questions such as:

How can we adopt agile development?
Do we really need to pair program?
What metrics should we report?
What if I can't get my customer to participate?
How much documentation should we write?
When do we design and architect?
As a non-developer, how should I work with my agile team?
Where is my product roadmap?
How does QA fit in?
The book teaches you how to adopt XP practices, describes each practice in detail, then discusses principles that will allow you to modify XP and create your own agile method. In particular, this book tackles the difficult aspects of agile development: the need for cooperation and trust among team members. Whether you're currently part of an agile team, working with an agile team, or interested in agile development, this book provides the practical tips you need to start practicing agile development. As your experience grows, the book will grow with you, providing exercises and information that will teach you first to understand the rules of agile development, break them, and ultimately abandon rules altogether as you master the art of agile development. "Jim Shore and Shane Warden expertly explain the practices and benefits of Extreme Programming. They offer advice from their real-world experiences in leading teams. They answer questions about the practices and show contraindications - ways that a practice may be mis-applied. They offer alternatives you can try if there are impediments to applying a practice, such as the lack of an on-site customer. --Ken Pugh, Author of Jolt Award Winner, Prefactoring "I will leave a copy of this book with every team I visit." --Brian Marick, Exampler Consulting

Get 24% OFF

Buy cheap The Art of Agile Development now.

App Savvy: Turning Ideas into iPad and iPhone Apps Customers Really Want Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I met Ken at ProductCamp DC and had the privilege to get an advanced copy of his book "App Savvy," published by O'Reilly. Ken is not only a great speaker in the mobile apps arena, he also did an excellent job writing about his "been there - done that" experience as an iOS product manager on some of his successful apps. This book is a concise, practical, step-by-step guide for anyone starting with Apple's iOS platform. It includes a wealth of useful information and tips ranging from product strategy (e.g. Blue Ocean), customer development, product launch, social media marketing, the iOS development/submission process, and post-launch support. On top of that, at the end of each chapter he included interviews with some of popular iOS developers/entrepreneurs (e.g. Mobclix, Smule) - lots of valuable lessons learned from the iOS community. Great read--highly recommended.

Click Here to see more reviews about: App Savvy: Turning Ideas into iPad and iPhone Apps Customers Really Want

How can you make your iPhone or iPad app standout in the highly competitive App Store? While many books simply explore the technical aspects of iPhone and iPad app design and development, App Savvy focuses on the business, product, and marketing elements criticalto pursuing, completing, and selling your app -- the ingredients forturning a great idea into a genuinely successful product. Whether you're a marketer, designer, developer, entrepreneur, product manager, or just someone with a unique idea, App Savvy explains every step in the process, with guidelines for planning asolid concept, engaging customers early and often, developing your app,and launching it with a bang. Author Ken Yarmosh details a provenprocess for developing successful apps, and presents numerous interviews with the App Store's most prominent publishers.
Learn about the App Store and how Apple's mobile devices function
Follow guidelines for vetting and researching app ideas
Validate your ideas with customers -- and create an app they'll be passionate about
Assemble your development team, understand costs, and establish a workable process
Build your marketing plan while you develop your application
Test your working app extensively before submitting it to the App Store
Assess your app's performance and keep potential buyers engaged and enthusiastic

Get 34% OFF

Buy cheap App Savvy: Turning Ideas into iPad and iPhone Apps Customers Really Want now.

Continuous Delivery: Reliable Software Releases through Build, Test, and Deployment Automation (Addison-Wesley Signature Series (Fowler)) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is one of the most important software books published in years. From the beginning and throughout the book, the authors emphasize the importance in establishing one delivery team consisting of various experts throughout the software lifecycle - developers, DBAs, Systems/Operations, network specialists, testers and so on. The overarching pattern the authors describe is the Deployment Pipeline, which is basically a staged process consisting of all of the steps to go from bare/virtual metal to a working system whenever there is a change to source files. Of course, the only way this can be done is through copious amounts of automation. The other key point the authors make is that this automated delivery system - itself - is versioned with every change. Not just the custom source code, but also the operating system(s), tools, configuration and everything necessary to create a working software system - a crucial aspect of the Deployment Pipeline.
To sum up key points from the book in a few bullets:
* The purpose of Continuous Delivery is to reduce the cycle time between an idea and usable software
* Automate (almost) everything necessary to create usable software
* Version complete software systems (not just source code) for every change committed to version control system
* Employ a Deployment Pipeline in which the entire system is recreated whenever a change is committed to the version-control system and provide continuous feedback
* Identify one delivery team consisting of various delivery experts - build, deploy, provisioning, database, testing, etc. - a concept emphasized in the DevOps movement
The authors go into great detail in describing each of these themes. So, if you want the process of delivering software to any target environment - including production - to be a click of a button and something that can be accomplished as often as the business requires, get this book. When you employ the practices in this book, no longer will you need to artificially throttle changes delivered to users for months or even years because of the expense and risk required to deliver software.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Continuous Delivery: Reliable Software Releases through Build, Test, and Deployment Automation (Addison-Wesley Signature Series (Fowler))

Getting software released to users is often a painful, risky, and time-consuming process.This groundbreaking new book sets out the principles and technical practices that enablerapid, incremental delivery of high quality, valuable new functionality to users. Throughautomation of the build, deployment, and testing process, and improved collaboration betweendevelopers, testers, and operations, delivery teams can get changes released in a matter of hours—sometimes even minutes–no matter what the size of a project or the complexity of its code base.Jez Humble and David Farley begin by presenting the foundations of a rapid, reliable, low-riskdelivery process. Next, they introduce the “deployment pipeline,” an automated process formanaging all changes, from check-in to release. Finally, they discuss the “ecosystem” needed tosupport continuous delivery, from infrastructure, data and configuration management to governance.The authors introduce state-of-the-art techniques, including automated infrastructure managementand data migration, and the use of virtualization. For each, they review key issues, identify bestpractices, and demonstrate how to mitigate risks. Coverage includes• Automating all facets of building, integrating, testing, and deploying software• Implementing deployment pipelines at team and organizational levels• Improving collaboration between developers, testers, and operations• Developing features incrementally on large and distributed teams• Implementing an effective configuration management strategy• Automating acceptance testing, from analysis to implementation• Testing capacity and other non-functional requirements• Implementing continuous deployment and zero-downtime releases• Managing infrastructure, data, components and dependencies• Navigating risk management, compliance, and auditingWhether you’re a developer, systems administrator, tester, or manager, this book will help yourorganization move from idea to release faster than ever—so you can deliver value to your businessrapidly and reliably.

Get 24% OFF

Buy cheap Continuous Delivery: Reliable Software Releases through Build, Test, and Deployment Automation (Addison-Wesley Signature Series (Fowler)) now.

Lessons Learned in Software Testing Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book contains 293 "Lessons". Each seems to be meant for people with certain experiences and certain problems; some very broadly defined, others more tightly. So, how do I grade 293 lessons? One way would be to average them, another to pick on the worst (from my point of view). I choose to pick out the ones that hit me the hardest; the best from my point of view.
I've been a developer, a tester, a test manager, and am now a grad student studying testing with Dr. Kaner. This book was the proximate cause of the last. If I had had this book a couple of years ago, I believe I would have done a much better job as test manager, and my project would have succeeded better with our customer. This is the second best book on testing that I've ever read.
By the time I saw Lesson 31, I had already learned it the hard way. "A Requirement is a quality or condition that matters to someone who matters." It doesn't matter what the requirements document says; you ignore the opinion of someone who matters at your peril. I did.
Lesson 57: "Make your bug report an effective sales tool." My bug reports developed a pretty good reputation with most of the developers, so I quit paying as much attention to putting convincing arguments in them. Then, we got some new senior developers. I was back at square one without quite realizing how I got there. Don't do that.
Lesson 235: "Staff the testing team with diverse backgrounds." When I became test manager, I looked for people like me: computer science degree with developer experience. Well, such people don't work as testers, especially for the location and money we offered. I first hired a young woman with Army training. Later, I figured out how lucky I had been; she was one of the two best testers who worked for me. I learned a lot about my blind spots from her pointing them out to me. I'd hate to have tried to do the job without her or many of the other people very different from me (and her) that I hired.
Lesson 240 "During the interview, have the tester demonstrate the skills you're hiring for." After having a lot of bad results from traditional interviewing, we wrote a series of tests and gave the appropriate one (testing, SQL, C++, etc.) to each candidate. Afer that, we found our rate of bad hires was down sharply. We hired several people whom we would not have hired based on our traditional interview questions; almost all turned out well.
What am I learning? Lesson 17: "Studying epistemology helps you test better." I hope so; I'm studying it. Lesson 76: "Always report nonreproducible errors; they may be time bombs." I'm keeping more lists of these now. No good results yet. Lesson 266: "Learn Perl." Yep, there's more than one way to do it.
(BTW, the best book on testing I've ever read is Testing Computer Software, 2nd. Kaner, Falk, Nguyen.)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Lessons Learned in Software Testing

Get 40% OFF

Buy cheap Lessons Learned in Software Testing now.

Metasploit Toolkit for Penetration Testing, Exploit Development, and Vulnerability Research Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm going to take a harsh stance on this book, mostly because this book had potential to really build upon all the information publicly available for Metasploit and really make a great book on Metasploit internals and advanced usage. Instead it seems like current public/free information was just rehashed and new information not updated for the 3.x branch of MSF.
What I consider the "meat" of this book, and what should have made this a 4 or 5 star book, covers the Metasploit Framework 2.x branch and NOT the current 3.x branch. By "meat" I mean the case studies covering exploitation using MSF. The major difference between the two is that 2.x was written in Perl and 3.x in Ruby. To be fair the first 5 chapters cover using MSF 3.x, but I really didn't feel they covered much, if anything, that's not out on the net with the exception of Chapter 5 (Adding new Payloads). "Using" Metasploit has been covered a million times in a million other books. A book specifically on Metasploit should have covered things not covered in every other hacking book.
Chapter 1 is an "Introduction to Metasploit." If you haven't ever used the tool and didn't want to RTFM, then "maybe" it would be useful for you. Most of the material I felt could be found on the Metasploit main support page, the wiki, or via google, but mostly the first two. I'm also not sure why there are pages and pages of current payloads and exploits with no explanations as to why I would use one type of payload versus another especially for the obscure ones like find tag or ordinal payloads. Doing a "show exploits" or "show payloads" without dialogue on the differences adds little value. The Leveraging Metasploit on Penetration Tests section is one paragraph :-(
Chapter 2 is "Architecture, Environment, and Installation." There are 2-3 pages on locking down a system. Why is that included? Very random. Let me cover the installation covered in the book for you. Windows, double click the executable. *nix, download via svn. That's about the level of detail we get...sigh :-(
Chapter 3 is a whopping 7 pages including the FAQ section on "Metasploit Framework and Advanced Environment Configurations." That chapter covers what is in the directories of your msf installation and using the setg command.
Chapter 4 is "Advanced Payload and Add-on Modules." Covers some old information on meterpreter and some meterpreter basics, the stuff on the net covers it in far more detail. Decent coverage of the VNC Inject payload, crappy coverage of the PassiveX payload, ok coverage of auxiliary modules and a mention of db autopwn.
Chapter 5 is "Adding New Payloads." Chapter 5 is the best chapter in the book because it discusses something...here it goes...NEW! and related to MSF 3.x. Chapter 5 is an excellent chapter walking us thru building a SIP Invite spoofer auxiliary module. Had the whole book been of this caliber it would have been a 5 star book.
The case studies should have been rewritten to work with MSF 3.x, they are all for 2.x. They are good and contain the required detail (but I didn't not work through all the examples yet) Things are similar between the branches and you can probably muddle through the conversions but it makes no sense for the first half of the book to be about 3.x and the meat to be about 2.x. At a minimum a chapter or section on converting exploits from 2.x to 3.x was in order, but was not included.
I didn't find Appendix B, "Building a Test Lab for Penetration Testing" to be all that helpful either. I think it's a reprint from Penetration Tester's Open Source Toolkit v2, but can't confirm because I don't have that book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Metasploit Toolkit for Penetration Testing, Exploit Development, and Vulnerability Research

This is the first book available for the Metasploit Framework (MSF), which is the attack platform of choice for one of the fastest growing careers in IT security: Penetration Testing. The book and companion Web site will provide professional penetration testers and security researchers with a fully integrated suite of tools for discovering, running, and testing exploit code.This book discusses how to use the Metasploit Framework (MSF) as an exploitation platform. The book begins with a detailed discussion of the three MSF interfaces: msfweb, msfconsole, and msfcli .This chapter demonstrates all of the features offered by the MSF as an exploitation platform. With a solid understanding of MSF's capabilities, the book then details techniques for dramatically reducing the amount of time required for developing functional exploits.By working through a real-world vulnerabilities against popular closed source applications, the reader will learn how to use the tools and MSF to quickly build reliable attacks as standalone exploits. The section will also explain how to integrate an exploit directly into the Metasploit Framework by providing a line-by-line analysis of an integrated exploit module. Details as to how the Metasploit engine drives the behind-the-scenes exploitation process will be covered, and along the way the reader will come to understand the advantages of exploitation frameworks. The final section of the book examines the Meterpreter payload system and teaches readers to develop completely new extensions that will integrate fluidly with the Metasploit Framework. · A November 2004 survey conducted by "CSO Magazine" stated that 42% of chief security officers considered penetration testing to be a security priority for their organizations· The Metasploit Framework is the most popular open source exploit platform, and there are no competing books· The book's companion Web site offers all of the working code and exploits contained within the book

Get 33% OFF

Buy cheap Metasploit Toolkit for Penetration Testing, Exploit Development, and Vulnerability Research now.

Penetration Testing: Network Threat Testing (Penetration Testing: Ec-Council Certified Security Analyst) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)At first when I received this book I was a little disappointed to see something thinner then most lab workbooks. As I began to skim through the book it became clear that the intent of this book is to function as a workbook and simple short intro to the tools in the book. Some tools have a little more meat to them but overall it is closer to here is the tool here is a screen capture figure it out yourself. My gut reaction was "crap, I paid $35 for this...". After a little more reading the switch flipped in my head and I accepted the fact that this is designed to introduce you to the tools that map up to the E|CSA certification and since this is not an entry level certification there is an expectation that you are going to grab the tools and spend some time figuring out how they work and practicing to build your familiarity and proficiency with each tool.
Don't expect an easy button to really gain anything from this book you need to make the personal investment to master the materials. What you will find are some testing methodology overviews to help improve your testing efforts and exposure to some tools you may or may not already have in your arsenal. It would be nice if the authors provided a little more info on some of the tools such as the platforms they run on and if it is a paid/subscription or free tool but I guess that is part of learning the details of each tool.
This isn't going to make you a leet hacker or teach you to hack but if you have any type of experience or completed the CEH this will help you round out your testing resources. $35 is a little steep I think $20-$25 would have been a better price point for this workbook.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Penetration Testing: Network Threat Testing (Penetration Testing: Ec-Council Certified Security Analyst)

The Security Analyst Series from EC-Council Press is comprised of five books covering a broad base of topics in advanced penetration testing and information security analysis. The content of this series is designed to expose the reader to groundbreaking methodologies in conducting thorough information security analysis, as well as advanced penetration testing techniques. Armed with the knowledge from the Security Analyst series, along with proper experience, readers will be able to perform the intensive assessments required to effectively identify and mitigate risks to the security of the organization's infrastructure. The series prepares readers for the EC-Council Certified Security Analyst (E|CSA) certification.PENETRATION TESTING: NETWORK THREAT TESTING coverage includes penetration testing of denial of service, password cracking, applications, database, viruses and Trojans, log management, data leakage and file integrity.

Get 33% OFF

Buy cheap Penetration Testing: Network Threat Testing (Penetration Testing: Ec-Council Certified Security Analyst) now.

An Innocent Client (Joe Dillard) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)AN INNOCENT CLIENT is an impressive legal thriller debut. If you enjoy the work of John Grisham, you might like this one too, since it's written in a similar style.
This novel takes place in rural Tennessee, and stars Joe Dillard, a burnt out criminal defense lawyer who hopes to represent at least one innocent client before he retires. When the novel opens, he is seemingly handed such a client, an 18-year old waitress at a strip club who is accused of murdering a fundamentalist preacher.
AN INNOCENT CLIENT has a lot of good qualities. Author Pratt, an ex-attorney himself, does a superb job with all the courtroom scenes. The prose in this book is quite polished (truly exceptional for a first effort), and the main character is easy to root for. Pratt also does a good job structuring the plot, which sustained my interest until the very end.
If this novel has a downside, I would say it's the rather superficial characterization. Like John Grisham, author Pratt tends to see things in black-and-white, moralistic terms. As a result, most of the supporting characters in this novel are little more than colorful caricatures of one sort or another. The villains in particular are outrageously corrupt and evil, which makes the story more corny than realistic in many spots.
Overall, though, AN INNOCENT CLIENT is an entertaining debut, and Grisham fans should definitely give it a try. This is apparently the first in a series, and I look forward to future installments.

Click Here to see more reviews about: An Innocent Client (Joe Dillard)

This is the kind of crime the tabloids love... This is the kind of case most lawyers dream of... This is the kind of trial that destroys more lives than it saves... this is the kind of Â"terrific debut novelÂ"( Sheldon Siegel, New York Times BestSelling Author of Judgment Day) that reinvents the legal thriller.A preacher is stabbed to death in a Tennessee motel. The suspect is a waitress at a strip club. Defense attorney Joe DillardÂ's too burnt out to defend anyone he knows in his heart is guilty. Then he meets the vulnerable Angel—the accused, incriminated by circumstantial evidence. DillardÂ's sure sheÂ's not capable of killing anyone. What Dillard doesnÂ't count on are the others drawn into the storm of the stunning crime—from the vindictive detective to the victimÂ's avenging son to DillardÂ's own deeply troubled sister—all of whom will help to erase the line between guilt and innocence, and between an unthinkable lie and the unbelievable truth.

Buy cheap An Innocent Client (Joe Dillard) now.

Bosch Fuel Injection and Engine Management Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is geared not to the performance enthusiast, but to the veteran trouble-shooter and D.I.Y. home mechanic. Wonderfully clear briefs and specific testing procedures. In-depth theory and operation. Does not pretend nor try to cover specific data of all cars. This is the big picture, and then disected component by component. I found using the book with the factory manual worked best.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bosch Fuel Injection and Engine Management

Finally! The authoritative manual on Bosch Fuel injection. This is the only book that fully explains all aspects of these Bosch systems: Motronic, L-Jetronic, LH-Jetronic, LH-Motronic, D-Jetronic, K-Jetronic, KE-Jetronic, and KE-Motronic. You will find specific information on the newest KE-Motronic and LH-Motronic systems that is not available from any other source.Author Charles Probst has worked directly with OEM fuel injection engineers, trainers and technicians from Bosch, BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi, and other manufacturers to produce technician training materials. Now his complete service and maintenance procedures, with expert advice and troubleshooting tips, are available to you. A sampling of areas covered in the book are listed below:Theory: How each system worksHow to troubleshoot problems and service each systemWhat tools and equipment are neededHow engine idle speed is controlled and can be adjustedHow to adjust air-fuel mixtureUnderstanding air measurement and fuel meteringHow engine management systems adjust timing for gasoline octane and turbo boostRacing and high performance modifications: what works and what doesn'tProbst clarifies advantages and operating principles of each Bosch system and explains how they work to deliver maximum engine efficiency. He also gives you high-performance tuning secrets that really work to deliver maximum engine efficiency. He also gives you high-performance tuning secrets that really work for street and racing applications, and tells you why some tricks like "fooling" the computer don't. With over 350 detailed illustrations and photos, this 224 page book is a must-have reference for do-it-yourself mechanics, performance enthusiasts, and professional technicians who really want to understand Bosch systems.

Get 34% OFF

Buy cheap Bosch Fuel Injection and Engine Management now.

Build Your Own Electronics Workshop: Everything You Need to Design a Work Space, Use Test Equipment, Build and Troubleshoot Circuits (TAB Electronics Technician Library) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am an amature in electronics and have been waiting for this book to hit the book stores. I finally picked up a copy. I like the subjects covered. The content on at least some subjects leaves a little to be desired. There is a lot of verbal descriptiion but diagrams would have been helpful when discussing how to use controls on an oscilloscope, for instance. A fuzzy photo of an oscilloscope is shown, and then a detailed discussion is presented of how to use various dials, buttons and so on without any diagram showing where these controls are on the oscilloscope. Similar problems of what waveforms should look like without any diagrams, or photos of how they appear.
I am particularly concerned about the description of how to build your own waveform generator. A discussion of how to do this is given along with a parts list. A photo is then shown of the "assembled function generator". However, the photo shows that this is really a Canakit (www.canakit.com) funtion generator. No credit is given to Canakit for this photo and the Canakit does not appear to be the same assembled function generator as the one described in the text.
Unfortunately, the author does not wish to be contacted about any questions about what he has presented in this book, since he has given no method of contacting him. A brief search of the WEB did not show any way to contact him.
I realize that writing a book of this size and range of topics is quite a labor, and I will try to get any missing info from other sources.
Electonics amateur/hobbyist

Click Here to see more reviews about: Build Your Own Electronics Workshop: Everything You Need to Design a Work Space, Use Test Equipment, Build and Troubleshoot Circuits (TAB Electronics Technician Library)

The Electronics Workbench was created to assist the newcomer to the field of practical electronics through the creation of a personal electronics workbench. It is a place specially designed so that readers can go there to work on an electronic project, such as testing components, troubleshooting a device, or building a new project. The book includes invaluable information, such as whether to buy or build test equipment, how to solder, how to make circuit boards, how to begin to troubleshoot, how to test components and systems, and how to build your own test equipment, complete with appendix & resources, etc. This is THE book for anyone entering the field or hobby of electronics.

Get 38% OFF

Buy cheap Build Your Own Electronics Workshop: Everything You Need to Design a Work Space, Use Test Equipment, Build and Troubleshoot Circuits (TAB Electronics Technician Library) now.

Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've read many, many books on software teams and building software, and I've written several myself, and I've come across very few books that do as good a job as Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum. This book gives great -- and very readable! -- advice, not just for people using Scrum (or even Agile development), but for anyone who is looking to improve the way their team builds software. Mike Cohn deserves a lot of credit for putting together a great book.
If you've tried to change the way that your team builds software, then you know that it's not easy. All too often, even a change that seems simple or straightforward turns into a royal mess, alienating the team and irritating everyone involved without actually making a difference to the final product. That's why "Succeeding with Agile" stands out as a terrific book.
"Succeeding with Agile" is at once enormously practical, deeply insightful, and a pleasure to read. It combines great ideas with stories and examples from around the software industry. It will appeal to a wide range of readers, from those looking to adopt a new company-wide agile process to developers who just need to improve the way a team is running a single project. Mike Cohn does an impressive job of showing readers the ins and outs of agile practices. But what really makes this book stand out as one of the best in the field is the way it explains how to make change happen in the real world. The extensive advice Cohn gives readers will ring true for anyone who has attempted (successfully or not) to convince a group of people that there's a better way of building software.
The ideas in "Succeeding with Agile" are adaptable to work in a wide range of personalities, teams and organizations. Changing the way a team builds software is a difficult business. Mike Cohn points out the pitfalls and obstacles, and shows you multiple paths around them so that you can choose the one that best fits your team. Anyone -- programmer, architect, tester, project manager or someone who just needs to work with a software team -- who wants to learn about how to improve the way that software is built in a company will find a wealth of real-world, practical advice that's easy to read.
(A few other things to note about Mike Cohn: Jennifer Greene and I interviewed Mike in our book, Beautiful Teams: Inspiring and Cautionary Tales from Veteran Team Leaders, and were extremely impressed and entertained with what he had to say. And if you haven't seen his blog -- [...] -- you should definitely check that out as well. He's got a lot of knowledge and real-world experience with improving the way teams build software, and it comes out in his writing. You should do yourself a favor and take advantage of this gem.)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum

Proven, 100% Practical Guidance for Making Scrum and Agile Work in Any OrganizationThis is the definitive, realistic, actionable guide to starting fast with Scrum and agile–and then succeeding over the long haul. Leading agile consultant and practitioner Mike Cohn presents detailed recommendations, powerful tips, and real-world case studies drawn from his unparalleled experience helping hundreds of software organizations make Scrum and agile work.Succeeding with Agile is for pragmatic software professionals who want real answers to the most difficult challenges they face in implementing Scrum. Cohn covers every facet of the transition: getting started, helping individuals transition to new roles, structuring teams, scaling up, working with a distributed team, and finally, implementing effective metrics and continuous improvement.Throughout, Cohn presents “Things to Try Now” sections based on his most successful advice. Complementary “Objection” sections reproduce typical conversations with those resisting change and offer practical guidance for addressing their concerns. Coverage includesPractical ways to get started immediately–and “get good” fast

Get 29% OFF

Buy cheap Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum now.

Black & Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There are certain skills that are "wasted" on no one. Home repair is one such skill. I believe that 5 weeks after purchasing this book - the book has already paid for itself. My parents moved back into my grandmother's 1960-era house after she passed away last year. The house was in need of a few repairs, but money was a limiting factor. I had to find a way to teach myself (and my dad) how to weatherproof the basement, replacing an ancient water heater & dishwasher, replace several outlets with new GFCI (p. 397!) outlets, and finally, how to update the upstair's faucets and fixtures. I logged onto Amazon.com and typed-in HOME REPAIR. To be honest, I chose this book because it had 500+ pages and two 5-star reviews. When this book arrived, I instantly felt the weight and quality of the binding.(think college textbook material) I quickly found DETAILED descriptions of the tasks I would soon have to perform. I called my father and said "Get ready we're going to Home Depot!" On the phone, my father expressed concern over our lack of experience. When my father got in my truck, I handed him the the Black&Decker text. I had put PostIt's on the pages with our projects. He slipped on his glasses and peered through his bi-focals and didn't say a word on the way to purchase tools & supplies. Once in the parking lot, I could hardly turn-off the engine before he was pointing to pictures saying "Ours looks just like this! I want some gloves like that!" And he was making a bee-line for the door!(the old man can move!) He was excited and so was I. Now, it has beeen 5 weeks since that first trip to Home Depot. Both my father and I have the cuts and scrapes and the ever present sore backs to prove that we have done our own home repairs. My father now keeps the Black&Decker text at his house "for safe keeping." He cleans the text with a moist cloth after each project. The projects don't seem to have an end in sight, which I believe is a direct result of my dad reading the text for "suggestions." My suggestion....don't let anyone "borrow" this text, unless of course - you love him!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Black & Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide)

Get 34% OFF

Buy cheap Black & Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide) now.

Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are a hobbyist, or desire a career in the gemological field, this book is something you should not be without. I would recommend all jewelry stores have their staff read this book BEFORE talking to potential customers. From using instruments to identifying stones, this book has it all! Technical books are usually so dry and boring, but this one is different. It actually covers the material in an easy-to-read, fun format! Have a good time with your gems - and LEARN! Get a copy for yourself.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling

Buy cheap Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling now.

How to Become a Software Tester Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is an excellent overview of how to do professional software Quality Assurance. The text is very detailed with many examples and exercises covering both the philosophy and specific tactics of testing. There's even a section on how to find a job in the industry that's, despite my general distaste for most "how to land a job" advice, is actually quite charming and effective. I've hired many QA engineers, and can vouch for the effectiveness of much of the material here.
Mr. Savenkov's writing style is enthusiastic and direct, though not very polished. The production values of the book are similarly basic, and some more attention to fonts, layout and general editing would have improved the overall experience. It's obvious that the vast majority of the effort went into the 400 pages of content, which is exactly as it should be in a book about this subject matter. Most of the material here will remain relevant for a very long time.
If you don't have the patience to work through this kind of book, then QA probably isn't the right field for you. However, if you're serious about becoming a software tester, I can't think of a better way to start.

Click Here to see more reviews about: How to Become a Software Tester


How to Become a Software Tester promises to train a new generation of software testers and help them find high-paying tech jobs in a challenging economy. The self-study practical course, authored by former PayPal QA Architect Roman Savenkov, includes a textbook guide that walks students through the concepts with useful advice, and a series of online exercises that ensure they learn how to work out real-world problems.
To become a solid tester requires a lot of hands-on experience, explains Savenkov. You cannot get that by reading without practicing. This course was created to give everyone an opportunity to gain that experience, without paying the thousands of dollars usually spent for a comparable education in testing.
The approach is targeted towards the practical aspects of testing, using everyday situations and real-life situations to illustrate the examples. There is no excessive theory, but rather copious practice exercises through a dedicated online website.
The course is built upon the educational and professional experience Savenkov gained at one of the world s leading software companies, PayPal, where his testing approaches have already been successfully implemented. That is important, as a tester s mistake at a money-transferring service like PayPal could cause millions of dollars in damages.
Students progress at their own pace, and even beginners can gain the skills needed to perform software testing and quality assurance in just weeks.
Ultimately, it s all about getting a job that can change your life, adds Savenkov. People don t pass software tester interviews by saying "I read about it" but by saying "I did it" and "I can demonstrate exactly how."

Buy cheap How to Become a Software Tester now.

Foundations of Software Testing: ISTQB Certification Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently cleared my ISTQB exam and I used this book solely for
the exam and topics on all the questions that were asked were covered in the book,if anyone is planing to give the exam without attending any course I strongly recommend this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Foundations of Software Testing: ISTQB Certification

Your One-Stop Guide To Passing The ISTQB Foundation Level Exam Foundations of Software Testing: Updated edition for ISTQB Certification is your essential guide to software testing and the ISTQB Foundation qualification. Whether you are a students or tester of ISTQB, this book is an essential purchase if you want to benefit from the knowledge and experience of those involved in the writing of the ISTQB Syllabus. This book adopts a practical and hands-on approach, covering the fundamental principles that every system and software tester should know. Each of the six sections of the syllabus is covered by backgroound tests, revision help and sample exam questions. The also contains a glossary, sample full-length examination and information on test certification. The authors are seasoned test-professionals and developers of the ISTQB syllabus itself, so syllabus coverage is thorough and in-depth. This book is designed to help you pass the ISTQB exam and qualify at Foundation Level, and is enhanced with many useful learning aids. ABOUT ISTQB ISTQB is a multi-national body overseeing the development of international qualifications in software testing.In a world of employment mobility and multi-national organizations, having an internationally recognized qualification ensures that there is a common understanding, internationally, of software testing issues.

Get 10% OFF

Buy cheap Foundations of Software Testing: ISTQB Certification now.

How to Diagnose and Repair Automotive Electrical Systems (Motorbooks Workshop) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This books is indeed the best automotive electrical systems book out there, as almost all other books waste the entire book on theories that hardly apply to actual hands-on diagnosis.
I am a graduate of highly-recognized aircraft maintenance college, and have achieved above-average grades in electrical/electronic systems courses. However, during my education we hardly covered "practical" part of our profession as certified technicians. This book cleared up some of my questions and was definitely better than any book I've read on electricity.
However, the downside is that the book still spends much space explaining theories that do not help doing the actual troubleshooting/repair. It could use more photos/illustrations, as well as comparisons between good units & bad units. Some of the components covered are also obsolete (point contact ignition system, DC generator, etc...), only helpful for those who are into vintage vehicles. The book also has too much advertisement, especially for Fluke products. Fluke multimeters are indeed the best in the world, and I myself use a Fluke. However, even my entry-level Fluke was $150 and for most home mechanics, Sears Craftsman DMM's are more than sufficient.
All in all, there is simply no better book than this one. On his next book, I would like to see more info on imported vehicles, as well as more up-to-date systems such as skid control, traction control, electronic climate control, navigation, discharge-type headlight bulbs, LED's, Optitron clusters, and engine-to-transmission data-link systems.

Click Here to see more reviews about: How to Diagnose and Repair Automotive Electrical Systems (Motorbooks Workshop)

Tracy Martin, an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Certified Master Technician, explains the principles behind automotive electrical systems and how they work. This book details the various tools, such as multimeters and test lights, that can be used to evaluate and troubleshoot any vehicle's electrical system. Several hands-on projects take readers on a guided tour of their vehicle's electrical system and demonstrate how to fix specific problems.

Get 34% OFF

Buy cheap How to Diagnose and Repair Automotive Electrical Systems (Motorbooks Workshop) now.

Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Wiring: Upgrade Your Main Service Panel - Discover the Latest Wiring Products - Complies with 2008 NEC (Black & Decker Complete Guide) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I agree with most all of the reviews. This book is intended for beginner to intermediate level do-it-yourselfers. If you are a professional and are looking for guidance on a highly complex project, then this is not the book for you. The book is actually a very interesting read and is full of very explanatory pictures. I recently bought a house and considered hiring an electrician to install a couple extra sockets and light fixtures here and there. After reading through this book, I am quite sure I can do these projects myself. Furthermore, I'm having a detached garage built and was going to hire an electrician to run power out there, which would cost me at least $1,000 after trenching and a few lights. Now, I think I will be doing this myself. The book makes a very good point that you need to get permits for something like that. If you don't do something right, then the inspector will let you know and even give you some great advice on how to fix it. So if you're not confident in your abilities, then at least you will have a professional reviewing your work before you completely finish the project. Even if you don't do a lot of the work yourself, this book will help you understand what the electrician is talking about and help you make more educated decisions when negotiating electrical projects.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Wiring: Upgrade Your Main Service Panel - Discover the Latest Wiring Products - Complies with 2008 NEC (Black & Decker Complete Guide)

North America’s best-selling wiring book—now even better

In previous editions, The Complete Guide to Home Wiring sold more than one million copies, making it the all-time bestselling book on home wiring for consumers. In this newly revised and redesigned edition, the book includes everything that made the original the favorite of American homeowners, but also adds new projects, such as wiring a shed or gazebo, and includes important revisions to meet the 2008 National Electrical Code.

The modern home can include dozens of electronic components unknown just a few years ago, and this book provides essential information on wiring for those devices. It includes information on security systems, home theaters and surround-sound systems, computer networks, and a host of kitchen amenities like espresso machines to grind-and-brew coffee machines. Tech savvy homeowners will appreciate the section devoted to Bluetooth and wi-fi technologies—the next wave of “wireless wiring”

Once again, this book features more than 700 color photographs showing installation and repair projects with unsurpassed realism and clarity.

Get 34% OFF

Buy cheap Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Wiring: Upgrade Your Main Service Panel - Discover the Latest Wiring Products - Complies with 2008 NEC (Black & Decker Complete Guide) now.