Book Description
Bestselling author Geoffrey Moore shows companies how to rise to the challenge of natural selection—and master their own evolution
Geoffrey Moore is one of the most respected and bestselling names in business books. In his widely quoted Crossing the Chasm, he identified and addressed the greatest challenge facing new ventures. Now he's back with a book for established businesses that need to learn how to adapt—or suffer the slow declines into marginalized performance that have characterized so many Fortune 500 icons in recent years.
Deregulation, globalization, and e-commerce are exerting unprecedented pressures on company profits. In this new economic ecosystem, companies must dramatically differentiate from their direct competitors—or risk declining performance and eventual extinction. But how do companies choose the right innovation strategy? Or overcome internal inertia that resists the kind of radical commitments needed to truly set the company's offers apart?
Illustrating his arguments with more than one hundred examples and a full-length case study based on his unprecedented access to Cisco Systems, Moore shows businesses how to meet today's Darwinian challenges, whether they're producing commodity products or customized services. For companies whose competitive differentiation to the marketplace is still effective, he demonstrates how innovations in execution can help boost productivity, whether a company is competing in a growth market, a mature market, or even a declining market. For companies in danger of succumbing to competitive pressures, he shows how to overcome inertia by engaging the entire corporate community in an unceasing commitment to innovate and evolve.
For any business competing in today's eat-or-be-eaten economic jungle, this groundbreaking guide shows not only how to survive, but also thrive.
Customer Reviews:
A cogent survival guide for the evolution of business.......2006-09-13
In a competitive, capitalist economy, nothing is more prized than the whiz-bang invention, the why-didn't-I-think-of-that product or service that defines a market, delights consumers and gushes profits. Yet for all the ink spilled over innovation, remarkably few businesspeople understand exactly how to mint revolutionary new products. Innovation expert Geoffrey A. Moore delves under the hood of the new economy to create this roadmap to creative thinking. Although the text at times bogs down in jargon and a dizzying degree of detail, he cites plenty of sharp real-world examples, including an inside view of Cisco Systems. We recommend this user's manual to innovation to anyone who thinks that survival is not an end goal, but just a place to get started.
A must read for technology companies .......2006-08-28
I have been an avid consumer of Geoffrey's books for many years and Dealing with Darwin provides a framework to organize an enterprise portfolio planning process. It takes the concepts in the "Discpline of Market Leaders" to a whole new level that can be used in planning and strategy execution. We use Geoff's ideas in many ways in the Stanford University Advanced Project Managment program. He is a gifted writer and thinker!
Exceeded My Expectations.......2006-07-24
This book provides a very useful model for evaluating a portfolio, identifying what's core and recommending strategies for how to balance resources between core and non-core projects and activities. Once you have identified your core projects and activities, the book also provides a framework for determining the best innovation strategy for maximum differentiation. These are extremely useful concepts and frameworks, especially for more established businesses that have diverse portfolios, are facing increased competitive headwinds and are looking for ways to compete more effectively.
The big picture.......2006-07-03
This is a good big picture review of where the marketplace is today. After several decades of new product and new category introductions (especially in the high-tech area) we've reached a point where there aren't a lot of new new things. This is especially true in enterprise software where I make a living (www.beagleresearch.com). So the question begs to be asked, "What's next?" meaning if we aren't introducing new categories, how do we get customers interested in what we have to offer. Moore brilliantly answers the question with an array of innovation strategies which, while not as definitive as disruptive innovation, are nevertheless important. Our understanding of how and why product lines are extended, for example, is improved and with that Moore brings to close a circle that started with "Crossing the Chasm". Definitely worth reading if you are in business and have responsibility for charting what's next or if you are a customer and want to understand the next moves by your favorite vendor.
Geared to "broad view" corporate managers .......2006-05-30
Because I work with marketing and PR professionals, I was hoping for more insight on these topics. The discussion on "managing innovations in mature markets" has some value for marketers. Otherwise, this book is targeted to executive-level managers who must address company-wide issues and strategies and want ideas from a range of industries.
Book Description
What is the biological reason for gossip?
For laughter? For the creation of art?
Why do dogs have curly tails?
What can microbes tell us about morality?
These and many other questions are tackled by renowned evolutionist David Sloan Wilson in this witty and groundbreaking new book. With stories that entertain as much as they inform, Wilson outlines the basic principles of evolution and shows how, properly understood, they can illuminate the length and breadth of creation, from the origin of life to the nature of religion. Now everyone can move beyond the sterile debates about creationism and intelligent design to share Darwin’s panoramic view of animal and human life, seamlessly connected to each other.
Evolution, as Wilson explains, is not just about dinosaurs and human origins, but about why all species behave as they do—from beetles that devour their own young, to bees that function as a collective brain, to dogs that are smarter in some respects than our closest ape relatives. And basic evolutionary principles are also the foundation for humanity’s capacity for symbolic thought, culture, and morality.
In example after example, Wilson sheds new light on Darwin’s grand theory and how it can be applied to daily life. By turns thoughtful, provocative, and daringly funny,
Evolution for Everyone addresses some of the deepest philosophical and social issues of this or any age. In helping us come to a deeper understanding of human beings and our place in the world, it might also help us to improve that world.
Customer Reviews:
wow.......2007-10-02
David Sloan Wilson is riiight. It's so simple! Oh thank you, jeez! My eyes are opened! Hey everyone, I'm an atheist! No, I totally get it now! Evolution explains everything! There is no great mystery to life, just evolution and God's a spaghetti monster! Thank you, David!
/sarcasm
Gee Whiz Science.......2007-09-06
I've never met David Sloan Wilson, but he strikes me as one of those professors we've all had at least once. You can imagine him clasping his hands together, looking straight through those large glasses and shouting with joy, "gee isn't that great!" "Evolution explains everything." Okay, maybe he didn't exactly say that, but the take home message is implied. A more accurate statement might be that most everything has been shaped by the forces of selection.
In his book, he sets out to show us that not only is biology best explained by natural selection but so is art, medicine, politics, war, economics, infanticide and religion. That's quite a tall order for one book, but in places he does uncover some nuggets, especially in group selection theory. Some of this ground has been covered before and if you can get past his gee whiz enthusiasm coupled with his goofy braggadocio, he is at times an engaging and entertaining writer.
Unfortunately, his anecdotes and case histories of art, dance and music rest on pretty shaky scientific grounds. And it is precisely this weakness that makes it hard to know who would benefit from this book. The evolutionists already know this is probably right, but the antievolutionists will be inclined to select his weakest arguments to bolster their case.
Nevertheless, I must admit that his intellectual journey provided a stimulating ride. Surely, he's no Dr. Feynman, but you come to realize that Wilson himself is the culmination of some rather curious selection forces.
Incredibly stimulating.......2007-09-03
I really appreciate this book. Well written, funny, precise, documentated and full of anecdotes. Undoubtedly a must read. I recommended it to all my friends and collegues.
Evolution as religion.......2007-08-14
I'm a broad reader and an evolutionist. I'd read a review, bought the book, read it and am truly disappointed. Wilson brags constantly about a previous book he wrote, saying he described religion in evolutionary terms. Sadly, he's doing the reverse in this book: Describing evolution as an acolyte rather than a scientist.
He spends too much time making a claim, waving a wand, and claiming he's proven something. His chapter on laughter is a good example: Lots of muttering, no scientific linkage and then a claim it must be evolutionary. He writes well so even that might have been passable and he does have occasional real examples that are worth reading (keeping this review from being a 1).
What's bad are the sections that completely lack logic, such as on page 184, where he's claiming the importance of dance in evolution. Not only does he show no evidence, he makes a false logical claim while talking about the military. As he writes: "The visceral power of dance made it possible for armies to be formed out ot people who had no objective reason for fighting. Merely by marching in time and other intense communal activities, they become emotionally bonded to each other. ... J. Glenn Gray puts it this way in 'The Warriors: Reflections on Men in Battle': 'Many veterans who are honest with themselves will admit, I believe, that the experience of communal effort in battle ... has been the high point of their lives...."
Notice, first, that he's quoting one man's opinion ("I believe") as factual support. More importantly, notice how Gray is specifically describing the effects of shared combat. Not dancing. Not marching. Not "other intense communal activities." Combat.
I hate it when people on my side are just as ignorant and pompous as the people I oppose. I'm afraid that people will not learn about evolution from this book, only that some evolutionists believe in it as strongly as others believe in the false science of ID. This book damages our cause, and I suggest people avoid it.
gnaw this juicy bone!.......2007-07-27
Some books you don't so much read as gnaw on like a hound with a particularly juicy bone. This is such a book. Some authors, far from remote figures lurking behind their texts, become much-valued friends. David Sloan Wilson is such an author. The title, Evolution for Everyone, is deceptive. While in fact very apposite, it suggests at first sight an over-simplifying textbook, an `Idiots Guide to Darwin'. No such thing. Wilson gives us a passionate and yet affably urbane argument for evolution as a kind of general theory of everything. He sees evolution as relevant to most aspects of human existence. For example, why do humans enjoy music? Why do they enjoy dancing? Wilson suggests that making rhythmic sounds and dancing may well have preceded speech among our remote simian ancestors. Peoples who communally dance unite in co-operation rather than exterminate themselves in fratricidal fighting. A rabble of a hundred individuals can be transformed into an effective regiment of soldiers working as one by drilling together (never more so than when accompanied by martial music). So also literature: it plays an essential role in cultural evolution. Wilson observes: "the primary human adaptation is for our behaviour to be acquired less and less directly from our genes and more and more from other people". Narratives, whether literary or historical, play a part in this process. These are only a few of scores of hares Wilson's engagingly fertile mind puts up for us to pursue. Good hunting!
Book Description
Completely updated every year Frommer's Italy features a completely redesigned section of gorgeous color photos and maps of the most of the ancient and modern cities, classical architecture and ruins, vineyards, villages, and gorgeous countryside vistas that await you. Much more detailed and comprehensive than the major competition, this is simply the most reliable and in-depth guide you can buy. It's personally researched and full of candid opinions. Our authors have chosen the very best places to stay, from the grand hotels of Rome and the chic resorts of Capri to charming and affordable inns and small hotels in regions like Tuscany and the Lake District. And of course, we'll make sure that you dine memorably throughout Italy, whether you're splurging on a world-class restaurant in Florence or looking for a little-known trattoria that serves all the classics. Wherever you go, you'll rely on Frommer's for authoritative but fun-to-use coverage of all the historic, artistic, and cultural treasures. You'll get a complete shopper's guide, the latest trip-planning advice on everything from bargain airfares to rail passes, and a complete shopper's guide. Frommer's Italy even features a color fold-out map!
Customer Reviews:
updated?.......2007-09-01
I'm not sure I trust the quality of update in this guide. First, the Rome metro diagram was not up to date...by about five years. It didn't include the Cipro and beyond stops. And, at least one of the addresses in Milan was not correct. I ended up knocking on the business' back door!
Frommers Itally 2007 .......2007-08-03
I received Frommers Itally 2007 book before the seller indicated that it would arrive! It was in excellent condition and has been very useful thus far.
Frommer's Italy 2007.......2007-07-04
This is an excellent book to use if you are planning a trip to italy, in terms of the quality of the information, it is informative and is also up to date, furthermore, the maps are both accurate as well as in proportion; the only fault we found with it, is that it lacks pictures, thus, it is excellent as a guide and planner, but has to be used in conjunction with the net, to be able to view images of the sites.
A lot of SMALL WRITING & hardly no pictures!.......2007-05-14
If you like to read small print and not see any pictures, then this is the guide for you. I was disapointed. I have ordered several different guides for Italy and this was not a good one since I enjoy visual displays to go with great writing. This was a lot of dull small printed writing with no visual effects.
I WOULD SUGGEST "DK Eyewitness Travel Italy"it is wonderful with the visual displays and historic lessons. It was very colorful and had the everything I was looking for.. maps, photographs, area color codes to divide sections, shopping suggestions, survival guide. bus and tram routes mapped out, and historical/travel lessons.
Frommer's Italy 2007.......2007-05-12
No where can I find such good value other than at Amazon. The shipping is waived most of the time, and the prices are fantastic. The delivery is always timely. Even though I can purchase some items locally I try to use Amazon more often than not. This item is for our upcoming Mediterranean Cruise and we are finding it exceedingly helpful for planning our journey.
Average customer rating:
- What a Wonderful Book!
- The UNIX bible!
- True to the Unix philosophy
- pricey but worth it
- The one unix book that I'd like to have if stranded all alone on an island with a linux system!!
|
Unix Power Tools, Third Edition
Shelley Powers ,
Tim O'Reilly , and
Mike Loukides
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
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Essential System Administration, Third Edition
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ASIN: 0596003307 |
Amazon.com
The mark of a craftsman is his familiarity with his tools, the speed with which he can use them to solve simple problems, and his cleverness in using them to solve more complicated challenges. The latest edition of Unix Power Tools explores the standard Unix tools in greater depth than ever, and with better coverage of Linux, FreeBSD, and even the Darwin environment of Mac OS X. It's also been improved by the addition of sections on Perl and Python, programming languages that can often solve Unix problems more adeptly than any specific utility. This detail-filled book distinguishes itself from other guides for Unix gurus with its organizational structure (it's a series of articles that can be absorbed sequentially or individually) and carefully designed and executed index. Like its esteemed predecessors, this book is one you will keep handy.
The authors have achieved a nearly ideal balance in the pages of this book. It's not just a collection of recipes (such collections tend to leave you hanging if you want to do something a little differently), it's not just a book of documentation (books like that have application mainly as references for people who know a lot already), and it's not just a conceptual how-to guide. Unix Power Tools is all of those things, and the overall effect is impressive indeed. If you work with any flavor of Unix, whatever your level of experience, you will benefit by having this book. --David Wall
Topics covered: How to work efficiently, elegantly, and creatively with the Unix tool suite, as well as (to a lesser extent) with Perl and Python scripts. Tips and strategies on customization, document generation, process management, and networking abound in this wisdom-rich volume.
Book Description
With the growing popularity of Linux and the advent of Darwin, Unix has metamorphosed into something new and exciting. No longer perceived as a difficult operating system, more and more users are discovering the advantages of Unix for the first time. But whether you are a newcomer or a Unix power user, you'll find yourself thumbing through the goldmine of information in the new edition of Unix Power Tools to add to your store of knowledge. Want to try something new? Check this book first, and you're sure to find a tip or trick that will prevent you from learning things the hard way. The latest edition of this best-selling favorite is loaded with advice about almost every aspect of Unix, covering all the new technologies that users need to know. In addition to vital information on Linux, Darwin, and BSD, Unix Power Tools 3rd Edition now offers more coverage of bash, zsh, and other new shells, along with discussions about modern utilities and applications. Several sections focus on security and Internet access. And there is a new chapter on access to Unix from Windows, addressing the heterogeneous nature of systems today. You'll also find expanded coverage of software installation and packaging, as well as basic information on Perl and Python. Unix Power Tools 3rd Edition is a browser's book...like a magazine that you don't read from start to finish, but leaf through repeatedly until you realize that you've read it all. Bursting with cross-references, interesting sidebars explore syntax or point out other directions for exploration, including relevant technical details that might not be immediately apparent. The book includes articles abstracted from other O'Reilly books, new information that highlights program tricks and gotchas, tips posted to the Net over the years, and other accumulated wisdom. Affectionately referred to by readers as "the" Unix book, UNIX Power Tools provides access to information every Unix user is going to need to know. It will help you think creatively about UNIX, and will help you get to the point where you can analyze your own problems. Your own solutions won't be far behind.
Customer Reviews:
What a Wonderful Book!.......2007-10-02
I've worked in IT for 20+ years, and this is one of the best books I've found. What an index! And even the text of the book has reference "pointers" (for lack of a better term) sprinkled throughout it. Even if you don't initially find what you are looking for, you can usually read a couple of paragraphs and find a link to what you need. This book is a "keeper!"
The UNIX bible!.......2007-05-13
Back in 1995 I started working at a client and all the UNIX guys had this book on their desk. I was a newbie at that time and the book helped me out a lot. It was clear and to the point. There is so much useful information. Recently I got my own copy because I had to jump back into the UNIX world and having this book around make me feel like I can handle any task that may be required. This is a must have if you want to dabble or become a pro in UNIX.
True to the Unix philosophy.......2007-05-12
Here is a quote taken from _Unix_Power_Tools_ which demonstrates the
attitude, shared by the authors, that unix allows you to make things
easier. "''Ugh!', you say, 'that's just what I hate about UNIX. All
these long filenames and options I can't remember. Who wants to type
all that stuff!' Precisely. That's why UNIX makes it so easy to
create custom commands, in the form of aliases and shell scripts."
Unix Power Tools is true to the spirit and philosophy of unix in
focusing on the command line environment with its rich abundance of
command interpreters, shell languages, system utilities, commands, and
the like. This is the realm of real power.
The book is aimed squarely at the user who wants to learn what's under
the hood of the unix (and Linux) system. It's not about how to change
your wallpaper or install the latest media player, or configure your
desktop, although this new edition may touch on these topics, too.
It's really about using unix to greatest advantage, about tapping its
real power, the power of its simplicity, of its flexibility, of
tapping into I/O streams, and using the tool-box approach to solving
real problems. It's about using 'pipes', 'redirection', and
'filters', to automate the big jobs.
My copy of this book is tattered from all the use it's had over the
last ten years. I'm always hunting it down, as my associates at work
are constantly borrowing it to help them solve a problem. That's
okay, though. I am ordering another copy, just for me. I'm curious
to see this new edition, which I understand has broader coverage of
the various unix flavors, including Linux, which I run
at home.
I would recommend this book to those who find unix intimidating, as
well as to the unix enthusiast. For anyone who ever wondered what the
fuss over unix was about, this book will certainly bring on an
epiphany. For between these covers is the greatest accumulation of
unix wisdom and know-how to be found in any book. The shear volume is
enough to elicit awe. But that's only part of its value, because such
an enormous accumulation of material might normally overwhelm the
reader, leaving him frustrated and unenlightened. Happily, this book
is so well organized, and the material so pleasingly presented, that
anyone will find it a pleasure to browse through and to mine
repeatedly for those precious tips, tricks, and methods that make
using unix so rewarding.
This is admittedly a pound heavy volume, and might be expected to
contain a lot of chaff with the grain. I have not found it so. The
authors have chosen the material well, and know their subject so
intimately and thoroughly, that I am left with a feeling of profound
respect. This is, in short, a book that is worthy of its subject; a
truly great book for a great OS.
I read another reviewer who avers this is the one book he would take
with him to a deserted island. I concur. It has taught me more than
any other unix book, and has made my work more efficient, and most
importantly, more interesting. I paid full retail for my copy of
Power Tools, and at the time, I thought it was a lot, but it has
repaid me many times over. It's the most indispensable unix book on
my shelf; a real gem.
pricey but worth it.......2006-06-23
I know this seems abit pricey but its worth it. I dont have the attention span needed to read most books cover-to-cover. Even though this book is huge I have browsed it all and read most of it. Multiple times! Each time I find some new tidbit to use.
The one unix book that I'd like to have if stranded all alone on an island with a linux system!!.......2006-05-01
I'm an analog IC designer moonlighting as a linux hacker (I'm actually addicted). I try to build software, write shell scripts and customize my desktop to death. I picked up this book a year or two back and I think I've probably used it almost every single day to look up something or the other. I probably own about 20 linux related books (more than my engineering books) but this is the one that I would run out with when the firealarm sounds. Here is my short summary of my feelings about this book.
- this book (primarily) caters to intermediate to advanced users
- I would still recommend this for linux beginners as a reference to check up when every other beginner book fails. There are introductory chapters on shell scripting which could put some of the dedicated shell scripting books to shame
- One of the fundamental holy grail that linux books try to achieve (and in which they often fail) is to find a good balance between breadth and depth - both qualities which the subject of Unix do not shy away from. So a Linux beginner picks up an introductory book which addresses just one linux issue and before he knows it-he has gathered enough knowledge and the book just picks up dust. Or he could pick up a book that claims to be a reference and skims over all the items with little depth and boom when he really needs information about a particular topic he finds that the book is too shallow. The "Unix Power Tools" book, I'm happy to say achieves this good balance between depth and breadth in very good measure. Ex. When I was confused about the intricacies of bash quoting or I/O redirecition, this book came to my rescue. The Unix command "find" which was buried under a 4-year old alias for me owing to it's complexities, suddenly developed a fascination for me after I discovered it's myriad use and value from the multiple pages that this book devoted to it's demystifcation.
- I bought the O'Reilly books - "Linux in a Nutshell" and "Essential system Administration" with the purpose of using them as references - The first one was just too shallow for my requirements and taste and I use it basically as a replacement for online man pages. The second one has it's very niche, but only in specific circumstances. So they have been put to use probably just 1/10th of what the "Power Tools" book has been put to
- I'm not a guy who is driven to write reviews i.e unless I am totally ecstatic or totally disgusted with a product and you probably have guessed where I stand with this one. I waited 1 or two years and I somehow felt that I owe this review to this book.
Average customer rating:
- Still A Great Java Resource!
- Disappointing
- Great source for how to code specific situations
- Excellent resource
- My favorite type of supplemental reference manual...
|
Java Cookbook, Second Edition
Ian Darwin
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
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ASIN: 0596007019 |
Book Description
You have a choice: you can wade your way through lengthy Java tutorials and figure things out by trial and error, or you can pick up Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition and get to the heart of what you need to know when you need to know it. With the completely revised and thoroughly updated Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition, Java developers like you will learn by example, try out new features, and use sample code to understand how new additions to the language and platform work--and how to put them to work for you. This comprehensive collection of problems, solutions, and practical examples will satisfy Java developers at all levels of expertise. Whether you're new to Java programming and need something to bridge the gap between theory-laden reference manuals and real-world programs or you're a seasoned Java programmer looking for a new perspective or a different problem-solving context, this book will help you make the most of your Java knowledge. Packed with hundreds of tried-and-true Java recipes covering all of the major APIs from the 1.4 version of Java, this book also offers significant first-look recipes for the most important features of the new 1.5 version, which is in beta release. You get practical solutions to everyday problems, and each is followed by a detailed, ultimately useful explanation of how and why the technology works. Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition includes code segments covering many specialized APIs--like those for working with Struts, Ant and other new popular Open Source tools. It also includes expanded Mac OS X Panther coverage and serves as a great launching point for Java developers who want to get started in areas outside of their specialization. In this major revision, you'll find succinct pieces of code that can be easily incorporated into other programs. Focusing on what's useful or tricky--or what's useful and tricky--Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition is the most practical Java programming book on the market.
Customer Reviews:
Still A Great Java Resource!.......2007-08-12
I bought the first version of the Java Cookbook many years ago and it was a huge find back then. There were few online resources at the time loaded with really great, consistent sample code, like http://www.javaalmanac.com. The Java Cookbook filled a need then and it fills a need now.
The book covers subjects of interest for programmers with any level of Java expertise. It is written in the classic 'cookbook' format. Each chapter concentrates on a specific area, like 'Strings and Things', 'Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions', 'Object-Oriented Techniques', 'Network Clients', 'Database Access', 'Threaded Java', etc.
Within each chapter, several problems are tackled. One or more pages are devoted to each problem, with a general format of: 'Problem', 'Solution', and 'Discussion'. Many of the problems build on previous solutions. Nearly every solution contains a Java example and the code tends to be simple enough to grok at a glance.
The book has been updated to cover most of the new Java 1.4 and 1.5 goodies, but doesn't have as much coverage as I would have liked. However, the most fundamental topics are covered well. The 800+ page book includes 312 recipes that cover a wide range of topics.
If you are like me and spend a lot of time learning by example, you will find this book an excellent resource.
Disappointing.......2007-02-06
I am a Java newbie and purchased this book in addition to the Head First Java text to get me started. I am a big fan of the Cookbook series, and have generally been very satisied with them. However, the Java Cookbook has been a disappointment.
I must echo the sentiments of "schrapnel" in his review of this text. The recipies given seem designed to teach general concepts rather than solve common programming problems. The result is a general Java textbook that is encumbered with the Cookbook format of Problem, Solution, Discussion. There are numerous instances of the Problem being trivial, or downright silly. For example, "You really want to know about end-of-line characters" and "You need to learn the syntax of JDK 1.4 regular expressions" are presented as Problems for recipies. Clearly, the author is reaching a bit too far in his attempt to present the material in cookbook format.
Great source for how to code specific situations.......2004-10-11
Anyone who has been involved in programming very long soon comes to realize the value of the various programming cookbooks. The cookbooks are not for the person who wants to learn how to program in a particular language, but are very useful for programmers with a basic knowledge of the language. The idea is simple, take the most common problems people deal with and put the solutions into a book. Simply state the problem and then show the code to resolve it. So, if you need to know how to do something you can look it up, enter the code, and test it.
Some of the chapter subjects include Interacting with the Environment, Strings and Things, Pattern Matching, Numbers, Dates and Times, Object-Oriented Techniques, Directory and Filesystem Operations, Graphics and Sound, Network Clients, Server-Side Java, Database Access, XML, and Threaded Java. Typical of any of the programming cookbooks, it is a quick and easy source for answers. Each item has a short explanation of the problem and then goes straight to the code to demonstrate how it works. A great time saver and required resource for Java programmers, Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition is highly recommended.
Excellent resource.......2004-10-04
This is an excellent book-it manages to make itself appropriate for both introductory and experienced Java developers. If you've ever looked at any of the books in O'Reilly's "Cookbook" series, you'll know that the book is organized into "recipes", which illustrate how to accomplish various development tasks in Java.
Many of the beginning recipes are pretty basic, but will be used by developers new to Java to get started. Recipes include setting up the IDE to work correctly, working with a debugger, and even an introduction to JUnit. The next few sections of recipes are similar to what you would expect from any "Learn to Program in Language" book. There is a discussion on strings and string use, numbers, and date time values.
As the book progresses, the recipes become increasingly technical. I was quite impressed to see a discussion of Generics in chapter 8, which were added to 1.5. Additional technical recipes include I/O, graphics and sound, and using sockets in Java. The author is able to successfully discuss a lot of different topics in a very clear and concise way. Additionally, I was both pleased and surprised to see the author include brief discussions on software patterns and agile methodologies, both of which are very much coming into vogue.
Naturally, this book isn't easy to read from cover to cover, but it was never designed that way. Much like an actual cookbook, it is designed to best be used as a reference manual. Experienced non-Java programmers will benefit from this book, which can be used as a good tutorial to learn the Java language quickly. Java programmers will also benefit greatly from this book, and will likely want to have it next to their computer as a reference manual. I would highly recommend this book to anyone either wanting to learn Java or anyone looking for a good Java reference book.
My favorite type of supplemental reference manual..........2004-08-02
I make no apologies about being an "R&D" developer... "Rob & Duplicate". I learn best by seeing something that works, and then adapting it to my own needs. Therefore, a book like Java Cookbook by Ian Darwin (O'Reilly) is the exact type of book I look for and use on a regular basis.
The chapter breakdown: Getting Started; Interacting With The Environment; Strings and Things; Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions; Numbers; Dates and Times; Structuring Data with Java; Data Structuring with Generics, foreach, and Enumerations; Object-Oriented Techniques; Input and Output; Directory and Filesystem Operations; Programming External Devices: Serial and Parallel Ports; Graphics and Sound; Graphical User Interfaces; Internationalization and Localization; Network Clients; Server-Side Java: Sockets; Network Clients II: Applets and Web Clients; Java and Electronic Mail; Database Access; XML; Distributed Java: RMI; Packages and Packaging; Threaded Java; Introspection, or "A Class Named Class"; Using Java with Other Languages
For those unfamiliar with the "Cookbook" style, the chapters have a series of real-life problems, such as playing a sound file, playing a video clip, and printing in Java. The problem is followed by a short one or two line solution and an expanded discussion of the issue complete with code. This approach makes it really easy to find something that is similar to the issue you're facing and to see how someone else would solve it.
For me, the quality of this book is really high. It's a second edition covering the Java 1.5 package, so it's fully up on the current technology. In fact, the Generics chapter deals exclusively with new features in 1.5. Some of the solutions are code classes developed by the author and made available for download. But unlike some books I've reviewed where the author supplies code, this isn't an attempt to push their company or product. It's just a clean way to use a solution that someone else has worked through.
This isn't a book you'd use to learn Java from scratch, but it's a book you'll use on a regular basis as you continue to expand your Java knowledge. Highly recommended.
Book Description
A gorgeous gift and a landmark work that is an essential addition to everyone's personal library.
Never before have the four great works of Charles Darwin—Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle (1845), The Origin of Species (1859), The Descent of Man (1871), and The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)—been collected under one cover. Undertaking this challenging endeavor 123 years after Darwin's death, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson has written an introductory essay for the occasion, while providing new, insightful introductions to each of the four volumes and an afterword that examines the fate of evolutionary theory in an era of religious resistance. In addition, Wilson has crafted a creative new index to accompany these four texts, which links the nineteenth-century, Darwinian evolutionary concepts to contemporary biological thought. Beautifully slipcased, and including restored versions of the original illustrations, From So Simple a Beginning turns our attention to the astounding power of the natural creative process and the magnificence of its products. Slipcased hardcover; 101 illustrations, map.
Customer Reviews:
Can't Beat It.......2007-04-03
I bought this book knowing very little about Darwin or his theories. From So Simple a Beginning was an easy read about a very interesting man. I would hope that not just supporters of evolution would read this book there is more to the man then just one theory.
Four classics.......2007-01-12
Excellent in every particular. Five stars in delivery time, condition, quality of the experience.
Wonderful writing wrong package.......2007-01-10
There is no gainsaying the writings of Darwin or the thinking of my favorite living scientist, E.O.Wilson. But the package is wrong.
Four books in one. Too heavy, too cumbersome. Discouraging.
Too big.......2007-01-05
This book is way too big to hold to read, so it is not useful. From the picture I thought I was ordering 4 different books in a book holder, not one giant book. I recommend buying them separately unless you have very strong arms and wrists.
From So Simple a Beginning: Darwin's Four Great Books (Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, T.......2006-07-02
Good
Amazon.com
Michael J. Behe, a biochemist at Lehigh University, presents here a scientific argument for the existence of God. Examining the evolutionary theory of the origins of life, he can go part of the way with Darwin--he accepts the idea that species have been differentiated by the mechanism of natural selection from a common ancestor. But he thinks that the essential randomness of this process can explain evolutionary development only at the macro level, not at the micro level of his expertise. Within the biochemistry of living cells, he argues, life is "irreducibly complex." This is the last black box to be opened, the end of the road for science. Faced with complexity at this level, Behe suggests that it can only be the product of "intelligent design."
Book Description
The groundbreaking, "seminal work" (Time) on intelligent design that dares to ask, was Darwin wrong?
In 1996, Darwin's Black Box helped to launch the intelligent design movement: the argument that nature exhibits evidence of design, beyond Darwinian randomness. It sparked a national debate on evolution, which continues to intensify across the country. From one end of the spectrum to the other, Darwin's Black Box has established itself as the key intelligent design text -- the one argument that must be addressed in order to determine whether Darwinian evolution is sufficient to explain life as we know it.
In a major new Afterword for this edition, Behe explains that the complexity discovered by microbiologists has dramatically increased since the book was first published. That complexity is a continuing challenge to Darwinism, and evolutionists have had no success at explaining it. Darwin's Black Box is more important today than ever.
Download Description
From within the highest ranks of the scientific community comes a startling new theory of creation that not only contradicts Darwinian orthodoxy but opens the door to theological arguments biologists have dismissed and ridiculed for more than a century.
Customer Reviews:
A Design Parade.......2007-10-08
After I purchased biochemist Michael Behe's new book "The Edge of Evolution," I decided it would be wise for me to boney up on his seminal 1996 work "Darwin's Black Box." I already played muck-a-muck with this debate for quite a few months, in a whirling attempt of absorbed concentration in the infamous struggle of "Design v. Darwin" to find out the truth. The debate may be superfluous, and especially downright nasty, and it will continue to intensify in the coming months with a new documentary by lawyer and social commentator Ben Stein in February 2008. Reading Behe is like taking a time out from the unfair play on both sides of the field. He is a better penman than Richard Dawkins, devoid of the man's vile poison, and he treats the reader as a student to be respected, not as a clay figure to be molded into a Darwiniac inquisitor. In fact, Behe is a committed believer in common descent, a position that isn't too friendly a bedfellow of creationists. The book is unique in both its author and its content, as demonstrated by the numerous "critiques" and "debunking" of the arguments proposed on the Amazon boards. Reading the hundreds or so reviews and responses only do so much to strengthen Behe's ideas.
This book is more like a parade. Behe, the ringleader with the marching rod, introduces us to the central argument of the "Black Box." It turns out to be irreducible complexity, which embodies the fabric of many biological systems once believed to be inconsequential, simplistic globules developed by chance mutation and selection. We then witness the march of the band and its many sections: the cell, the bacterial flagellum, blood-clotting, the cilium, etc. Each system, composed of many interdependent parts, will cease functioning if only one of its microscopic parts is missing. The individual parts, of course, can still possibly perform some other function (so goes the most powerful critique against ID! Things have different functions! Eureka!). However, the system itself will be quite useless. Thus appears the grand finale, a prolonged beat of the bass drum, which is that the neo-Darwinian paradigm is an implausible explanation for how these molecular systems appeared, no matter how many billions of years you attempt to postulate for its progress.
Attacking the hypothesis of intelligent design as a "God-of-the-Gaps" argument is one of the most frequently peddled mischaracterizations in all of the debate, promoted by no less than the most rabid of atheistic biologists like Dawkins and Eugenie Scott. The argument goes: We cannot envision a way naturalistic science could develop this system; hence it was made by God. The falsehood in this attack is typical, not to mention simplistic. Behe himself describes ID as the purposeful arrangement of parts in a system. We see this in every biological system: the cell, the flagellum, the cilium, and the blood clotting system. These systems are arranged in a purposeful pattern, structured precisely to, in the case of the cell, to replicate and store information, and in the case of other biological organisms, to sustain itself (unlike non-living materials like, say, rocks). It says nothing about whom or what this designer is. And, of course, it still remains the burden of proof to demonstrate how it evolved. We're talking about the Supreme Law of the Universe (Darwinism), and all that people can come up with are fairy tales about how it MIGHT have happened?
Neo-Darwinism cannot be supported much longer. It doesn't mean that evolution did not occur, or that common descent is a bogus idea. But the chance mutation-selection paradigm is becoming increasingly to difficult to sustain. The hyperactive Stalinist response to events like the Dover case and the actions committed by groups like the NSTA and ASE in America suggests a religious cult going through panic mode. Certainly there is something to what Behe and the rest of the ID movement is saying that just strikes a nerve. Maybe it's just the truth.
A great critique of evolution........2007-09-25
Supporters of the classic evolution that is taught in schools went nuts when this book was published. It could be argued that Michael Behe started the inteligent design theory and brought the debate of evolution back public stage.
Behe has been heavily criticized for daring to confront the evolution juggernaught and has made his book a must read for anyone interested in the evolution debate. This book is important and will shape the thinking of evolutionary scientists in the future, whether they like it or not.
Behe's empty box.......2007-09-05
First let's start with a quote from The National Academy of Science. " Creationism, I.D. and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of life of species are not science because they are not testable by the methods of science."
Mr. Behe uses the terms darwinism, darwinian evolution, darwinian gradualism through-out his book instead of modern evolution because he knows this name carries alot of heated imagery in the minds of the fundamentalist. If confronted with the findings of modern day evolution I think Mr. Behe would realize just how shakey the ground for his ideas would become.
He condems Prof. Doolittle for using a "yin yang" analogy but goes on to give boring and irrealivant analogy after analogy of his own.
He states that 90 persent of Americans believe in God as if the truth were dictated by a show of hands. If that were true then he might want to convert to Islam since the Muslim faith is the largest religious group in the world.
This leads me to my next problem with Mr. Behe's book. He is constantly refering to an intelligent designer or intelligent agent, and then speaking of the supernatural and divine. Here I have two questions.
1. Why use the singular noun? Why not appeal to many intelligent designers or agents?
2. Why could'nt these creators be "natural" as opposed to supernatural?
Which leads me to my final gripe.
Mr. Behe is constantly telling us how the scientific evidence points to an intelligent designer but never offers his own testable proof. Complexity is not proof in and of itself. What is the indentity of this creator? He does'nt say. The whole book seemed to be a rant against scientist who do not agree with his view. Mr. Behe seems to think there's this big conspiracy against the truth. Who's truth? His.
Amazing stuff.......2007-08-31
Functionally interdependent irreducible complexities....fascinating. How can these be adequately explained? I find it truly amazing.
Wonderful.......2007-08-22
Down to earth with complexity explained in a simple readable way. This is a very good source to dispute one of the most absurd notions in the history of the world....evolution. Fantastic, logical, and full of expert knowledge. Dispute it if you wish, but truth is evident. God is real!
Average customer rating:
- Good guide
- Boring
- Research country, cities and important sites
- Thorough, Comprehensive and well-put together
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Frommer's Europe (Frommer's Complete)
Darwin Porter ,
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Manufacturer: Frommer's
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Binding: Paperback
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Frommer's Europe by Rail (Frommer's Complete)
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Frommer's Europe from $85 a Day, 46th Edition
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Europe For Dummies (Dummies Travel)
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Fodor's Europe, 59th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)
ASIN: 047192265X |
Book Description
Whether you're a first-time visitor doing the grand tour or a seasoned traveler planning a multi-country itinerary, Frommer's Europe is a must. Inside this concise, user-friendly volume are all the highlights of the continent. We've included a wide array of options, from grand hotels to charming and affordable guesthouses, from five-star dining rooms to simple cafes—the very best in every price range. There's something here for every taste, interest, and budget.
Just because we're covering such a wide territory doesn't mean that we've skimped on the details. You'll find an astounding depth of accurate, up-to-date information, including exact prices, open hours, metro stops, credit cards, and more.
We'll take you to the legendary cultural capitals of Europe, where we offer complete sightseeing, shopping, and nightlife coverage and review the best accommodations and dining in all price ranges, from the Ritz on down. But we don't stop there. We've designed easy-to-follow itineraries that explore the most unforgettable parts of the European countryside. Frommer's Europe takes you to the vineyards and chateaux of the Loire Valley, the lovely villages of Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon, the hill towns of Tuscany, and the spectacular scenery of the Alps.
It's all accompanied by detailed maps. You'll also find the latest trip-planning advice on everything from bargain airfares to rail passes, money-saving tips, and a color fold-out rail map that makes trip-planning a snap!
Download Description
Updated for 2004, this edition contains planning chapters with special icons that point readers to great finds, excellent values, insider tips, best bets for kids, special moments, and Europe's overrated experiences.
Customer Reviews:
Good guide.......2007-05-16
A good travel guide. Read it before you go and it will save you time and money
Boring.......2007-03-08
I know it's difficult to discuss and review all of Europe in one book, but this book was boring. It was easy to read, but not very fun or interesting. It did hit the highlights of the major sights, but it acts more like a reference than an exciting guide.
Research country, cities and important sites.......2006-08-07
Good and useful maps, info on cities and must see sites as well as out of town places to visit if time permits, including how to get there. Good tips on the arts, music, food, transportation. A must read before leaving on the trip.
Thorough, Comprehensive and well-put together.......2005-03-23
From all the travel books out there on Europe this one is not a compilation of mere facts, photos, phone numbers and page-fillers.
What sets Frommer's apart is the information provided and the style in which is presented. You will find lodging options for various budgets, a list of most important sites to see and even suggested ways to spend time in a city if you have only 1 day or as much as 5 days, great places to eat and great places to splurge if you can stretch your dollar. Be aware that this is not a book for the ones on a shoestring budget. Frommer provides a good introduction to Europe without being overloading you with mass amounts of information or pictures, a truly well-balanced book.
When I backpacked 4 months through Europe I had a copy of the Lonely Planet for Europe (a thick and heavy book) because it covered more cities and esoteric towns, a ripped chapters of all the international youth hostals Europe of the countries I visited, and as primary guide for nominal cities and capitals I used Frommers (ripped the book and kept only chapters of countries planning to visit - so I can keep the weight down).
Book Description
Frommer's London 2007 is the only guide you'll need to plan the perfect trip to London. We'll show you the city's best, including the world-class theaters and pub scene. You'll get insider tips on shopping on Oxford Street, enjoying an afternoon tea at the Ritz, rowing on the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, and dining on pheasant at Rules, possibly the city's oldest restaurant.
You'll find candid reviews of a huge selection of accommodations in all price ranges, from chic boutique hotels to homey B&Bs. It's all accompanied by dozens of color maps, the latest trip-planning advice on everything from bargain airfares to rail passes, money-saving tips, and a complete shopper's guide. You'll even get a free color fold-out map and an online directory that makes trip-planning a snap!
Download Description
From Big Ben to little-known finds, the best of this favorite European city
- With an estimated 26 million visitors in 2003, London remains a top destination for U.S. and European travelers
- Provides information on events commemorating the 60th anniversary, in 2005, of the end of World War II
- Includes a full-color photo insert and a giant foldout map
Customer Reviews:
Great overall guide for first-time visitors!.......2007-07-08
We went to London in January 2007. We bought a few London travel-guide-type books but THIS book was the one we kept turning to during our trip. It was easy to use and comprehensive. The maps of the different parts of the city were an excellent tool. We had never been to London before and with this book we felt a little more like we knew what we were doing! I highly recommend this book!
Map seems incomplete . . . . .......2007-05-29
I was really hoping to use the map included in this book during my stay in London. Unfortunately, the area I was staying (near the Marble Arch) was not included in the map, and therefore, was not as useful as I had hoped.
A must have for tourists, but missing some helpful information.......2007-03-28
We went to London in January 2007. I was so glad we bought this book, as we constantly referred to the maps (in the book and the tear-out pocket map). The lists and descriptions of things to do around London were priceless, as were the suggestions. I relied on the maps of the different parts of the city to find our way around to the lesser known places or when we got a little off course. This was my 3rd time visiting London, so I wanted to see a few things that were off the beaten path and not the typical sites to see. The maps and book helped guide us through all the different parts of the city.
The only thing I wish it had were more hotel reviews and restaurant reviews. Fortunately, with the internet, researching those topics is fairly easy. We had free internet access in the hotel we stayed at in Westminster (the City Inn Westminster, I think it was).
Awesome, a must have..........2007-03-09
This book is very comprehensive, definately a "Must Have" for your First (or any) trip to London. We just got back and could not have seen everything we wanted to, without it. The Suggested Itineraries section is AWESOME. it gives you a 1, 2 or 3 day turn by turn way to walk through the city to make ensure you get to see everything. You can find lots of this information on Frommer's website too for free, but having the book with you is the only way to go.
Great Planning Book.......2006-08-30
This book showed me a great view of what to do and see in London. I have been slowly planning my trip for awhile and this book is the cornerstone to that planning. The only thing I wish though was that they showed more pictures of the things in the book.
Book Description
A fresh look at Darwin's most radical idea, and the mysteriously slow process by which he revealed it.
Evolution, during the early nineteenth century, was an idea in the air. Other thinkers had suggested it, but no one had proposed a cogent explanation for how evolution occurs. Then, in September 1838, a young Englishman named Charles Darwin hit upon the idea that "natural selection" among competing individuals would lead to wondrous adaptations and species diversity. Twenty-one years passed between that epiphany and publication of On the Origin of Species. The human drama and scientific basis of Darwin's twenty-one-year delay constitute a fascinating, tangled tale that elucidates the character of a cautious naturalist who initiated an intellectual revolution.
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin is a book for everyone who has ever wondered about who this man was and what he said. Drawing from Darwin's secret "transmutation" notebooks and his personal letters, David Quammen has sketched a vivid life portrait of the man whose work never ceases to be controversial.
Customer Reviews:
Beware the audio book verson.......2007-09-13
Be forewarned: the narrator of the audio book version is an unfortunate cross between J. Peterman from Seinfeld, Mike Wallace from 60 Minutes, and the narrator of old elementary school film strips. The content is very good (as described in other reviews posted here) but you should have a friendly warning about the audio version. The narrator will put you to sleep.
Short, Fast, and Informative.......2007-04-25
"The Reluctant Mr. Darwin" by David Quammen is a concise, fun, and fast read. If you want to learn the bullet points about Charles Darwin's life and the formative people, events, and intellectual and social climate that surrounded Darwin's publication of the On the Origin of Species, then this book is for you. Quammen does not spend too much time on any one point, but maintains a theme that Darwin was not lazy in publishing his famous book many years after his voyage but reluctant, wanting to make sure his ideas were sound and well evidenced.
An outline of Darwin's life can be found in many places, even Wikipedia, but what makes Quammen's book particularly helpful is the sections he devotes to writing about Darwin's contemporaries and their contributions to natural history and Darwin's work. Quammen writes about Charles Lyell and his advocacy of the idea of uniformitarianism, the idea that was formed by slow-moving processes, which opposed the idea of catastrophism, the idea that was consistent with Christian theology of the times and based on the belief that certain catastrophes shaped the geologic features of the earth as it is today. Quammen also writes about John-Baptiste Lamarck and his idea of the inheritance of acquired traits, an idea that has been found to be incorrect, but one that Darwin uses in his famous book. These sections in "The Reluctant Mr. Darwin" give historical and scientific context to Darwin's work and allow the reader to more completely appreciate the specific and significant contribution that Darwin made in advocating the idea of evolution by natural selection.
Another important aspect of Quammen's book was how Quammen made it a point to show the evolution of Darwin's famous publication from its infancy, where he first wrote his ideas in journals titled Journal A, Journal B, Journal C, and so on to his obsession with writing a tome that covered every possible argument and objection to his idea with as much evidence as possible to his final rushed publishing of On the Origin of Species due to the threat of Alfred Russel Wallace nearly publishing the same theory before Darwin himself.
This book definitely gives the reader a good picture of Darwin and the social and scientific climate in which he lived. I came away from the book having what I felt was a basic yet complete understanding of Darwin's life.
On the Evolution of Darwin.......2007-04-25
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick read on the life and works of Charles Darwin. David Quammen beautifully integrates excerpts from primary sources into this biography, really making the work a book, and not just a really long research paper. The sections are smartly headed and the writing style is engaging and makes the biography an easy and interesting read.
The biography itself provides an intimate portrait of Charles Darwin the son, husband, father, friend, etc., which also reveals much about his tendencies as a scientist. The author gives a good overview of all the theories regarding speciation that had already been discussed throughout the intellectual community before Darwin came up with his idea on the "transmutation" of species. It was particularly interesting when trying to imagine a society before the theory of evolution. My struggles to do so only further demonstrate how much Darwin has impacted our modern thinking. Quammen's summary on the ideas and examples provided in "The Origin of Species" may be interesting to many who do not wish to read the 500 pages or so of the actual book, but in my opinion, it was unnecessarily dry and seemed out of place in an otherwise interesting and engaging work.
However, one point that I particularly enjoyed was the fact that Quammen explored the evolution of Darwin's theory of evolution: from the beginnings of its fabrication in "notebook B" to its revealing to the public in the first edition of "Origins" to subsequent subtle changes in order to rectify problems brought up by opponents and finally to its modern applications in the field of molecular biology. The author definitely provided a persuading argument on the "fitness" of Darwin's great idea.
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin by David Quammen.......2007-03-31
This book is by far one of the best I have read on Darwin. David Quammen puts you inside the period in Enland as well as providing a great understanding of Darwins personal thinking and self doubt as he formulated his theories on evolution. This is an excellent book for anyone but especially a non-scientist such as myself.
Larry Wilkinson
Howell, Michigan
Quammen on Darwin.......2007-03-12
This work focuses on the post Beagle period of Darwins life, and although I would have liked more included on Wallace, Lyell,and Huxley, Darwin was the deserving subject.
David Quammen is an excellent writer on science and scientists, and if you are starting with this work, you should check out his other works.
Books:
- Deep in the Jungle (Disney's Read Along Collection)
- Dinosaur Society Dinosaur Encyclopedia
- Earth System History
- Environmental Microbiology
- Environmental Microbiology
- Environmental Microbiology
- Epigenetics
- Essentials of Fire Fighting
- Eugenics and Other Evils : An Argument Against the Scientifically Organized State
- Europa The Ocean Moon: Search For An Alien Biosphere (Springer Praxis Books / Geophysical Sciences)
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