I Am a Strange Loop

Book Description

Douglas Hofstadter's long-awaited return to the themes of GÃ¶del, Escher, Bach--an original and controversial view of the nature of consciousness and identity.

Can thought arise out of matter? Can self, a soul, a consciousness, an "I" arise out of mere matter? If it cannot, then how can you or I be here?

I Am a Strange Loop argues that the key to understanding selves and consciousness is the "strange loop"--a special kind of abstract feedback loop inhabiting our brains. The most central and complex symbol in your brain or mine is the one called "I." The "I" is the nexus in our brain, one of many symbols seeming to have free will and to have gained the paradoxical ability to push particles around, rather than the reverse.

How can a mysterious abstraction be real--or is our "I" merely a convenient fiction? Does an "I" exert genuine power over the particles in our brain, or is it helplessly pushed around by the laws of physics?

These are the mysteries tackled in I Am a Strange Loop, Douglas R. Hofstadter's first book-length journey into philosophy since GÃ¶del, Escher, Bach. Compulsively readable and endlessly thought-provoking, this is the book Hofstadter's many readers have been waiting for.

Customer Reviews:

Very good read .......2007-09-25

Douglas Hofstadter fans will find this book fun and interesting to read. Although many of the GED ideas have been reshashed in this book but it includes some new learnings and evolution in thinking that the writer has gone through in last 30 years.

You may find the book using a bit to many analogies, but you should expect that from the writer of fluid concepts and creative analogies. Once again Hofstadter's description of Godel's incompleteness theorem is one of the best written explanation for non mathematicians.

Book maintains its focus on explanation of conciousness and overall does a decent job in making its point.

Shadman

Nice complement to GEB.......2007-09-20

If you have already read and enjoyed Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, then you should read this. Just don't expect GEB 2.

If you have not, then go read that first, then read this.

Syllogistic fantasy.......2007-09-01

There's a revealing passage in this book, in which Hofstadter tells us how he dropped out of math graduate school, having reached the limit of his ability to handle the complex abstractions in abstract algebra and topology. I went to the same graduate school, and I know what he means. I observed there that the best mathematicians handle this complexity with two hard-earned skills operating in parallel: deft and precise manipulation of strict definitions according to the rules of logic; and deep intuition. Hofstadter has the latter, and in this book you believe he's onto something. But he's not so good at the former. At some point the analogies grow tiresome, and you just want him to spell it out.

It's disappointing that a brilliant thinker and teacher writing about a fascinating subject central to his work ends up leaving too much to the reader.

The book, in essence, expresses the following syllogistic fallacy: The human brain creates an internal "symbol" for its owner, which we call "I", and which can observe itself, creating a sort of self-enriching feedback loop called a "strange loop". Now strange loops, found primarily in mathematics, are magical things. And consciousness is a magical thing. Therefore it's the strange loop we call "I" that creates consciousness.

Unfortunately, Hofstadter never really connects all the dots. For example, he never explains precisely what a "strange loop" is. He makes a "first stab" in Chapter 8, but then never tries again, so we're left with a "definition" that is more vague than no definition at all. (It involves the word "paradoxical" and "level-crossing" - terms that wouldn't fly in a math seminar.)

He does go on to explain why he believes the self creates strange loops. The idea is that by observing its interaction with the world, it creates an ever more elaborate symbol of itself. It's a compelling idea, amply illustrated by analogies to video cameras and Gödel's theorem. But then he never quite closes the loop. What's the link between that strange mechanism and the feeling of consciousness that we all find so tangible and yet mysterious?

Quite possibly Hofstadter has rushed to a conclusion based on enthusiasm and intuition rather than evidence. It's clear that the man is obsessed with self-reference. He's never lost his early fascination with hallway mirrors and video feedback and Gödel. Which is good for us, but it doesn't serve this book well. He sees a connection between the self-reference of the mind and the self-reference of numerical systems, and leaps to a conclusion without checking his work. I can imagine the moment when the young Hofstadter realized that the self is self-reflexive, just like Gödel's proof. It must have been like the time I had this sudden insight into my own mathematics research. It was thrilling. I knew I was onto something. I rushed back home to write it down, and suddenly there were a hundred little details that had to be resolved, and it was two more years before I was done. Douglas Hofstadter isn't quite done yet, but I think he's onto something, and I look forward to the result.

Relax, It's Just Physicalist Functionalism.......2007-08-25

I became interested in philosophy of mind about three years ago, and have since read a variety of books written by philosophers, neuroscientists, psychologists and computer experts. About a year ago I heard about Douglas Hofstadter and his [then] forthcoming book "I Am A Strange Loop". I also discovered his 1979 work Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, where the strange loop concept was expounded in great detail. While GEB did indeed attempt to apply strange loops to the workings of the mind, IAASL promised to focus this idea with laser intensity upon the mysteries of human consciousness. Given what I had already read about the importance of circular processes within the brain, especially regarding the "binding" of multiple sense and memory data into a "unified impression", I looked forward to IAASL with great anticipation. I hoped that it would provide cutting insights that would help dispel the fog surrounding the current consciousness debate. In the end, however, Dr. Hofstadter provided little more than a warmed-over version of an old theory, i.e. PHYSICALIST FUNCTIONALISM; albeit with a quasi-mathematical twist to it, i.e., the Godel / strange-loop approach.

Although Hofstadter is a computer scientist, his first love appears to be mathematics. He gives a great description of what mathematicians do, i.e. finding and analyzing patterns amidst groups of numbers. He gives examples of how this is done, and then shows how these patterns are analyzed and formally documented via axioms and theorems and strings of logical symbols. He then kicks it up a notch by explaining what number theory is, i.e. the foundation for those theorems and logical constructs. Not content with stopping there, he takes you to the next level by explaining how mathematician Kurt Godel performed a brilliant meta-analysis of number theory in 1931 and found that it breaks down when "indexicals" are considered (i.e., self-referential propositions such as "this quote is untrue"). By now, most of us reasonably-intelligent readers are gasping for mental oxygen, as though we're way up in the Andes. But Hofstadter then pushes us up to the peak, i.e. the "strange loop", which is an abstraction and generalization of what Godel did to number theory.

Yikes! How many levels up have we gone? Numbers can be called first-order abstractions of reality. Identified number patterns would be a second-order; documentation of these by theorems would represent a third. Number theory is four levels up, and Godel hits the fifth floor elevator button. So a "strange loop" is a sixth-order abstraction from everyday reality. No wonder it seems somewhat "strange" to mere mortals.

But strangeness doesn't mean that an idea is useless. Hofstadter makes it clear (more so in GEB) that mathematicians have come up with all sorts of abstract ideas, which often sit for years in dusty library books until some physicist comes along looking for a way to describe something rather peculiar about the data he or she has gathered from the lab. All of a sudden, an ignored system or obscure concept is found to be exactly what is needed to solve the problem of, say, electrical superconductence at room temperature. The question here is just how useful the strange loop concept would be in solving problems. It is not a logically formal idea, in the way that a math construct such as the proof of Fermat`s Last Theorem is. The strange loop paradigm is really more of a philosopher's construct, something a bit looser around the edges. Hofstadter tries to do with math what the late, great David Bohm attempted with quantum physics, i.e. to stretch it into a bigger, more holistic thought system that extends to the far corners of the human mind. What Hofstadter and Bohm found once they reached those far corners are quite different however; instead of localized loops, Bohm saw "implicate universal order". (Bohm's 1987 book Science, Order and Creativity is to "implicate order" what GEB is to strange loops).

This is important to keep in mind if you choose to climb the mountain of thought with Hofstadter. Right up through Godel's intellectual craftwork, Hofstadter stays on the pathways of formal logic. But that last jump is different, and Hofstadter does not warn you. It's easy (for those of lesser minds like myself) to be impressed by the strict methods used to get to level number five, and believe that such intellectual acuity carries through right to the top. So keep your eyes open (even though it's difficult at such intellectual heights); Hofstadter is very impressive as a wanna-be mathematician, but may not be as skilled when he shifts to philosophy, where the "strange loop" proposition actually resides.

In GEB, Hofstadter attempts to give real-world examples of strange-loop situations. Not surprisingly, the results are of mixed efficacy. He first refers to the Escher paintings so liberally sprinkled throughout his first book (a few of which show up in IAASL). But he gains little traction - those are just optical illusions. He then refers to what almost happened during the Watergate crisis during Richard Nixon's presidency; i.e. the Supreme Court interpreting the Constitution for the Executive Branch, and the Executive Branch contrarily interpreting the Constitution regarding the Judiciary. In fact, such political situations don't loop around very much; they are resolved rather quickly by riots and bullets (luckily Nixon backed off in 1974). Hofstadter's greatest success with strange loops in GEB came in a wonderful chapter about the workings of DNA in living beings.

Hofstadter also took on the problems of the mind in GEB. However, his efforts in that field were overshadowed by the expansive brilliance of the book. And thus, in IAASL Hofstadter conveys his disappointment about not being taken more seriously by the brain-mind-consciousness crowd. He calls GEB a "shout into a chasm" - although Hofstadter did in fact team up with one of the most formidable "mind philosophers", Daniel Dennett, soon after GEB (e.g., their 1981 book The Mind's I: Fantasies and Reflections on Self & Soul). I read GEB only recently, but it was rather clear to me that Hofstadter's strange-loop concept of the mind was really nothing more than physicalist functionalism, a viewpoint that has been around since the mid-1960s. Not surprisingly, Dennett is quite sympathetic to this approach. For a good introduction to functionalism and its materialist interpretation, I'd recommend David Papineau's Introducing Consciousness.

In applying strange loops to the workings of the brain, Hofstadter establishes that the mind works "recursively". Sense data flows in from the body and drives the neurons; and yet this "bottom level" activity works its way through a hierarchy to the upper levels of the mind, where sensations are felt and decisions are made. Those decisions are then "passed back down" to the neurons and synapses, completing the strange loop from low-level to high-level and back again.

The brain is thus seen as having "mind states" that exist between sensory input and behavioral output. These states are loopy and recursive; their present status is as much a function of what they were like an instant ago, as of what new sense data was just inputted into them. Through devices such as memory, they tend to stabilize human behavior, allowing a longer-term perspective. E.g., if you are chasing a rabbit for food, and the rabbit temporarily disappears behind a tree, you don't stop running just because you no longer see it - you hold a belief that it will soon reappear. Brain states, as an intermediary between stimulus and response, obviously have a function, one that contributes to survival. And thus the case for functionalism. The physicalist part rejects any dualist notions about the ontological independence of "qualia" and inner experience, and equates our mind states and their functional interactions with consciousness itself. In GEB, Hofstadter used the strange loop abstraction to get to functionalism. In IIASL, he concentrates somewhat more on the physicalist agenda.

As such, Hofstadter wears the philosopher's hat more frequently in IIASL, while in GEB he mostly kept the mathematician's cap on. But the new hat doesn't fit as well. First off, he doesn't seem to be aware that he's pouring the old wine of functionalism into the new skin of strange loopiness (to reverse the Biblical metaphor). He seems a bit too sure of himself, too ready to summarily ridicule those who have argued against functionalism, most notably philosopher John Searle. (He may be doing the bidding of his partner Daniel Dennett, who has had rather vitriolic debates with Searle over the years; but unlike Hofstadter, Dennett has spelled out in great detail his position relative to Searle's. Hofstadter, in turn, is mostly yelling insults at the enemy of his friend). He spends many pages setting up and attacking a straw man, i.e. substance dualism, a position that has not been seriously espoused since Sir John Eccles passed away.

Professor Hofstadter doesn't show any appreciation for the subtleties of modern property dualism and its hope that future progress in understanding the nature of "deep reality" may eventually close the "explanatory gap" between physics and consciousness, e.g. the "information substrate to reality" and the hologram paradigms that physicists such as John Wheeler now discuss, and which David Bohm anticipated. Hofstadter admires, yet refuses to adopt the self-doubt that his fellow materialist Derek Parfait expresses after Parfait strictly identifies qualia and self-awareness with brain electrochemistry.

Hofstadter as philosopher shows no knowledge of the "mysterian" position of Colin McGinn and Thomas Nagel; this is especially regrettable given Hofstadter's words in GEB about the human brain ultimately being a Turing algorithmic system subject, one that at some point faces a determinability limit similar to what Godel found in number theory. Is it possible that our questions regarding our own consciousness are the ultimate indexicals? Hofstadter also seeks to kill some "sacred cows" of philosophy that are antithetical to the functionalist viewpoint, such as the "inverted spectrum" thought experiment. (Hofstadter swears in the book to be a vegetarian pacifist, but I suppose that philosophic sacred cows are still fair game.) Interestingly, though, he does not attempt to "kill" the thought-experiment denizen who should trouble him the most: i.e., Frank Jackson's "Mary", the formerly color-blind neuroscientist (also explained well by Papineau, cited above).

Even when explaining his own paradigms, Hofstadter can be a bit confusing. He spends a lot of time telling us that human consciousness is like a television with a camera pointed at it (he even provides pictures of what the frame-within-frame results looks like). The implied infinite series of frames-within-frames is claimed to be much like the strange loops that power our consciousness. But if so, then how far is this paradigm from the much reviled "Cartesian theater" idea of the homunculus (tiny little person) within the brain watching a screen tied to our sense organs, with a homunculus within him/her watching a screen, with a homunculus . . . . in the end, just another infinity of screens. Nonetheless, after a lot of words about TV cameras pointed at monitors, Hofstadter then tells us that it's not the infinity of screen frames that is important; infinity would have sunk Godel had he not gotten around the problem with a finite reference to infinity. The given example of a finite reference to the infinite is the girl on the Morton Salt container, holding an identical salt container under her arm so that her image, and an infinite regress, is blocked but still implied. OK, fine, but I didn't see how the TV/screen system was squared with the salt container. Are they both kinda-sorta like indexical consciousness, but in differing ways?

And then there's Hofstadter's illusion of the marble in the box of envelopes - proving that our everyday notions regarding self-consciousness are just illusions, anyway. But illusions to who? Don't ask, just be satisfied that the illusion is had by an illusion which is perceived by another illusion . . . . ad infinitum / ad absurdum.

IAASL is an intensely personal book - it could almost be sub-titled 'Please Understand Me', with apologies to David Keirsey and his work on Myers-Briggs and human temperaments (Hofstadter is clearly an INTP "architect" - an architect of numbers, ideas and systems). You learn a lot about the life and times of Douglas Hofstadter while climbing the intellectual heights with him. He makes a lot of entertaining little jokes and quips along the way, but becomes very serious as he discusses Carol, his beloved late wife. His word are truly moving until he tries to convince you that Carol lives on in his mind, almost as much as Douglas Hofstadter does. She is still conscious within him - certainly not to the same degree that he is, but according to his hyper-functional concept of "consciousness", just as qualitatively conscious. He goes through a rather convoluted thought experiment (regarding "Twinwirld") to justify the notion that one consciousness can be shared among more than one brain.

To truly grasp what is going on here, you need to be familiar with a certain tenant of physicalist functionalism: i.e., that consciousness is "platform independent". Platform independence has been used to support the notion that living protoplasm is not a sine qua non for consciousness, and that there is no reason why artificial intelligence researchers (such as Hofstadter) will not eventually reproduce consciousness "in silico". Hofstadter has put a rather innovative twist on the platform independence theory here: why not a person-to-person transfer of conscious awareness? One could think of all sorts of skeptical questions in response, but I would like to ask something more personal: is this really healthy? At some point, don't we need to learn to let go after we lose something or someone we love? (Or am I taking Hofstadter too seriously, since he feels that all human consciousness is just a "marble in an envelope box" anyway?)

Given all the psychological sharing in IAASL, one can see how much even a brilliant person's views are shaped by their own personal history and circumstances. It's not surprising that the wrapping of physicalist functionalism with a strange loop bow comes from a fellow of prodigious intellectual talents who, as a young boy, bought math treatises and who got goose bumps thinking about self-referential propositions, and whose teenage music thrills came from Albert Schweitzer doing Bach's greatest hits. (I wonder if Hofstadter considered calling this book "Godel, Schweitzer and Bach"?) Professor Hofstadter didn't know that Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes also recorded a song using the refrain "it ain't the meat, it's the motion", which Hofstadter uses to mockingly attack Searle's consideration of the idea that living protoplasm might be essential to consciousness. Hofstadter is being unfair here, as Searle is in fact quite cautious in discussing this. As to Southside and Mr. Popeye, well, they will probably get over the slight eventually . . . .

I'd give this book two stars from the perspective of the general reader who might want an overview on the current debate regarding how our brains, minds and consciousness relate. If you are already familiar with philosophy of mind, then perhaps Hofstadter earns a third star - he will at least give YOUR mind a work-out. And if you enjoyed GEB and more-or-less understood it, then IAASL could be a four or even five-star read for you. So I've averaged it out to three stars overall. As with Hofstadter's sense of humor, which is liberally sprinkled throughout the book (aside from the Carol chapters), some will enjoy and benefit from Hofstadter's approach, but many won't.

A final note about Douglas Hofstadter's admittedly touching tribute to his late wife. Despite his heartfelt attempts to weave his theories into something of beauty in her honor, recursive mathematical constructs still pale in comparison with Tennyson's "In Memoriam":

I trust I have not wasted breath:
I think we are not wholly brain,
Magnetic mockeries; not in vain,
Like Paul with beasts, I fought with Death;

Not only cunning casts in clay;
Let Science prove we are, and then
What matter Science unto men,
At least to me? I would not stay.

As Dr. Parfait realized, dualism will not be easily vanquished. Like Professor Hofstadter, I too am a vegetarian romanticist computer geek, albeit a considerably less brilliant one. But as to being a strange loop . . . no way.

The mind plays tricks on us.......2007-08-24

Interesting fellow this author.

He has done a good job illuminating the inner clouds of thought rolling around in the brain.

Takes you on an interesting trip. Still a little tough to grasp.

Tales from the Time Loop: The Most Comprehensive Expos of the Global Conspiracy Ever Written and All You Need to Know to Be Truly Free

Average customer rating:

David Icke is telling the truth.
Best book I've ever read
Balony
IS DAVID ICKE STARTING TO MAKE SENSE?
No room left for cowards...

Tales from the Time Loop: The Most Comprehensive Expos of the Global Conspiracy Ever Written and All You Need to Know to Be Truly Free
David Icke
Manufacturer: David Icke Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

David Icke is telling the truth........2007-09-11

the reason it sounds so fantastic is that the average person does not have the information. They live in a fog of network television and canned news media - all of which are owned & controlled by the ones behind the so-called 'conspiracy'.

Do the research. It's no story - it's real.

Best book I've ever read.......2007-09-11

The conclusions in this book about the nature of reality and how it's all an illusion have changed my life for the best. Icke is very thorough and well documented in trying to support his claims. I couldn't put the book down. Five stars.

Balony.......2006-11-25

Hehe, O.K. I bought the book -- it's not the first time I've thrown away money and won't be the last. After skimming through it and reading this guy's life story, which includes "voices" psychics, and god-knows what else, I can say that I refuse to waste my valuable time reading this clap-trap. Let me suggest that everyone thinking about buying this book, read THIS book first you will be doing yourself a lifelong favor.

IS DAVID ICKE STARTING TO MAKE SENSE?.......2006-09-18

It's easy to simply reject someone who says the world is run by manipulative reptilians posing as world leaders; that George Bush, Tony Blair, the British monarch, and many other prominent people are blood-drinking child-abusers who engage in secret rituals unknown to the rest of us. Despite David Icke's seemingly outrageous claims, I found some logic as well as interesting and possibly credible theories in Tales From the Time Loop. In contast to his earlier books, he has shifted his beliefs in a more positive direction. It sounds a lot like he is embracing spirituality and the immortality of the soul. He accepts the existence of the astral world, a place or state with many levels occupied by beings with numerous agendas and understandings of the universe. But he rejects reincarnation as separate lifetimes ("there is no time") or that life in a human body is a journey toward perfection. In Icke's version of reality, there is no karma, no need to make up for evil deeds or mistakes. Everything is an illusion. What is missing in his framework, in my opinion, is purpose. Why does reality exist? Why are we here playing these games?

What about the evil reptilians? Why are they here and what do they want? Icke finally gives us a reason the reptilians must sacrifice humans and drink blood. He says they have a problem remaining in this dimension and they need human DNA to keep from shifting back to their own dimension. They sometimes do shapeshift into reptiles, and he quotes numerous witnesses who have seen them shift. Icke takes pokes at the frenzy of interest in the bloodline of Jesus (theories that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had children). He says the so-called Jesus bloodline is just part of the reptilian bloodline. In a previous book, he claimed there was no historical Jesus, so I don't know what to make of this new belittling of the Jesus bloodline.

But the repitilians seem to fade in importance behind his major thesis, that we are all participating in a Time Loop in which history keeps repeating itself. Everything in the Time Loop (our apparent universe as well as the astral world) vibrates. Only Oneness does not vibrate. David found a parallel to this idea in the movie, The Matrix, which obviously impressed him much more than it impressed me. I found the Matrix movies silly stories thinly built around special effects. Despite his admiration for matrix-buster Neo, Icke criticizes the media for being purveyors of falsehood that serve the Illuminati agenda.

Speaking of history, I do not think David Icke is anti-semitic as some of his critics charge. He is absolutely correct in defending anyone's right to express their point of view, even if it is repugnant and can be proven wrong. David is not a holocaust-denyer, but he does think people have a right to deny the holocaust. If we had an intelligent, educated populace, there would be few takers for theories like "there was no holocaust" that are so contrary to tons of evidence. He also explores an interesting idea about the origin of today's Jewish population. There is some evidence that the Ashkenazi Jews (those who come from Europe) were at least in part related to a non-semitic people called the Khazars who converted to Judaism in 740 AD. They occupied territory that is mostly in modern-day Turkey. The significance of this (according to Icke) is that it refutes the idea that present-day Israel was an ancestral home to its current Jewish inhabitants.

But as the book progresses, Icke sounds more like many New Agers in proclaiming that human consciousness will shift into higher gear and can defeat the Illuminati. He gained some new insights, he says, while taking a psychoactive drug, ayahuasca, in Brazil. This was his first foray into mind-altering drugs and he tells us he received a great deal of information from a voice in his head. I believe him (this is not an uncommon experience) but I recognize that we do not know the origin of these voices. They may originate within ourselves, or they may come from spiritual entities outside ourselves. In either case, we cannot be sure what they tell us contains any actual truth.

Why bother reading Tales From the Time Loop or any of David Icke's books? I don't know if there are any actual Illuminati plotting to take over the world, but I do know the world is full of evil, with its endless wars, unrelenting poverty and destructive competition for precious natural resources. Icke's critics can be pretty hard on him, but I think his message deserves a hearing. I want to live in a world where David Icke can say and write what he believes and where I am free to say and write what I think of what he believes.

No room left for cowards..........2006-09-07

This is a great and challenging book, not for the faint of heart. David Icke presents a vision of the world which is radically different from the one which we are spoonfed from cradle to grave. Think of the courage it takes to get up on the world stage and bring forth this kind of information. People who pan Icke (and others in the truth movement) are nothing more than staid cowards, unwilling to integrate and adapt...worst of all, unwilling to listen and think these things through. Bottom line: read this book and pass it on to friends; time is running short and our freedoms are eroding before our eyes. It's time to wake up and rise to our true and magnificent human potential...and Icke is here to help on us our way.

200 Braids to Twist, Knot, Loop, or Weave

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200 braids to twist, knot, loop or weave
embellish with pazzazz
Beautiful illustrations, great instructions
Cool Braids
Bag Knitters - consider this!

200 Braids to Twist, Knot, Loop, or Weave
Jacqui Carey
Manufacturer: Interweave Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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Book Description

Hundreds of sumptuous braided designs are arranged by structure, from twisted and knotted pieces to more elaborate looped and woven examples. Each braid features a beautiful close-up photograph, materials list, step-by-step instructions, and easy-to-follow color illustrations to guide crafters along. Each technique is explored indepth, followed by tips on starting and finishing braids and advice for incorporating braids into other textile projects.

Customer Reviews:

200 braids to twist, knot, loop or weave.......2007-10-10

A book with lots of ideas and clear instructions. However, I would have been happier if they had shown more applications for the various braids as well as instructions on how to apply the braids. Overall I am happy I made the purchase and will use the book for finishing needlepoint projects.

embellish with pazzazz.......2007-09-15

jacqui carey has produced another first-rate instruction manual. the selection of techniques brings together methods from weaving as well as braiding and knotting, so nearly every crafter will find something new to them. there are even instructions for using a lucet, not the most common textile tool. there is a very brief section on basic tassel making, enough to provide a finishing element for the braids.

the book is beautifully organized. the instructions are clear and thoroughly illustrated. as always, carey includes the construction details that make the process easier and that result in professional quality work.

the best part of the book is carey's incredible inventiveness. even with the simplest technique, her combinations of texture, weight, and color create lovely, striking and elegant results.

the braids could be used by anyone involved with textiles--embellish clothing, hats, purses, make belts; decorate pillows, upholstery and curtains. use them as jewelry. the quick ones could be used to tie presents for stylish presentation. endless possiblities.

carey is english, so many of the terms for yarn might not be familiar to american readers. but the photos are very clear, so finding equivalents would not be a problem.

a really useful, inspiring resource.

Beautiful illustrations, great instructions.......2007-09-11

This book has detailed instructions with color photographs of pretty much every step. The Braid and Trim Selector has clear, crisp, colorful, actual size photos of the various braids and trims covered in the book. And they are really beautiful. My only problem with the book is that it is in a rather small format (7.8X6.6x1 inches) and has correspondingly rather small print. I might prefer to photocopy pages and enlarge the size if I'm trying to follow the instructions for a particular item. I'm glad I bought this book and I look forward to trying many of these gorgeous trims. This really is a magnificent book.

Cool Braids.......2007-09-09

I LOVED this book!! The pictures are so pretty and clear. The written directions were easy to follow. I really appreciated the organization of this book. She showed the variations of a given braid using different cords. Not only did I make several of the braids in the book, it inspired me to create some 'original' pieces. Jacqui Carey does a beautiful job with all of her books.

Bag Knitters - consider this!.......2007-07-21

Purse and bag knitters are in for a treat if they haven't yet tried braided handles and ties. There are some here with beading, some with added ribbons and cords, and some that build on the basic yarn braiding technique that most knitters use. If you are looking for something beyond I-cord and purchased leather handles to complement the bags you design, you will be really inspired by this technique - and this book is a great one to start with!

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Kraus's Antenna Book and "Practicing Engineers"
Needs a rewrite
Practical book
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A Slightly Dissenting Review

Antennas
John D. Kraus , and Ronald J. Marhefka
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ASIN: 0072321032

Book Description

This is an exciting revision of John Kraus' classic book Antennas, which has been long known as the "Antenna Bible". A new co-author, Ronald Marhefka has joined the author team for this revison. Many new, modern applications have been added-thus the title change to Antennas with All Applications. As well, the references have been updated to include recent additons to the literature.

Additionally, the book has been reorganized to make it more user-friendly for both students and professionals. The book now covers the fundamentals of various antennas and concepts in the first half of the book and then gets into more details on those same topics later in the book. This allows a one-semester course to just cover the fundamentals if desired, and a professional to focus on advanced topics if he or she wants.

Customer Reviews:

Kraus's Antenna Book and "Practicing Engineers".......2005-04-02

In USA is common practice to use technician and called them Engineers just because they have 5 to 30 or so years of experience. Sometimes an "engineer" complains about a book because it has too much math on it. Those kind of engineers just want a "cookbook". This book is not a "cookbook", this book is for real engineers with a solid formation in calculus and is not for graduate as someone suggested.

Needs a rewrite.......2004-03-16

I found some aspects of the text, especially chapters 6, 13 and 14, to be problematic. I thought the approach to the exposition of the theory of a given topic to be somewhat choppy. Much text is devoted to finding simplified expressions which can be distracting and impedes understanding. In a few instances, the reader is directed to external sources to get foundational details. And, often, the result presented applies only in special cases, such as, in the far field, or for electrically small antennas, or for antennas an odd integer multiple of a half wavelength. For example, in the section on self-impedance of a thin linear antenna (13-5), the statement is made that it is "common practice to shorten the antenna a few percent to make X11=0." Yet the expression presented for X11 is the sine integral which is non-zero everywhere except at Si(0). So, absent thorough exposition of the theory, this is not helpful to those interested in the general case.

I believe this book would be vastly improved if a systematic approach, in the context of electromagnetic theory, is adopted for exposition of the material. Development of new topics should begin with first principles. Sections building on earlier sections should include appropriate back references. References to external papers or earlier editions should not be used as substitute for exposition of details as these sources are generally inaccessible to the reader. Recognizing the accessibility of powerful mathematics software, much of the material dealing with simplifying assumptions could be edited out in favor of more complete exposition of the theory.

Practical book.......2000-10-01

We had this as a reference book for a course in Microwave engineering and was used in a design problem. This is not your leisure book that you can just browse! You have to have advanced calculus/electromagnetism background to understand the concepts.

The book covers all the basic antennae theory and types to topics ranging to radar design.

This is a must have for any RF design engineer.

Since most of the RF jobs in US are with defense and companies like Lockheed Martin and you have to be US citizen to get such jobs, I had to opt for computer networks for graduate studies in US, otherwise I'd have ended up as a RF designer myself.

Most excellent book.......2000-04-05

I found this book to be very helpful and to the point on mostof the material. I thought the math, when given, was quitestraightforward, and the author was sure to explain the actual meaning of the math in quick to understand terms. I have only had this book for two days, and have already been able to walk away with a good bit of knowledge END

A Slightly Dissenting Review.......2000-02-07

I would normally rate such a book as five stars, but I've given it four stars to draw some attention that this book is not so easily comprehended as two preceding reviewers suggest. Indeed, the book is well written and organized. However, I think the level of mathematics used is that of advanced calculus. I believe this book is intended for a senior EE or EE graduate student. However, it is not all mathematics and there is still much to be learned about antennas from the book without having had exposure to some of the mathematics used. If you are in doubt, you might consider an alternative before purchasing this book, or at least purchase it with the thought of returning it within a 30 day inspection period.

Average customer rating:

The definitive PLL design reference
Greatly Improved Edition
phaselock techniques
Lo mejor en sincronismo de señales.
Phaselock Bible!

Phaselock Techniques
Floyd M. Gardner
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Phase-Locked Loops : Design, Simulation, and Applications (Professional Engineering)
Phase-Lock Basics
Analog Design Essentials (The International Series in Engineering and Computer Science)
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ASIN: 0471430633

Book Description

A greatly revised and expanded account of phaselock technology

The Third Edition of this landmark book presents new developments in the field of phaselock loops, some of which have never been published until now. Established concepts are reviewed critically and recommendations are offered for improved formulations. The work reflects the author's own research and many years of hands-on experience with phaselock loops.

Reflecting the myriad of phaselock loops that are now found in electronic devices such as televisions, computers, radios, and cell phones, the book offers readers much new material, including:
* Revised and expanded coverage of transfer functions
* Two chapters on phase noise
* Two chapters examining digital phaselock loops
* A chapter on charge-pump phaselock loops
* Expanded discussion of phase detectors and of oscillators
* A chapter on anomalous phaselocking
* A chapter on graphical aids, including Bode plots, root locus plots, and Nichols charts

As in the previous editions, the focus of the book is on underlying principles, which remain valid despite technological advances. Extensive references guide readers to additional information to help them explore particular topics in greater depth.

Phaselock Techniques, Third Edition is intended for practicing engineers, researchers, and graduate students. This critically acclaimed book has been thoroughly updated with new information and expanded for greater depth.

Download Description

A greatly expanded version of the second edition published in1979. This interesting text has established itself as the standard reference on the subject. In the 23 years since the second edition was published the field has undergone great changes. While the old major applications of PLL are still in demand and will continue to be covered, they have been mostly relegated to niches. This edition introduces the new applications centered on digital phase-lock loops and components, frequency synthesis, and simulation, greatly expanding the size of the second edition. New edition of the leading book in the field Addresses Digital PLL and its applications Addresses Frequency Synthesis Addresses Simulation of PLLs The only book to emphasize digital techniques

Customer Reviews:

The definitive PLL design reference.......2006-10-07

Superb book. Essential reading and reference for any serious PLL designer. This updated edition does for DPLLs what the original did for analog. I haven't seen any author come close to Gardner for comprehensive, accurate treatment of these topics.

Greatly Improved Edition.......2005-10-17

I am gladly surprised to see how the author has taken the effort, not just to make a routine revision of the classic book, but to write a completely different book. Non interesting material has been removed, while new up-to-date topics have been added (for instance Charge Pump PLL), based on the own author research, and other published papers.

The approach of some classic analysis has also changed. In particular the approach to the so called Loop Filter as a controller and not as a filter.

In summary, a very valuable addition to PLL literature, worth to buy even by readers that own previous editions.

phaselock techniques.......2005-10-13

a detailed comprehensive coverage of all aspects of phase-locked loops. The book contains lots of paper references relating to each chapter and has many examples as well.
A recommended book for research students.

Lo mejor en sincronismo de señales........2000-05-11

Este libro contiene todo lo necesario (de lo mas simple, a lo mas avanzado) para poder entender como funciona y como implementar un Lazo de Enganche de Fase (PLL). Ademas está explicado con mucha simpleza y claridad.

Phaselock Bible!.......1998-11-16

Even this book was published about twenty years ago, it is always a great book for phaselock designers!

Science, Strategy and War: The Strategic Theory of John Boyd (Strategy and History Series)

Average customer rating:

New Insights into a Modern Classic

Science, Strategy and War: The Strategic Theory of John Boyd (Strategy and History Series)
Frans Osinga
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0415371031

Book Description

This is an in-depth analysis of the strategic theories of John Boyd, the leading US strategist.

The book corrects the common misinterpretations of his work, showing how his thinking impacted on US military doctrine and defense policy over the past 25 years. Boyd is important for his introduction of scientific and philosophical developments into a methodology for strategic thinking. This book presents these complex ideas in an enlightening context.

Customer Reviews:

New Insights into a Modern Classic.......2007-01-20

John Boyd's answer to the problem of winning in any form of conflict, the "Discourse on Winning and Losing," is a set of roughly 300 charts, and Dutch AF Col Frans Osinga has set himself the task of guiding his readers through them. It is a formidable assignment. Boyd, you see, did not intend the briefings of the Discourse to be read on their own. For years, he would not give out copies until after the presentation, and it had to be the "whole brief or no brief." It may seem obvious, but it was in briefing format not so much in tribute to Sun Tzu - although The Art of War is, like the Discourse, a set of bullet points - but simply because he didn't feel that there were enough readers inside the Beltway to make it worthwhile.

Osinga accomplishes his mission magnificently. If you are interested in Boyd's problem of how to win regardless, stop right now and order the book. If you have not heard the briefings, my recommendation is to begin with chapter one, then skip back to chapter seven for a summary of Boyd's influence on strategy. Then, download the charts, go back to chapter two, and work your way through the rest of the book. [The briefings are all available on Defense and the National Interest.]

Is it a tough read? Do you know of anything really worthwhile that is easy? Just as there is no royal road to mathematics, there is no royal road to Boyd. I was present at the creation of many of these charts, and I found a lot in this book that was new and helpful in broadening my understanding (for one thing, I have not, as Osinga did, read Boyd's original notes in the source books).

This book is a distilled version of Col Osinga's Ph.D. dissertation, which he completed while serving as a research fellow at the Clingendael Institute of International Relations in The Hague. He has done an excellent job of making academic rigor accessible to the general reader - the only equations, for example, are the ones Boyd used in "Destruction and Creation" - while exploiting the depth of research that a dissertation requires. There are 32 pages of single-spaced notes and 12 of bibliography.

I enthusiastically recommend Science, Strategy and War to all students of strategy, particularly those more concerned with where strategy is going than where it has been.

Systems Thinking Basics: From Concepts to Causal Loops

Average customer rating:

Academic Text
Best used as a course book

Systems Thinking Basics: From Concepts to Causal Loops
Virginia Anderson , and Lauren Johnson
Manufacturer: Pegasus Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1883823129
Release Date: 1997-03-01

Customer Reviews:

Academic Text.......2007-06-26

Fairly good text book, while it explained the use and need for CLD's it fails to provide a first reader on how to actually draw the loops! It does not guide or recoomend what software to use in doing the drawing... we are all not technical drawers.....

Best used as a course book.......2002-06-22

At 144 pages this book is a short introductory text and workbook that is designed to introduce systems thinking. It starts by building an awareness of systems thinking as a discipline, and by providing a series of learning activities that lead you through the basics.

The two main techniques that this book teaches are (1) behavior over time graphs and causal loops, both of which are the main tools employed in systems thinking. These are also the foundation of system dynamics of which systems thinking is a subset (system dynamics uses expanded techniques such as simulation models and analysis of alternatives).

What I like about this book is the clear explanation of the basics and the use of illustrations and learning activities. I also like the summaries of system archetypes and system thinking tools included in the appendices, which provide starting points for further study. It's not the best book for self-study because it is written more as a workbook than an introductory text. As such it is best used in an instructor-led course, or in conjunction with more in-depth books about system thinking (my favorite is Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity by Jamshid Gharajedaghi).

Average customer rating:

Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains - an excellent instruction manual

I didn't see any chains I wanted to make.

great text for your library

Careful...it's addictive!

Excellent rescource!

Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains (Jewelry Crafts)
Jean Reist Stark , and Stark
Manufacturer: Brynmorgen Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0961598484

Book Description

Since its publication in 1997, "Classical Chains" has become a classic in it's own right. Clear step-by-step instructions will lead you through a total of 38 chain styles, all derived from the elegant loop-in-loop process.

With 350 drawings and 45 photographs, this is clearly the definitive work on this topic. Ms. Stark brings years of teaching and experimentation to this popular book. In straightforward language she discusses not only the making of chains, but clasps and terminals too. The Brynmorgen edition includes two dozen additions to the original text by the author. This new deluxe edition features a lay-flat spiral binding and a hard covera practical binding for a book heralded widely as the ultimate guide to these versatile chains.

Customer Reviews:

Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains - an excellent instruction manual.......2007-04-27

Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains & Their Derivatives is the full title which I find still does not adequately describe the book.

This book is an instruction manual rather than a reference source. The instructions presented have been tried and tested on a number of students, and incorporates feedback from the students. The black and white photographs shown are of the chain work produced by the students as well as the author.

Loop-in-loop is the description of how chains are constructed with each chain link looping within each other to form a chain. Examples of this type of chain are on the front cover of the book.

The classical chains covered in this book are described as single loop-in-loop, side-weave single, single though-bead, basic pinched loop, roman pinched loop, pinched loop with wrapped beads, pinched loop through-beads, basic double loop-in-loop, double with wrapped beads, weave-off double, two-way double loop-in-loop, three-way double loop-in-loop, four-way double loop-in-loop, multiple soldered single, multiple soldered pinched loop, pinched loop with spacers, multiple woven single mesh, multiple woven double. In all 34 chains are described, 16 derivatives of the 18 definitely attributed ancient style of chains.

The main emphasis of this instruction work is on using fine silver and fusing to form whole links incorporating annealing, and then shaping into the links, and then forming the chain. Detailed step-by-step instructions are given on forming links up front, and then each chain has instructions on how to shape the required link, and then form into the chain. This book clearly explains and demonstrates these techniques and processes.

Each chain has a list of the materials needed (in inches and gauges (thickness) - appendices contain conversions) to make it at a given length. These can be used as references for links/inch or used to adjust as necessary to form a necklace or bracelet of given length. An appendix is supplied which gives recommended dowel diameters for the wire gauges for making variations to basic chains. The authors viewpoint is that making chains is an art form, and this book is to develop the students abilities and to encourage their own subsequent development and personal refinement of explained techniques.

Although primarily based on fine silver work (sterling is unsuitable for these techniques - if you solder links that is a different technique), the book does cover how to produce fused chains in 22K gold (including 22k gold metal alloy composition that was used in antiquity and for which these techniques work best).

There is a 25 page chapter on clasps and terminations, cross referenced with what chains they are suitable for, and the chains are cross referenced with what clasps and terminations are suitable.

This book does not have colour photographs. It has diagrams (at enlarged sizes for easier viewing) showing how to form the chain links and join with the next link and or terminate. Black and white photographs show finished chains and/or portions of finished chains. There are no photographs of ancient chains, and very little information on any apart from the detailed instructions on how to make them. Occasionally there are snippets about the existence of such an ancient chain, and even where it is located.

If you do not currently possess silverworking/chainworking tools you will need to purchase them to make the chains in this book, as well as needing work bench space. There are details in the book about what tools you will need, and for the USA where to obtain them. This book does not go over any of the safety aspects of using blowtorches or kilns. Please make sure you have on instruction on these before proceeding.

With the price of silver (and gold) the making of the chains will not be inexpensive, but if you wish to learn how to make a number of chains, this book will explain how.

This is a well organised, well presented instructional book. I would suggest to re-read the two pages covering "Weaving" and "Achieving best results" with "common problems and how to avoid them" before commencing each chain.

I didn't see any chains I wanted to make........2006-10-29

I suppose if you want to make intricate chains that use a lot of gold or silver wire and just enjoy making them then you will like this book. These chains require huge amounts of wire to make. But take a good look at the photos of the finished chains, on the cover, or look inside the book at the photos. Do you see any chains that really look pretty? I don't. I love working with precious metal wires and fashioning chains. But I am not going to spend the money and time to assemble chains that I would not enjoy wearing and looking at. It may be only my opinion and others may think the chains in this book are pretty. But I do know of a great many variations of chains that are truely beautiful. None of the chains in this book are worth my time and effort to make. There is actually a poor amount of photos too in this book. The photos show rows of different chains shown very small, and many in only black and white. The instructions look very complex with lots of small print and technical details. Aside from showing not one pretty chain it is not a fun book to read or look at. I did not feel inspired and in fact felt turned off by it. I would never persue metal chain art if this were the only resource I had to look at. This book is the opposite of inspiring.

great text for your library.......2006-09-01

i find this book to be a great help when i am desiging necklaces, bracelets and even drop earrings. this is something every jeweler needs in their library.

Careful...it's addictive!.......2006-03-06

If you're a jeweler or metalworking hobbyist with an interest in chain making, you can't do better than to start here. This is a well laid-out, succinctly written guide to many different types of ancient chains, and modern variations on those techniques. While the black-and-white photos and straightforward layout might make this book seem a bit spartan compared to the lavish production of other jewelry books, in this case, less is certainly more. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and the illustrations show just what you need to see and no more (unlike some jewelry books that baffle the reader with images unrelated to the text). Also, the tables provide a quick and easy way to customize the projects - don't want to use 22 ga. wire? Here's the size of rings you'll have to make for 24! On a less content-oriented note, I tend to dislike spiral bindings, but this one is self-covered, so it lies flat, but doesn't entangle itself with odds and ends on your workbench.

It says a lot for this book that I was able, on a whim, to make a single two-way (bi-directional) chain that turned out very beautifully, even though I made it (against the author's advice) out of soldered sterling links. It was an engrossing enough undertaking that I just ordered an ounce of 24 ga. fine silver wire (in spite of mounting silver prices :P ) and I can't wait to start on the next chain. I think I'll go for the two-way double this time!

Excellent rescource!.......2006-01-20

This is the best chain making book available. Chain making is an art form that was in danger of becoming lost. The authors have packed a wealth of knowledge about chain making... methods, materials and techniques and then lead you on an inspiring journey of loop in loop chains. Starting out simply and working up to a some very complicated chains. The instructions are clear and precise, the illustrations are very helpful and the pictures of the chains themselves make you want to continue on your chain making journey.

If you are comfortable soldering or fusing metal, this is a great book to begin making chains. If you aren't comfortable with soldering or fusing then this isn't a book for you. Although the chains included will inspire you to learn fusing/soldering, none of these chains can be made without those skills. Irene From Peterson's books will give you a great introduction to chain making via butted chainmaille with open jump rings.

Otherwise, get out the torch, or kiln (they explain how to fuse the rings with a kiln), the fine silver or 22kt gold rings and get ready for a wonderous journey into chain making.

Thank you to the authors for sharing their vast knowledge of loop in loop chain making. This is one of those classic texts that perserves the knowledge of the Masters and passes it down to those yet to come.

Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits

Average customer rating:

Great book
still an outstanding, encyclopedic treatise
Excellent Book
As good as it gets...
Excellent Resource for Student or Practicing Engineer

Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits
Sergio Franco
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0072320842

Book Description

Franco's "Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits, 3e" is intended for a design-oriented course in applications with operational amplifiers and analog ICs. It also serves as a comprehensive reference for practicing engineers.

This new edition includes enhanced pedagogy (additional problems, more in-depth coverage of negative feedback, more effective layout), updated technology (current-feedback and folded-cascode amplifiers, and low-voltage amplifiers), and increased topical coverage (current-feedback amplifiers, switching regulators and phase-locked loops).

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-06-16

Great book for reference and self study if you remember your circuit analysis and laplace transforms. Very detailed with out making ones eyes gloss over. Do wish it had a few more d examples but overall cant complain.

still an outstanding, encyclopedic treatise.......2006-03-23

Mulling through some old reviews, I noticed that I left a technical error (more of a technical glossing-over) in my review of Franco's opus. It's high time I corrected it, since it's been there for more than a year, no doubt befuddling readers who thought they knew something about analog electronics. Specifically, I had said that the designation of the input terminals as '+' and '-' really made no difference: it's more reflective of convention, sciz. (assuming something other than a difference amplifier), the significant input network is attached to '-'--with '+' grounded--if the configuration is inverting, but to '+' (with '-' grounded) if the configuration is non-inverting. That's the truth, but it isn't the whole truth. When we examine border cases--those that tax the operational limits of the device, straying outside the "passband," analogically speaking (yes, I know, that typically refers to a frequency range, but here I use it to address an input voltage difference range)--the otherwise cosmetic or mnemonic choice of '+' or '-' terminal becomes rather more manifest. Remember that the amplifier actually amplifies the input voltage difference in the microscopic sense--even though it implements a semantically notable linear operation in the macroscopic sense--relying upon the feedback network to remanufacture an appropriate input voltage difference that maintains the nominal purpose of the circuit. When things go ape and the input voltage difference is much too high or, alternatively, much too low (and that may be a tough nut to crack), the output characteristic will be dependent upon what was connected to '+' and what, to '-'.

Now, wasn't that as clear as mud? Remember, I'm constrained to use words, and words alone, as my medium of communication, and, since I have only a fraction of a thousand words, I have only a fraction of a picture!

Excellent Book.......2005-05-27

This is an excellent book on linear circuit design, the best I have read to-date. It covers feedback theory, ideal op amps, active filter design & most importantly practical op amp limitations. It also covers voltage regulators, voltage references, ADCs, DACs, op amp noise & more. What I liked most was the combination of mathematical circuit analysis & practical design. Too many books show useful circuits without bothering to explain anything about how they work. It also has plenty of exercises to tax the brain.

As good as it gets..........2005-03-17

Really a top notch book on op-amps and almost anything you'd ever do with them. Has math where it's needed and rules of thumb where it isn't. Actually is just a great analog design book altogether. Really the definative text on the subject of designing with op-amps.

Excellent Resource for Student or Practicing Engineer.......2003-02-23

This book can be an excellent resource for any Analog Integrated Circuit Design Electrical Engineering student or practicing engineer. The book can assist in the modeling of IC devices such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors. It also sensibly covers the building blocks of analog integrated circuits: gain stages, output stages, level shifters, current sources and mirrors.

The reader is expected to have a general understanding of electronics, frequency-domain analysis procedures, and understand basic Pspice operations. The book generally covers enough material for a half-year of courses at the upper-division/graduate level although the book could certainly be useful for a single class.

The material generally starts out as basic and proceeds to a complex level. There are helpful figures and diagrams on nearly every page and the organization is generally sensible and intuitive. There are many worked examples and hundreds of end-of-chapter problems. The text is supported by a website that offers downloadable design projects, additional examples, and design software. Franco has done an admiral job at presenting a complicated subject.

Here's a brief description of SOME of the topics found in each chapter:

1) Basic amplifier concepts and arrangements are explored. Also covers negative feedback, the loop gain, and basic circuit analysis.

2) Current-to-Voltage & Voltage-to-Current Converters, Current, Difference, Instrumentation, and Transducer Bridge Amplifiers.

3) Active Filters. Transfer Function, 1st order, KRC, multiple-feedback, state-variable, audio, and biquad filters.

4) Filter Approximations, switched-capacitor, universal sc filters, and cascade design.

5) Low-input bias-current Op amps, low-input-offset-voltage Op Amps, Op Amp Circuit Diagrams, and Input offset Voltage.

6) Open and Closed loop response. Transient Response, Input and Output Impedances, and effect of Finite GBP on Filters and Integrator Circuits.

7) Noise Dynamics and Properties. Sources of Noise and Low-Noise Op Amps.

8) Stability problems. Stability of CFA Circuits and in Constant-GBP Op Amp Circuits. Internal and External Frequency Compensation.

9) Schmitt Triggers, analog switches, voltage comparators, and precision rectifiers.

10) Sine, Triangular, Sawtooth, and Monolithic Wave Generators. Also Multivibrators and V-F and F-V Converters.

11) Voltage References and Regulators. Switching, linear, and monolithic switching regulators.

12) Performance Specifications, D-A and A-D Conversion Techniques. Oversampling Converters and Multiplying DAC Applications.

Book Description

The Book of JavaScript teaches readers how to add interactivity, animation, and other tricks to their web sites with JavaScript. Rather than provide a series of cut-and-paste scripts, thau! takes the reader through a series of real world JavaScript code with an emphasis on understanding. Each chapter focuses on a few important JavaScript features, shows how professional web sites incorporate them, and takes readers through examples of how they might add those features to their own web sites. This thoroughly updated 2nd edition includes new chapters on Ajax, revised appendices, and new examples throughout. Summary sections and assignments close each chapter, making the book perfect for use in college courses or independent study. CD includes code and images for every example, answers to assignments, script libraries for hard-to-program applications, and many useful software programs.

Customer Reviews:

If you're more advanced this book is not for you..........2007-09-01

I bought this book becuase I read several reviews that stated this book would be great for those who are more advanced in scripting as well as the beginner. I did not find that to be the case. The one good thing I will say is that it was clear and easy to read, so if you're new to the world of JS, this book will suit your needs.

a very useful update.......2007-06-13

As someone who learned JavaScript from the first edition of this book, I was excited see what Thau! had in store for the second edition. He did not disappoint! Once again, he explains the most complicated concept clearly, and makes programming a breeze. The new reference section is especially useful. Thanks, Thau!!

Finally!.......2007-06-13

This book was really fantastic. Dave Thau clearly knows what he's talking about AND knows how to explain it clearly to others. This book gets a big thumbs up!

Great Book!.......2007-06-09

I've been reviewing quite a few books recently to use in my JavaScript course that I teach. Finally, I've found a book that explains all the important concepts and does it in a way that's a breeze to understand.

The author has a friendly, relaxing "voice" that puts you right at ease, even with the most challenging concepts.

If you are wanting to learn JavaScript, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Good first read--but watch out for the textual errors!.......2007-05-06

This book seems to be written for someone almost entirely new to programming/scripting. A good deal of the concepts are explained just as thoroughly as they need to be for him to cover the subject he is covering.

As such, I would not recommend this book for someone already experienced in programming/scripting.

In response to some other posts, which criticize him for teaching document.write instead of the more modern approach (working directly with the DOM), I disagree. I do acknowledge that it is better to work directly with the DOM, but that is far from a concept that can be taught to someone completely new to programming/scripting without boggling their mind.

Also: BEWARE THE ERRORS! This book is chock full of errors in the code snippets they display. The error in the numbered snippet on page 36, probably the 3rd or 4th error I've seen so far, is what actually motivated me to write this review. That in mind, if you're paying attention, the errors can actually be turned to an educational purpose--debugging! :)

Final advice: If you're completely new to this field or want to treat yourself as if you're completely new, then get this book. I would not recommend sticking solely with this book, though. Get this book and some others (JavaScript: The Definitive Guide and probably another instructional book such as one of the WROX Javascript books).

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