The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century

Amazon.com

Updated Edition: Thomas L. Friedman is not so much a futurist, which he is sometimes called, as a presentist. His aim in The World Is Flat, as in his earlier, influential Lexus and the Olive Tree, is not to give you a speculative preview of the wonders that are sure to come in your lifetime, but rather to get you caught up on the wonders that are already here. The world isn't going to be flat, it is flat, which gives Friedman's breathless narrative much of its urgency, and which also saves it from the Epcot-style polyester sheen that futurists--the optimistic ones at least--are inevitably prey to.

What Friedman means by "flat" is "connected": the lowering of trade and political barriers and the exponential technical advances of the digital revolution that have made it possible to do business, or almost anything else, instantaneously with billions of other people across the planet. This in itself should not be news to anyone. But the news that Friedman has to deliver is that just when we stopped paying attention to these developments--when the dot-com bust turned interest away from the business and technology pages and when 9/11 and the Iraq War turned all eyes toward the Middle East--is when they actually began to accelerate. Globalization 3.0, as he calls it, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations like the World Bank, but by individuals: desktop freelancers and innovative startups all over the world (but especially in India and China) who can compete--and win--not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but, increasingly, for the highest-end research and design work as well. (He doesn't forget the "mutant supply chains" like Al-Qaeda that let the small act big in more destructive ways.)

Friedman has embraced this flat world in his own work, continuing to report on his story after his book's release and releasing an unprecedented hardcover update of the book a year later with 100 pages of revised and expanded material. What's changed in a year? Some of the sections that opened eyes in the first edition--on China and India, for example, and the global supply chain--are largely unaltered. Instead, Friedman has more to say about what he now calls "uploading," the direct-from-the-bottom creation of culture, knowledge, and innovation through blogging, podcasts, and open-source software. And in response to the pleas of many of his readers about how to survive the new flat world, he makes specific recommendations about the technical and creative training he thinks will be required to compete in the "New Middle" class. As before, Friedman tells his story with the catchy slogans and globe-hopping anecdotes that readers of his earlier books and his New York Times columns know well, and he holds to a stern sort of optimism. He wants to tell you how exciting this new world is, but he also wants you to know you're going to be trampled if you don't keep up with it. A year later, one can sense his rising impatience that our popular culture, and our political leaders, are not helping us keep pace. --Tom Nissley

Where Were You When the World Went Flat?

Thomas L. Friedman's reporter's curiosity and his ability to recognize the patterns behind the most complex global developments have made him one of the most entertaining and authoritative sources for information about the wider world we live in, both as the foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and as the author of landmark books like From Beirut to Jerusalem and The Lexus and the Olive Tree. They also make him an endlessly fascinating conversation partner, and we've now had the chance to talk to him about The World Is Flat twice. Read our original interview with him following the publication of the first edition of The World Is Flat to learn why there's almost no one from Washington, D.C., listed in the index of a book about the global economy, and what his one-plank platform for president would be. (Hint: his bumper stickers would say, "Can You Hear Me Now?")

And now you can listen to our second interview, in which he talks about the updates he's made in "The World Is Flat 2.0," including his response to parents who said to him, "Great, Mr. Friedman, I'm glad you told us the world is flat. Now what do I tell my kids?"

The Essential Tom Friedman

From Beirut to Jerusalem
The Lexus and the Olive Tree
Longitudes and Attitudes

More on Globalization and Development

China, Inc. by Ted Fishman
Three Billion New Capitalists by Clyde Prestowitz
The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs

Globalization and Its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli
The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto

Book Description

The World Is Flat is Thomas L. Friedman’s account of the great changes taking place in our time, as lightning-swift advances in technology and communications put people all over the globe in touch as never before—creating an explosion of wealth in India and China, and challenging the rest of us to run even faster just to stay in place. This updated and expanded edition features more than a hundred pages of fresh reporting and commentary, drawn from Friedman’s travels around the world and across the American heartland—from anyplace where the flattening of the world is being felt.

In The World Is Flat, Friedman at once shows “how and why globalization has now shifted into warp drive” (Robert Wright, Slate) and brilliantly demystifies the new flat world for readers, allowing them to make sense of the often bewildering scene unfolding before their eyes. With his inimitable ability to translate complex foreign policy and economic issues, he explains how the flattening of the world happened at the dawn of the twenty-first century; what it means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals; how governments and societies can, and must, adapt; and why terrorists want to stand in the way. More than ever, The World Is Flat is an essential update on globalization, its successes and discontents, powerfully illuminated by one of our most respected journalists.

Download Description

The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist gives a bold, timely, and surprising picture of the state of globalization in the twenty-first century

Customer Reviews:

...and so is this book.......2007-10-10

Though it has become an immensely popular book, Friedman's work is fairly shallow and simplistic. It is important to remember that this is a world analysis written by a journalist, not by a political economist or any type of economist or political scientist. His views are oversimplified and his support relies heavily on anecdote, making his 600-pager about 400 pages too long. We read it for a poli sci class and proceeded to tear it apart intellectually.

Ranks up there with Common Sense, Uncle Toms Cabin, The Femine Mystique.......2007-10-10

One of the greatest books ever written. Everyone in America should read this book. Every teacher in America should read and teach Frieman's lessons. Every parent should read and help prepare their children for the world that is coming. Every student should read and begin to prepare for the world they are going to face. This is the most important book of our times, bar none.

Embracing Business Globalization's Irreversibility.......2007-10-10

This is easily the most relevant book written on the new realities of business globalization, its irreversibility, and the practical consequences to our future. Friedman does an excellent job describing the numerous factors that led up to our current global economy including the ongoing fall of communism, the advent of the personal computer, and the ubiquity of the Internet. His historical review and assessment is fascinating and it sets up the reader to understand the context for his theories and practical applications. Friedman delves into numerous industries, businesses, personalities, case studies, technologies, psychological factors, and sociological factors. Although he covers numerous business, technological, and economic concepts, his writing style is very engaging and entertaining, using many personal examples and narratives, thereby holding the reader's interest. Rather than bemoaning some of the common perceived negative consequences of a global economy (such as US auto workers losing jobs to overseas cheaper labor) Friedman helps the reader to understand business globalization's irreversibility. In so doing, he describes many personal, practical, and business strategies for thriving in this new environment. Friedman is realistic and compassionate concerning the changes and the challenges. He states, "the great challenge for our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people but also do not leave them behind. None of this will be easy. But this is our task. It is inevitable and unavoidable" (pp. 46-47). As Friedman unfolds his strategies, he gives the reader a broader, global perspective that is filled with hope and excitement. Whether as a CEO, a business student, or a brand new professional embarking upon a career, this book is insightful, practical, and essential reading.

What a good boy am I.......2007-10-06

Reading this book is like watching someone else's kids open their Christmas presents from relatives they don't really know. I'm not sure how the author can possibly be so fascinated by technology and yet know absolutely nothing about it at the same time, but his endless diatribes about the miracles of PayPal and Microsoft Word are beyond laughable, and I was pretty much in shock when he started citing howstuffworks-dot-com as a technical reference on fiber optics and SOAP. What editor told him that this was OK?

So enamored with his own cleverness is he that Mr. Friedman dedicates several pages to explaining the book's title, even though a single sentence would have sufficed. Unfortunately, this doesn't stop after the first chapter; rather than make a point and move on, he has to point out the fact that he just made a point and tell you what a wonderful point it was just in case you missed the point. It's like hanging out with that one friend who sits around smiling and pointing to his hindquarters after he rips one off at the dinner table.

If you want to learn about globalization and are not old enough to remember the first light bulb, go read "No Logo" instead. This is horrible, irrelevant geriatric babbling.

My opinion is flat.......2007-10-03

When a book has had over a thousand reviews, what can I possibly say that hasn't already been said? So I will keep it short and not so sweet.

No one will read this book, or any of the updates, for "fun." Do you NEED to read it? Yes, it contains some important economic concepts and realities, but it's a bit overlong. I'd say it could be cut in half, so skim through some of the numerous "interviews," repetition of central points, and endless advice and encouragement. The global pie is getting bigger and better, but the competition for piecies of that pie is heating up. Smart, ambitious, creative people will thrive; slow, lazy, dull people will languish, and everything inbetween. For too long many Americans have been sitting on their laurels and the day of reckoning is near. Heed this warning: Put down your TV remotes, game controllers, and iPods, and start working like your life (or lifestyle) depended on it. Get your rear into some serious gear, and don't balk at the notion that you should be an "expert" in at least three different, unrelated fields. Does this scare or excite you?

In so many interviews with foreign entrepreneurs, we are told (or reassured) that no matter how much of the "mundane" work is performed by countries other than the U.S., America's creative and innovative spark is still unsurpassed: All the world looks to America to lead the way into the future. I'm not sure. A lot of that "mundane" work was high level and highly paid, and why should we expect that America will continue to dominate in creativity and innovation? The truth is, we're in for a flattening of living standards, and from the perspective of the relatively high American standard of living, it will seem like a drop in standards until we reach another equilibrium (who knows how long that will take?). In any case, the reassurances about the talents and abilities of Americans seem at odds with other parts of the book, such as Bill Gates feeling "terrified at the American work force of tomorrow."

If you're already working hard at becoming an expert in three fields, then you probably don't need to read this book. Indeed, you probably don't have time to read it, or to read and write Amazon reviews, for that matter.

Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning

Average customer rating:

Covers the basics of both the what-is and the how-to of fact-based decision making
A limited introduction to business analytics
Good Overview of Business Analytics
Who Is The Audience
Great Subject/Weak Effort

Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning
Thomas H. Davenport , and Jeanne G. Harris
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Strategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Systems & Planning | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1422103323
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Book Description

You have more information at hand about your business environment than ever before. But are you using it to “out-think” your rivals? If not, you may be missing out on a potent competitive tool.

In Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning , Thomas H. Davenport and Jeanne G. Harris argue that the frontier for using data to make decisions has shifted dramatically. Certain high-performing enterprises are now building their competitive strategies around data-driven insights that in turn generate impressive business results. Their secret weapon? Analytics: sophisticated quantitative and statistical analysis and predictive modeling.

Exemplars of analytics are using new tools to identify their most profitable customers and offer them the right price, to accelerate product innovation, to optimize supply chains, and to identify the true drivers of financial performance. A wealth of examples—from organizations as diverse as Amazon, Barclay’s, Capital One, Harrah’s, Procter & Gamble, Wachovia, and the Boston Red Sox—illuminate how to leverage the power of analytics.

Customer Reviews:

Covers the basics of both the what-is and the how-to of fact-based decision making.......2007-10-04

Mark Twain once said something to the effect that it isn't what you don't know that gets you into trouble, it's what you know for certain that isn't so that will get you. Too many businesses are run on assumptions, guesses, and inertia. What we are doing now worked in the past so lets keep doing it. Shareholders lose a lot of money when their businesses are run with that kind of thinking.

This book is about fact-based decision making. It is really more of an introduction to the subject than a detailed text, but it is still quite useful for those wanting to learn the basics of the subject. The first five chapters discuss what analytics are, how you compete using them, and the growth path from wondering what an analytic competitor is through the fives steps to becoming one. They also discuss what it means when using internal data that you completely control, and what it means when you do it using data you control and supplier or customer data that you do not control.

The last four chapters take on the practical side of implementing a road map to becoming an analytic competitor. I particularly enjoyed the chapter emphasizing that all your plans will fail if you don't have the right people. Systems alone won't do it. The next chapter discusses the kinds of systems you need. The last chapter discusses the future of analytics.

For the right audience, this is a fascinating book. The stories about businesses succeeding by using analytics or getting themselves into serious trouble by ignoring them are all good and entertaining. Be careful, though. Some of the stories talk about instances (such as the Red Sox losing the World Series by letting the pitcher go beyond his statistical maximum pitching range) rather than trends and large numbers of events. Statistics don't work on instances. That is, at any given moment a coin might come up heads or tails. Just because there have been ten heads flips in a row does not mean you should take less than 50-50 odds on the next flip. It is still 50-50. That pitcher might have won, might have lost that game and it would have become part of the statistical information. However, for the stats to become powerful, you would have to be able to make a strong prediction over a series of games that he pitched. That is, if he goes beyond X pitches in 10 games he will lose about 8 of them. That means he still wins two (or one or three) and you don't know when in the series the wins will come.

The idea that very small observations can be exploited for big advantage is very important in today's ever more competitive business climate. For example Harrah's learned that moving the odds on slot machines one-tenth of one percent in their favor did not affect customer play at all, but netted them at extra $80 million (company wide). Marriott's hotel management system improves hotel performance by a couple percent. Remember that these improvements incur little cost, so most of the improvement flows quickly to the bottom line.

I thought that might get your attention. Read it so you can learn and profit from it.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

A limited introduction to business analytics.......2007-09-21

MY RATING SYSTEM:

* - if you have to chose between torture and reading this book, then you might want to consider reading the book - although it depends on just how severe the torture would be.

** - if you've lost your job and have quite a bit of free time on your hands, and don't have anything else better to do, then you might want to consider reading this book; don't expect to learn much or really be entertained. It will however, help you pass the time until your death.

*** - meh...I'm indifferent. Reading this book will not alter your life in any significant way, yet it is not so horrendously dreadful that your taking the time to read it will be a complete waste of time.

**** - Good book to great book zone here. You should probably read this book if you have some spare time. This book could be interesting, entertaining, or informative.

***** - Outstanding book! Make time to read this book - you'll learn or be entertained or intrigued. The book might even be good enough to provide original or helpful insights into the world that we live in.

REVIEW:

Competing on Analytics serves as an interesting, albeit limited, introduction to the concept of using complex data collection, management, and analysis techniques to gain a competitive edge in business.

For me, the book served as a useful introduction, but fell far short of satisfying the objectives I had in mind when I first came across it. What I was expecting was a book that provide a detailed guide to developing and implementing an analytical approach to business decision making. While early on the authors acknowledge the limitations of the book, I found what followed to be less than satisfying.

The book contained a variety of examples of companies that were using analytical techniques to improve the quality of business decision making, and discussed a variety of business areas in which companies might want to adopt such analytical techniques but failed to present comprehensive case studies that would provide real guidance to readers. I would have liked to have been led through a few cases, from a diverse set of industries, where the authors describe what information was collected and why, how the information was manipulated, analyzed and presented, and how the entire analytics process was influenced by and/or influenced the company's strategy and performance. Instead, the book left me with the impression that I need to go out an hire a consulting firm to lead me through the development of an analytics program.

One of the most ironic components of the book was that while it touted the use of analytical techniques and objective analysis to motivate business decision making, it's argument was largely based on anecdotal evidence of a handful of companies that have adopted analytical approaches.

Good Overview of Business Analytics.......2007-09-20

Technology & the easy with which information spreads has rendered many products and services easily replicable. Companies need to compete on the basis of something their competitors can't recreate. What companies don't have ready access to is each other's data, i.e., on customers, suppliers, & processes. What companies do with this data is what can set them apart from competitors.

Davenport & Harris describe how data is transformed into competitive advantage by discussing the types of information used in analytics, the stages of becoming a more analytic corporation, and many examples of companies who have applied analytics to successful operations. Problems encountered down the road to becoming more analytical were similar to those described in another recent book on the criticality of enterprise data, Information Revolution by Davis, Miller, & Russell.

This book contains no numeric formulas or specific procedures for using analytics, but it is an excellent as an overall survey of business analytics as used today.

Who Is The Audience.......2007-08-30

This book is meant for those who make things happen and need to gain a fresh perspective. It is not meant for those who know a lot but can't make things happen yet keep looking for more information, while criticizing a good effort, which without doubt could have been better.

Great Subject/Weak Effort.......2007-08-26

Not a lot of meat to this topic other than the obvious. Not very exciting stuff.

Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

Average customer rating:

Great Author
Great buy!!!!!
Book is Fine
Great book
Excellent additional book for CAPM or Project + Exam

Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition
Kathy Schwalbe
Manufacturer: Course Technology
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

MIS | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Project Management | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

PMP Exam | Project Management | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management, Seventh Edition
Fundamentals of Technology Project Management
New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Project 2003, Introductory
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Third Edition (PMBOK Guides)
Systems Analysis and Design, Sixth Edition

ASIN: 0619215267

Book Description

Recreates the experience of dozens of projects, both successful and failed, to provide a real-world context for learning.

Customer Reviews:

Great Author.......2007-09-11

Learn alot from the book about Project management. It does not only apply to management but apply to daily life. It teaches you more than there is. Definitely recommended. Like the CD and the material.

Great buy!!!!!.......2007-03-08

The book got to me in a timely manner and was in great shape.

Book is Fine.......2007-01-09

What can I say, the instructor required this book, so I purchased it. Well laid out. Broken down into sections that make sense when learning project management. The examples in the appendix could be done a little better, but the appendix is already over 100 pages. Wish it would have the Index on CDROM for easier searching, but overall it is a good book.

Great book .......2007-01-04

I used this book as the accredited book for my project management course in my master study, actually it is a great book, I did not get enough time to read it all, but it really covers all the project managemnt subtitles, I recommend it for those who have project management experience, and also for those who just need to know something about project manegment, but you make sure you have time to read, it is not a small before sleep book, it is really technical one.

Excellent additional book for CAPM or Project + Exam.......2006-10-14

I was issued this book for my project management class this past spring. The information contained in this particular book was detailed, and the author provided great examples plus a 120-day trail version of MS Project management software to add in practical development. I am using this book as additional information to pass the Certifed Associate in Project Management exam offer by the Project Management Institute.

MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exams 70-290, 70-291, 70-293, 70-294): Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Core Requirements, Second Edition

Average customer rating:

Good info for a cheap price
This can teach old dogs new tricks
Good Product ! excellent training material
Excellent Condition
MCSE Here I Come. :0)

MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exams 70-290, 70-291, 70-293, 70-294): Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Core Requirements, Second Edition
Dan Holme , Orin Thomas , J.C. Mackin , Ian McLean , and Craig Zacker
Manufacturer: Microsoft Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Certification Central | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-270): Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Second Edition
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MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-284): Implementing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-298): Designing Security for a Microsoft® Windows Server(TM) 2003 Network (Training Kit)
MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-620): Configuring Windows Vista(TM) Client (Self Paced Training Kit 70-620)

ASIN: 0735622906

Book Description

Get in-depth training and practice with the skills measured by the core exams for MCSE certification for Windows Server 2003all in one box! Covering Exams 70-290, 70-291, 70-293, and 70-294, these four, all-new Microsoft study guides pack the tools and features that exam candidates want mostincluding in-depth, self-paced training based on final exam content; rigorous, objective-by-objective reviews; exam tips from expert, exam-certified authors; and a robust testing suite. They also provide real-world scenarios, case study examples, and troubleshooting labs for skills and experience that you can apply to the job.

Customer Reviews:

Good info for a cheap price.......2007-09-27

This series covers all of what I need to know for MCSE. It comes with a nice price. Well worth it.

This can teach old dogs new tricks.......2007-09-02

This is a one of a kind Self Pace training course that has taugh this old dog new trick... I am well pleased with the results and indepth and detail of the material...

Good Product ! excellent training material.......2007-07-29

This kit is a must for everybody who is intrested in getting certified for the first 4 core exams of the MCSE certificate.

Foreigners outside of USA, please keep in mind that your package may be opened by customs en therefore its resealed and its possible that your package will get damaged (like i had). Books & CDs where in good condition but the box which keeps that books in place was damaged.

Besides that this kit will give you a voucher for 15& of discount on all 4 exams which are valid till 2010.

Excellent Condition.......2007-06-27

The study guides I ordered came to me in excellent condition and I paid half the retail cost. I couldn't be happier.

MCSE Here I Come. :0).......2007-05-24

Sofar this Purchase is a great investment to my Career Future.

Accounting Information Systems (10th Edition) (Accounting Information Systems)

Average customer rating:

Yawning Hell
Only Buy if Required for a Class
Caution: Will Cause Drowsiness.
Agreed. Boring as dirt.
Comprehensive but boring

Accounting Information Systems (10th Edition) (Accounting Information Systems)
Marshall B. Romney , and Paul J. Steinbart
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Cost Accounting (12th Edition) (Charles T Horngren Series in Accounting)
Intermediate Accounting
Intermediate Accounting
Auditing and Assurance Services (12th Edition)
Building Accounting Systems Using Access 2003

ASIN: 0131475916

Book Description

Thorough and up-to-date, this book supports any of the most popular approaches to AIS: focus on transaction cycles and controls; focus on systems life cycle; focus on databases and data modeling; or focus on computer-based controls, fraud and auditing. The book begins with an overview and conceptual foundations then goes on to discuss control and audit of accounting information systems, accounting information systems applications, and the systems development process. For CPAs and corporate accountants.

Customer Reviews:

Yawning Hell.......2006-05-31

Is this the world's most boring book ? Technically competent but painfully dry. A gift too insomniacs. Good luck on getting past page 1 !

Only Buy if Required for a Class.......2005-05-09

Very boring reading. Chapters tend to repeat themselves. The class I had for this book was one of the most boring classes I ever had. Instructor lectured from power point slides. I could have taken this class homestudy and done just fine, than to sit in class.

Caution: Will Cause Drowsiness........2004-04-03

This book is simply horrible. It takes the stereotypical accountant and shoves him into the pages. It is so lethargic and monotonous that all the valuable information within the book just stops making sense. This book should be read by anyone who has doubts about becoming an accountant. They'll drop everything and go into premed. Horrible!

Agreed. Boring as dirt........2003-05-10

Everything you need is in here, but the book truly is boring as dirt. If you need it for a class, fine. But do not buy it if you just want something to read.

Comprehensive but boring.......1999-09-12

This is a very comprehensive textbook of the subject. It deals with just about every aspect of the AIS realm. It is, however, a very dull book. There isn't much illustrating, no color, and absolutely no life beyond the black and white wasteland of its pages.

Average customer rating:

Vista Inside Out
Great Refererence
A Great Follow-Up to Windows XP Inside Out
Great Tool
Advantage: Comes with eBook version

Windows Vista Inside Out
Ed Bott , Carl Siechert , and Craig Stinson
Manufacturer: Microsoft Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

Microsoft Windows Vista Business UPGRADE [DVD]
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium UPGRADE [DVD]
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate UPGRADE [DVD]

ASIN: 0735622701

Book Description

Written by the authors of the immensely popular Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out, this book packs hundreds of timesaving solutions, troubleshooting tips, and workarounds for using the latest version of the Microsoft Windows operating systemall in concise, fast-answer format. Dig into the work-ready tools and resources that help you take your Windows Vista experience to the next level. Get the answers you need to use the new features of Windows Vista, including the sidebar and gadgets, and the Windows slideshow. Youll also discover how to use new features in Microsoft Windows Media Player and Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Get up-to-date information on how to configure and customize your desktop, how to use new security-enhanced features, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Vista Inside Out.......2007-10-05

Windows Vista Inside Out
I am in my early 70s and can still remember that a farmer whom I worked for at the time would not buy a tractor, because it would be less cost effective than the horses he used. I found this book very useful, practical and easy to understand. It tells you more than you will ever want to know, however, where is the glossary? With the overwhelming quantity of acronyms, though well explained it would from time to time be handy to be able to just look the meaning up in a list rather then to have to back track in the text. Great book nevertheless.

Great Refererence.......2007-09-26

New Vista users here is a great Reference and help with the little problems..A bit bulky but covers it all.

A Great Follow-Up to Windows XP Inside Out.......2007-09-12

If you enjoyed Windows XP Inside Out, you'll also enjoy this book. Its full of helpful hints.

If you're a beginner, I wouldn't suggest this book. If you're an advanced user you probably will learn a few new things. But if you're an intermediate user this is right up your alley.

Great Tool.......2007-09-10

Perfect Condition. CD is a great help too. Great tool for intermediate users.

Advantage: Comes with eBook version.......2007-08-28

Vista isn't very hard to use, but there are little things that I need to look up on occasion. I love the fact that I can install the eBook on my computer so I always have it with me. (I use a TabletPC and carry it to home and work and on trips.) Having all this information available to me at all times is great. People ask me a question (I do tech support), I search for the answer, tell them what they need to know, and they think I know everything. Having it on the computer makes all the difference to me.

Information Systems Today: Why IS Matters (2nd Edition)

Average customer rating:

Information Systems Today: Why IS Matters (2nd Edition)
Leonard Jessup , and Joseph Valacich
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Marketing: An Introduction, 7th Edition
Logistics & Supply Chain Management: creating value-adding networks (3rd Edition) (Financial Times Series)
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Critical Chain : A Business Novel

ASIN: 0131454870

Book Description

Contemporary and well written, this book serves as a good desk reference for business professionals who need to know about information systems. Chapter topics include database management, telecommunications, electronic commerce, information system ethics, security, and more. For systems analysts or general business professionals who need to know about information systems.

Average customer rating:

Not All That
Excellent Intro
Love it or Hate it and I hate it
Excellent learning style
Theory AND Practicality!

Head First Design Patterns (Head First)
Elisabeth Freeman , Eric Freeman , Bert Bates , and Kathy Sierra
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Head First Java, 2nd Edition
Head First Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (Head First)
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Head First Design Patterns Poster (Head First)

ASIN: 0596007124

Book Description

You're not alone.

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

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

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

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

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

If you've read a Head First book, you know what to expect--a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works. Using the latest research in neurobiology, cognitive science, and learning theory, Head First Design Patterns will load patterns into your brain in a way that sticks. In a way that lets you put them to work immediately. In a way that makes you better at solving software design problems, and better at speaking the language of patterns with others on your team.

Customer Reviews:

Not All That.......2007-10-10

The authors miss the point on pg 139 in their description of Dependency Inversion. They say, "It suggests that our high level components should not depend on our low level components; rather they should both depend on abstractions". The real point of the pattern, if you read Robert Martin original description of the pattern, Agile Principles, Patterns, and Practices in C# (Robert C. Martin Series), is that neither should depend on the other. No concrete dependency and no abstract dependency; independent. The description these authors offer does not describe dependency inversion; it instead displays the weakness of dependency on abstractions Mr Martin wrote about in his original description of the pattern. The only dependency should be the object(s) or data passed between them but the authors fail to make this point. Mr Martin's book is brilliant.

Excellent Intro.......2007-10-07

Easy to read and follow.

All the examples are in Java and I'm not a Java programmer, but I can understand the examples.

This books is not a pattern catalog. Only the fundamental patterns are presented.

An excellent place to start learning about design patterns.

Love it or Hate it and I hate it.......2007-10-03

I just felt the strong urge to write a review. I usually don't write reviews. My opinion about this book is either you will love it a lot or hate it to the core. I hated it. Their writing style is not conventional. So please go to a book store and read a few pages and see if you like this style of writing. Even though when I first read, I thought I liked it, I realized I don't like this style of writing for a technical book

Excellent learning style.......2007-09-26

I think the book is great for learning what it was written to teach. I found it easy to read and stay in its pages for a longer period of time. If you've read computer related books you know what I'm talking about. I would definitely recommend this book if you ware getting into design patterns and want to get a rock solid foundation. One consideration though, you really need to know something about Java or C#. If you are completely unfamiliar with OOP languages altogether, you might want to tackle that subject before this one.

Theory AND Practicality!.......2007-09-25

I flipped through this book to get a feel for how it will differ from other design patterns works. I immediately realized that the authors are taking a very accessible approach to teaching readers about patterns.

On an individual basis, the text is very accessible. It is written in an easy-to-read style. Instead of avoiding technical jargon, the text improves understanding and retention by coupling technical terms with humorous anecdotes and quips. This approach gives the feeling that design patterns are within reach (and they are) of even readers new to the concepts. It also serves as a built-in mnemonic tool.

The structure of pattern delivery seems to be intentional as well. In the rare case where a pattern is referenced without yet being described, it is almost always in the context of how the current pattern will prove useful in other scenarios. As such, the reader never feels lost. In fact, quite the opposite affect occurs. Readers should feel like they are following a logical approach to learning patterns.

Although it may seem, from the above comments, that the book is elementary, I assure you that even seasoned developers will find the book useful. Even if you know the material extremely well, you may find that the authors' descriptions are useful when teaching junior developers on your teams.

The book layout, like the rest of the book, is broad-reaching. Obviously, it is an instructional work. More than that, however, the book is also a teaching tool. It can easily be adapted by educators and trainers for classroom-style and one-on-one teaching. The book also serves as a workbook. There are exercises and notes pages throughout each chapter. Finally, the book serves me as a reference work as well. If I remember the gist of a pattern but not the specifics, it is easy to find examples and canonical references.

I absolutely love this style. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn patterns, refresh their existing patterns knowledge, or just take in a proverbial "breath of fresh air" to the stiff writing style of other books covering complex topics. I also feel that any of the "Head First" books are worth consideration. They provide accessible formats that promote learning.

I have to close this review by concurring with the authors in their note to the "Gang of Four". Seriously, when are we going to see another book? :)

Average customer rating:

When your labor force only costs you 20 cents an hour instead of a dollar, then it is not all that difficult to compete!
Excellent study of a high-tech trendsetter
A title with a much broader message!
Indian outsourcers are now where the Japanese automotive companues were in 1969 - huge changes are coming
More Valuable When Generalized!

Bangalore Tiger
Steve Hamm
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Open Business Models: How to Thrive in the New Innovation Landscape

ASIN: 0071474781

Book Description

Of all the tech tigers in India, Wipro is one of a handful that stands out from the pack. In the past five years, it has become one of the most accomplished tech services providers in the world, delivering business value through a combination of process excellence, quality frameworks, and service delivery innovation. Totally dedicated to customer satisfaction, Wipro is known to go above and beyond to make customers happy. It’s a move that’s paid off handsomely, with a 24 percent operating profit in its tech services division—more than twice the industry average.

Bangalore Tiger is the story of Wipro’s transformation and its impact on the tech services industry and the rules of global competition. BusinessWeek senior writer Steve Hamm takes you inside the halls of this transnational phenomenon to reveal the true secrets of Wipro’s superior business: its people, principles, and core competencies.

From Wipro’s triumphs to its missteps, Hamm mines a treasure of business lessons, explaining how and, more important, why it is necessary to:

Expand quickly without stumbling
Follow the new rules for outsourcers
Innovate every day—or else
Be obsessive about customers
Motivate employees the Wipro way
Plan three years ahead to prepare for rapid growth

Hamm also gives you a rare glimpse into the mind of Wipro’s charismatic chairman and thought leader, Azim Premji. Guiding Wipro’s growth every step of the way, Premji was one of the first business leaders in India to decree that his company would not pay bribes. You’ll see how his adoption of world-class business processes helped Wipro thrive—and how Wipro is helping to fulfill his dream of a better educated, more prosperous India. Removing the shroud of secrecy around Indian management principles, Hamm provides a real-world blueprint for operating a successful transnational organization, as viewed through the eye of the Bangalore Tiger.

Customer Reviews:

When your labor force only costs you 20 cents an hour instead of a dollar, then it is not all that difficult to compete!.......2007-09-14

This was a very good book. It is clearly written and easy to follow. It explains the 40-year history of one of India's most successful companies at present - Wipro. What started out as a peanut oil company owned by the current Chairman's father has morphed into a huge outsourcing company serving many of America's largest corporations. It has also become an adept mergers and acquistions company to help fuel its growth.

Since the book is a good read and it candidly explains how Wipro has grown over the past 40 years to become a multibillion-dollar company, I certainly recommend entrepreneurs, businessmen, and corporate executives take a look at it. However, the business principles cited are nothing new. And when the US economy tanks, then so will this company. Basically this company stands out because it is leaching off the US's elevated standard of living that cannot continue to exist if companies like Wipro continue to grow.

Two mornings ago I was reading a newspaper article about a lake in California that has been infested by Canadian Northern Pike. The Pike have no predators and they are killing the lake since they exist at the top of the food chain. I bring this up because Wipro is kind of like the Pike, and the US is kind of like the lake.

This book has five parts:

1. Taking on the West
2. People principles to lead by
3. Build on core principles
4. Success stories
5. How to inject the tiger in your own company

I'd give this book a 5 star rating if it had stopped at Part IV. But when it added Part V and tried to tout that Wipro was something for US companies to aspire to, I had to cut back a bit on my rating. If you were to drop Wipro into the US and force it to use US labor, then it would go belly-up. And that being the case, it certainly is not a poster child for US companies to examine.

What readers of this book should get from it is that the US is a lake and Wipro and other companies providing outsourcing services are a Pike. And if the US continues to let India, China, and Mexico provide cheap labor for US companies TO THE DETRIMENT OF US WORKERS, then the US is going to fail and at the same time the revenue source for these "pike " is going to fail. Not a good picture. 4 stars!

Excellent study of a high-tech trendsetter.......2007-08-24

From humble beginnings as a manufacturer of vegetable oil in India, Wipro reinvented itself, with stunning speed, as one of the world's leading providers of high-tech and business-process outsourcing (BPO) services to clients around the globe. Early in this decade, Wipro's annual revenues were $500 million. B the end of the first quarter of 2007, Wipro revenues had risen to $3.47 billion - a 41% increase over the same period in 2006. The firm is an acclaimed high-tech trendsetter. It received the accolade most prized by true business cognoscenti: becoming the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. The school examined how Wipro applied the principles of Toyota's "Lean" production system to its operations. So who is Wipro, what does the company do, and how did it become so successful so fast? We recommend that executives and managers read this book to discover the answers. Learn how your company can adopt the Wipro Way to turbocharge its operations.

A title with a much broader message!.......2007-07-09

Steve Hamm's Bangalore Tiger is a very readable book for anyone interested in understanding how Indian companies (Wipro is what he has showcased here) operate, or should operate, in today's global climate. As a journalist, Steve leverages both his observation skills and writing mastery, and, as a Westerner, looks at Wipro (and outsourcing) through an expert lens. His message is quite universal for anyone or for any company trying to succeed in today's world. Although the first four parts are Wipro specific, the subtext of his message in those parts is actually much broader in its implication. His final and the fifth part is the most useful for anyone who wants to emulate the success Wipro has achieved. All in all, it is a must read for anyone who is trying to understand how to work in India today. In fact, as their career coach, to many of my clients, who are transitioning back to India, I recomend them this title to round out their returning plans.

Indian outsourcers are now where the Japanese automotive companues were in 1969 - huge changes are coming.......2007-02-19

Steve Hamm has given us a useful book about an important company. The emergence of the big Indian outsourcers is one of the most promising developments of the past decade and is every bit as important as the rise of Toyota, Honda and the rest of the Japanese automotive industry. Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL, NIIT (a smaller player, but important in learning and as an enabler) and of course Wipro are redefining the world of software services, and in all likelihood we are just at the beginning of the transformation that this will catalyze.

In Bangalore Tiger the story of the rise of Wipro from a small Mumbai food-oil company to a multi-billion dollar information services and business process outsourcer is well told. The discipline and vision of its management, led by Azim Premji, comes across clearly, as does the culture of efficiency, innovation, and customer service that he and his team have created. Extremely important for those of us who collaborate and compete with the Indian tigers is the way they have adopted and then transformed key management tools. The Indian tigers have shown true leadership in implementing CMM (the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model), making rigorous use of techniques such as UML (something Hamm misses in his book), ISO standards and even Six Sigma. Wipro's application of Toyota's lean production system to software and business services is an important development and one worthy of much more attention. The Deming is to Toyota as SEI CMM is to Wipro analogy works for me. And then to bring this full circle by applying the Toyota way to software is a lovely development.

So why only four stars? Part of this is a response to Hamm's irritating comments on US companies, which often seem to be poorly informed. In fact, people in Western services business work every bit as hard as those at Wipro, at least the ones I work with, and are as open and aggressive about applying new methodologies. The book also suffers from the occasional technical errors (I suppose his editors should have caught these). In order to get a fuller view of the rise of the Indian IT and business process outsourcers one must read much more widely on the overall structure of Indian business (the role of Indian generic drug manufacturers for example), understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian educational system, and put this in context of the emerging competitive partnership with China.

But read the book. I know Wipro reasonably well, have visited Indian companies in India, and try to keep current in the area, and I learned a great deal.

More Valuable When Generalized!.......2007-01-11

"Bangalore Tiger's" purpose is to provide insight and praise for Wipro, a large and growing outsourcing company in India. (Market capitalization 2/06 of $20 billion, vs. $13 billion for EDS - the original outsourcer.) However, the book's real value is to document outsourcing trends in the software and business process re-engineering areas. (Also remember that libraries are full of analyses of successful companies at the height of their impact, only to flame-out 2-3 years later.)

Hamm asserts that '03 profit margins at the top six Indian software etc. technology firms averaged 21.7%, vs. 4.3% for the top Western firms (eg. IBM, EDS, HP, etc.). While the Indian share was only 3% in '06, it had grown 33% in just the last year, and was projected to hit 10% by '08. Meanwhile, it is also expanding to legal, market research, online education, and medical areas. Experts believe India's economy will be the world's 3rd largest by 2050, behind China and the U.S.

Addition insight into the power of the Indian challenge is provided by returning to Wipro data: 1.2 million apply/year, but only 20,000 are hired. Wipro operates about 40 Centers of Excellence at any one time - these focus on integrating emerging technologies into business process.

Finally, as to the credibility of the Wipro (think India) threat - Hamm reminds us how people laughed at Toyota when it first sent cars to the U.S.

Large business managers and politicians need to read "Bangalore Tiger," as well as other books summarizing the China and illegal Mexican immigrant threats to the U.S. One may be OK - all three provide serious challenge.

New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Comprehensive, Second Edition (New Perspectives (Paperback Course Technology))

Average customer rating:

New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Comprehensive, Second Edition (New Perspectives (Paperback Course Technology
The best price anywhere.
Item in perfect condition
great textbook for new and experienced users of Excel
Used it in college course - EXCELLENT BOOK!

New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Comprehensive, Second Edition (New Perspectives (Paperback Course Technology))
June Jamrich Parsons , Dan Oja , Roy Ageloff , and Patrick Carey
Manufacturer: Course Technology
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Business Communication Today (9th Edition) (Business Communication Today)

ASIN: 0619268158

Book Description

Part of the New Perspectives series, this text offers a case-based, problem-solving approach and innovative technology for meaningful learning of Microsoft Excel 2003. This Second Edition has been updated to include basic to more advanced features of Excel, from creating professional-looking workbooks to using templates, creating multiple worksheets, and developing customized applications with macros and Visual Basic.

Customer Reviews:

New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Comprehensive, Second Edition (New Perspectives (Paperback Course Technology.......2007-09-29

Good product. Just as it was described. I ordered this for my daughter for a college class that she is taking.

The best price anywhere........2007-09-26

This book is the same anywhere you go but it was the cheapest and when comes to school books, if can get deal then you should. I had no problems with delivery it was an easy process and got it in no time.

Item in perfect condition.......2007-02-17

This item was in perfect condition.. just as described. I am very satisfied with this item and with how the seller conducted this transaction.

great textbook for new and experienced users of Excel.......2007-02-14

Thsi book is great!, I'm taking an Excel class this semester at college and needed the book. Great price and easy to understand for new and old users of Excel.

Used it in college course - EXCELLENT BOOK!.......2007-01-10

I'm taking Excel Spreadsheets in college this quarter. The book is clear, and easy to understand (even for those unfamiliar with using a computer, in my opinion).

One of the best parts is the great visual aids. Each tutorial gives color pictures of what you should be seeing on the screen of your computer while you work the tutorial. Sections within the chapter are also very well color organized and bolded for easy skimming if you are not new to the material.

Our teacher says that the book gets really advanced the farther on you read. Our basics & intermediate class only goes halfway through the book. The advanced excel class reads the second half, which teaches material on the level required by Microsoft in order to receive Microsoft Office Certification on the "expert" level.

On another note, Excel is an invaluable tool for personal use and in the work world.

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