Showing posts with label Compute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Compute. Show all posts

2/06/2010

Review of Beginning C++ Game Programming (Game Development Series) (Paperback)

If you're a beginner and want a place to start programming games then this is the book for you. But be sure of one thing, no book can teach you everything, but with help from books like this one written by Michael Dawson it will help you get your foot into the door and then some. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to get into game programming and knows the basics of C++. Here is a little more info about each chapter for those of you that need it.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Types, Variables, and Standard I/O: Lost Fortune
Chapter 2 - Truth, Branching, and The Game Loop: Guess My Number
Chapter 3 - For Loops, Strings, and Arrays: Word Jumble
Chapter 4 - The Standard Template Library: Hangman
Chapter 5 - Functions: Mad-Lib
Chapter 6 - References: Tic-Tac-Toe
Chapter 7 - Pointers: Tic-Tac-Toe 2.0
Chapter 8 - Classes: Critter Caretaker
Chapter 9 - Advanced Classes and Dynamic Memory: Game Lobby
Chapter 10 - Inheritance and Polymorphism: Blackjack

I hope this helps you out.


Product Description
Interactivity-the unique feature that sets games apart from other forms of entertainment. The power of interactivity lies in the programming that occurs behind the scenes. If you're ready to jump into the world of programming for games, "Beginning C++Game Programming" will get you started on your journey, providing you with a solid foundation in the game programming language of the professionals. As you cover each programming concept, you'll create small games that demonstrate your new skills. Wrap things up by combining each major concept to create an ambitious multiple player game. Get ready to master the basics of game programming with C++!

About the Author
Michael Dawson, from Santa Monica, CA, is a professional writer and has worked as a programmer and game industry designer and producer. He is the author of "Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner" (Premier Press, 1592000738), which teaches newcomers programming by using games as examples.Mike earned his Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California and has worked as a programmer for a large Internet services company.He also has experience in the television industry as a staff writer for a popular sitcom.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Beginning C++ Game Programming (Game Development Series) (Paperback)

2/02/2010

Review of PHP 5 Fast & Easy Web Development (Paperback)

This is an "ok" book for web developers.It has some nice features if you can get past the amount of errors in the coded examples and the sometimes confusing and contradictory explanations.There is very little discussion of basic concepts, therefore, I would not recommend this book for anyone who does not have some programming background.
The title, PHP 5 fast & easy web development, is indicative of the book's contents.It provides a series of potentially useful PHP scripts that you can adapt to develop database interactive web pages (emphasis is on the MySQL database).However, like the 2nd edition of Julie Meloni's "PHP fast & easy web development," this book is plagued with coding errors which are not only annoying, but also make understanding the various features of PHP more difficult.
The book starts with instructions on how to install PHP, Apache and MySQL.The remainder of the book consists of a series of increasingly complex scripts, detailed step-by-step.For the first half of the book, the examples are relatively easy to read and carefully documented.However, halfway through the book, segments of code begin to appear without adequate explanation, and as the book progresses, it becomes more a cookbook of code to retype rather than a clear explanation of what the code mean.Instructions about where to insert new lines of code are difficult to follow.In addition, some explanations appear contradictory, which adds to the confusion.The errors in the coded examples are excessive.I can understand a few typos, but lines of code that are substantially different or are missing completely can be found in every chapter.This is unacceptable and unprofessional in a book that is supposed to help you learn a new programming language.


Product Description
Don't spend your time wading through manuals to learn PHP 5. Spend it doing what you do best-creating web pages! With "PHP 5 Fast & Easy Web Development" you can get up and running with PHP 5, Apache, and MySQL with ease. By the time you're finished, you'll be able to display dynamic content, build your own contact management system, create custom reports, work with XML, and much more. Less time, less effort, more results!

About the Author
Julie Meloni is the Technical Director for i2i Interactive, a multimedia company located in Los Altos, CA. She's been developing Web-based applications since the Web first saw the light of day and remembers the excitement surrounding the first GUI Web browser. She is the author of several books and articles on Web-based programming languages and database topics, and you can find translations of her work in several languages, including Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, and Polish.She is the author of "PHP Fast & Easy Web Development, 2nd Edition" (Premier Press, 193184187X).

Click Here to see more reviews about: PHP 5 Fast & Easy Web Development (Paperback)

1/17/2010

Review of Learn HTML In a Weekend, 3rd Edition W/CD (Paperback)

This is the better of Mr. Callihan's two HTML books.The other, Create Your First Webpage (In a Weekend) is quickly outgrown by even novice users. Mr. Callihan's talent is the ability to speak to non-technical people abouta technical subject, and make sense!This book covers much of the samematerial as his "Create...Webpage" book, but goes into frames. With this book, you can definately put up a webpage to be proud of.

Myonly complaint would be that I would have liked more information on tables,frames, and forms from a coding point of view.His frames and forms aretaught using a software code generator.Otherwise, I was quite happy withthe product.

Skip the other book and go straight to this one!

Product Description
This updated edition features all new HTML tutorials and revised information on using graphics tools like Paint Shop Pro, Fireworks, and Photoshop to enhance your Web site.The companion Web site provides downloads, additional feedback, FAQs, links to readers pages, Web site promotion strategies and tips, resources and tools links, and much more.Learn HTML In a Weekend, 3rd Edition, and its associated Web site comprise a one-stop-shop reference covering everything you need to know to create and publish effective, attention-getting Web pages using HTML, XML, and XHTML.

About the Author
Steve Callihan is a freelance and technical writer. He is the author of several books, including "Learn HTML In a Weekend, Third Edition" (ISBN: 0761526943), "Create Your First Mac Web Page In a Weekend" (ISBN: 0761521356), and "Create Your First Web Page In a Weekend" (ISBN: 0761513884), all from Premier Press. He has had several articles published in major computer magazines, including Internet World, and has extensive experience writing and producing hardware and software user guides.Steve lives in Seattle, Washington.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Learn HTML In a Weekend, 3rd Edition W/CD (Paperback)

12/12/2009

Review of Word 2003 Bible (Paperback)

This is one book that the Word user should have in their library. I especially like the fact that it is the only book I have found that addresses the subject of field codes in some depth. It is a good source and the explanations are detailed enough for any user to follow. You won't be disappointed buying this book for sure!

Product Description
Includes the latest information on security problems in Word and how to prevent them.
* Offers tips for formatting for black and white versus color printers
* Explains when to use Word for publishing to the Web and when to depend on FrontPage.

From the Back Cover
"The Word 2003 Bible is not only impressive because it's comprehensive but because it explains the program in an easy-to-understand manner. It will be on the top of my desk, as my own reference book."
--Dian Chapman, Microsoft Word MVP

If Word 2003 can do it, you can do it too...

If you work in an office or own a computer you've probably used Word, but do you know all it can do? This comprehensive reference covers the basics for beginners and then charges right into the impressive new features of Word 2003. Discover the power of automated fields using Smart Tags, learn to use Word's collaboration features to make sharing documents easier and more efficient, find out how to manage privacy issues, and examine the basics of working with XML in Word.

Inside, you'll find complete coverage of Word 2003

  • Place text into tables, work with sections and columns, and format pages
  • Use bookmarks, cross-references, footnotes, indexes, and tables
  • Streamline your work with styles, autoformatting, templates, wizards, and themes
  • Understand the principles of good document design
  • Include photos and graphics in your documents and import data from other Office applications
  • Create interactive forms tied to a database and use Word's HTML Web page features
  • Share documents, merge changes into the original, and use SharePoint™ to build online document areas that incorporate document libraries, discussions, to-do lists, calendars, and more
  • Customize Word toolbars, menus, and shortcuts, and master field codes and macros to simplify and automate tasks

Bonus CD-ROM and companion Web site!

  • Exclusive Office 2003 Super Bible eBook, with more than 500 pages of information about how Microsoft Office components work together
  • Bonus shareware, freeware, trial, demo, and evaluation programs that work with or enhance Microsoft Office
  • Searchable eBook version of Microsoft Word 2003 Bible
  • An easy-to-use interface that allows you to browse and install everything on the CD


Click Here to see more reviews about: Word 2003 Bible (Paperback)

11/29/2009

Review of Cascading Style Sheets for Dummies [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

Full of errors and mistakes -- not only this, but the author is impossible to follow.Had to buy another book on the topic.Stay away.

Product Description
Cascading Style Sheets For Dummies covers the essentials you need to know to incorporate CSS technology into Web projects. This friendly guide covers the enhanced features of the technology that allows you to have total control over the look and feel of your Web projects.

From the Back Cover
The fun and easy wayTM to make your Web pages look great!

Style sheet editors on CD-ROM

Get the scoop on positioning, inheritance, and other CSS tools

Take control of Web page design elements
Cascading Style Sheets let you turn a drab, boring Web page into an eye-catching design masterwork. But how do you get the hang of all those style sheet rules and tags? Relax! With Web design expert Damon Dean at your side, you'll be trying out cool fonts, working with layers, specifying page positions, and more-in no time!

Discover how to:

  • Build a style sheet in five minutes
  • Work with colors, fonts, and borders
  • Position design elements precisely
  • Harness inheritance and multiple style sheets
  • Tackle tables, XML, and audio
All this on the bonus CD-ROM
Style sheet editors, including:
  • Style Master Pro trial version
  • TopStyle Pro evaluation version
  • Author's sample from book
  • System Requirements: PC running Windows 95 or later, Windows NT4 or later; Power Macintosh running System 7.6 or later; See the About the CD appendix for details and complete system requirements.
  • Choose from among 33 different subject categories
  • Get news you can use on everything from money to health to computers
Damon Dean is the solutions department director at an Internet design firm in San Francisco. He is also the author of FrontPage 2000 For Dummies Quick Reference.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cascading Style Sheets for Dummies [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

11/23/2009

Review of PHP 5 for Dummies (Paperback)

Yes, the author reads the reviews here. That's me. The error in which a few quotes were replaced with underscores occurred during the publishing process, after I was finished with the book. I didn't know about the errors until I saw the earlier review here. However, there is no way to fix it. If the book is reprinted or a second edition is released, I can fix the errors, but not until then. I wish I could. I apologize to any who were confused by this problem.

There are 8 quotes replaced with underscores on 4 lines in Chapter 3, 2 quotes replaced with underscores on 1 line in Chapter 4, and 20 quotes replaced with underscores on 8 lines in Chapter 5. I have a list of the errors and corrections on my web site at janet.valade.com/php5errors.html.

Product Description
Covers the latest major release of PHP, the most popular open source Web scripting language, in the friendly, easy-to-understand For Dummies style
  • PHP is installed on nearly nine million servers, and usage has grown at the rate of 6.5 percent per month for the past two years
  • PHP is easy to learn, well suited for Web development, and can be embedded with HTML, making it a good choice for creating dynamic Web pages for e-commerce sites and other Web applications; a database-friendly language, it connects easily to Sybase, MySQL, mSQL, Oracle, and other databases
  • Explains how to acquire and install PHP, how PHP's features make it a useful scripting language, and how to use PHP for three of the most common applications: interactive Web sites, database storage, and common operating system tasks


From the Back Cover
Start programming PHP and make your Web site interactive

Discover arrays of variables, start writing scripts, and get object oriented

The script calls for an interactive Web site --; where do you start? Right here, with a fast and friendly way to get the hang of PHP 5 programming! You'll also discover all the other cool things you can do with PHP, like managing files, interacting with databases, using system commands, and more.

The Dummies Way

  • Explanations in plain English
  • "Get in, get out" information
  • Icons and other navigational aids
  • Tear-out cheat sheet
  • Top ten lists
  • A dash of humor and fun


Click Here to see more reviews about: PHP 5 for Dummies (Paperback)

11/20/2009

Review of Flash MX Complete Course [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

incorrect pictures, lack of filenames ("drag the main project movie file from the CD-ROM onto your desktop" - there is no file called anything similar so you have to guess), dead end instructions, lack of explanations or results. And that's just in the first session. Some of it you can go back and learn on your own by realizing their mistakes, but most of the omissions and errors are beyond correction. i've been banging my head on my desk trying to determine what i've done wrong, and figured i'd come to amazon to see what the reviews of the book were like. Glad to see i'm not alone. i've never given a book review before but had to save other starving artists like myself from wasting their money. This book is absolutely terrible.

Product Description
Exercises build gradually so that by the end of the book, readers will have created a Flash-based Web site that contains several Web pages.
* CD-ROM contains all raw files needed to reconstruct the project, plus "iteration" files for each session.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Flash MX Complete Course [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

11/19/2009

Review of Beginning Direct3D Game Programming w/CD (Prima Tech's Game Development) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I've been waiting for a long time for a decent Direct3D book to refer beginners to, and this is one of the best so far. On the other hand, being the "best" among Direct3D books really isn't saying much, and this book is far from perfect.

Overall, this book covers a lot of good material, including some of the more advanced aspects of DX8, and the code itself is pretty solid. Unfortunately, the explanations can be a little hard to understand, partially due to the fact that the author isn't a native English speaker (the chapters on physics and collision detection don't suffer this problem, though, being written by someone else), so you may find yourself having to reread things several times.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who doesn't have some game programming and DirectX knowledge, but I would recommend it for someone who wants to get up to speed on the latest version of D3D, especially if they have used a previous version of Direct3D - or even another 3D API - or if they are willing to put the effort into working through the chapters to dig out the (truly useful) information they contain.

Product Description
Guide to creating Direct 3D games for personal computers, covering all aspects and elements of programming, from objects to file formats. The CD-ROM contains a number of features, including software for creating games, the source code from the text, and games. For beginner to intermediate level gamers. System requirements: CD-ROM drive. Softcover.

About the Author
Wolfgang Engel is CEO of SoftGroup GmbH and SoftGroup Plska, which offer IT and game development services. These companies produce 3D animations for marketing and advertising activities.He is the author of "Beginning Direct3D Game Programming" (0761531912).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Beginning Direct3D Game Programming w/CD (Prima Tech's Game Development) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

11/13/2009

Review of Creating Your World: The Official Guide to Advanced Content Creation for Second Life (Paperback)

This book did not turn out to be the resource I thought it would be. It's little more than a re-hash of "The Official Guide." Everything is dealt with as an introduction to the subject, even though much of the information can be found in the previous book. Few topics are dealt with in any depth except LSL scripting. Unfortunately the scripting section is quite obviously written by a programmer who is not a teacher. Many assumptions are made about the level of knowledge of the reader who needs a previous grounding in Java or C++ to understand what the author is talking about.

Overall, this book would be fine as a stand alone, but it is NOT a companion to the Official Guide. Nor is it useful as a guide to actually making things in second life. The reader is, instead, merely given a gloss of what is possible and then sent off to experiment on his own. As much or more can be learned through in-world tutorials, web sites and You-Tube videos (which are a far better resource for learning what this book purports to teach).

If you're really interested in becoming a designer or builder in second life, this book is not your guide.

Product Description
Enrich your virtual existence by mastering the techniques and tactics the experts use to create jaw-dropping SL content-everything from buildings and vehicles to clothing, landscapes, and animations. This official, exclusive guide from a team of Second Life content-creation experts was written with the full support of Linden Lab and features in-depth instructions for creating beautiful content and putting it to work in-world. It's both a practical, step-by-step guide and a creative session with some of the most artistic and talented minds in the Second Life community. CD included.

From the Back Cover
Your second life is what you make it

Enrich your virtual existence by mastering the techniques and tactics the experts use to create jaw-dropping SL content-everything from buildings and vehicles to clothing, landscapes, and animations. This official, exclusive guide from a team of Second Life content-creation experts was written with the full support of Linden Lab and features in-depth instructions for creating beautiful content and putting it to work in-world.

Start a new fashion trend with custom clothing featuring realistic buttons, pockets, patterns, and even wrinkles. Tour SL in the car of your dreams or in your own private jet. Create cool animations and scripts to communicate with other SL residents, and more. Both a practical, step-by-step guide and a creative session with some of the most artistic and talented minds in the Second Life community, this book will quickly build your skills and inspire you to join Second Life's elite ranks of content creators.

  • Basic concepts: Understand movement, inventory, and client/server issues
  • Advanced building: Morph prims and design anything with these advanced techniques

  • SL scripting programs and third-party editors: Use a variety of tools to write, test, and debug scripts for vehicles, games, motion, and more

  • Become a virtual pioneer: Start terraforming with SL land tools

  • Dazzle visitors: Make an impact with textures, lighting, landscaping, and more

  • Go Hollywood: Storyboard, shoot film, add sound effects, and produce machinima

  • Real communication: Manage data, chat, and send e-mail-in-world and out

On the CD
The book's CD features tutorial files, textures, clothing and character templates, machinima, cool tools, and a host of other resources provided by Linden Lab to help Second Life content creators.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creating Your World: The Official Guide to Advanced Content Creation for Second Life (Paperback)

11/11/2009

Review of Escape From Excel Hell: Fixing Problems in Excel 2003, 2002 and 2000 (Mr. Spreadsheet's Bookshelf) (Paperback)

I consider myself to be an average-skill-level Excel user, and hesitated ordering this book because I was afraid it would be too technical and difficult to understand. But I purchased it anyway, and am so glad I did. I've been getting involved with more and more complicated spreadsheets, and thus needed some help. And Escape from Excel Hell provided just the help I needed.

Loren Abdulezer writes in a clear, easy to understand style, and includes many examples. Excel files containing his examples come on a CD with the book, so you can try out his suggestions and get a good understanding of why his techniques work.

I have learned so much from this book and now have a much better understanding of how to do things the "right" way from the beginning to avoid problems later when I need to modify my files.

This book is a keeper!

Product Description
  • Written especially for advanced beginners and intermediate users, this book offers quick fixes for anyone bedeviled by faulty formulas, failed formatting, printer purgatory, and other perplexing Excel problems
  • Offers three types of fixes: Escape in Under 30 Seconds, Escape in Under Two Minutes, and More Elaborate Escapes-over 400 solutions in all
  • Topics covered include formula fixes, formatting fixes, data and layout fixes for Excel charts, PivotTable fixes, managing complexity in very large spreadsheets, fixing broken procedure functions, and more
  • Includes preventive measures and best practices that teach users how to avoid problems in the future

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

From the Back Cover
When Excel talks back to you, here's what to do

You try to open a spreadsheet and Excel won't let you, because there's a macro involved. You cannot convince the software that the macro is safe. You hurl something across the room.

Grab this book instead! You'll find more than 200 fixes for things that drive Excel users crazy, organized and identified for easy access. More than 100 problems can be solved in anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes. If you're a more advanced user, turn to Part III, where you'll find the more elaborate escapes.

When all you want is to make your spreadsheet work so you can finish your project, here's all you need. Oh, and the macro problem? Check Chapter 1.

Loren Abdulezer's Top Escapes

  • Escape # 1 Fix tricky worksheet headers and footers
  • Escape # 2 Sort tabs by alphabetical order or date
  • Escape # 3 Build conditional charts
  • Escape # 4 Escape messy data with formulas
  • Escape # 5 Don't pay a penalty for giant spreadsheets

CD-ROM INCLUDES:

  • Excel spreadsheet examples and take-aways from the book
  • A searchable version of the book plus the Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Crystal Xcelsius Professional trial software and sample files

See the CD appendix for details and complete system requirements.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Escape From Excel Hell: Fixing Problems in Excel 2003, 2002 and 2000 (Mr. Spreadsheet's Bookshelf) (Paperback)

11/05/2009

Review of Inside Flash (With CD-ROM) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

Inside Flash is a wonderful book! I am amazed at how thorough it is, while being friendly and easy to understand. This book is an excellent choice for anyone who is new to Flash, but is also complete enough to be a valuable resource to experienced Flash users.

The author understands which aspects of Flash web designers need to know, and has done an excellent job of teaching those aspects. I've read a number of Flash books, and some explain various features of Flash, but leave the reader wondering how to use those features in real life web design. This book is a real world book. Each chapter teaches excellent techniques that can be used right away. It teaches basic techniques, but also teaches many exciting, advanced techniques.

Without listing the entire table of contents, some of the best sections include: Text Effects, Transitions, Character Animation, Sound, Menu Systems, Interface Techniques (drag and drop, custom cursors, sliders, scrolling text window, etc.), Web based learning applications and XML. And it teaches all of these in an enjoyable, easy to understand manner.

I am glad to have this book on my shelf. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn Flash or needs to advance his or her current Flash skills. To the author I say "Well done!"

Product Description

Inside Flash 5 is hands-on, tutorial-based instruction on how to use Flash that goes several steps further than perceived competitors and provides more advanced-level instruction, including a quarter of the book on ActionScript. Inside Flash 5 shows the program's functionality from a practical, project-based, best-practices approach; the book teaches how to get results using the tool, rather than simply reviewing the functionality of each button on the interface. Chapters begin with preview goals, feature complete and practical projects that are designed to further the skill-sets of working professionals and serious students, utilize sidebar information sections that add context to the general discussion, and finish with review material that helps many readers buttress what they've just learned.



From the Publisher
The first comprehensive Flash book that recognizes this one true thing: There exists a core of knowledge that everyone-Flash designers AND Flash developers-needs to know.

What's the difference between a programmer and a creative? With Flash, that's a damn good question...

It's a unique book. A unique approach. To a unique technology. Coders and creatives both drawn equally to this thing called Flash. Each riffing in different directions off the same tool.

Inside Flash is aimed at two very different audiences: artists and programmers. We know we can't turn the artists into hard-core programmers or the programmers into gifted artists, but if both groups use this book, we definitely can bring about a meeting of the minds. The more each group understands how the other thinks, the better chance each has of leveraging the true power of Flash 5. Development in Flash has truly become a collaborative effort; Inside Flash recognizes that fact, and the authors--a uniquely talented combination of designers and developers, all dancing in the trenches every day--do a tremendous job of reflecting where Flash development is headed, rather than where it's been...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Inside Flash (With CD-ROM) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

10/28/2009

Review of Dreamweaver MX Weekend Crash Course (Paperback)

I have tried several of the 5 star rated Dreamweaver books and found them of less value than this book. You must actually work with Dreamweaver to learn it and this book forces you to do this. To really work through this book will take awhile unless you have 100% free time, but it is really better this way. You will make errors and the book has some errors (which makes you think-you can work through these) and there are a few omissions. These issues are not a big deal. Peck's writing style is pleasant and down to earth. Yes, it doesn't cover everything, but it covers most aspects of Dreamweaver (I don't have MX). Actually, this is an advantage for beginners since it is not overwhelming. After you work through this book, you will be able to construct your own website. If you want advance features like transactions and databases, you will need additional references, but you must get the basics. Templates and CSS (basic aspects) are covered. Best of all, Peck has the practical experience to give you what you really need to know.

Product Description
  • Updated coverage of the new version: Enhanced and detailed coverage of all the newest features in Dreamweaver over the span of a weekend.
  • Series features: Easy to follow 30-minute sessions make learning Dreamweaver simple and fast! Each session is designed to take 30 minutes to complete, so the Crash Course is an intense 15-hour learning period beginning on Friday evening and ending on Sunday afternoon.
ABOUT THE CD-ROM:
CD includes self-assessment software so readers can test their knowledge of ActionScript, plus author source code and examples.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dreamweaver MX Weekend Crash Course (Paperback)

Review of Virus Proof : The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Your PC (Paperback)

If you want to learn how viruses work or how to create one or how to detect one, forget them. This book is too shallow. He will teach you what viruses are, how to send anonymous e-mails and others things like that. That's all. If you really need to understand about viruses try a different book, please.

Product Description
Like biological viruses, computer viruses can spread quickly and are often difficult to get rid of without causing damage. Virus Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Your System provides key steps you should take to protect your system from these destructive viruses. Inside you will learn how to recover data that is lost as a result of a virus, what common viruses do, and how they spread.Virus Proof is an excellent resource for any computer user, from the beginner to the expert.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Virus Proof : The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Your PC (Paperback)

10/24/2009

Review of Microsoft CRM 3 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) (Paperback)

This book lives up to its promise and more.An easy to read book, but detailed enough to get you up and running with every facet of using Microsoft CRM.Whether you are new to Microsoft CRM or just want a reference that goes beyond the help files included with CRM, this is the book for you.With 29 chapters, things are organized neatly which makes certain subject areas easy to find.

I used this book to get up to speed on CRM and also as a preliminary text for studying the CRM Applications exam.This wasn't the only reference I used, but it is a great starting place and helped me achieve a high score on the exam.

Any computer topic can easily be dry and boring, but the authors really bring things to life with light and witty humor.

I read this book myself cover to cover and now use it as a reference guide.As a CRM consultant I plan to give a copy to all of my customers, I know they'll appreciate it.

While there is a short chapter on Workflow, if you're looking for in depth customization or programming information, this book does not have that.While they have several chapters on some of the built in customizations (out of the box), the authors did a great job of keeping on the intended topic of providing a general guide to using Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0.


Product Description
Manage sales, service, and marketing processes all together



Find out how to manage customer information to make your business more productive

Whether you're completely new to customer relationship management (CRM) software or you just want the scoop on the newest version, this handy guide will get you going. Discover how to set up CRM 3, navigate and customize the system, use it to work with your accounts and contacts, collect leads, forecast sales, run reports, and much more.

Discover how to
* Develop and manage customer relationships
* Implement a sales process
* Set up security and access rights
* Generate quotes, orders, and invoices
* Manage leads and opportunities
* Create and use product catalogs

From the Back Cover
Manage sales, service, and marketing processes all together

Find out how to manage customer information to make your business more productive

Whether you're completely new to customer relationship management (CRM) software or you just want the scoop on the newest version, this handy guide will get you going. Discover how to set up CRM 3, navigate and customize the system, use it to work with your accounts and contacts, collect leads, forecast sales, run reports, and much more.

Discover how to

  • Develop and manage customer relationships
  • Implement a sales process
  • Set up security and access rights
  • Generate quotes, orders, and invoices
  • Manage leads and opportunities
  • Create and use product catalogs


Click Here to see more reviews about: Microsoft CRM 3 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) (Paperback)

10/19/2009

Review of Exploring IBM e-Business Software: Become an Instant Insider on IBM's Internet Business Tools (Exploring IBM series) (Paperback)

Technical, easy to read, it has alot of good information. Good job.

Product Description
This detailed look at IBM's software products for e-business enables IBM users to gain a fundamental understanding of e-business architecture, where IBM software products fit into that architecture, and where to go to get more information. The main products and platforms for development tools and components, application server software, and secure network and management software are described. This book also distinguishes between two or more IBM software products that appear to serve the same purpose but really have different applications. Key products covered include DB2, Web Sphere, Lotus Domino, and Tivoli.

About the Author
Casey Young works in the performance group for DB2 UDB for OS/390 at IBM's Silicon Valley Lab and has educated the IBM data management sales force in data management technology, an assignment that enabled her to understand the variety and intricacies of IBM software. She is the past president of the board of directors of the International DB2 Users Group (IDUG) and has written articles for technical journals such as SCO World, DB2 Magazine, and IDUG Solutions Journal.She lives in Santa Cruz, California.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Exploring IBM e-Business Software: Become an Instant Insider on IBM's Internet Business Tools (Exploring IBM series) (Paperback)