Review of Handbook of Industrial Mixing: Science and Practice (Hardcover)

This is not James Oldshue's "Fluid Mixing Technology." That book should be on every engineer's shelf. (It is necessarily broad but successfully escapes from other technical books published by McGraw-Hill: it is not a collection of magazine articles.) What the Handbook of Industrial Mixing offers is a collection of graduate level material forum discussions on the subject. If you need in-depth knowledge of different forms of mixing this would be a good place to start. If you are trying to solve a field problem directly, talk to the vendors --- this handbook won't help.

For example, I used this reference to estimate pressure losses in static mixers handling highly viscous liquids. The estimates calculated were higher than later vendor information. I had some difficulty digging out the equations and reading all the caveats.

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Product Description
Handbook of Industrial Mixing will explain the difference and uses of a variety of mixers including gear mixers, top entry mixers, side entry mixers, bottom entry mixers, on-line mixers, and submerged mixers The Handbook discusses the trade-offs among various mixers, concentrating on which might be considered for a particular process. Handbook of Industrial Mixing explains industrial mixers in a clear concise manner, and also:

* Contains a CD-ROM with video clips showing different type of mixers in action and a overview of their uses.
* Gives practical insights by the top professional in the field.
* Details applications in key industries.
* Provides the professional with information he did receive in school

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Review of How to Do Systems Analysis (Wiley Series in Systems Engineering and Management) (Hardcover)

"How to do System Analysis" distills a lifetime of experience in addressing large scale complex systems problems into a common sense approach that focuses as much on systemic thinking as on analytical tools.This book views systems analysis as a combination of operations research (with its analytical tools and methodologies) and policy analysis (with its ambiguities, perspectives, and competing values). While acknowledging the importance of solid analytical skills, Gibson, Scherer, and Gibson emphasize the importance of understanding context, identifying stakeholders, specifying the problem, establishing objectives, establishing criteria, developing indices of performance,formulating and evaluating alternatives, and iterating progressively toward a solution that acknowledges the competing interests and trade-offs inherent in any system of moderate size and complexity.Unlike many engineering text, this book looks at analysis in the context of the problem - encouraging the analysts to "embrace error" early in the process, expending time and effort to the extent necessary to rule out dominated alternatives so that more serious trade studies and precise analysis is limited to more promising alternatives.

The chapter on goal development is particularly good in its recognition of the importance of the "axiological component" - the underlying values that define what is important to the client or customer.The authors walk the reader through a seven step process of goal development that includes describing the current situation (the "descriptive scenario"), defining the desired situation (the "normative scenario"), and developing an objectives tree with indices of performance that reflect client or customer values.

The book is loaded with realistic examples and case studies that can be used to provoke discussion and convey concepts.Many of the examples are drawn directly from the experience of the authors; others are drawn from current events involving difficult or controversial public policy decisions.This book is a great companion text for an advanced undergraduate or graduate course in systems analysis as well as an excellent reference book for practicing systems engineers and analysts.


Product Description
This book focuses on systems analysis, broadly defined to also include problem formulation and interpretation of proposed alternatives in terms of the value systems of stakeholders. Therefore, the book is a complement, not a substitute to other books when teaching systems engineering and systems analysis. The nature of problem solving discussed in this book is appropriate to a wide range of systems analyses. Thus the book can be used as a stand-alone book for teaching the analysis of systems. Also unique is the inclusion of broad case studies to stress problem solving issues, making How to Do Systems Analysis a complement to the many fine works in systems engineering available today.

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Review of Scientific and Technical Acronyms, Symbols and Abbreviations (Hardcover)

A monumental piece of work. Bet you never imagined there could be over 200 000 of these things, eh? The book is a testament to the increasing specialisation of society. The authors have chosen their data from over 80 fields. Clearly, they had to draw the line somewhere. So they chose the most common or important fields, in their estimation. But you have to imagine that had they chosen another 200 fields, the book might be easily twice as thick.

Yes, people do like to read a book, as opposed to reading the same material on a computer screen. But for reference subjects like this, one has to wonder if a DVD might not suffice. After all, who is going to read such a reference from page to page?
And a DVD enables computer searching. Far better than any index.

Product Description
With 200,000 entries in over eighty different fields, Scientific and Technical Acronyms, Symbols, and Abbreviations is the most comprehensive reference of its type, covering more scientific and technical disciplines than any other available book. This invaluable resource will help scientists, engineers, and researchers understand and utilize current terminology in almost any field-from aeronautics to zoology. All accepted abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols are included, from the most obscure to the most common, as well as an appendix that provides important lists of units, systems of units, conversion factors, and prefixes. Science writers, journalists, translators, interpreters-anyone working in or around the sciences-will find this a helpful, easy-to-use guide to difficult technical jargon. Entries are listed in alphabetical order and are defined according to the field in which they are currently in use. Multiple definitions are listed for abbreviations and acronyms that may be in use in more than one field. For instance, the entry for the abbreviation "cb" would show several meanings: "CB" for Canada Balsam, "Cb" for cerebellum, and "c-B" for crystalline boron, among others. Entries for terms in languages other than English are included, as well as abbreviations for all known scientific and technical journals. Simple, comprehensive, and up-to-date, Scientific and Technical Acronyms, Symbols, and Abbreviations is a complete and vital reference for professionals in almost any scientific or technical discipline.

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Review of Systems Management for Information Technology and Software Engineering (Wiley Series in Systems Engineering and Management) (Hardcover)

This book preceded the Software Engineering Institute's initiative to integrate the capability maturity models for software and system engineering and integrated product development into the CMMI by three years.However, the approach provided by the author is remarkably similar to and consistent with the CMMI, which makes this book an excellent resource to anyone interested in that model family.

Chapter 2, which covers system engineering process life cycles is one of the most complete treatments I've read. In fact, this chapter is not strictly confined to SE life cycle models.It also covers acquisition and product development life cycles, as well as those of R&D, test and evaluation and software development.

What I most like about this book is the well thought-out and coherent blending of systems engineering factors and integrated product development into a software engineering approach.Where the CMMI is more focused on key processes and practice areas, Mr. Sage provides implementation details and a large number of techniques.I also like the strong emphasis on quality and organizational structure, which are discussed in depth in chapters 6 and 7.

Much of the underlying technical detail is quantitative, particularly in chapters 3 through 5, which cover risk management, metrics and cost assessments.

The CMMI notwithstanding, the real value of this book is the wide view of integrated system and software engineering, and the low-level details it provides on every facet of both disciplines.This comprehensive book earns a solid 5 stars.

Product Description
Introducing a breakthrough approach to managing innovation, productivity, and quality assurance

This book describes a systems management approach that successfully integrates the latest systems engineering methodologies with cutting-edge process management approaches. Since the ultimate goal of this approach is total quality assurance through process-related improvements throughout an entire organization, the book examines a broad range of interrelated issues, many of which are not generally covered in traditional systems engineering texts, including systems architectures and integration, quality assurance management, process reengineering and process maturity, metrics for cost and quality evaluation, software economics, and operational effectiveness evaluation for the management of large information and software systems.

A superb graduate-level text for software engineering, systems engineering, and computer science programs, as well as business administration and management courses in managing IT, Systems Management for Information Technology and Software Engineering is also an invaluable source of ideas, inspiration, and expert guidance for software and systems engineers, human factors professionals, software development managers, and systems management engineers.

Traditional software engineering approaches to managing innovation, productivity, and quality assurance focus almost entirely on the performance of individual programmers. But, just as those working in the environmental sphere have come to realize the dangers of focusing too narrowly on individual species while ignoring the needs of overall ecosystems, thinkers in the field of information systems engineering have begun to recognize the need for a systems management approach that encompasses all facets of the software development organization.

Now, this groundbreaking text offers such an approach. In it, Professor Andrew Sage provides readers with a rational framework for the production of trustworthy, high-quality software and information technology systems. These combine cutting-edge systems engineering methodologies developed at top software development firms with innovative process management approaches that have been introduced successfully by many of the leading information technology and other business organizations around the world over the past decade. The bottom line of the systems management approach outlined is total quality assurance through process-related improvements throughout the entire organization. The book, therefore, addresses, in depth, a wide array of interrelated issues, many of which are not generally covered in systems engineering texts, including:

• Process development life cycle
• Process configuration management
• Systems architectures and integration
• Product development standards
• Metrics for cost and operational effectiveness evaluation
• Evaluation and reengineering of organizational cultures
• Strategic quality assurance and Management, or TQM
• Process reengineering and maturity

Systems Management for Information Technology and Software Engineering is an excellent graduate-level text for programs in software engineering, systems engineering, computer science, and business administration and management. At the same time, it is also an invaluable reference for working software and systems engineers, human factors professionals, software development and information technology managers, and systems management engineers.

From the Publisher
Emphasizing macro-level and systems management approaches, this book covers important concerns for trustworthy development of process-related pathways to create systems. The dominant thrust is the systems management of procedures for information technology and software development organizations. This involves a number of relevant issues associated with systems architectures and integration, quality assurance and management, process reengineering, metrics, software economics and cost and operational effectiveness analysis.

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Review of Software Development Rhythms: Harmonizing Agile Practices for Synergy (Hardcover)

How to manage a large software project is a perennial problem in practical programming. Here the authors offer advice based on the so-called agile approach. They heavily dump on the traditional waterfall method, as being too coarse grained and liable to lead to projects being too late or, equivalently, not meeting all the requirements.

One interesting touch they add is a recommendation to start your project with open source code, whenever possible. There are indeed differences between typical agile software processes and open source development projects, as the book acknowledges. Open source rarely has budget constraints [everyone's donating free time] or often even a schedule. How many commercial software projects, agile or not, can say this?

There is also a chapter devoted to pair programming. This has been the distinguishing feature of Extreme Programming, and much derided by critics. But the book's take on pair programming is a nuanced difference from that espoused by XP. Perhaps worth a careful read, even if you don't end up fully agreeing with the authors.

Product Description
This book is a comprehensive and thought-provoking introduction to some of the most advanced concepts in current software management. The authors demonstrate how software development rhythms can be harmonized to achieve synergies, making them stronger together than they would be apart. It offers readers practical guidance on how to take the themes and concepts presented in this book back to their own projects to harmonize their software practices and release the synergies of their own teams.

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Review of Using Aspect-Oriented Programming for Trustworthy Software Development (Hardcover)

A very interesting book, laid out using Professor Safanov's ERATO teaching technique, which in itself is an interesting subject. Following this technique we find a book that can be read on different levels and bringing different points into focus.

For instance, the history lesson that everything builds upon, while the information is available it is put in perspective and includes not only the "western" computer history but that of the Soviet Union. This "total" history builds a better picture of why we are at the point in computing that the Aspect methods and tools are extremely desirable. It also explains the supporting infrastructure in the current language sets that support moving to Aspect oriented programming.

Another "aspect" of the book goes on to provide lessons in the use of Aspect programming and to how and why the syntax has, and is, being developed.

Then a lesson in lesson planning and the use of the ERATO teaching method thus coming full circle.

A must read for those interested in where programming has come from, is going to and those who wish to communicate, that is teach, the whole versus the components in isolation.

Product Description
Understand how Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) can be applied to enable Trustworthy Computing (TWC), including security, MT-safety, and error handling with the information in Using Aspect-Oriented Programming for Trustworthy Software Development. You will find not only a description of the basic concepts of TWC and AOP but also an exploration of their critical interrelationships. Learn how typical TWC tasks like security checks, in-and-out condition and multi-threaded safety can be implemented using AOP and discover the basics of Aspect.NET architecture, its advantages, and its functionality through practical examples and case studies.

From the Back Cover

Learn how to successfully implement trustworthy computing tasks using aspect-oriented programming

This landmark publication fills a gap in the literature by not only describing the basic concepts of trustworthy computing (TWC) and aspect-oriented programming (AOP), but also exploring their critical interrelationships. The author clearly demonstrates how typical TWC tasks such as security checks, in-and-out conditions, and multi-threaded safety can be implemented using AOP.

Following an introduction, the book covers:

• Trustworthy computing, software engineering, and computer science

• Aspect-oriented programming and Aspect.NET

• Principles and case studies that apply AOP to TWC

Coverage includes Aspect.NET, the AOP framework developed by the author for the Microsoft.NET platform, currently used in seventeen countries. The author discusses the basics of Aspect.NET architecture, its advantages compared to other AOP tools, and its functionality. The book has extensive practical examples and case studies of trustworthy software design and code using the Aspect.NET framework. In addition, the book explores other software technologies and tools for using AOP for trustworthy software development, including Java and AspectJ.

This book also includes a valuable chapter dedicated to ERATO, the author's teaching method employed in this book, which has enabled thousands of students to quickly grasp and apply complex concepts in computing and software engineering, while the final chapter presents an overall perspective on the current state of AOP and TWC with a view toward the future.

Software engineers, architects, developers, programmers, and students should all turn to this book to learn this tested and proven method to create more secure, private, and reliable computing.

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