Real Time Systems and Programming Languages: Ada 95, Real-Time Java and Real-Time C/POSIX (3rd Edition) Review

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Real Time Systems and Programming Languages: Ada 95, Real-Time Java and Real-Time C/POSIX (3rd Edition) ReviewThere are a number of excellent books on the topic of real-time systems. Few, if any, address the breadth of topics covered by this book, much less to the depth and quality exhibited here. Read as many of the others as you can, but if you must purchase only one book on real-time systems, this is the one to have. Indeed, I have each of the three previous editions of this book and this latest is, once again, worth every penny.
One of the reasons I hold such a high opinion of the book is that it is written by people who not only know what they are talking about, but can do so with clarity and precision. As leading contributors to scheduling theory and the real-time programming facilities of both Ada and Java, the authors are internationally recognized experts on real-time systems and programming languages. The text's depth reflects that fact, but it is also clear, concise, and a pleasure to read.
Another reason I recommend the book is that it has a good balance between theory and practice. Make no mistake, the necessary theory is covered extensively, but it is then illustrated with concrete examples using programming languages that are in wide-spread use today: Ada, C, and Java. As neither C nor Java were explicitly designed for concurrent real-time systems, the text includes the necessary extensions. For C, the POSIX real-time profile is used. For Java, the Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) is used. When necessary, examples are provided in other languages as well.
In fact these three programming languages form the underlying context for much of the book. They are not themselves the subjects of the book, however, and those readers seeking an introduction to these languages should look elsewhere. Instead, the programming languages are used to explore the distinct nature of real-time systems and the requirements for developing applications in that domain. The code examples thus provide a means of illustrating the topic at hand, but also provide a means for comparing the strengths and weaknesses of the real-time facilities of the languages. The authors are leading contributors to the Ada 2005 Real-Time Systems Annex and the RTSJ for Java, a fact reflected in the detailed critical analysis provided.
I felt happy to purchase yet another edition of the book because of all the above, but also because of the additions (and removals) present in this edition. New material includes additional schedulability analysis theory and material on multi-processor and multi-core architectures. With respect to programming languages, the new material includes extensive coverage of the real-time systems programming additions to Ada 2005, the latest version of the RTSJ, and the new real-time POSIX profile enhancements for C. As for removals, the introductory material on the programming languages is no longer present. This change was a necessity for the sake of brevity, but the result is a better overall focus. Also removed is the chapter on distributed systems. I was sorry to see that go, but the primary points have been moved to other chapters. Discussion of other programming languages, such as occam2, are also removed for the sake of brevity but is available on the book's web site.
I should point out that this is not just a "timing" book. For example, real-time systems typically have reliability requirements as well as timeliness requirements. Reliability is thus covered extensively, as are a number of other topics that might not be immediately suggested by the title.
In summary, I am a real-time systems engineer with over 30 years of professional development, industry lecturing, and occasional university lecturing experience. Based on that combination, I give this book my highest recommendation to both professionals and students alike. The field of real-time systems is not for beginners, but developers (and managers) as well as more advanced university students will definitely benefit. Both will find a text they can use to learn the latest in the field.
PS: Note that, at the time of this writing, Amazon is for some reason showing some reviews for earlier editions of the book, not this latest (fourth) edition.
Real Time Systems and Programming Languages: Ada 95, Real-Time Java and Real-Time C/POSIX (3rd Edition) OverviewB> This book provides an in-depth analysis of the requirements for designing and implementing real-time embedded systems, and discusses how these requirements are met by current languages and operating systems.The comparative advantages of Ada 95, Real-Time Java, and Real-Time C/POSIX are discussed in full.The emergence of Java as a real-time language through the Real-Time Java extensions has resulted in the treatment of Java as one of the core languages covered in the book.The additional real-time facilities in POSIX are also explored, as well as the proposed extensions to CORBA to address real-time issues.More material on schedulability analysis is also included. No other book on real-time programming languages (or concurrent programming languages) covers this range of topics.This book is designed for programmers and engineers looking for an introduction and/or reference that discusses current real-time programming languages and how they are suited to designing and implementing real-time embedded systems.

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Programming Amazon Web Services: S3, EC2, SQS, FPS, and SimpleDB Review

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Programming Amazon Web Services: S3, EC2, SQS, FPS, and SimpleDB ReviewThis is a good overview of the suite of services that comprise Amazon Web Services (AWS), I'd have given it a 3.5 star rating if I could. It talks about all of them, but it spends the bulk of its time, very reasonably, discussing S3 (the persistent storage system) and EC2 (the compute cloud - basically Amazon's Rackspace in the clouds) - each getting about 100 pages devoted to it.
As others have noted it is out of date - but any book would have the same problem due to the moving target that AWS is. The biggest news is that EC2 is going to be getting persistent storage, which I believe will change the game completely when it is rolled out to the public. Instead of needing some elaborate connection with S3, now instances will behave much more like a typical physical machine with real disk drive. The book, on the other hand, provides almost no real advice on how to deal with the problem of non-persistence of EC2's current storage mechanism. This is a signifcant problem that everyone will have to deal with and glossing over it is a failing of the book.
This is also a Ruby book, which I found fairly annoying. Nowhere in the description does it suggest that it is done in Ruby. And while Ruby certainly is trendy these days, the actual number of Ruby developers is small - it gets undue weight in computer texts. At the end of the day, though, it generally provides the actual request strings and XML requests and responses for non-ruby folk to come to their own conclusions.
This is a worthwhile book to get if you're interested in quickly getting a good and broad idea on how to work with AWS. It will give a good foundation to get more out of the documentation and forums found on Amazon's AWS site itself.
Programming Amazon Web Services: S3, EC2, SQS, FPS, and SimpleDB OverviewBuilding on the success of its storefront and fulfillment services, Amazon now allows businesses to "rent" computing power, data storage and bandwidth on its vast network platform. This book demonstrates how developers working with small- to mid-sized companies can take advantage of Amazon Web Services (AWS) such as the Simple Storage Service (S3), Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Simple Queue Service (SQS), Flexible Payments Service (FPS), and SimpleDB to build web-scale business applications.With AWS, Amazon offers a new paradigm for IT infrastructure: use what you need, as you need it, and pay as you go. Programming Amazon Web Services explains how you can access Amazon's open APIs to store and run applications, rather than spend precious time and resources building your own. With this book, you'll learn all the technical details you need to: Store and retrieve any amount of data using application servers, unlimited data storage, and bandwidth with the Amazon S3 serviceBuy computing time using Amazon EC2's interface to requisition machines, load them with an application environment, manage access permissions, and run your image using as many or few systems as neededUse Amazon's web-scale messaging infrastructure to store messages as they travel between computers with Amazon SQSLeverage the Amazon FPS service to structure payment instructions and allow the movement of money between any two entities, humans or computersCreate and store multiple data sets, query your data easily, and return the results using Amazon SimpleDB.Scale up or down at a moment's notice, using these services to employ as much time and space as you needWhether you're starting a new online business, need to ramp up existing services, or require an offsite backup for your home, Programming Amazon Web Services gives you the background and the practical knowledge you need to start using AWS. Other books explain how to build web services. This book teaches businesses how to take make use of existing services from an established technology leader.--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites Review

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Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites ReviewI had been looking around for a book like this for some time now: one that guides me through the crucial conceptual design phase of web site development. Most books on web site design are really about user interface design. This book offers a top-down planning approach to getting from the recognition of a need for a web site through to the final working design. It plugs up a lot of the gaping holes that topic-specific design texts leave open.
The over-riding concern and emphasis in the first section of the book is on how to organize the information on the web site in such a way that the target audience can readily get at it. To this end, the authors focus on three 'systems' that need to be developed, implemented and coordinated on a web site: a navigation system, a labeling system and a searching system. Once these systems are thought through and designed then the rest of the work becomes a matter of filling in the information content, functionalities and the bells and whistles.
Clear, concise and even a bit humorous, this book will definitely give you a peace of mind if you find yourself a bit overwhelmed at times when deciding on just how you will approach building a web site.Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites Overview

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Killer Game Programming in Java Review

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Killer Game Programming in Java ReviewThis book is miles ahead of other Java gaming books... For one thing, this is an excellent book in its own right. For another, the other existing books on the topic suck.
Anybody who spends a lot of time writing games in Java ends up running into certain challenges. For each of these real issues, it takes a lot time to identify the issue then many hours to come up a satisfactory solution or work-around. This book saves you from 99% of that work. The author has documented nearly every complication that you will run into. The other Java gaming books explain how to apply common sense and traditional gaming strategies to the Java APIs (usually following Sun's tutorials exactly), giving step-by-step instructions on how to do so. Besides the point that this adds no value for somebody capable of following Sun's tutorials and APIs, they offer no help where you need it most... where the straight-forward approach is unsatisfactory or just doesn't work for some reason.
Another thing that has saved me a ton of frustration and time is advice from the author. For my specific game project I've run into several questions which I've been unable to answer by web searches, posting to forums, etc. I've emailed Davison (the author), and he has answered each of my questions concisely and to the point every time. (I don't want you to spam him, so please don't send questions until after you have looked for the answer in his book!).
To address concerns that other reviewers have posted:
This book is not just for "advanced" Java developers. As Davison has emailed me, the intended audience is, "someone who has just got past their first Java course". He purposefully avoids avoids all but elemental Java features (e.g., no ternaries, abstract classes, logging infrastructures, IOC).
WRT examples, you are not buying a gaming library or framework. The goal is not to give you production classes that you can use as-is in production quality products. Other reviewers are demanding production-ready examples. It is impossible to make production-ready examples that can be easily understood by first-year Java developers. If you want production-ready classes, don't look for them in a HOW-TO book, find them elsewhere or read this book and then write them yourself.Killer Game Programming in Java Overview
Although the number of commercial Java games is still small compared to those written in C or C++, the market is expanding rapidly. Recent updates to Java make it faster and easier to create powerful gaming applications-particularly Java 3D-is fueling an explosive growth in Java games. Java games like Puzzle Pirates, Chrome, Star Wars Galaxies, Runescape, Alien Flux, Kingdom of Wars, Law and Order II, Roboforge, Tom Clancy's Politika, and scores of others have earned awards and become bestsellers.

Java developers new to graphics and game programming, as well as game developers new to Java 3D, will find Killer Game Programming in Java invaluable. This new book is a practical introduction to the latest Java graphics and game programming technologies and techniques. It is the first book to thoroughly cover Java's 3D capabilities for all types of graphics and game development projects.

Killer Game Programming in Java is a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know to program cool, testosterone-drenched Java games. It will give you reusable techniques to create everything from fast, full-screen action games to multiplayer 3D games.In addition to the most thorough coverage of Java 3D available, Killer Game Programming in Java also clearly details the older, better-known 2D APIs, 3D sprites, animated 3D sprites, first-person shooter programming, sound, fractals, and networked games. Killer Game Programming in Java is a must-have for anyone who wants to create adrenaline-fueled games in Java.


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Programming Embedded Systems: With C and GNU Development Tools, 2nd Edition Review

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Programming Embedded Systems: With C and GNU Development Tools, 2nd Edition ReviewPresents a good introduction to embedded system programming; no complaints there. However, their choice of development kit is poor. The Arcom (now EuroTech) kit is $600, rather than the $300 stated in the book. And it took almost 3 weeks for them to respond to a quote request. Fortunately, there are kits available from other vendors (BiPom, Olimex, etc.) which can be substituted for less than $300. However, the impracticality of using the Arcom kit robs the book of its purpose of being a hands-on, guided tutorial.Programming Embedded Systems: With C and GNU Development Tools, 2nd Edition Overview
If you have programming experience and a familiarity with C--the dominant language in embedded systems--Programming Embedded Systems, Second Edition is exactly what you need to get started with embedded software. This software is ubiquitous, hidden away inside our watches, DVD players, mobile phones, anti-lock brakes, and even a few toasters. The military uses embedded software to guide missiles, detect enemy aircraft, and pilot UAVs. Communication satellites, deep-space probes, and many medical instruments would have been nearly impossible to create without embedded software.

The first edition of Programming Embedded Systems taught the subject to tens of thousands of people around the world and is now considered the bible of embedded programming. This second edition has been updated to cover all the latest hardware designs and development methodologies.

The techniques and code examples presented here are directly applicable to real-world embedded software projects of all sorts. Examples use the free GNU software programming tools, the eCos and Linux operating systems, and a low-cost hardware platform specially developed for this book. If you obtain these tools along with Programming Embedded Systems, Second Edition, you'll have a full environment for exploring embedded systems in depth. But even if you work with different hardware and software, the principles covered in this book apply.

Whether you are new to embedded systems or have done embedded work before, you'll benefit from the topics in this book, which include:

How building and loading programs differ from desktop or server computers
Basic debugging techniques--a critical skill when working with minimally endowed embedded systems
Handling different types of memory
Interrupts, and the monitoring and control of on-chip and external peripherals
Determining whether you have real-time requirements, and whether your operating system and application can meet those requirements
Task synchronization with real-time operating systems and embedded Linux
Optimizing embedded software for size, speed, and power consumption
Working examples for eCos and embedded Linux

So whether you're writing your first embedded program, designing the latest generation of hand-held whatchamacalits, or managing the people who do, this book is for you. Programming Embedded Systems will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to achieve proficiency with embedded software.

Praise for the first edition:
"This lively and readable book is the perfect introduction for those venturing into embedded systems software development for the first time. It provides in one place all the important topics necessary to orient programmers to the embedded development process. --Lindsey Vereen, Editor-in-Chief, Embedded Systems Programming

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Head First Servlets and JSP: Passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer Exam (SCWCD) Review

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Head First Servlets and JSP: Passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer Exam (SCWCD) ReviewLooking for either an enjoyable intro into JSP and Servlets or material on passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer exam? Grab a copy of Head First Servlets & JSP by Bryan Basham, Kathy Sierra, and Bert Bates. It rocks...
Chapter list: Intro; Why use Servlets & JSPs; Web app architecture; Mini MVC tutorial; Being a servlet; Being a web app; Conversational state; Being a JSP; Script-free pages; Custom tags are powerful; When JSTL is not enough; Deploying your web app; Keep it secret, keep it safe; The power of filters; Enterprise design patterns; Final mock exam; Index
I've stated my preference in the past to learning subjects with a bit of humor thrown in. OK... a *lot* of humor. If I have a chance to pick up a new tech skill with a study guide that makes me laugh and stay interested, I'm in heaven. Is it any wonder then that I absolutely love the Head First series? Bates and Sierra have created a concept that is unlike anything else on the market. Through the use of cartoons, hand-drawn examples, off-beat questions, and other various types of learning material, they engage your brain on a number of levels. And as a result, you're sucked in and learning stuff in spite of yourself.
In this installment, they tackle the subject of servlets and JSPs. Rather than try and explain things "technically", they have a common cast of characters throughout the book making observations and points about the material. Using the hand-drawn notes around illustrations and code, you quickly understand the underlying concepts of what happens with servlet requests and responses, and how JSPs interact with the web server. And given that there are exercises and questions at the end of each chapter (along with the answers), you have a chance to reinforce your learning immediately.
There are two uses for this book. The primary goal is to help you pass the Sun Certified Web Component Developer exam. If you already know about servlets and JSPs, get the book for the mock exam and the questions at the end of each chapter. The authors helped write the actual Sun test, so you'll get a good feel for the types of questions you'll face. The other use of this book would be to learn and understand the subject matter, like a tutorial. Once again, an excellent choice for that purpose. You'll still need to get some sort of "official" reference book of some sort if you get deeper into the material, but this is a perfect way to get started.
Once again, another winner from the warped minds that created the Head First concept. May they continue to thrive for a long time!Head First Servlets and JSP: Passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer Exam (SCWCD) Overview
Imagine a world without eBay...unthinkable! How would you get that Farrah Fawcett poster, retired Beanie Baby, or first-edition pet rock? Handling over a gazillion (OK, we exaggerate--it's actually only 1 billion) page views each day, server-side Java makes eBay work. Isn't it time you learned the latest (J2EE 1.4) versions of Servlets & JSPs? This book will get you way up to speed on the technology you'll know it so well, in fact, that you can pass the Sun Certified Web Component Developer (SCWCD) 1.4 exam.If that's what you want to do, that is. Maybe you don't care about the exam, but need to use Servlets & JSPs in your next project. You're working on a deadline. You're over the legal limit for caffeine. You can't waste your time with a book that makes sense only AFTER you're an expert (or worse one that puts you to sleep). No problem. Head First Servlets and JSP's brain-friendly approach drives the knowledge straight into your head (without sharp instruments). You'll interact with servlets and JSPs in ways that help you learn quickly and deeply. It may not be The Da Vinci Code, but quickly see why so many reviewers call it "a page turner". Most importantly, this book will help you use what you learn. It won't get you through the exam only to have you forget everything the next day. Learn to write servlets and JSPs, what makes the Container tick (and what ticks it off), how to use the new JSP Expression Language (EL), what you should NOT write in a JSP, how to write deployment descriptors, secure applications, and even use some server-side design patterns. Can't talk about Struts at a cocktail party? That'll change. You won't just pass the exam, you will truly understand this stuff, and you'll be able to put it to work right away. This new exam is tough--much tougher than the previous version of the SCWCD. The authors of Head First Servlets and JSP know: they created it. (Not that it EVER occurred to them that if they made the exam really hard you'd have to buy a study guide to pass it.) The least they could do is give you a stimulating, fun way to pass the thing. If you're one of the thousands who used Head First EJB to pass the SCWCD exam, you know what to expect!


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Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project Review

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Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project ReviewSeems like everyone wants to have a open source project these days. But it's not as easy to run a successful project as you might think. In order to get started on the right foot and increase your chance of success, I would recommend reading Karl Fogel's Producing Open Source Software - How To Run A Successful Free Software Project.
Contents: Introduction; Getting Started; Technical Infrastructure; Social and Political Infrastructure; Money; Communications; Packaging, Releasing, and Daily Development; Managing Volunteers; Licenses, Copyrights, and Patents; Free Version Control Systems; Free Bug Trackers; Why Should I Care What Color the Bikeshed Is?; Example Instructions for Reporting Bugs; Index
Fogel definitely has the "cred" to write this book. He's spent five years working on the Subversion open source version control system. While not (yet?) the default open source version control system out there, it's rapidly gaining traction. As a result, you figure that Fogel and company must have done a few things right along the way. He does a very nice job in explaining what makes for a successful open source project in terms of tools, structure, and most importantly, culture. He identifies open source projects that have successfully created a culture that encourages participation without dictatorial control. He even addresses how to deal with people issues like monopolizing discussion boards. Those are items that most techies aren't good at, and having a guide like this is priceless.
At times the book seems to be rather dense, as in a lot of text with little to break it up. I think it's because there's no real use of graphics or code samples to a large degree. I wouldn't expect it in a book like this, either. But still, it's just one of those things that came to mind as I was reading it. If you have the same nagging feeling and can quickly identify it, then it's easy to deal with the problem.
Very valuable information, all condensed into a single volume for easy reference. I'd maintain that anyone looking to start an open source project with hopes of long-term viability would do well to read and digest this book before starting. You'll make fewer false starts and raise your chances of success...Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project Overview
The corporate market is now embracing free, "open source" software like never before, as evidenced by the recent success of the technologies underlying LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP).Each is the result of a publicly collaborative process among numerous developers who volunteer their time and energy to create better software.

The truth is, however, that the overwhelming majority of free software projects fail.To help you beat the odds, O'Reilly has put together Producing Open Source Software, a guide that recommends tried and true steps to help free software developers work together toward a common goal.Not just for developers who are considering starting their own free software project, this book will also help those who want to participate in the process at any level.

The book tackles this very complex topic by distilling it down into easily understandable parts.Starting with the basics of project management, it details specific tools used in free software projects, including version control, IRC, bug tracking, and Wikis.Author Karl Fogel, known for his work on CVS and Subversion, offers practical advice on how to set up and use a range of tools in combination with open mailing lists and archives.He also provides several chapters on the essentials of recruiting and motivating developers, as well as how to gain much-needed publicity for your project.

While managing a team of enthusiastic developers -- most of whom you've never even met -- can be challenging, it can also be fun.Producing Open Source Software takes this into account, too, as it speaks of the sheer pleasure to be had from working with a motivated team of free software developers.


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Ajax Hacks: Tips & Tools for Creating Responsive Web Sites Review

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Ajax Hacks: Tips & Tools for Creating Responsive Web Sites ReviewIt's too bad this book came out ahead of "Head Rush Ajax", because after reading that book, this book seems much better. It is not meant to be a tutorial on Ajax, but just a supplemental text full of possibly helpful code. There are detailed descriptions of each hack, but I think you'll be lost if you don't already know XML, Javascript, and DOM pretty well.
To me, the most useful hacks were in Chapter 4, where there are hacks that explore the Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, and GeoURL APIs, and combine them, and also where you learn to use cookies in the Ajax environment. I also liked reading chapter 8 on script.aculo.us, and learning about how easily visual effects could be incorporated into Ajax applications. If you are not sure this book is for you, all of the code examples are available in a zipfile at the book's webpage on the publisher's site. I recommend you read "Head Rush Ajax" first, then come back to this book for some interesting extras. I notice that Amazon does not list the table of contents, so I do that here:
Chapter 1. Ajax Basics
Hack 1. Detect Browser Compatibility with the Request Object
Hack 2. Use the Request Object to POST Data to the Server
Hack 3. Use Your Own Library for XMLHttpRequest
Hack 4. Receive Data as XML
Hack 5. Get Plain Old Strings
Hack 6. Receive Data as a Number
Hack 7. Receive Data in JSON Format
Hack 8. Handle Request Object Errors
Hack 9. Dig into the HTTP Response
Hack 10. Generate a Styled Message with a CSS File
Hack 11. Generate a Styled User Message on the Fly
Chapter 2. Web Forms
Hack 12. Submit Text Field or textarea Values to the Server Without a Browser Refresh
Hack 13. Display Text Field or textarea Values Using Server Data
Hack 14. Submit Selection-List Values to the Server Without a Round Trip
Hack 15. Dynamically Generate a New Selection List Using Server Data
Hack 16. Extend an Existing Selection List
Hack 17. Submit Checkbox Values to the Server Without a Round Trip
Hack 18. Dynamically Generate a New Checkbox Group with Server Data
Hack 19. Populate an Existing Checkbox Group from the Server
Hack 20. Change Unordered Lists Using an HTTP Response
Hack 21. Submit Hidden Tag Values to a Server Component
Chapter 3. Validation
Hack 22. Validate a Text Field or textarea for Blank Fields
Hack 23. Validate Email Syntax
Hack 24. Validate Unique Usernames
Hack 25. Validate Credit Card Numbers
Hack 26. Validate Credit Card Security Codes
Hack 27. Validate a Postal Code
Chapter 4. Power Hacks for Web Developers
Hack 28. Get Access to the Google Maps API
Hack 29. Use the Google Maps API Request Object
Hack 30. Use Ajax with a Google Maps and Yahoo! Maps Mash-up
Hack 31. Display a Weather.com XML Data Feed
Hack 32. Use Ajax with a Yahoo! Maps and GeoURL Mash-up
Hack 33. Debug Ajax-Generated Tags in Firefox
Hack 34. Fetch a Postal Code
Hack 35. Create Large, Maintainable Bookmarklets
Hack 36. Use Permanent Client-Side Storage for Ajax Applications
Hack 37. Control Browser History with iframes
Hack 38. Send Cookie Values to a Server Program
Hack 39. Use XMLHttpRequest to Scrape an Energy Price from a Web Page
Hack 40. Send an Email with XMLHttpRequest
Hack 41. Find the Browser's Locale Information
Hack 42. Create an RSS Feed Reader
Chapter 5. Direct Web Remoting (DWR)for Java Jocks
Hack 43. Integrate DWR into Your Java Web Application
Hack 44. Use DWR to Populate a Selection List from a Java Array
Hack 45. Use DWR to Create a Selection List from a Java Map
Hack 46. Display the Keys/Values from a Java HashMap on a Web Page
Hack 47. Use DWR to Populate an Ordered List from a Java Array
Hack 48. Access a Custom Java Object with JavaScript
Hack 49. Call a Built-in Java Object from JavaScript Using DWR
Chapter 6. Hack Ajax with the Prototype and Rico Libraries
Hack 50. Use Prototype's Ajax Tools with Your Application
Hack 51. Update an HTML Element's Content from the Server
Hack 52. Create Observers for Web Page Fields
Hack 53. Use Rico to Update Several Elements with One Ajax Response
Hack 54. Create a Drag-and-Drop Bookstore
Chapter 7. Work with Ajax and Ruby on Rails
Hack 55. Install Ruby on Rails
Hack 56. Monitor Remote Calls with Rails
Hack 57. Make Your JavaScript Available to Rails Applications
Hack 58. Dynamically Generate a Selection List in a Rails Template
Hack 59. Find Out Whether Ajax Is Calling in the Request
Hack 60. Dynamically Generate a Selection List Using Database Data
Hack 61. Periodically Make a Remote Call
Hack 62. Dynamically View Request Information for XMLHttpRequest
Chapter 8. Savor the script.aculo.us JavaScript Library
Hack 63. Integrate script.aculo.us Visual Effects with an Ajax Application
Hack 64. Create a Login Box That Shrugs Off Invalid Logins
Hack 65. Create an Auto-Complete Field with script.aculo.us
Hack 66. Create an In-Place Editor Field
Hack 67. Create a Web Form That Disappears When Submitted
Chapter 9. Options and Efficiencies
Hack 68. Fix the Browser Back Button in Ajax Applications
Hack 69. Handle Bookmarks and Back Buttons with RSH
Hack 70. Set a Time Limit for the HTTP Request
Hack 71. Improve Maintainability, Performance, and Reliability for Large JavaScript Applications
Hack 72. Obfuscate JavaScript and Ajax Code
Hack 73. Use a Dynamic script Tag to Make Web Services Requests
Hack 74. Configure Apache to Deal with Cross-Domain Issues
Hack 75. Run a Search Engine Inside Your Browser
Hack 76. Use Declarative Markup Instead of Script via XForms
Hack 77. Build a Client-Side Cache
Hack 78. Create an Auto-Complete Field
Hack 79. Dynamically Display More Information About a Topic
Hack 80. Use Strings and Arrays to Dynamically Generate HTML
IndexAjax Hacks: Tips & Tools for Creating Responsive Web Sites Overview
Ajax, the popular term for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is one of the most important combinations of technologies for web developers to know these days. With its rich grouping of technologies, Ajax developers can create interactive web applications with XML-based web services, using JavaScript in the browser to process the web server response.

Taking complete advantage of Ajax, however, requires something more than your typical "how-to" book. What it calls for is Ajax Hacks from O'Reilly. This valuable guide provides direct, hands-on solutions that take the mystery out of Ajax's many capabilities. Each hack represents a clever way to accomplish a specific task, saving you countless hours of searching for the right answer.

A smart collection of 80 insider tips and tricks, Ajax Hacks covers all of the technology's finer points. Want to build next-generation web applications today? This book can show you how. Among the multitude of topics addressed, it shows you techniques for:

Using Ajax with Google Maps and Yahoo Maps
Displaying Weather.com data
Scraping stock quotes
Fetching postal codes
Building web forms with auto-complete functionality

Ajax Hacks also features a number of advanced hacks for accelerated web developers. Discover how to create huge, maintainable bookmarklets, how to use client-side storage for Ajax applications, and how to call a built-in Java object from JavaScript using Ajax. The book even addresses best practices for testing Ajax applications and improving maintenance, performance, and reliability for JavaScript code.

The latest in O"Reilly's celebrated Hacks series, Ajax Hacks smartly complements other O'Reilly titles such as Head Rush Ajax and JavaScript: The Definitive Guide.


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Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL, 2nd Edition Review

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Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL, 2nd Edition ReviewI have just started learning some PHP & MySQL development using "PHP & MySQL Web Development" published by Sams and "Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL" from O'Reilly. Prospective readers might be wondering the difference between the two in deciding which one to buy, so I hope to shed some light on the issue.
Sams: The Welling and Thomson book is more "hands-on" in that it takes the reader step-by-step in developing an e-commerce website. The chapters are organized in a goal-oriented manner: PHP, MySQL, the basics of e-commerce, security, and design of the site.
O'Reilly: The Williams and Lane book is structured in a similar way by showing readers PHP and then MySQL. Examples to reinforce concepts are also provided. While the O'Reilly book also tries to take the reader in developing an e-commerce site, it is a bit more theoretical. Also, there are some differences in focus: the O'Reilly book has a section on using JavaScript while the Sams book has a final chapter on creating PDF files using PHP.
If I had to choose just one book, I would go with the Sams book due to its more gentle learning curve. However, I believe that the O'Reilly book is no slouch, and I will probably come to appreciate it more once I gain more experience in PHP and MySQL development.
One last word about my programming background: I knew a bit of Perl, Java, HTML, and JavaScript before tackling PHP and MySQL. I consider myself to be an "advanced beginner" (an oxymoron, of course). To get the most out of these two books, you should know HTML well enough to read it (you should at least recognize some tags) and it would definitely be helpful if you have some programming experience. You could very well make PHP your first programming language, but I would advise against it. Start with something like Perl (whose syntax is very similar to PHP's).
I highly recommend both books to prospective PHP and MySQL developers who are willing to spend some time and effort.Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL, 2nd Edition Overview

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iPhone Game Development: Developing 2D & 3D games in Objective-C (Animal Guide) Review

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iPhone Game Development: Developing 2D & 3D games in Objective-C (Animal Guide) ReviewUnfortunately, this book does not meet up to its potential. The main issues I have with it are the code examples and example applications.
* The book does NOT provide complete step-by-step walkthroughs of operations (although, they are generally 'good enough').
* The book does NOT contain complete listings of the project code text. This is a BIG problem.
* The source code is available on SourceForge, but it does NOT match the text in the book!!!
I have no clue why the persons modifying the files changed them so drastically.
So, be aware that there are serious issues regarding learning from this text. I can only hope that someone at O'Reilly sees the problem, and acts to fix it.
Edit : I have downgraded this book from two-star to one-star. The more I get into it the worse it gets. Typos. Coding errors. Misnamed classes, files, methods, member names; the list goes on. It is obvious that the authors of this book did NOT code the projects from the proofs they got from the publisher. It is unlikely that they even read the text of the code; some of the errors are so obvious that even a cursory read shows them up.
Edit #2 : It is now apparent to me that the authors of the Book and the Code are old C++ coders from way back. Anachronisms like 'Hungarian Notation' and other Microsoft C++ patterns are rampant. Misuse and misunderstanding of Objective-C and Cocoa Touch patterns and usages abound. You will learn a LOT of incorrect habits looking at this code and text. Beware.
You will spend more time trying to fix the errors in the book than you will spend understanding the concepts presented.
Get a different book on Game Engine Design and work your own iPhone compatible version from there.
It will be easier. A lot easier.iPhone Game Development: Developing 2D & 3D games in Objective-C (Animal Guide) Overview
What do you need to know to create a game for the iPhone? Even if you've already built some iPhone applications, developing games using iPhone's gestural interface and limited screen layout requires new skills. With iPhone Game Development, you get everything from game development basics and iPhone programming fundamentals to guidelines for dealing with special graphics and audio needs, creating in-game physics, and much more. Loaded with descriptive examples and clear explanations, this book helps you learn the technical design issues particular to the iPhone and iPod Touch, and suggests ways to maximize performance in different types of games. You also get plug-in classes to compensate for the areas where the iPhone's game programming support is weak.



Learn how to develop iPhone games that provide engaging user experiences
Become familiar with Objective-C and the Xcode suite of tools
Learn what it takes to adapt the iPhone interface to games
Create a robust, scalable framework for a game app
Understand the requirements for implementing 2D and 3D graphics
Learn how to add music and audio effects, as well as menus and controls
Get instructions for publishing your game to the App Store


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Head First Java, 2nd Edition Review

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Head First Java, 2nd Edition ReviewWhen I first saw "Head First Java", it reminds me of the colorful "conversational English" books I had when I started to learn English years ago. The casual, humorous books have turned out effective for English language learning. Is that style good for the Java language learners as well? Is this type of books for beginners only?
With those questions in mind, I started to read "Head First Java". Since I consider myself a Java expert (I wrote a Java book myself, after all), I decided that I would NOT read the book from cover to cover. Instead, I would randomly flip through the book for the humorous stories and photos. I figured that if I cannot learn much new about Java from a "beginner" book, I can at least have some fun.
Geez, I was wrong. I was ADDICTED to the book's short stories, annotated code snippets, mock interviews, puzzle games and brain exercises. They are not only entertaining but also informative. It may be a beginner's book but the stuff they cover are definitely deep enough for expert readers as well (e.g. multiple inheritance, polymorphism, inner classes, threads, RMI, ... just to name a few). The best of all is that I can actually remember the things I learned from the book because I associate them with the stories and pictures. I guess it has something to do with the fact that both sides of my brain are active when reading this book: The right side is for the stories and the left side is for the technical and logic stuff.
There are other great Java books (e.g. "Thinking in Java" by Bruce Eckel) in the market. But they are all very serious and require the readers to spend hours to read entire chapters. The great thing about "Head First Java" is that the bite-size code snippets and stories allow me to learn something about Java in my 5-10 minutes spare time, one piece a time.
The overall writing style is casual and enlightened. The presentation style (fonts and placements of graphical elements) fits the content very well. The book covers a wide variety of Java topics including: basic code structure and language syntax, OOP concepts, math and numbers, exception handling, the Swing GUI library, serialization, network, and distributed computing.
Of course, the casual style is not for everyone. I know people who love the re-assuring feeling from "serious" books. But I can re-assure you that Kathy and Bert are authoritative figures in the Java training community. The content is absolutely first class. I highly recommend "Head First Java" for both Java beginners and expert readers.Head First Java, 2nd Edition Overview

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The Ruby Programming Language Review

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The Ruby Programming Language ReviewOriginally planned as a second edition to Ruby classic, Ruby In A Nutshell, The Ruby Programming Language is a new book by David Flanagan and Yukihiro Matsumoto (a.k.a. Matz - creator of Ruby) and published by O'Reilly. The book covers both Ruby 1.8 and 1.9 and with its esteemed authors and technical approach, is sure to become a new "Bible" for Ruby developers.
As of the start of 2008 this book is REALLY fresh and up to date. Its style is very direct and matter-of-fact; well suited for existing Ruby developers and proficient developers coming from other languages. The examples are clear and logical and the explanations concise; this is a well edited and authoritative book.
The structure of the book is a delight with ten well-defined chapters (with titles such as Reflection and Metaprogramming, Statements and Control Structures, and Expressions and Operators) that each contain a tree of sections. Consider Chapter 4, Expressions and Operators. A sample dive down to section 4.5.5.2 takes us through 4.5, Assignments; 4.5.5, Parallel Assignment; and finally to 4.5.5.2, One lvalue, multiple rvalues. This is a breath of fresh air in a Ruby reference work.
The only downside, in terms of the thousands who might be browsing Amazon looking for a single Ruby book to start off with, is that this book is so well focused on documenting the core elements of the Ruby language, it doesn't work either as a tutorial / beginner's introduction to Ruby, or as an exhaustive reference work (as, on both fronts, the Pickaxe attempts to be.) This lack of dilution may be an ultimate strength, however, since anyone above the station of "beginner" will be able to learn Ruby thoroughly from this book, use it as a general reference, and then be able to use the exhaustive documentation that comes with Ruby itself to cover the standard library and built-in classes.
In conclusion, whether you're an existing developer or a newcomer to Ruby, you need just three things to be up and running with Ruby in the book / documentation department. Buy this, the Ruby Way (by Hal Fulton), and learn how to use the documentation that comes with Ruby.
This book will act as the "Bible" for Ruby, the Ruby Way will make you an expert, and learning how to use the documentation that comes with Ruby will mean you're not using information that's out of date within a couple of years. The perfect combo! It'll last you for years.The Ruby Programming Language Overview
The Ruby Programming Language is the authoritative guide to Ruby and provides comprehensive coverage of versions 1.8 and 1.9 of the language. It was written (and illustrated!) by an all-star team:

David Flanagan, bestselling author of programming language "bibles" (including JavaScript: The Definitive Guide and Java in a Nutshell) and committer to the Ruby Subversion repository.
Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto, creator, designer and lead developer of Ruby and author of Ruby in a Nutshell, which has been expanded and revised to become this book.
why the lucky stiff, artist and Ruby programmer extraordinaire.
This book begins with a quick-start tutorial to the language, and then explains the language in detail from the bottom up: from lexical and syntactic structure to datatypes to expressions and statements and on through methods, blocks, lambdas, closures, classes and modules. The book also includes a long and thorough introduction to the rich API of the Ruby platform, demonstrating -- with heavily-commented example code -- Ruby's facilities for text processing, numeric manipulation, collections, input/output, networking, and concurrency. An entire chapter is devoted to Ruby's metaprogramming capabilities.The Ruby Programming Language documents the Ruby language definitively but without the formality of a language specification. It is written for experienced programmers who are new to Ruby, and for current Ruby programmers who want to challenge their understanding and increase their mastery of the language.

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