Very little space is wasted detailing the history of XML and its relation to SGML, as is the case in many other titles. The argument for the importance of XML is made quickly, and the basics of well-formed syntax are tackled right off. One notable distinction of this book is its excellent coverage of related technologies, such as cascading style sheets (CSS) and relational databases.
In addition to discussing the crucial companion standards to the core XML language (DTDs, XSL, and XSLT), the book adds a nice perspective to the broad range of applications in which XML can play a role. One section, "Other Uses for XML," illustrates how XML can be used to serialize object models, creating stateless objects and utilizing the Resource Description Framework (RDF). Case studies on--among other things--how XML can be used to build discussion groups, and provide B2B data transfer, round out the text. This book is perfect for Web programmers who are turning their attention to XML for the first time. It imparts a solid understanding of the XML forest and XML trees. --Stephen W. Plain
Topics covered:
The exercises read like something out of a high school physics textbook, with equipment lists and specific setup instructions to follow (this is a good thing). Lists of configuration files (which also appear on the companion CD-ROM), highlight and comment on lines that are key to whatever concept the lab is meant to highlight. Then you learn how to test the configurations and what responses to expect from your experimental setup. It's a fascinating approach that's perfect if you have the equipment (sometimes considerable) needed to duplicate the configurations. It's only slightly less great if you have to read along without doing all the experiments. --David Wall
Topics covered: The subjects needed to pass the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) laboratory exam (the implementation of various networking protocols on Cisco products). Covered protocols include ISDN, frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), Appletalk, IPX, and the TCP/IP suite. Detailed coverage of routing protocols (including OSPF, IGRP, EIGRP, and BGP) makes this book stand out.]]>
At the end of the book, you'll find five full-scale CCIE labs, very similar to the ones you'll have to complete in 8.5 hours on test day. There are instructions on how to prestage your equipment (as the exam proctor would normally do), and what you need to accomplish. You can time yourself on these labs and get a very good idea of your preparedness. Solie could make the next edition of this book better by devoting even more discussion to the troubleshooting techniques appropriate to different kinds of systems. Problems inevitably crop up in CCIE configurations, and there's rarely time to start over in the lab. Regardless, provided you have the equipment and discipline required to work through his exercises independently, this book is a better deal than almost any commercial training course. --David Wall
Topics covered: Some of the subjects you should be prepared to exhibit practical knowledge of when you go in for the CCIE practical exam, including the main WAN protocols (frame relay, PPP, ISDN, and ATM); routing protocols (RIP-1, RIP-2, IGRP, EIGRP, and OSPF); bridging; Data Link Switching Plus (DLSw+); access lists; network address translation (NAT); Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP); and time protocols. Other CCIE subjects, including IPX, BGP, and IPSec, are to be covered in the second volume of this book.]]>
As with most other books in the Exam Cram series, this one is definitely not an introductory, or even a mid-level, book. What the series attempts to do is give a very concise collection of all of the facts that you'll need to remember to pass the test, which becomes far trickier when going into the CCIE; a large portion of the exam questions deal with elaborate and complex scenarios that are near impossible to "cram" into someone's brain at the last moment.
Read our lips: If you're not at least 80% prepared already, this book won't help you. And a lot of the experience that you'd need to pass the CCIE won't come from any book--only hands-on work and extensive real-world preparation will help you.
But, if you're close, and looking to clarify all of those skulking confusions that lurk in every test-taker's mind, this book will get you over the hump. In short, this is the most concise edition of line-level networking protocol information that you could have.
The book is organized in a mostly linear fashion, moving from basic networking theory and going all the way to WAN technologies and security configuration. The writing is extremely dense, but concise (a hallmark of the series), and walks you through the various protocols and configuration information very clearly, sometimes going bit-by-bit through how information gets put on the wire. The reasons behind some of the decisions that are used to decide between two competing protocols--like, say, RIP and EIGRP--are covered briefly.
The CCIE Exam Cram even seems to know that it's too small a book to provide the lowdown on complex interactions; most of the time, it even doesn't pretend that these topics will come up by themselves as a question--if Exam Alerts and Tips is anything to judge by, anyway. It seems to be aimed towards providing you with a gut-level knowledge that'll give you the tools to differentiate between two close calls and troubleshooting the source of some seemingly bizarre conflict; in that, it does a fine job. Intense amounts of information are given here for you to memorize, all of which is critical for the grueling CCIE exam. Nothing can substitute for experience, but the information that's provided here might give you the critical edge that you need. Using this as your last-minute refresher after poring over all of the Cisco official guides and lab exercises would be a good idea, too.
The sample questions tend to be fairly easy, giving readers a choice between simple configuration questions and questions on what protocol is suited for a particular task; not heavyweights, by any measure, but helpful in reinforcing knowledge.
In short, as a final run-through before you actually step into the lab, this book is unparalleled. But, if you haven't done your homework, prepare to be walloped. --William Steinmetz]]>
As is common to this genre, the book is replete with configuration commands, diagrams, and tables. However, it maintains a more pragmatic tone than most as each chapter ends with some or all of the following elements: a summary, a professional development checklist, references for further study, and a "Can You Spot the Issues?" section containing networking word problems. The answers to these problems are found in one of the book's appendices. Also included is a section devoted to test preparation and test-taking techniques that details the skills assessed during the CCIE exam as well as commonly encountered testing landmines. An admirable effort, this granular but well-organized tome certainly appears to meet its stated goal. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt]]>
You can't fault the authors, though--the CCIE is a daunting exam, covering a wide range of topics in a sometimes-terrifying depth. And given that books tend to fall apart under their own weight if they get over twelve hundred pages, any book publisher has to choose between packing friendliness or information into those compressed slices o' wood pulp. For the CCIE Study Guide, they chose readability, making it perhaps the only beginners' guide to the most advanced certification available.
But since you're going to be buying more than one book for this exam anyway, why not get one you'll enjoy reading? And the CIEE Study Guide functions as a stellar overview, explaining the CCIE topics with deft aplomb and some of the best writing you're likely to see in this advanced arena, where technical wizardry is often valued more highly than clarity.
The amazing thing about the CCIE Study Guide is the cleanness of the writing: it gets the essentials of large unwieldy concepts across in a few sentences. Which is not to say that you won't have to reread it a couple of times to understand some of the rough spots, but the amount of rereading is drastically minimized from what it could be. Carefully thought-out diagrams spotlight various routing issues, and definitely help with visualization.
But even considering the clear writing, the detail is fairly sparse. The responses you'll get to various command lines are sometimes truncated for space, which may cause problems for those who aren't used to sorting through pages of output to find the critical data. The sections on Ethernet frames contain information, but they're not comprehensive. In short, there's a heck of a lot here, but the CCIE will require a bit more in almost every case.
There are 20 questions at the end of every chapter, and they're all right--but they're definitely a step down from what you can expect to see on the actual CCIE, and they're all simple multiple-choice questions. No scenario-style questions to be found here, buddy. The answers, sadly, are terse and don't always explain why the other options are wrong.
In short, backed with some Web research and a couple of other books, this could be the foundation for a real passing grade--but it's not quite enough. However, if you've lost your way during all of the individual exams and need an overview--or want a refresher course that is technically accurate as far as it goes and is comparatively fun to read--then you won't regret it. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. --William Steinmetz]]>
The authors, for the most part, shun the well-known seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol stack in favor of their own five-layer (application, transport, network, link, and physical) model. It's an effective approach that helps clear away some of the hand waving traditionally associated with the more obtuse layers in the OSI model. The approach is definitely theoretical--don't look here for instructions on configuring Windows 2000 or a Cisco router--but it's relevant to reality, and should help anyone who needs to understand networking as a programmer, system architect, or even administration guru.
The treatment of the network layer, at which routing takes place, is typical of the overall style. In discussing routing, authors James Kurose and Keith Ross explain (by way of lots of clear, definition-packed text) what routing protocols need to do: find the best route to a destination. Then they present the mathematics that determine the best path, show some code that implements those algorithms, and illustrate the logic by using excellent conceptual diagrams. Real-life implementations of the algorithms--including Internet Protocol (both IPv4 and IPv6) and several popular IP routing protocols--help you to make the transition from pure theory to networking technologies. --David Wall
Topics covered: The theory behind data networks, with thorough discussion of the problems that are posed at each level (the application layer gets plenty of attention). For each layer, there's academic coverage of networking problems and solutions, followed by discussion of real technologies. Special sections deal with network security and transmission of digital multimedia. NCU]]>
Chris Hare and his co-authors open with a useful explanation of basic Unix concepts (such as kernel versus shell) and then quickly move on to explaining commands, redirection, and sorting. The authors give the text editor vi lavish coverage and give enough attention to ED to enable you to use it to get out of a jam. Inside Unix, Second Edition, details more of X Windows, Motif, and OpenWindows than other books and competently explains Bourne shell programming. The writers compare and critique the many flavors of Unix.
But Inside Unix, Second Edition, distinguishes itself in its discussion of the Unix utilities that make the Internet go. Want to configure a Domain Name Server (DNS) or see how routing is handled? You'll find the answers here, plus you'll find the most complete information on nslookup. This book includes an excellent Unix command reference and a 3.5-inch floppy disk that contains the shell programs that are introduced in the text.]]>
Sam Halabi--a respected authority on Cisco routers--discusses addressing schemes and the ways in which routing protocols operate within those schemes. The general information serves mainly to set the stage for BGP, which Halabi explains lucidly in theory before getting into design issues and, finally, implementation via router configuration. The book presents practical situations ("Multihoming to a Single Provider," for example, which is subsequently broken down into sub-scenarios about how the multiple connections are used) and steps through the design decisions associated with them. It's also big on diagrams and uses one on nearly every other page to drive home points. The result: this book earns its cover price as a tutorial and as a reference. --David Wall
Topics covered: Means of connecting one network to another, especially by means of Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4) on Cisco Systems routers. There's coverage of addressing and routing-protocol generalities, as well as of BGP tuning for routing inside and outside autonomous systems. Design decisions are a big part of this book's scope.]]>
Divided into six sections, the first outlines general problem-solving techniques as well as available troubleshooting tools from Cisco and third-party vendors. Next, the authors contend with hardware, booting, and media (which essentially means answers as to what could be preventing the network routers or switches from automatically firing up). In addition, potential Ethernet, FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), and Token Ring malfunctions are more than sufficiently addressed.
The seven chapters of section 3 deal exclusively with routing protocols from TCP/IP to AppleTalk to the more obscure Banyan VINES. As for WAN connectivity, more than 100 pages are dedicated to serial line, dial-in, ISDN, frame relay, and X.25 connections. And if you're experiencing difficulty in your ATM or LAN switching environment, with your security servers, or with CiscoWorks, this team of authors has provided useful guidance for those issues as well. The five appendices--"Creating Core Dumps," "Memory Maps," "Technical Support Information," "References and Recommended Reading," and "Troubleshooting Worksheets"--are also invaluable. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt]]>
You'll find that the second edition carries over many strong points from the original, including a quick-start introduction to Java for C or C++ programmers and the handy quick-reference format. It also details the many new features of Java 1.1, including extensions to the object model and the new release of the Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT), Inner Classes, Java Beans, and Java ARchive (JAR) files. The book does not attempt to cover "enterprise" application programming interfaces (API), such as Java's new commerce-related security features, Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) and Remote Method Invocation (RMI). The author plans to document these features in a separate volume.
The second half of Java in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition, is a quick reference to all the packages that comprise the Java API. In the course of over 300 pages, the author introduces each package with a summary and a graphical hierarchy diagram. He then documents each package's component classes and interfaces in detail. For cases where you know the name of a class, but not its package, an index of classes, methods, and fields provide a useful cross-reference to the packages that contain them. This edition removes some of the example code of the previous edition, but provides many samples that cover new language features.]]>
The second half of JDBC Database Access with Java contains a useful reference to the dozen-and-a-half classes in the JDBC library. Each section provides a general overview of the class and a guide to all APIs. This portion of the book also includes a guide to data types in JDBC and all of today's major SQL server platforms. The final chapter recounts how the JDBC specification was created. Appendices offer short tips for developers who are writing JDBC drivers (who will absolutely want this book on their shelves). Although most Java developers will want to write to a higher level of classes, those new solutions will rely on JDBC, an effective tool for writing database-independent code in Java.]]>
This skinny volume neither aims to teach its readers UNIX nor introduce them to the Mac, but rather to show how Apple has implemented UNIX. It's a fast read that assumes--as the title implies--rather a lot of UNIX knowledge. With that requirement satisfied and this book in hand, you're likely to discover aspects of Aqua more quickly than you otherwise would have.
The authors spend lots of time explaining how administrative tasks--such as managing groups, users, and passwords--are handled in the Mac OS environment. They document netinfo fully, and call attention to its limitations (like its inability to create home directories for users) by explaining how to do the job on the command line. They also cover C programming in the Darwin universe at greater length than any other book does, providing explicit instructions for such important tasks as creating header files and linking static libraries. A guide to the command line (they call the reference section--groan--"The Missing Manpages") provides good value at this book's conclusion. --David Wall
Topics covered: How to get around in Darwin, the UNIX implementation built into Mac OS X. Sections deal with basic maneuvering at the command line, LDAP services, C programming, and graphical user interfaces under Aqua. There's a short section on building the kernel itself, but it's limited in scope.]]>
Macintosh programming is insane. I've tried it. I gave up. That was back in 1989 or so. Then one day I got an e-mail from a Mac user who enjoyed my C programming books and wanted something specific for the Mac. I picked up Mac Programming for Dummies, read it, and now recommend it to anyone wanting to program on the Mac. Sydow takes a complex, obnoxious task and boils it down into nice, happy, chewable chunks.
I admit I was disappointed at first. The book is really rather skimpy when it comes to actual programming--but it's a great read and highly informative. Sydow uses his knowledge of the subject to carefully orient the reader to the important programming aspects of the Mac--as opposed to rushing off and doing a "Hello, World" program. No, that approach wouldn't work on a Mac, which I now know after reading this marvelous book.
The book comes with a CD-ROM (which is the reason for the hefty cover price), and on it you'll find a miniversion of the popular Code Warrior programming package. On the downside, there aren't enough true programming examples or hard information, so you will need additional references if you plan on continuing a Macintosh programming career. But for a start, this book is awesome. --Dan Gookin]]>
This is a blue O'Reilly book, packed to the gunwales with information of interest to people in a hurry to optimize their systems and resolve difficulties. It's easy to locate the passage you need via the index or through the table of contents, and most entries provide a great mix of how-to material (in the form of input-and-output listings) and explanatory text (expert commentary, often with notes on applicable variations). If there's a command, option, or configuration parameter associated with NIS or NFS, you'll find documentation of it here. --David Wall
Topics covered: Network File System (NFS) and Network Information System (NIS) for Unix machines, especially Solaris (through version 8) and Linux (through version 2.2). Auto mounting, security, diskless workstations, and performance tuning are among the many details the authors address.]]>
The first half of the book deals exclusively with design, starting with an explanation of the three types of networks (campus, wide area, and remote connections). The book outlines the design trends governing those networks today and explains the devices used to create them and their functions, as well as effective ways to integrate the three. The remaining chapters veer off into more specific network types, such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Internet Protocol (IP), and Switched LAN, and the equipment and protocols best suited for those situations.
The second half of this volume is dedicated to real-word problem solving. The 11 "case study" chapters focus on particularly sticky issues--such as Routing Information Protocol (RIP) and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) redistribution, reducing Service Advertising Protocol (SAP) traffic in Novell Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) networks, and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) broadcast flooding--and propose configuration solutions to fix them. As usual, this books holds the requisite flood of appendices; however, in this instance the "Reference and Recommended Reading" entry is undoubtedly the most useful. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt]]>
Always careful to lay the proper groundwork, Thomas first covers networking foundations, including relatively recent developments such as intranets. From there he launches into an explanation of not only routing protocol fundamentals but also methods that will enable you to determine which protocols are appropriate for your particular environment. If at that point you have discerned that OSPF is indeed what you need, you can march on to the second and third sections, which hone in on implementation specifics.
The second section opens with a chapter dedicated to OSPF, complete with the protocol's history and Request for Comments (RFC). The remaining pages are taken up by configuration commands and tips. The last part of the book is reserved for highly advanced topics, including network design, security, and management. Though definitely aimed at those well versed in basic networking, OSPF Network Design Solution has the flexibility to grow with you as your level of OSPF knowledge and familiarity increase.--Sarah L. Roberts-Witt]]>
The guide uses code examples in C and is targeted at programmers who have experience in coding yet are new to coding for OpenGL applications. The opening chapters go into descriptive detail of how OpenGL, the software interface for hardware 3-D chipsets, works and what you can expect from it, which turns out to be much more than you might have thought. Color plates are used, for example, to show how OpenGL handles such effects as motion blur and depth-of-field blur, in addition to shadows and texture mapping.
This is not a beginner's guide to programming computer graphics. Some previous knowledge of both programming in general and computer graphics in particular is required. For example, code snippets are used to describe how to implement these effects, but because OpenGL is platform-independent, some code examples may need to be modified when used with your specific compiler.
Filled with the expertise of those who standardized OpenGL, there is no better reference volume for learning and understanding this system. The examples cited are clear, commented, and explained. The only drawback to the book is that it lacks a companion CD-ROM--all examples must be either typed in or downloaded from an Internet FTP site. (The URL is listed in the preface.) --Mike Caputo]]>
Few programming titles are as well written as this one. The authors consistently engage the reader with a tone that's smart and surprisingly personable given that this is a technical book. They first examine what is special about the Palm platform, including the best way to build user interfaces, plus dos and don'ts for new software. Early sections dissect real software (DateBk4 from Pimlico Software) with commentary from one of its inventors. After surveying the wide array of Palm development options (including CodeWarrior and the Palm OS Emulator, POSE), it's on to a simple Palm program.
While many programming texts use samples that grow in complexity, this title is anchored by a single case study--a sales application. As the authors cover the basics of Palm development, from event handling basics, APIs for memory management, and form control programming, they provide the APIs you'll need to know. Then they show how their case study makes use of these features. (This approach is effective, though it assumes a bit of programming knowledge on the part of the reader.)
Standout sections here inspect what makes Palm development special, including memory management techniques, plus there's a fascinating look at automated testing tools (called Gremlins), which can find bugs by executing thousands of simulated user actions. Later sections delve into what it takes to create HotSync capabilities for your Palm applications. These modules, called Conduits, clearly present a programming challenge, and the coverage here will benefit developers of all levels of experience on the Palm platform.
The Palm platform has been a real success story, and Palm OS Programming: The Developer's Guide reveals why. It shows you how to think like a real Palm developer and gives you the specific APIs and programming techniques you need to know in order to write professional-quality Palm applications in C/C++. --Richard Dragan]]>
Like Topsy, Perl just grew, and as a result the need for a third edition came about. It's now over 1,000 pages, which it needs to be, as it performs several different duties. First, it's an introduction to the Perl language for those who are new to programming; also, it's a guide for those who are coming from other languages; and, finally, it's a Perl language reference.
Among Larry Wall's other pursuits is being a linguist, and it's perhaps for this reason that Perl is a peculiarly flexible language with many routes to achieving the same ends, as the authors ably demonstrate. It's also extensible in several ways, designed to work with many other languages. Also, as it's largely interpreted, programs written in Perl tend to run unmodified on a variety of platforms--although platform-specific Perl modules and programming practices are also discussed.
A major strength of Programming Perl is the way subject areas are approached from several directions. This constant shift of viewpoint eliminates blind spots in the reader's understanding and provides a pleasing echo of the way Perl itself can take many routes from here to there.
Because the Perl community is both knowledgeable and active, the language covers much more ground here than in the previous edition. Even if you have both previous editions, you'll want this latest version--if only for the new jokes. --Steve Patient, amazon.co.uk]]>
Such a goal is evidenced in much of the three-part book's design. For example, nearly every chapter includes some combination of recommended readings, review questions, configuration and troubleshooting exercises, case studies, and summaries. In addition, there are numerous appendices devoted to answers to questions and exercise solutions as well as one that outlines exam preparation tips.
Jeff Doyle begins this volume with a review of several basic topics, including a chapter that outlines the parameters of TCP/IP itself. Though some may already be familiar with that material, the sections on dynamic and static routing serve as valuable review material for readers of all levels. The second part deals with TCP/IP interior routing protocols, such as Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP), and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF). The book ends on a challenging note with explanations of route redistribution, route filtering, and the like. Routing TCP/IP is required reading for those readers with the ambitious goal to both understand the protocol and excel on the CCIE exam. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt]]>
This book works well on a lot of levels, but its careful integration of explanations (statements of applicability and references to standards documents), case studies (usually illustrated with network diagrams), configuration details (input/output listings from Cisco routers), and practical advice (a note on why network address translation isn't much of a barrier against attackers) is key to its success. The illustrators worked overtime, as well, to link Internetwork Operating System (IOS) listings with network diagrams and thereby more effectively illustrate routing behaviors. An excellent index and troubleshooting exercises similar to those on the CCIE practical exam round out this package. --David Wall
Topics covered: How TCP/IP routing works, and how to configure the routing effects you want on Cisco routing equipment. Emphasis falls on Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP), Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4), IP multicasting, IPv6, and network address translation (NAT).]]>
Does it succeed? Yes and no. While Hawking offers genuinely accessible context for such complexities as string theory and the nature of time, it's when he must translate equations to sentences that the limits of language get in the way. But Hawking has simplified the origin of the universe, the nature of space and time, and what holds it all together to an unprecedented degree, inviting nonscientists to share his obvious awe and love of the unseen forces that shape it all.
Yes, it's difficult reading, but it's worth it. Hawking is one of the great geniuses of our time, a man whose life has been devoted to thinking in the abstract about the universe. With his help, and pictures--lots of pictures--we can seek to understand a bit more of the cosmos. --Therese Littleton]]>