Computing Internet Books

The best book I've ever seen to study network and network related basics. I can recommend it for people without any network know-how and it's also a great reference book for IT and network experts to refresh their knowledge.

A lot of high quality illustrations supporting the easy to read text.

Marco

Is a graphic book but a to little explanation. When i bought, i need a little more information, if i could read it before I bought it think Im sure bought it other book.

The best way to describe this book is that it is above the "For Dummies" level, yet there is not all that much for smarties. On the plus side, it is nearly a complete overview of networking, colored diagrams and photos are used to make the major points. It starts with the fundamentals of computer communication and goes through virtualized networks. This would certainly make it valuable as a primer for a manager who needs to know how networking can be used in their business, yet with no need to know technical details. Which, unfortunately, may make them just learned enough to be ignorant.
This is a very good book for networking novices who need an overview of the various aspects of networking. However, like most books for beginners, it will not take you any farther than that.

This book is a good high level review of Cisco Technologies. I would rather read this book than the Cisco white papers again!

This book containts everything you need to know about networking, but only when you have minimum experience with network equipment and technology. If you are looking for a book with enough information about how to connect computers in network, how switches work, etc. this is the a great helpful for learn this.

I'm a fairly savvy computer user in most graphics and video applications, and I've had an interest in what Flash can offer for my projects. I've enjoyed using Dreamweaver for years, and figured I'd get myself a guide to help explore the world of Flash.

And while this book presents some good basics on using the features available in Flash, there are just too many BASIC chapters. Really, the book should start somewhere around chapter 10 or 11. If you have any knowledge of Freehand, Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign/Pagemaker, Quark or any other major graphics program, a good chunk of this book will bore you to tears.

However, the parts on animation are very clearly written, and the supporting files show you how things should work so you can judge your progress.

Personally, I'd prefer more emphasis on web design and less on pure animation, but I understand the bias, given Flash's primary intent. If you're looking for a Flash for the Web book, do consider either 1) a companion book or 2) a different source altogether.

A 600+ pages tour of Flash MX buttons and menus... with just a couple ridiculously elementary "tutorials" thrown in. Makes me think of somone who had to write a flash book and has never done anything with it but figure out how the user interface works. You won't find anything useful in here, that is about CREATING something with Flash. As for me I am never gonna buy a book from this author again, and I am probably also ditching the whole "savvy" line as well.

The actual rating is MINUS 5 stars. This book sucks. The stupid CD DOES NOT WORK on PC. Finally I copied it from my Mac. More surprises. Some chapters, IMPORTANT ONES, ARE MISSING. Without completing these chapters, you can't move on. I am throwing my book away in disgust. I'm heading out to buy a book that actually works.
People who can't even program their own CDs shoudn't write "How to" manuals.

If you would like to learn flash then this is a good book to start. With all the different titles out there, I believe that this comes clostest to being 'savvy'. It covers a lot of important concepts that you would need to get started like simple drawing, amimation, sounds, and a good intro to action script (if you don't know much about scripting then this maybe a hard concept to understand, MX has a simple interface of click and drag, but on the 2004 verison, the option was taken out).
Like all complex program, flash is a 'bottoms up' program where you need to learn the simple concept first, then from it build up a more complex movie.

I brought this book with a Flash class I'm taking at my college of env design. It really helps when there is an instructor to help with the common questions. But, since I missed most of the class, I found this book to be very helpful. Nevertheless, I wish there were more 'hands on' chapters.

Flash MX Savvy is NOT for beginners. It's not for advanced users either. It is a happy medium that is written for intermediate users of Macromedia Flash MX.
The presentation style is what most impresses me with this book. It is not a reference manual, nor is it one of those "Use our pre-made material in this step-by-step tutorial" sorts of books. It tells you the steps that need to be taken in a way that lets you apply what you read to your situation and not one they have dreamed up for you to mindlessly follow.
The progression of topics begins at the beginning. It talks about the various windows and panels, the tools for creating content, and then moves on to techniques in utilizing each tool in greater detail.
Actionscripting is implemented in very small portions that are followed with a description of what the code does and how to alter it.
The most interesting bits of information are towards the back of the book. Sections for integrating Audio and Video effectively are detailed very well. The capstone for me is the section on producing Flash content for an interactive CD. It was this that made me choose the Savvy book over any of the others on the shelf. It was unique, caught my interest, and is applicable to situations I will come into contact with in the future.

I also made the mistake of using this as my primary study material for this exam. I knew I had a good chance of failing the exam halfway through the test session. There were a lot of gaps between the exam and the book as I was seeing questions on topics that I knew I did not see in the text. Also, some of the questions were to a level of detail that was not coveered by the text. I have been using the Cisco online training as a guide now and immediately saw material that was not covered. I am also considering purchasing the book from Diane Teare that was not available when I began my CCDA quest.

I truly beleive that there was a serious disconnect between the exam developers and the writers of this book. Cisco needs to do a better job of making sure their study material matches against their exams.

I'm in the middle of the book now, studying. The biggest thing I've noticed is how many mistakes there are on the Boson CD that comes w/ the book. Wow, did anybody there edit the test material on the CD before packaging it w/ the book? Unbelievable.
It some cases it will mark your answer as wrong and then highlight it as the correct answer. In other cases it references the wrong material in the book.
I've reported all the mistakes I've found to Boson in their 'report a bug' feature. Maybe they'll be updating soon.


I'm kind of confused, if I need to study for this exam, should I get this book (with all of it's errors) or should I get:

Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (DESGN) (Authorized CCDA Self-Study Guide) (Exam 640-863) (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)
by Diane Teare (Author)

There are no reviews, yet, for this second book and I don't think it comes w/ a CD.

Any thoughts?

I spent a month pouring over this book in detail. It could use some improvement, starting in the very beginning. The first chapter introduces the concepts of SONA, IIN, and PPDIOO. For the CCDA test, learn about applying the SONA framework to achieve IIN. I'm not making this up. Study PPDIOO and the Cisco suggested steps for each of these letters. Does any of this have any value in the real world? No, but too bad. It's on the CCDA test and I'll bet a committee of Cisco engineers are sitting in an office in California someplace laughing about all this.

Thankfully, the book only spends the first chapter on this stuff. The 2nd chapter introduces a bunch of network models. I remember the old days - was it only 7 years ago - when Cisco networks had a core, distribution, and access layer. It was a nice way to organize which services went where. I could deal with that. Today, that simple, hierarchical model seems so simple and quaint. Today, Cisco gives us the Enterprise Campus Model with layers and modules all over the place. This new and much more complex model might even have some real value, but the book is inconsistent and confusing in how it treats it. The pictures seem to change and the names of the layers and sublayers and modules are inconsistent or don't make sense. Why in the world is the enterprise data center a remote module in the diagram on page 43? Some text on page 51 explains that the enterprise data center is really an offsite disaster recovery site. Sheesh - come on guys!

After the first 2 chapters and 65 pages, we get into some real meat. There are chapters about LAN and WAN design, wireless, routing protocols, management, security, VOIP, and a host of other topics. But keep that Enterprise Campus model in mind because lots of subsequent chapters refer to it. And stay adaptable because the layers and modules and submodules seem to change from chapter to chapter.

Of course, the CCDA test has questions about the Enterprise Campus model. It will be up to you to figure it out, based on the treatment in this book and any Cisco articles you can get your hands on. I hear more laughter coming from Cisco. In fairness, the Enterprise Campus model seems like an attempt to put a unified architectural framework around today's increasingly complex and diverse networks. Perhaps the world is becoming too complex to model this way.

Some of the book is downright misleading. Here is a quote from page 406. This is in chapter 12, about BGP, and the context is about redistributing routes:

"When redistributing routes into OSPF, use the subnets keyword to permit subnetted routes to be received. If you do not use it, only the major network route is redistributed, without any subnetworks. In other words, OSPF performs automatic summarization to IP classful network values."

There are test questions about classless and classful route summarization, and the above paragraph is misleading at best. For the CCDA test, dig into route summarization using other sources.

The VOIP treatment also needs work. Page 528 has a huge table about bandwidth requirements for various codec techniques ranging from G.711 thru G.729. And the paragraph immediately below the table points the reader to a tool on the Cisco website to calculate bandwidth. It would be nice if the link was easy to use. Instead, the Cisco website takes you through a torturous login sequence before finally granting access to the tool. It turns out, the Internet is filled with tools to calculate bandwidth needs for various codecs. It also turns out that the CCDA test has questions about VOIP bandwidth usage.

It occurred to me that since tools are out there to calculate bandwidth needs, I should not have to memorize this huge table for the CCDA test. I should be able to calculate it. Learning one formula should be less work and more value than memorizing a 70 cell table, right? Unfortunately, the CCDA book is no help here. You can find a great writeup on calculating VOIP bandwidth in this book: Authorized Self-Study Guide, Cisco Voice over IP (CVoice), by Kevin Wallace, Copyright 2007, Cisco Press. Look on page 241. Study the text in Wallace's book leading up to the formula on page 241 and this will serve you well on the CCDA test.

The CCDA book has typos throughout the text. The book also comes with a CD with 200+ test simulation questions. I did not count up all the questions with typos but I'll bet around 10 percent of the questions have problems. For example, one question has no correct answer, although the explanatory text gives a narrative with the answers. Other multiple choice questions have the wrong letters but correct text for answers.

The CCDA test itself is just plain nasty. Some of the questions are opinion questions, so make sure your opinion matches that of Cisco - at least while you're sitting in front of a computer in the test room. Is this fair? No, but too bad. Cisco has the gold and makes the rules. At least one test question has a blatant typo, so watch out for that. Nearly all the questions are worded in such a way to confuse the test taker. Many questions force you to examine consequences of design choices, so memorizing facts is not good enough.

I can see a committee of Cisco engineers sitting around a table dreaming up confusing questions and laughing about it. It must be nice to have power - enjoy it while it lasts.

Bottom line - does this book prepare you for the CCDA test? It doesn't have everything you need but it certainly helps. It isn't perfect but may be the best prep tool available. I would not have passed without it. Go through the questions at the end of each chapter several times, until you can answer every single question in your sleep. Also install the CD and go through those questions several times. Know them cold.

One final piece of advice. Get mad. The Cisco guys are laughing at you. They want you to fail. If you want to pass this test, you must want to succeed more than they want you to fail. Get mad, bear down, and beat these guys.

I used this as my primary resource to prepare me for the CCDA exam. I went through this book probably 5 times over, knew answers to all the questions. I would say I could recall 90-95% of the information in this book fairly easily. I will also say that I've passed the CCNA, BCMSN, and ONT exams all on my first try before attempting this exam. I scored a 707 out of a 825 on the CCDA. I know I missed a few quesitons related to material from this book (2 directly related to calculating # of voice calls on a given amount of BW, codec, use of cRTP or not, L2 header. Figure how to calculate this before taking this exam, although note, this book doesn't actually show you how to do that, only gives you a table. That's not enough when the exam throws in L2 headers for instance), but I also know I missed many more for material that was not covered. I've since quickly browsed over the DESGN book from Diane Teare and looked through forums and it's becoming clear that this is the better book to study. The DESGN book does not come with the CD exam questions, and again there is material in this exam guide that was on the exam so it is helpful, just don't make it your primary source. The DESGN book appears to be a better primary source of studying.

So, with all that said, I'd recommend buying both and spending more time with the DESGN book, especially in the beginning. The exam guide is far more brief in their explanations and does not go into the detail you need to correctly understand and answer some of the questions on the exam. As the one reviewer said, Cisco wants you to fail. Wording is very tricky and you need to know the slightest of differences in answers to pass this exam. The DESGN book will give more of that detail you need.

Lastly, the CD in the exam guide book is very helpful but it does as others mentioned have errors. If you know the material though, you'll realize the errors are pretty obvious and although aggravating should not effect your learning. Also know that the CD questions are easy compared to the exam questions. You may want to also look for test exams out there as another final prep tool.

I don't know when I'll take this exam again. Hopefully within a few months. Whenever I do (and hopefully I'll pass next time), I'll update further and add a review on the DESGN book.

I am currently utilizing this book for a study group. Some members have Cisco experience. We are finding typos and errors in every chapter. The errors include incorrect answers to Q and A. For example Chapter 6 question 28. The answer key on page 597 is wrong. For a company that puts so much value in Certification Testing they need better writers and quality control.

First of all, the book is full of errors. I can tell right from Project1. No need to read further.

Second of all, the code is poorly written.
For example, on Project1, if you move your mouse over Update and Delete hyperlinks on the page that displays all the contacts, you would see the actual IDs that you created in your database at the bottom along with the pages that willt ake you to if you click the links . This will allow the hackers to target easily to your webpage and database. The author should get more professional skills before he decides to write a book. Waste of my money and time.

might be 4 stars if the proper code updates were placed on the website.

this book contains lots of errors. The author even don't care to upload the correct codes to his website.

I considered many books before choosing this one because it had an approach which fit the way that I learn.
I'll be reviewing some of the projects many times to understand the method behind the design of the projects.
Unfortunately, some of the projects were simply unfinished, or had problems that would prevent them from working correctly.
It's still worth it -- there's a lot here.

The projects are hosted on the internet at www.10ProjectsWithASP.net and they work well.
But you better make sure the book you buy has a CD in it because you cannot download the code online. That is extremely bogus in my case because I bought a used book at amazon marketplace and the seller said it was with a CD and that was a lie. smoky mtn books if you are curious who it was.
Otherwise the projects are really useful, real world projects.

Build a personal library of information using free web resources with the help of Tomaiuolo's The Web Library: Building A World Class Personal Library With Free Web Resources, edited by Barbara Quint. The Web Library is simply packed with web links and updates, as well as assessments of the pros and cons of given reference sites. Anyone can use no/low cost Web resources to build a comprehensive personal library of data, documents and images: The Web Library outlines keys to locating such gold mines and includes interviews with librarians and leading content providers alike.

I usually steer clear of web site directory books because they become obsolete very quickly. This book presents more than lists of sites. It contains some unusual and even provocative information concerning whether it is preferable to read in hardcopy or online; it also has interviews with people who create content at the freebie sites and this gave me a fresh perspective on the availability of free resources. The best thing is that isn't chock full of screenshots, it's full of information.

I spend a lot of hours searching the web for work. I bought a copy of this book and it kept disappearing off my desk--borrowed by co-workers. Now I keep it locked in my desk drawer--they'll have to buy their own copies! Well done, Nicholas and Barbara! Hope to see more of your books in print.

This book was a wonderful book which I was pleased to share with my co-workers, most of whom are all resourceful men and women who search the internet for work. As a businessman, I must say that this book was incredibly useful in my many projects and has brought my company's profit up by 3%.

I was lucky enough to be given this book as a gift, because my parents know that I often use the web to locate information for school projects. It has tons of useful websites and is well-organized. I definitely recommend it.

Great information, photos and instructions how to use the iPhone inside and more. Now that the new iPhone has come out this book may be outdated. But if you will still use the other older iPhone this is a great buy.

I read this after having my iphone for only a few days. In those few days I learned 95%+ of what was in the book. The book was okay - I was just expecting to learn some amazing things and that wasn't the case. Probably an okay book for someone who has no technical expertise.

This book is thorough, basic, elemental. Yes, there's a section about "jail breaking" you iPhone to be able use third party apps...that's what the author is about in much of his work. It would be good to have this book in hand and some of it read before one's new iPhone is broken out of the box. For example, his tips about conditioning the battery on the very first charge and after are very, very valuable. I bought the book "too late." Much of it covers material I had already come across with my phone's use. The book was more basic, for the most part, than I had hoped. Get it before you get the iPhone or shortly thereafter...that way, your needs will coincide much more closely with the author's presentation. It's a very good manual...if you need it.

I know all of the other reviews are glowing, but I was actully disappointed by this book. While it is very thorough, I found the structure of the book to be haphazard and unintuitive. There are a lot of occurances of "but first, lets go back a bit," a sure sign of poor writing. While trying to keep to the problem-design-solution framework, the authors often introduced ideas in the problem phase, but never clearly addressed them in the design and solution phase -- often vaguely tying it all together with a statement like "and we took care of this problem as well" without really referencing it.

There is a great deal of information in this book, but I found it very difficult to extract coherently. And saying "but its not for beginners" is no excuse for poor writing.

OK Guys,

I recognized that every review is always so clean (no spelling mistakes, no grammar errors). Sometimes I think the Team itself writes some of them to impress readers. ;-)

I can agree that this Book is not to bad, but if somebody says it's the best way to learn PHP then he's not completely right.
There is no way that you can see thro the whole php-code without having read a "PHP-only" book before.
I don't say that every little step has to be explained (the book would be 2000 and more pages big), but i couldn't find that this book is not made for beginners anywhere on the book-explanation page.

Nice book, but please when you are a beginner, try a more explaining book first. Then go and buy this one.

Thank you

This is the most rock solid computer science programming text that i have read in the last decade.Period.No one should miss out on this buy.

(This review is of the Wrox Press 2002 edition)
This book gives you a thorough course in building a PHP-MySQL website, working up a complete system in stages. The book contains lots of useful code and techniques that can be used in your own websites. As a previous reviewer said, it is not for complete beginners in PHP/MySQL, but in combination with a good fast intro to these topics (I used SAMS "Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache in 24 Hours"), I reckon this book should be all you need to get your cool interactive database-driven site out onto the web. And when I contacted the authors to find the download code (which is available from Apress now that Wrox no longer publish it), they were extremely helpful. So go on - the software cost you nothing after all: why not splash out a few pennies on this excellent book?

There is absolutely no PHP or My-Sql teaching in this book. If your looking to see how a professional group of programmers use functions and how they outline their sites then this book is for you. BUT if you're looking for a book to learn any PHP My-Sql programming, don't buy this book. But if you do buy it, buy it used... It's not worth the new book price.