Operating System Concepts, 6th Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This popular book was written as an introductory course to operating systems but systematically provides an extensive description of operating system concepts. The 1st half of the book is typically used for undergraduate computer science classes although the book as a whole is often required for graduate level classes.
It is assumed that readers will have some knowledge of high-level languages and general computer organization. The book does not spotlight any one particular operating system but rather presents concepts and algorithms that are common to many of the Oss that are commonly used today, including MS-DOS, Windows 2000 & NT, Linux, Sun Microsystems' Solaris 2, IBM OS/2, Apple Macintosh, and DEC VMS.
The book has 7 major parts:
1) Overview: What Operating Systems are, what they do, how they are designed, and where they came from. General history and explanations. Some discussion on hardware.
2) Process Management: How information is processed. Methods for process scheduling, interprocess communication, process synchronization, deadlock handling, and threads.
3) Storage Management: How main memory functions and executes. The mechanisms for storage of and access to data is covered. The classic internal algorithms and structures of storage management is discussed and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
4) I/0 Systems: The types of devices that attach to a computer. How the devices are accessed and controlled. Performance issues and examined thoroughly.
5) Distributed systems: The collection of processors that do not share a clock or memory. How distributed file systems are shared, synchronized, communicate, and deal with deadlocks.
6) Protection and Security: How mechanisms ensure that only certain processes that have obtained proper authorization can use certain files, memory segments, CPU, etc.
7) Case Studies: This is where individual real operating systems are discussed in depth. These systems are Linux, Windows 2000, FreeBSD, Mach, and Nachos.

Of course this is a very general list and omits many other aspects of Operating Systems that are included in the book. This 887 page book does not include formal proofs but it does contain (though it would be better to have more) figures, diagrams, examples, and notes to help explain concepts.

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Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Silberschatz: Operating Systems Concepts, Sixth Edition, continues to provide a solid theoretical foundation for understanding operating systems. The Sixth Edition offers improved conceptual coverage and added content to bridge the gap between concepts and actual implementations. Threads has been added to this latest edition and includes coverage of Pthreads and Java threads. All code examples have been rewritten and are now in C. Increased coverage of small footprint operating systems such as PalmOS and real-time operating system, as well as a new chapter on Windows 2000, have been added.Market: Computer Scientists; Programmers.

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Distributed Operating Systems & Algorithms Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is probably useful only at the University of Florida, since it follows the course lectures exactly - and that, because the first author is the instructor.
The book reads like a series of lecture notes, nothing more, nothing less. Several ideas that a student of operating systems may need to take note of, when making the transition from single-machine systems to multi-machine, are listed here. You can think of this book as a listing of a few basic ideas, with small expansions of each - as in a slideshow presentation. The merit of the book ends there.
The topics covered - in other words, the expansions of the listed ideas - are treated in a confused, sketchy manner. The material is insubstantial and hardly thought provoking. Motivation is absent, and pedagogical methods seem a distant concept. There is a near-total isolation of concepts and practice, and reading the book gives the feeling of being isolated in a dreamy sphere that belongs only to the author.
One could go on about such demerits, but to summarize, you don't need to buy this book unless it's required for your class. It's a slideshow in hardcover format.

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This book integrates the theory and practice of distributed operating systems and algorithms. It combines coverage of distributed operating systems and distributed algorithms, allowing instructors to cover the algorithms involved in distributed operating systems with optional depth as desired and motivate the study of distributed algorithms by showing how they are applied in operating systems. Currently all books treat these as separate topics. This text includes coverage of parallel systems, distributed systems, real-time systems, computer networks and algorithms for asynchronous distributed systems, and uses examples from many commercial and experimental operating systems. Included in the book are a number of programming projects.

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Programming Windows with MFC, Second Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)If I were a practising MFC programmer at the junior or intermediate level, I'd definitely want to have this book as a reference. It is one of the most complete MFC books around, and I like the author's approach of starting off with MFC basics and wrapper classes before moving onto application framework stuff and wizards. This is one of the few books that tells you what's behind some of those macros like DECLARE_DYNCREATE and tells you where to look for it in the source code of MFC itself.
However, if you are new to Visual C++ or have never heard of MFC, this is not the book I would recommend. I would suggest picking up Ivor Horton's Beginning Visual C++ 6 instead. Real beginners need a book that tells them how to use the IDE, debug programs, and use the wizards. So what if after reading it, all that wizard generated code becomes a blur to you. That's what Prosise and other more advanced books are for.
I'm an experienced C++ developer and I had read two MFC books (Beginning Visual C++ 6, MFC Programming by Alan Feuer) and Petzold 5th ed before reading Prosise and I still found it a little difficult reading, mostly because it starts off kind of slow (as someone else mentioned too). The chapter I found most difficult was the one on OLE clipboard/drag & drop.
I really recommend reading Petzold 5th ed before reading this or any other intermediate/advanced MFC book. Petzold is more of a beginner's book for Win32 SDK-style GUI programming.

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A definitive book for developers who want to understand and profit from the advances inherent in C++ and the Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) library, this book explores the basics and, for the first time, gives authoritative coverage of OLE and ActiveX.

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Windows XP: Command Line Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is easy to follow. It will help you get a feel for MS DOS, it is for the true beginner of DOS. It is not for the seasoned DOS expert, cause it is too simple. I was a true beginner at DOS, used this book for an independent "command line" class at college. Do not let the colorless text fool you.
While not "pretty" like other books, it has some good knowledge to be had. I had much success with it.
This book has one huge drawback - As you go thru the exercises, altering files, moving files to other directories, and so forth, each chapter depends on what you did in the previous one. If you mess up bad enough and do not have a backup of your work, you will get into a mess. You HAVE to go thru this book in sequence for things to work right. Take all instructions and warnings serious.
Be careful with what you learn tho, and heed the authors warnings, cause thru DOS, it is easy to wipe out tons of files on any drive with a few simple keystrokes. You will "know enough to get into trouble" with certain things.
NEVER experiment with DELETE commands (DEL) while on your hard drive if you are not sure what you are doing.

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Mac OS X Lion on Demand (2nd Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Easy reading and it can even be exciting. when you start implimentingw changes you will be happy to have this book

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Need answers quickly? Mac OS X Lion on Demand provides those answers in a visual step-by-step format. We show you exactly what to do through lots of full color illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions.

Inside the Book
• Find and preview everything you need with Spotlight
• Master the Mac OS X Lion user interface and file management
• Use the App Store and full-screen apps for maximum efficiency
• Explore the Internet with Safari and send e-mail with Mail
• Manage and play digital music with iTunes and iPod or iPhone
• Chat online instantly with iChat and FaceTime
• Manage and share your schedule with iCal
• Send files wirelessly to anyone around you with AirDrop
• Keep your files backed up with Time Machine
• Automatically save document changes as you work with Auto Save
• Use multi-touch gestures and keyboard shortcuts to save time
• Customize and fine-tune Mac OS X Lion
• Use Microsoft Windows along with Lion

Bonus Online Content
Register your book at queondemand.com to gain access to:
• Workshops and related files
• Keyboard shortcuts

Visit the author site: perspection.com

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Mac OS X Lion Bible Review

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(More customer reviews)MacOS Lion is significantly different from previous OS X versions. In many ways it's not as intuitive. I still miss "Save As" . An experienced writer and Macintosh expert - Galen takes the complexity out of OS. I found it a great reference for relatively simple issues - such as importing Fonts into Mac OS using Font Book - it's a great resource to have at hand - I just wish the publisher had a more sensible pricing policy for the digital editions !

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A comprehensive guide to all aspects of Mac's newest operating system, OS X Lion
The latest Mac operating system takes full advantage of the latest multi-touch trackpads, the new App Store for the desktop, and a host of upgrades that incorporate some of the best elements of the iPad experience. This book covers every new feature as well as all the basic Mac information for every level of expertise. Beginners will learn all about Mac OS X Lion and how to use it, while more advanced users can delve into tips, tricks, and higher-end professional information.
Looks at Mac OS X Lion, the latest version of the Mac operating system, and its features that bring Mac power together with iPad convenience
Offers comprehensive coverage of all the new features in depth, including multi-touch trackpad gestures, the App Store for Mac, Mission Control, and more
Includes basic coverage to give beginners a thorough understanding of the Mac OS, plus advanced information for those who want professional tips, tricks, guidance, and much more
Written by a recognized Apple expert and frequent contributor to Macworld

Mac OS X Lion Bible gives beginners a sound foundation in the new Mac operating system and provides experienced users with the information to take their skills to the next level.

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