Software Engineering: (Update) (8th Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)I used this book as the text in my software engineering class in the spring semester of 2008. When I was evaluating it for potential adoption, I did not read through it in detail, I looked over the chapter titles and subtitles, read the first few chapters and examined the exercises at the end of the first few chapters. As the semester progressed, I found myself wishing I had read further into the text.
As I moved through the chapters, I found myself mentally noting over and over again that topics are repeated. When the class was over, I asked the students their opinion of the book and they were unanimous, with no prompting from me, in saying that there is a great deal of repetition after the first chapters.
I have no complaint about the quality of exposition or the coverage of software engineering in this book. My reason for not continuing to use it in future classes is solely due to my belief that the size could have been reduced from the current 840 pages to around 600 pages with no real loss of content of flow.


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THE most current Software Engineering text in the market– quality trusted coverage, practical case studies, strong lecturer support.

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Professional Java Development with the Spring Framework Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is almost identical to the Spring developer's guide available on the web site. They follow the same chapters and format, and provide little new information, maybe some code. But once you start to get into Spring and use it, you'll want a reference that is more in depth. With this book, you'll find yourself struggling to find the details by browsing google and javadocs all day. Pro Spring is a better book that gives you more insight into how Spring works. My background is providing a services interface layer for a J2EE portal. I'm not developing the MVC so I didn't pay attention to those parts of the book.

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The Spring Framework is a major open source application development framework that makes Java/J2EE(TM) development easier and more productive. This book shows you not only what Spring can do but why, explaining its functionality and motivation to help you use all parts of the framework to develop successful applications.You will be guided through all the Spring features and see how they form a coherent whole. In turn, this will help you understand the rationale for Spring's approach, when to use Spring, and how to follow best practices. All this is illustrated with a complete sample application. When you finish the book, you will be well equipped to use Spring effectively in everything from simple Web applications to complex enterprise applications.What you will learn from this book* The core Inversion of Control container and the concept of Dependency Injection* Spring's Aspect Oriented Programming (AOP) framework and why AOP is important in J2EE development* How to use Spring's programmatic and declarative transaction management services effectively* Ways to access data using Spring's JDBC functionality, iBATIS SQL Maps, Hibernate, and other O/R mapping frameworks* Spring services for accessing and implementing EJBs* Spring's remoting frameworkWho this book is forThis book is for Java/J2EE architects and developers who want to gain a deeper knowledge of the Spring Framework and use it effectively.Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.

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Pro Silverlight 4 in C# Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is by far the best resource for Silverlight 4.0. In this version the author added a whopping 273 pages to the last edition. He added chapters on File Access and Out-of-Browser Applications. There is also a new section on commands..
I have bought 3 other books on Silverlight 4, and put together they only contain about 1/8 of the value of this book (you can see which ones they are by Googling ".NET Architecture and Development Book Recommendations 2010 End of Year" and checking out the Shiny Turds Books that do not Cut the Mustard section of the post).
One other Silverlight 4 book that is worth getting is Silverlight 4 in Action
It starts out with an introduction that covers the Visual Studio Silverlight environment. He then gives a short introduction to XAML. The introductions really help those who have no experience get rolling right away.
The author covers every out of the box element in detail (including the DataGrid control and a little on the DataForm control), and includes a nice reference for where the element can be found in the book. He also covers styles and templates, brushes and transforms, shapes and geometries, animation, and layout containers.
The book covers out-of-browser applications, assembly caching, networking, multithreading, isolated storage, browser integration, media and deep zoom, wcf services, the application model, file access, commands, and dependency properties and routed events.
One of the things I like best about the book is it includes a lot of references and material on the Silverlight Toolkit.
The book is very readable for those that like to read cover to cover, but it also makes a great reference.
The downloadable code is very usable and very complete.
This is a must have book for any developer working with Silverlight 4.0.

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Silverlight 4 is Microsoft's cross-browser technology for creating rich user experiences on the Web. Like its predecessor, Silverlight 3, it rides atop the .NET framework for maximum ease of use and coding efficiency. The new technology carries forward much of the work that has been done before and augments it in many important respects, including support for H.264 video, major improvements to the graphics engine (including true 3D rendering), and much richer data-binding options for interfacing with other applications.

Pro Silverlight 4 in C# is an invaluable reference for professional developers wanting to discover the features of Silverlight 4. Author Matthew MacDonald's expert advice guides you through creating rich media applications using Silverlight in the environment you're most productive in-no matter what the target platform.

As you learn about the features that put Silverlight in direct competition with Adobe Flash, such as rich support for 2D and 3D drawing, animations, and media playback, you'll experience the plumbing of .NET and the design model of WPF through Silverlight-all of the same .NET technology that developers use to design next-generation Windows applications. Matthew MacDonald provides a comprehensive tutorial written from professional developer to professional developer, complete with full-color graphics and screenshots.

What you'll learn
Develop rich media applications using Silverlight across browsers and platforms.
Create a project, set up a layout, and use controls.
Handle both 2D and 3D drawing, animation, and media playback through Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).
Integrate web services support.
Use Silverlight in conjunction with ASP.NET and its interactions with HTML.

Who this book is for
.NET developers encountering Silverlight for the first time. No prior knowledge of WPF or ASP.NET is assumed.

Table of Contents
Introducing Silverlight
XAML
Layout
Dependency Properties and Routed Events
Elements
The Application Model
Navigation
Shapes and Geometries
Brushes, Transforms, and Bitmaps
Animation
Sound, Video, and Deep Zoom
Styles and Behaviors
Templates and Custom Controls
Browser Integration
ASP.NET Web Services
Data Binding
Data Controls
File Access
Multithreading
Networking
Out-of-Browser Applications

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Object-Oriented Programming Review

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(More customer reviews)This book was my second OO book. I came from C, now, six years after, working all six with c++ ( object oriented mode, of course ) I remember it as the book from I really understand what an object is, what is object orientation, not only a new ADT flavour. After working with this book I started to thinking in objects, not functions.
It was my jump from structural programming to object oriented programming. Perhaps this is one of the best educational books I have ( and I have a lot of OO books )
First time I browsed it I discarded because I only want C++, I didn't want this "strange language" (Smalltalk) wasting book's space. But it force me to "object thinking" more than I suspected.
My next book was Grady Booch's OOAD, my two first foundation books about OO.

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The third book in the Coad/Yourdon series on object-oriented programming, thisvolume uses a series of four comprehensive examplesto help readers gradually and gently flip their system-building mind-setinto an object-oriented perspective — how to "object think" and program with the two leading object-oriented programing languages— Smalltalk and C++. Contains an OOPL primer,major examples, language summaries, OO patterns, and extensive sourcecode for the major examples. For programmers.

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IBM Rational Unified Process Reference and Certification Guide: Solution Designer (RUP) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was the only book I used to pass the IBM Certified Solution Developer exam. I did very well on it. (I did do a little research on the internet also.) Prior to reading this book, I had no practical experience with RUP other than knowing its theoretical construct.
The book covers all the areas that you need to know for the exam, although there were a couple of terms that weren't in this book at all. That really surprised me, since this is the official IBM Press book. And I read this book very carefully.
I haven't given this book a higher rating because of 1) its organization and 2) the way it is written. I would recommend reading the first couple of chapters and then the last chapters to understand how RUP works. Then move into the chapters on UMA and the other areas.
The writing often isn't very clear. You have to read everything several times to make sure you really understand what the authors are trying to say. Much of what they write is ambiguous, or at worst, nebulous. The chapters were either written by one of the two authors or co-written, and this results in a jumbled presentation. There are several typos, including in the sample tests, that might lead you to get some answers wrong.
However, if you want to be confident of passing the exam, read this book carefully. I felt the exam matched the level of difficulty of the sample tests in the book. However, in taking the actual exam, I began to wonder whether I had studied the right material at all. While taking the test, for quite a while I wondered whether I was being given the wrong test!


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The Only Official RUP® Certification Prep Guide and Compact RUP Reference The IBM® Rational Unified Process® has become the de facto industry-standard process for large-scale enterprise software development. The IBM Certified Solution Designer - IBM Rational Unified Process V7.0 certification provides a powerful way for solutions developers to demonstrate their proficiency with RUP. The first and only official RUP certification guide, this book fully reflects the latest versions of the Rational Unified Process and of the IBM RUP exam. Authored by two leading RUP implementers, it draws on extensive contributions and careful reviews by the IBM RUP process leader and RUP certification manager. This book covers every facet of RUP usage. It has been carefully organized to help you prepare for your exam quickly and efficiently--and to provide a handy, compact reference you can rely on for years to come. Coverage includes A full section on RUP exam preparation and a 52-question practice examCore RUP concepts, the new RUP process architecture, and key principles of business-driven developmentRUP's architecture-centric approach to iterative development: practical issues and scenariosPatterns for successful RUP project implementation–and "anti-patterns" to avoidThe Unified Method Architecture (UMA): basic content and process elementsRUP content disciplines, in depth: Business Modeling, Requirements, Analysis and Design, Implementation, Test, Deployment, Project Management, Change and Configuration Management, and Environment Essential RUP work products, roles, and tasksRUP phases, activities, and milestonesRUP tailoring and tools for your organization--including introductions to IBM Rational Method Composer (RMC) and MyRUP

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