The Complete Guide to Sharpening

Customer Reviews:

Sharpening Reference.......2007-05-13

This is an excellent book that delves into the foundational knowledge that supports the techniques it illustrates for sharpening tools. I was fascinated by the exploration in the topics when bringing the techniques into practice sharpening my chisels and plane blades. It addresses many different types of tools and is a great reference for learning and continuing to learn how to sharpen tools, especially as they apply to woodworking.

Excellent sharpening manual.......2007-05-12

I've been using tools most of my life but never knew how to sharpen or the importance of it. This book will teach you everything there is to know about sharpening and it's easy to read. Very informative and highly recommended.

Best overall sharpening book on the market.......2007-04-11

Covers all the basics of sharpening tools in depth and detail. Starts with the basic concepts of sharpening steel - then goes into a very detailed coverage of the different types of abrasives ( diamond hones / wet stones / oil stones / natural stones / etc ) with their advantages & disadvantages.

Finishes with thorough techniques for sharpening the various types of tools 1 by 1 - including jigs.

As far as one book that covers everything - this one has about everything you can ask for. There are probably soem specialty sharpening books that could expand on one topic but this one covers most that's out there.

The only thing lacking was scary sharp sandpaper method which wasn't covered much in the book. I use sandpaper primarily b/c it's inexpensive - but having read this book - I no longer question what to use for sharpening handtools - what grits to use - or - why?

Excellent Reference.......2007-02-05

This is the book to buy if you want to know the in's and out's of sharpening just about anything. I am truly glad I picked this book up before I tried sharpening some of my tools around the house.

Sharpening Complete.......2007-01-16

This is by far the best text on the subject that I have seen. It takes a scientific approach to the subject, starting with methods to identify the compsition of the steel, and identifying those methods of sharpening one should not use as well as those best suited to the material. I have sent this book to a number of friends who I consider to be experts, and they have been universally impressed.

Optimizing Linux(R) Performance: A Hands-On Guide to Linux(R) Performance Tools (HP Professional Series)

Average customer rating:

Raising the Usability for (GNU) Linux(R) Performance Tools
Could have just used man iostat/sar/vmsat/ps
Well done, but could have done more
Misleading title
Solid book

Optimizing Linux(R) Performance: A Hands-On Guide to Linux(R) Performance Tools (HP Professional Series)
Phillip G. Ezolt
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall PTR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Operating Systems | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

Performance Tuning for Linux(R) Servers
Linux(R) Debugging and Performance Tuning: Tips and Techniques (Prentice Hall Open Source Software Development Series)
Understanding the Linux Kernel
Building Clustered Linux Systems (HP Professional Series)
Self-Service Linux(R): Mastering the Art of Problem Determination (Bruce Perens' Open Source Series)

ASIN: 0131486829

Customer Reviews:

Raising the Usability for (GNU) Linux(R) Performance Tools.......2006-06-21

[Review: long]

First about the title:

The title should have been just "A Hands-On Guide to Linux(R) Performance Tools".
That would have been less missleading and most readers could have appreciated the debugging scenarios
at the end of the book more.

O.K now about the book itself:

I am currently a system administrator in a medium sized company (ca. 200 employees)
I am using different flavours of Linux since 5+ years (Debian, Mandrake, Suse, Redhat etc). Every now and
then I found several man pages sometimes hard to comprehend. Most man pages do describe available
options on their own but - unfortunately - they fail to deliver the big picture, including f.e. practical
samples of how to use those options in real life scenarios and how to evaluate (read) the output given
to the screen (or a file).

This is exactly where Ezolt comes in with the "Hands-on Guide" and ease the pain in a fantastic way.
Whats makes this book so indispensible is that it describes the below list of tools in a way
that demystifies many of the command line options and the screen clutter.
The book immediately became my best friend.

The book is with 350p quite compact (keep in mind the many tools described below) and that allows you
to take it with you onsite, while not being to heavy.
To really maximise the usage of the book I suggest to use little post-it like notes, so that you can
refer to them, when you are onsite and forgot the one or the other trick.
My post-it notes loose regularly the writing from the many tear (usage). ;-)

Note that many of the tools below are described 2 times or more within the book, depending on their
usage f.e. as CPU or Memory based investigation tool.

The book is somehow different from what I expected, but keep in mind that one book can seldom tackle
all issues and I believe Ezolt has striked a very good balance here.

Ezolt is describing many scenarios that probably most system admin came accross, but didnt know yet how to handle them.
Ezolt now gave them the tools to finally put them to good use in a wide area.

I give Ezolt both thumbs up alone for the fact that it is the first book out there that tackled that man page issue quite nicely
and "translated" those man pages including the refering command line interfaces in a for me readable format.

Well done !!

List of (mostly command line) tools described in the book (39):

For CPU + based troubleshooting (13):
vmstat
top
procinfo
gsm
mpstat
sar
oprofile
time
strace
ltrace
ps
ld.so
gprof

For Memory based troubleshooting (8):
free
slabtop
memprof
valgrind
kcachegrind
ipcs
iostat
lsof

For Network based troubleshooting (8):
miitool
ethtool
ifconfig
ip
gkrellm
iptraf
netstat
etherape

Utility tools (10):

bash
tee
script
watch
gnumeric
ldd
objdump
(f)grep
gdb
gcc

Could have just used man iostat/sar/vmsat/ps.......2006-06-16

Let me start off by saying that this book is not really bad. It doesnt really give any wrong information, it is organized in fairly nice fashion, and for beginners its probably a great place to start. The title is a little misleading though. It doesnt really give a bit of advice on how to optimize Linux performance. It is merely a beginners language version of the man page for tools.

I was expecting something that would explain how to resolve thrashing or cpu usage issues, not simply give me a rundown on the tools that can find those situations. I found the cause, now what? This book doesnt help answer that question at all.

Well done, but could have done more.......2005-07-29

I liked the attention to detail throughout this book, but felt it could have gone much farther. The case studies were excellent, but at the same time disappointing because they concentrated on code bugs/problems rather than optimization of the system itself.

In spite of that, this is still valuable, I particularly liked that the output of tools was mostly fully explained: too many books ignore that detail and leave you wondering what certain column headings mean.

I didn't like that the shell examples were run on different machines with the prompt set to the machine name - this was confusing as often I momentarily thought the prompt was a command being run.

Misleading title.......2005-07-27

This book is good if you want to find bottlenecks in your system. If you are interested in finding a good book which helps you tweak your system for better performance (eg. web server performance tweaks vs. database server tweaks) keep looking. I think the title "Optimizing Linux Performance" is misleading.

Otherwise, if you are interested in learning how to analyze data from tools like vmstat, sar, or top, then it is worth the purchase.

Solid book.......2005-07-26

This is a great book for isolating and resolving performance problems on a single host. I wish the author would have spent less time on graphical tools, and more on multi-system/inter-system performance tuning.

Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Using Woodworking Tools (Complete Illustrated Guide)

Average customer rating:

OKish book
Another Excellent Publication By Lonnie Bird
Beautifull book, lack substance.
Excellent Woodworker's Tool
Starting Out Right

Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Using Woodworking Tools (Complete Illustrated Guide)
Lonnie Bird
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Furniture | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Hand Tools | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Power Tools | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Working with Wood (Complete Illustrated Guide)
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Joinery
Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing (Complete Illustrated Guide)
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shaping Wood (Complete Illustrated Guide)

ASIN: 1561585971
Release Date: 2004-09-18

Book Description

The author of The Shaper Book, The Band Saw Book, and The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shaping Wood, Lonnie Bird now brings us Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Using Woodworking Tools. Here the reader is given a step-by-step guide that covers the essential techniques for using hand and power tools. Along with over 900 color photographs and illustrations, a correct set-up, safe use of machines, and skillful use of hand tools is also included.

Customer Reviews:

OKish book.......2007-08-05

This is a good book. However, Lonnie Bird writes not as clear as Gary Rogowski, Andy Ray or especially Kelly Mehler. This is also applied to his "Band saw" book.
There is no clear analysis of cons and pros of different tools. Use of the tools does not contain alternative approaches too. He really thinks that only high end equipment is useful.

Another Excellent Publication By Lonnie Bird.......2007-03-16

Publications by Lonnie Bird are always excellent and informative to woodworkers, and this one achieves the same high level. I am enjoying reading Illustrated Guide to Using Woodworking Tools and looking forward to more time in the workshop with this publication.

Beautifull book, lack substance........2007-01-12

Overall this book is very well illustrated, it contains information on some tools and put an emphasis on hand tools.

The book is basically a catalog of the different tools and the basic techniques to use them.

I was expecting to at least have some discussions on how to set them up, and care for them. I was also hoping to find more detail discussion on how to chose a power tool (other than you can find some great bargain on used items).
There is a small section on sharpening but I guess you need to buy the book dedicated to the subject to go anywhere.

Excellent Woodworker's Tool.......2006-02-27

A basic guide that covers just about all you need to know on the subject.Taunton is always the source to use for the best in anything to do with carpentry and home repair.

Starting Out Right.......2005-01-01

It's not like me to wax poetic over a an introductory how-to book, but Lonnie Bird's tome on Using Woodworking Tools really is one of the finest effots I've ever seen. Taunton continues to set the bar with their 'complete illustrated' guides, but this one is exceptional for even that series.

The book offers 15 chapters divides into parts - 1) Wood and the Shop, 2) Outfitting the Shop, 3) Benches, Clamps, and Assembly, 4) Hand Tools, and 5) Power Tools. Each chapter lays in the basics and then goes on to provide a good deal of insight into the less obvious things one can accomplish with a given tool or process. The end result is a book that works at a beginners level, but retains its worth well into advanced woodworking.

Excellent illustration and layout are the standard here. I have a long standing gripe with books that use good looking models posing around brand new equipment, usually in the wrong position to do what they are attempting without losing a finger. One look at these photos, and you know you are in someone's shop. Not a new shop, but one that has come together over time, with an owner who values good tools new or used.

The text is thoughtful, straightforward, and well-written. In fact the only flaw in Using Woodworking Tools is that it is a bit more costly than many introductory books. But it has far more lasting value than most of its competition. I would rate this a best buy for the both introductory and shop reference use.

Average customer rating:

Best Quality tools book for recommended readings in training
As useful as it gets
A choice of a variety tools for quality
A book for the real world of problem solving !

Quality Toolbox
Nancy R. Tague
Manufacturer: ASQ Quality Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Hand Tools | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

Root Cause Analysis: Simplified Tools and Techniques, Second Edition
The Certified Quality Engineer Handbook, Second Edition
The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook: A Quick Reference Guide to 100 Tools for Improving Quality and Speed
Process Mapping, Process Improvement and Process Management
Juran's Quality Handbook

ASIN: 0873896394

Customer Reviews:

Best Quality tools book for recommended readings in training.......2006-10-29

This is one of the best books I have ever reviewed. It is so easy to know the quality tools but understanding the tools is the key to effective implementation. The book provides a comprehensive review of all the tools in the quality profession with indexed case studies and applications. I use the quality tools while training Meirc participants on Total quality, six sigma, simplification of work processes and procedures in Dubai seminars and it is certainly has gained our participants lots of benefits on applying these tools. I would highly recommend this book for all quality professionals in the quality management and training.

As useful as it gets.......2006-05-28

This is just about the most relevant and useful quality book I have come across. It provides a comprehensive library of tools to use to solve different kinds of problems. Many of the tools covered in this book are covered elsewhere, but in this case the author has a knack for guiding the reader through a set-by-step process in a way that it was very easy for me to instantly apply the tools to my job.

I also welcomed the fact that the book covers the overall history of the different quality methodologies. This is important because there are many choices to be made when it comes to choosing a quality methodology, so knowing where a tool came from helps you determine whether it applies to your particular problem.

If your job relates to quality, this is money well spent.

A choice of a variety tools for quality.......2005-07-26

In updating this book, Tague has added more than 30 tools and several variations. This book gives easy to follow step by step instructions for the tools to be used. Second edition uses icons with each tool description which makes easy to identify the tool and the applications for the reader.

A book for the real world of problem solving !.......1999-05-06

This book is for the people that want to solve quality problems. For those of you that want to know the theory and never do anything with it but teach, would not want to read this book (no big words or long formulas). For the rest of us that are in the real world and need some structure to resolve quality problems (in the real world) GET THIS BOOK! It is a cookbook of how to USE these tools and when to use them. Best front line quality tool source I have ever seen (and I have 4 book shelves full of them).

Hands-On Guide to Video Blogging and Podcasting: Emerging Media Tools for Business Communication (Hands-On Guide Series)

Average customer rating:

Essential for Video Blogging and Podcasting
Best Guide to Podcasting I have read yet
The nitty gritty
The book I've been waiting for...

Hands-On Guide to Video Blogging and Podcasting: Emerging Media Tools for Business Communication (Hands-On Guide Series)
Lionel Felix , and Damien Stolarz
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

Secrets of Videoblogging (Secrets of...)
Podcast Solutions: The Complete Guide to Podcasting (Solutions)
Videoblogging
Promoting Your Podcast: The Ultimate Guide to Building an Audience of Raving Fans
Tricks of the Podcasting Masters

ASIN: 0240808312

Book Description

For all of your video and audio blogging business and professional communication needs, this book is it!

The Hands-on Guide to Video Blogging and Podcasting provides tremendous value to those content publishers, big and small, that want to create syndicated video blog and podcast content. The simplified, plain talking break-down the authors bring to the book will give everyone the tools to plan, create, and execute a blog/podcast outlet.

This book explains these emerging media tools from a professional perspective. Quickly learn the technical aspects of video blogging and podcasting along with their business and financial ramifications.

*Step-by-step instructions to quickly launch a Podcast or video blog
*The basics of multimedia use in blogging and the most relevant text-blog technologies
*Podcast and video blog technology uses in business/corporate, education, customer communication, and entertainment contexts
*Concise, understandable breakdowns of all relevant videoblogging and Podcasting buzzwords, acronyms, and related multimedia technologies
*Coverage of tools, production techniques, new technologies, multimedia blog basics, monetization, and licensing
*Case studies that analyze successful for-profit and not-for-profit podcasts and video blogs

Customer Reviews:

Essential for Video Blogging and Podcasting.......2006-07-25

If you want to get into Video Blogging and Podcasting this is the best book on the market today. Covers every aspect in detail while still making it all seem easy.

Best Guide to Podcasting I have read yet.......2006-07-19

I work for Loyola Marymount University. We recently decided to make all lectures available via Podcasts. I went searching for books on the subject in order to find a solution for the school. This book was by far the best book on the subject. It even gave us some ideas for video blogging that we hadn't previously considered. Without the precise and coherent coverage given to Podcasting in this book I doubt we would have a solution even half as good. Thanks to the authors for their great book. It has been invaluable.

The nitty gritty.......2006-07-18

This hands-on guide is great for nailing down the nitty gritty of podcasting. Sure, there's nothing to it; you can make a podcast in a night. But then, once it's launched, there are SO many things to consider and so many ways to expand it. This is what makes casting a blast!

His nitty gritty on bandwidth, pricing plans, and especially the case studies of existing vidcasts and podcasts helped me a lot with refining my New Civilization Podcast.

Good stuff!

Zack

The book I've been waiting for..........2006-06-02

Being new to podcasting I'm have kind of a thirst for everything I can learn on the topic. I want to know history, technique, equipment, promotion, etc. I even wanted to know what all the hype about Adam Curry was. This book is a smart, intelligently written guide to the "podosphere" and "blogosphere". It's the perfect guide to help you get started, running, and maintain your podcast or videoblog.

This book was key in helping me launch my Global Mobile Online podcast. (Search "global mobile online" on iTunes).

Thanks guys, can't wait for revision 2!

Fred

Learning Design with Alias StudioTools: A Hands-on Guide to Modeling and Visualization in 3D (Official Alias Training Guide)

Average customer rating:

Not bad, but still have space to improve
Alias StudioTools 13

Learning Design with Alias StudioTools: A Hands-on Guide to Modeling and Visualization in 3D (Official Alias Training Guide)
Alias Learning Tools
Manufacturer: Sybex
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

How To Design Cars Like a Pro
Start Your Engines: Surface Vehicle Sketches & Renderings from the Drawthrough Collection
Design Secrets: Products 2: 50 Real-Life Product Design Projects Uncovered (Design Secrets)
American Car Design Now: Inside the Studios of America's Top 15 Car Designers
Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design

ASIN: 1897177143

Book Description

Learning Design with Alias StudioTools is your hands-on guide to modeling and visualization in 3D. Learn to communicate ideas quickly, accurately and efficiently with software tools that set the standard for outstanding design for transportation and consumer products.

Learning Design with Alias StudioTools will teach you to build the most efficient designs quickly and effectively. Learn to master the world's most powerful computer aided design software through easy to follow hands-on exercises. Working with consumer and transportation projects, you'll discover the powerful tools at your disposal and learn how to translate your concepts to the screen. You'll understand the power of working in 3D for rapid ideation and collaboration. Make changes simply and quickly with a click of your mouse.Take your design from the concept stage to the final render, ready for presentation. The book explores eight unique projects based on the designs of Fridolin Beisert, Instructor at the Art Center College of Design and Features a gallery of images by students and faculty.

We've even included a 90-day trial of Alias DesignStudio & Alias ImageStudio to help you further develop your skills!

With this book you will:
* Get to know the Alias StudioTools interface
* Model with primitives
* Work with curves
* Learn to trim and fillet
* Learn to create surface edges
* Understand texturing, shading & lighting
* Work with Industrial & Transportation Design Projects
* Explore animation with your Designs
* Troubleshoot y our work
* Build a mobile phone, car, tires, rims, & more...

What you need to use this book
* Alias DesignStudio 13, Studio 13, or AutoStudio 13, or Studio Personal Learning Edition 13
* DVD-ROM drive

Bonus Features
* 90-day trial of Alias DesignStudio & Alas ImageStudio
* Instructor-led movies
* Support files

Recommended Prerequisites:
* Alias StudioTools Beginner's Guide

Related Products:
* StudioTools Techniques/Product Design
* StudioTools Techniques/Packaging Design
* StudioTools Techniques/Art to Part

Customer Reviews:

Not bad, but still have space to improve.......2007-01-07

This book demo few examples to help reader to learn how to create a complete model from modeling to final render. I don't like this kind of teaching style. Hopefully. there will be some learning kit with complete learning process.
sincerely Yours.
Roger Ma

Alias StudioTools 13.......2006-11-05

A basic guide complete and clear. I expected to have more infos about the advanced features of the program and some further details about automotive models.

Making & Mastering Wood Planes: Revised Edition

Average customer rating:

Making & Mastering Wood Planes: Revised Edition
David Finck
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Hand Tools | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Making Traditional Wooden Planes
The Handplane Book
The Impractical Cabinetmaker
A Cabinetmaker's Notebook (Woodworker's Library (Fresno, Calif.).)
The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking

ASIN: 140272022X

Book Description

The classic guide by master woodworker David Finck is back and better than ever, with all-new color photography. It's the best book ever on this popular tool-and it features a foreword by the celebrated woodworker James Krenov.

"Serves as an elegant framework for teaching many of the fundamentals of fine woodworking."--Woodshop News

Small and extremely comfortable to use, wooden hand planes bring machined surfaces to an alluring, silky smoothness-but they can't be bought anywhere. Fortunately, this meticulously complete, photo-packed guide is like two volumes in one, teaching you how to make a classic plane yourself (it takes only a day or so) and how to use it in a refined manner. One of the most respected woodworkers around digs deeply into the art of crafting and working with this personalized tool, helping even the most uninitiated with dozens of detailed boxed sidebars on the basics. Every step in the construction process receives extremely close attention: preparing the plane blank, bandsaw pointers, drift angle, tension, tuning and using hand tools, sharpening with ease speed, and reliability, cross pin location, and gluing up. Handle the plane well to get a good stroke going; and take a look at invaluable planning aids and special techniques. There's no other manual on the market to match this woodworking masterpiece.

Hand-off Communication: Practical Strategies And Tools for JCAHO Compliance

Average customer rating:

Hand-off Communication: Practical Strategies And Tools for JCAHO Compliance
Kurt A. Patton
Manufacturer: HCPro, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Family & General Practice | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 157839788X

Product Description

In Hand-Off Communication: Practical Strategies and Tools for JCAHO Compliance, author Kurt Patton former Executive Director of Accreditation Services for The Joint Commission addresses common communication challenges you face with the kind of guidance only a former Joint Commission accreditation specialist can provide. Filled with practical strategies, case studies and tools, this useful guide and companion CD-ROM provide everything you need to understand how to comply with The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goal #2E. Hand-Off Communication: Practical Strategies and Tools for JCAHO Compliance explains The Joint Commission s requirements and offers clear advice for compliance. The book explores many of the problems and challenges you face during the hand-off process, developing a policy and implementing it, and identifies the resources you ll need to meet the surveyor scrutiny. Through FAQs, case studies, and helpful tools, Hand-Off Communication: Practical Strategies and Tools for JCAHO Compliance provides a comprehensive resource for hand-off methods and strategies. From cutting-edge methodologies like SBAR (situation-background-analysis-response) to time-saving tips using techniques already employed, this timely how-to book offers a variety of compliance guidance for any size organization on this critical National Patient Safety Goal.

BlackBerry Hacks: Tips & Tools for Your Mobile Office (Hacks)

Average customer rating:

Good intermediate guide
Nearly useless except for the lazy.
Not for the power user
Great book of ideas for enhancing your Blackberry's usefulness
Productivity Booster + some fun

BlackBerry Hacks: Tips & Tools for Your Mobile Office (Hacks)
Dave Mabe
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Handheld & Mobile Devices | Hardware | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Peripherals | Hardware | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Website Architecture & Usability | Web Development | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Professional BlackBerry
BlackBerry For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
BlackBerry Made Simple for Full Keyboard BlackBerries
Mobile Guide to BlackBerry
How to Do Everything with Your BlackBerry, Second Edition (How to Do Everything)

ASIN: 0596101155

Book Description

The BlackBerry has become an invaluable tool for those of us who need to stay connected and in the loop. But most people take advantage of only a few features that this marvelous communications device offers. What if you could do much more with your BlackBerry than just web surfing and email?

BlackBerry Hacks will enhance your mobile computing with great tips and tricks. You'll learn that the BlackBerry is capable of things you never thought possible, and you'll learn how to make it an even better email and web workhorse:

Get the most out of the built-in applications
Take control of email with filters, searches, and more
Rev up your mobile gaming--whether you're an arcade addict or poker pro
Browse the web, chat over IM, and keep up with news and weblogs
Work with office documents, spell check your messages, and send faxes
Become more secure, lock down your BlackBerry and stash secure information somewhere safe
Manage and monitor the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) and Mobile Data System (MDS)
Create web sites that look great on a BlackBerry
Develop and deploy BlackBerry applications

Whether you need to schedule a meeting from a trade show floor, confirm your child's next play date at the park, or just find the show times and secure movie tickets while at dinner, this book helps you use the remarkable BlackBerry to stay in touch and in-the-know--no matter where you are or where you go.

Customer Reviews:

Good intermediate guide.......2007-06-25

A lot of the first hacks of the book might seem old-hat to a Blackberry 101 graduate. But as the book progresses it gets deeper into the BB's relationship with the servers, but not in an overly-complex way. It seems designed toward folks who have already read the manual and want a little bit more, but aren't quite ready to become systems engineers.

Toward the end it describes, again in simple language, how to download the development environment from RIM, and actually start building simple applications, starting with a simple stock quote Java program, with source, that can then be used as a beginning example for further development. In just a few pages a programmer can start with the sample, build an app, and prepare it for both OTA and desktop installation. It is at about the same level as the first K&R C chapter where we were taught how to write "hello world", compile and link, and run our first program. I always do best when they give me and example rather than trying to explain in english how to do it. And Mabes makes that really simple.

If you want to do more than just use the Blackberry, and want some tips on little known tricks, and want to actually write code for the blackberries, without having to read all of "Professional Blackberry" and ALL of the RIM literature, this is a good place to start.

Mike Jalkut, Embedded Systems Compiler Developer

Nearly useless except for the lazy........2007-03-07

I read some of the warning reviews but as they were directed at power users I thought they didn't apply to me. Wrong! Having bought a Blackberry Pearl and wanting something to bring me up to speed on the Blackberry operating system with some nifty tricks, I was sorely disappointed. There are no real hacks in this book. It is mostly a long compilation of 3 party software available on the web in many cases out of date. Most of the tricks shown are so obvious that I had already figured them out such as how to hide an Icon. How to make your own autotext entries etc. Skip this book unless you want a very bland overview of what you can do with your blackberry. Don't expect any inner secrets to the os to be revealed to you.

Not for the power user.......2006-12-28

Had I read the intro section about what is considered a "hack" for the purposes of this book (in a series of similar ones), I may have had second thoughts about purchasing it. Doesn't take much to qualify as one, apparently. As a result, the book is really a very nicely made operations manual, repeating lots of already documented BB functions with a few of not-so-well-known tricks thrown in. For the power user, I saw only a couple of things I hadn't known about before. Super for the beginner, good for the everyday user, nothing new for the power user.

Great book of ideas for enhancing your Blackberry's usefulness.......2006-11-23

Everyone from the end user to the BlackBerry administrator to the developer will find conveniences in the BlackBerry that don't exist on other platforms. In this book, you'll find clever uses for some of these enhancements and new tricks for using some features that have been there from the beginning. This book can be read from cover to cover, but each hack stands on its own, so jumping around shouldn't hinder your comprehension. If there's a prerequisite you need to know about, a cross-reference will guide you to the right hack.

Chapter 1 uncovers some of the tricks you may not have known your device was capable of. New users will be happy to know what's just below the surface: a clipboard [Hack #2], multitasking [Hack #6], and wireless calendaring [Hack #4]. The hackers in the crowd might like to display the signal strength in decibels instead of bars [Hack #17], use your computer as a wireless headset [Hack #16], or get mobile Internet access on your computer [Hack #9].

Rather than building an organizer and then retrofitting email support onto it, Research In Motion (RIM) designed the BlackBerry for email from the beginning and only then added support for other features. Highly secure, push based email is what has made the BlackBerry so popular in the business world. Every effort was made to allow users to efficiently process the mountain of email messages they receive daily. Email is great, but it can quickly become a burden. There are a number of hidden features of the BlackBerry you can use to your advantage. You can clear a bunch of messages at once [Hack #22], filter your messages [Hack #24], and make your email doubly secure [Hack #28].

Although the BlackBerry is optimized for the suit-and-tie business crowd, newcomers are pleasantly surprised at the graphics capabilities of the device. Currently, Magmic Games has a big lead in the BlackBerry gaming market, which is the subject of chapter 3. There are even some games that you can play against online opponents. While Magmic pushes the limit of BlackBerry games, there are plenty of free games you can download and install over the air in seconds. You could even use the device simulator [Hack #93] to play the games.

With the advent of the Mobile Data Service and TCP/IP on the BlackBerry [Hack #37], an entire world of Internet services became accessible on the BlackBerry. Some of the best applications in existence are accessed by using some type of client software (perhaps just a browser), but the real power comes with its integration with a central service where users and data meet in interesting and exciting ways. Very few client-only software packages carry the same importance as one that integrates well with a web service. With your BlackBerry, you can track your to-do list [Hack #47], corral your bookmarks [Hack #46], and even use instant messaging [Hack #44].

Chapter 5 is about free software. If you tried out every commercial program that interested you, you'd be nickeled and dimed to death. Luckily there are custom applications that come free of charge--if you know where to look. Because RIM chose J2ME as their platform for the BlackBerry, the device is seen as a viable operating system by the millions of Java developers worldwide. This chapter includes a small subset of the free applications available for the BlackBerry. You can view the night sky [Hack #55], go shopping [Hack #58], and even put your device through the paces in a stress test [Hack #54] to see how it stacks up. As the BlackBerry third-party application explosion continues, the number of free programs available for the device will continue to grow.

In places where the BlackBerry comes up a little short, there are a growing number of third-party developers ready to fill the void. Chapter 6 showcases the entrepreneurial spirit of the BlackBerry application developer. Most of these providers are small businesses that have found a nice niche with the BlackBerry. RIM's loyal customer base makes a nice, motivated target audience for third-party applications. If you've got a need, there's a good chance there is a BlackBerry application that can fill it. Chapter 6 highlights some useful third-party programs to get you started: a real-time stock quote program [Hack #70], a program to modify Office documents [Hack #68], an alternate web browser [Hack #66], and an alternate email program [Hack #67].

It's fairly easy to get a BlackBerry Enterprise Server off the ground. However, as many a BlackBerry administrator will tell you, it is a difficult and time-consuming chore to keep the service running smoothly. For the most part, it is no fault of RIM's--there are many tools provided that continue to go unused in many BlackBerry shops. There are more than a few tips and tricks to keep the BlackBerry server and your users happy. The motivated BlackBerry administrator will find several gems in chapter 7 from simply adding several users in one fell swoop [Hack #72] to implementing security [Hack #73]. There are several hacks you can use to send yourself proactive alerts when problems arise.

One of the most significant innovations in RIM's short history is the addition of the BlackBerry Browser to the operating system. In combination with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server's Mobile Data Service (MDS), this instantly unlocks entire intranets along with mountains of rich corporate data. Unfortunately though, corporate networks are full of lazily coded FrontPage web sites that were designed for ancient versions of Internet Explorer viewed with large monitors. To make those sites viewable on the BlackBerry, some sites will require minor tweaks [Hack #88]. For others, it might be easier to start from scratch. For especially time-sensitive data, you can push that data [Hack #90] to your users' BlackBerry devices.

The final chapter is about application development. There are applications for getting real-time stock quotes [Hack #70] as well as spellchecking [Hack #65]. If you speak a little Java, you can write your own application to communicate with web servers [Hack #94]. Best of all, there are no license fees to get started--in fact, you don't even need to own a BlackBerry device [Hack #93]. RIM provides free access to the BlackBerry JDE, a development kit that includes an IDE, or integrated development environment. The other nice feature of the BlackBerry platform is there are a variety of ways [Hack #97] for your users to install your program over the air wherever they happen to be.

Productivity Booster + some fun.......2006-11-17

I thought I knew a lot about BlackBerries... I design software for them and use my 8700, 7100T and BlackBerry Pearl all day and part of the night. I learned more from BlackBerry Hacks in the first 30 minutes than in months of combing through forums. The ticks I picked up save me time every day and makes it more fun to use my growing collection of BlackBerries.
Marc
Ascendo

David Charlesworth's Furniture-Making Techniques: A Guide to Hand Tools and Methods

Average customer rating:

A good book, but not as good as the first two
Another Outstanding Treatise from David Charlesworth

David Charlesworth's Furniture-Making Techniques: A Guide to Hand Tools and Methods
David Charlesworth
Manufacturer: Guild of Master Craftsman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Furniture | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Complete Dovetail: Handmade Furniture's Signature Joint
Chairmaking & Design
Hand Tool Essentials: Refine Your Power Tool Projects With Hand Tool Techniques (Popular Woodworking)
Making & Mastering Wood Planes: Revised Edition
The Handplane Book

ASIN: 1861084331

Book Description

Woodworkers don’t live by power tools alone! With a focus on traditional and modern hand tools, acclaimed craftsman David Charlesworth presents an indispensable guide for all levels and abilities. Lively writing and more than 300 photographs show how to select and use equipment such as chisels, planes and peen hammers to make high-quality furniture. Covering everything from plans for making a spokeshave adjustor to age-old dovetailing techniques and ways to keep tools in top shape, this is the ideal workshop accessory. There’s also instruction on finishing techniques, and lots of inspiration and encouragement.

Customer Reviews:

A good book, but not as good as the first two.......2007-07-12

I am a big fan of David's and I must confess that I was a little disappointed in this book. I also own the first two, and the material there seems much more common and useful. This book includes material such as making a metal plane from a kit. The company that offered the kit is no longer in business, so the material is somewhat less relevant. There is an article on making a spokeshave adjuster for the Boggs shave. In my opinion, this is a solution looking for a problem. A small tap with a hammer like with any wood plane is a simple adjuster for the spokeshave. I just didn't find much of the material useful overall.

I guess I would much rather see more material on furniture techniques such as drawer fitting, veneering, dovetailing, and hardware fitting. But I guess this would be a different titled book!

Another Outstanding Treatise from David Charlesworth.......2007-01-20

I eagerly anticipated the arrival of David Charlesworth's third volume, and was not disappointed. It is, in my opinion, even better that his first two excellent books on the "art" of fine woodworking. He explains in clearly understandable detail the use of "cutting edge" (no pun intended), state- of-the-art tools by Lie-Nielsen. David's books are a necessity in any workshop intent on exhibiting fine workmanship in its products. As an avid woodworker, I look forward to future volumes from David Charlesworth. I have Charlesworth DVD's which are instrumental in maintaining, sharpening and properly using Lie-Nielsen planes. No shop should be without these "learning tools". Keep up the great work, David.

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