Computer and Software Bookshelf at UGN

Book reviews of popular books about using computers gathered from user group leaders and members all around the world. You are encouraged to submit articles and reviews from your organization.

What's Hot?...

Even Faster Web Sites Steve Souders, web performance evangelist at Google and former Chief Performance Yahoo!, provides valuable techniques to help you optimize your site's performance -- another important title for web publishers
Beautiful Security Beautiful Security, edited by Andy Oram and John Viega, today's security experts describe bold and extraordinary methods used to secure computer systems in the face of ever-increasing threats.
Nikon D700 Guide Learn your new camera RIGHT! Mastering the Nikon D700 provides a wealth of information and professional insights for owners of this powerful new camera. Each chapter explores the features and capabilities of the D700 in detail
iMovie '09 & iDVD: The Missing Manual It's a real pain digging through Apple's help screens. You get a tidbit here, then go elsewhere for the next tidbit -- it's help obviously written by an engineer who doesn't actually use the programs. But the Missing Manual concept gives you both the tidbits, and essential task oriented, step by step tutorials that get you off and running in no time!
iWork '09: The Missing Manual This book quickly guides you through everything you need to know about the Pages word-processor, the Numbers spreadsheet, and the Keynote presentation program that Al Gore and Steve Jobs made famous. Unlike those guys, you've got real work to do -- and you can't rely on the help files. This is the manual you'll need.
Photoshop CS4 Photographer's Handbook Photoshop CS4 Photographer's Handbook a clear and effective workflow for editing photographs in Photoshop CS4 by Stephen Laskevitch, Luminous Works and Adobe Certified Instructor
Review: iWork 09 The Missing Manual User group editor Hartley Jackson reviews a new Missing Manual book -- iWork 09 The Missing Manual -- Hartley says: "Josh Clark has written this book to show us how to do what we want to do in iWork."
Master SQL Fundamentals Updated for the latest database management systems -- including MySQL 6.0, Oracle 11g, and Microsoft's SQL Server 2008 -- Beaulieu's guide will get you up and running with SQL quickly.
Your Book as Your Business Card What is 6" by 9," usually weighs roughly one pound, and is giving an increasing number of business leaders an advantage over the competition? A book. 'The book as a business card' has added a new and powerful tool for marketing
The Nikon D90 Companion Here's a full-on photography class that covers everything including technical matters and exposure theory, composition theory, and how to find images and expand your visual sense. However, unlike a regular photography class, this book is built specifically around the D90, which means every concept is written about in terms of the D90's controls and features.
The Droplet Song Deke McClelland Is Singing in the Droplets -- The Droplet Song--The Next Hilarious Music Video is now on dekePod - Deke is the author of over 80 books and a popular lecturer on Adobe Photoshop and the larger realm of computer graphics and design
Search Engine Optimization for Flash For years the major misconception is that Flash-based applications are SEO-unfriendly and can't be indexed by search engines. And that's the myth Flash expert Todd Perkins dispels in this highly anticipated new Adobe Developer Library book
The Google Way The Google Way - how one company is changing the way we think about business - Google is already a household name, and the verb *google* has become a part of the international lexicon. But how do they do it, and will they continue to succeed?
Get Yourself Connected Network Know-How is every computer user's guide to designing, mapping, and maintaining a trouble-free network. Author and veteran networking consultant John Ross takes readers through the nuts and bolts of networks
Build Web Sites Like a Pro Build Your Own Web Site The Right Way Using HTML & CSS widely regarded as the definitive beginner's guide to building web sites. This step-by-step guide takes you from scratch, through the basic tools, right on up to a fully functioning web site.
Nikon Creative Lighting Nothing can ruin a good photograph faster than a rude flash exposure. Flash photography has become an art in itself and should be mastered by all aspiring photographers. Nikon owners, and those with cameras that can use the Nikon lighting components should get this book, study it, and improve your photography 100%
Scanning Negatives and Slides Scanning Negatives and Slides you will learn how to achieve the best possible digital image from a negative or slide, and how to build a workflow to make this process efficient, repeatable, and reliable.
Performance Testing The Art of Application Performance Testing explains the complete life cycle of the testing process, and demonstrates best practices to help you plan, gain approval for, coordinate, and conduct performance tests on your applications.
Photographic Multishot Techniques Photographic Multishot Techniques -- the potential of high dynamic range imaging (HDRI). Now, the newest techniques based on a bracketed series of exposures make it possible to go beyond HDRI: photographers can increase resolution for ultra-sharp, detailed images, and they can extend the depth of field
Lean Software Development Lean software development can dramatically increase productivity and quality. Lean principles are being applied successfully to product design, engineering, the supply chain, and now software development.
Head First Web Design Want to know how to make your pages look beautiful, communicate your message effectively, guide visitors through your website with ease?
Creating a Web Site Think you need an army of skilled programmers to build a website? Think again. With this book, in the true tradition of Missing Manual books, you'll learn how to create Web pages using all of today's important tools...
Using Drupal When reviewing CMS systems for new blogs, and web sites, I made the mistake of trying out Drupal and Joomla. Both programs are miserably complicated -- to the point that clients didn't want to use them. Developers and programmers are scarce and expensive. If you plan on using Drupal, you're going to need help.
Coding4Fun Dan Fernandez and Bran Peek, help you tackle some cool software and hardware projects, using a range of free Microsoft software. You can code for fun with C#, VB, Lua, ASP.NET, WPF, XNA Game Studio, and Popfly... If you love to tinker but don't have time to figure it all out, this book is for you
Designing Gestural Interfaces Tap is the New Click -- An internationally known thought leader on design, Saffer covers kinesiology, sensors, ergonomics, physical computing, touchscreen technology, and new interface patterns--all you need to know
InDesign CS4 One-on-One The One-To-One series is the best in the market for learning any of Adobe's Creative Suite. Read the lesson. Watch the video. Do the exercises, and you'll learn Adobe InDesign CS4 from expert and Adobe guru Deke McClelland.
Cook some Adobe Air Buzz continues to build over the release of Adobe AIR 1.5. The first book available on Adobe AIR 1.5 is the Adobe AIR 1.5 Cookbook, providing solutions and practical examples from rich internet application developers. If you're getting into this arena, then you'll need a cookbook
Make a Splash on YouTube Probably the most popular web site since the introduction of Yahoo back in 1994... YouTube! Now an Insider's Guide will help you make a splash on YouTube --- YouTube veterans Alan Lastufka and Michael W. Dean will tell you how to get your video noticed by thousands.
How to Be a Geek Goddess What a great gift for the women in your life! (Or, for yourself!) Christina Tynan-Wood, the Geek Goddess herself, (of Geek Girlfriends fame) teaches you how how to use computers with smarts and style -- and how to be a Geek Goddess
Developing Facebook Platform Applications Facebook changed the internet landscape forever. More than 12,000 Facebook applications have been launched so far, with over 60 million captive users. Now you can develop your own application for Facebook using the explosively popular Rails framework.
Web Security Testing developers and testers can check for the most common web security issues, while conducting unit tests, regression tests, or exploratory tests. Unlike ad hoc security assessments, these recipes are repeatable, concise, and systematic-perfect for integrating into your regular test suite.
iPod: The Missing Manual Each time a new version of software comes out, thousands of in-the-know users immediately check for the missing manual for that product. They're great tools for learning the product right -- and considered essential!
Mastering the Nikon D300 Mastering the Nikon D300 brings you a wealth of information and insights for owners of this powerful new camera -- Darrell Young leads you on an exploration of the features and capabilities of the powerful new Nikon D300 camera
Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, spotlights only the critical tools you'll need most often in one compact reference -- Derrick Story teaches you how to quickly and efficiently organize and edit your photos without compromising the originals.
ActionScript 3.0 Quick Reference Guide ActionScript 3.0 Quick Reference Guide is designed specifically to help Flash designers and developers make the leap from ActionScript 2.0 to the new object-oriented ActionScript 3.0 quickly and painlessly
Programming ASP.NET 3.5 New ideas in web development are created all the time, and the speed with which they evolve into mature technologies is astounding. Here, Dan Hurwitz provide the key to creating state-of-the-art applications using this popular web development technology and Visual Studio 2008.
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS/1000D If you're thinking about investing in a new Canon Rebel camera, or you already own one, you'll definitely want to check out the latest books from O'Reilly's popular Companion series. Ben Long gives you a full-on photography class built specifically around the XS.
Enterprise Rails Architecting Rails Applications for Success Dan Chak introduces several time-tested software engineering principles to prepare you for the challenge of building a high-performance, scalable website with global reach
The Art of Capacity Planning this book is about is practical capacity planning and management that can take place in the real world. It's about using real tools, and being able to adapt to changing usage on a website that will (hopefully) grow over time
Photoshop Lightroom 2 Adventure This is one of the books that top our "BEST" list for anyone with a digital camera! In this beautifully illustrated and inspiring new book -- "Photoshop Lightroom 2 Adventure" -- award-winning photographer and best-selling author Mikkel Aaland gives you a hands-on, guided tour of Lightroom 2.0
A Sane Approach to Database Design Computers aren't hard to use. Bad software is hard to use. Many computer systems today are hard to use because they were built on top of poorly designed databases. -- Mark Johansen now reveals how to build a database that actually works
Mac OS X for Unix Geeks If you're a developer or system administrator lured to Mac OS X because of its Unix roots, you'll quickly discover that performing Unix tasks on a Mac is different than what you're accustomed to.
New Product Blueprinting Dan Adams says the only way to win in tough times is through organic growth. Companies must consistently come up with differentiated new products customers want to buy--and that means finding clarity in the "fuzzy front end" of the process.
Learn the Canon Digital Rebel Get to know the Digital Rebel XSi/450D and how it works -- this is a super reference for taking stunning pictures, creative tips, technical advice for capturing professional-looking images of people, landscapes, action shots, close-ups, night shots -- the ones that usually cause the most problems.
Master the Canon EOS 40D Learn to master this magnificent camera, and learn it the photographer's way; from the basics of exposure and metering to focus modes, live view, bracketing, continuous shooting, and flash photography.
Practical HDRI How to Capture the Beauty of Infrared Imagery - In image processing, computer graphics, and photography, high dynamic range imaging (HDRI) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of exposures (the range of values between light and dark areas) than normal digital imaging techniques.
Statistics? Who understands them? These days, it seems like everything is based on statistics. But statistics are hard to understand. "Statistics in a Nutshell" give you a firm grasp of the fundamentals of statistics. The book provides hands-on understanding of how to apply statistics. Each chapter presents you with easy-to-follow descriptions illustrated by graphics, formulas, and plenty of solved examples. Hopefully, once I read it, I'll understand why they say unemployment is so bad, when it's impossible to find anyone to hire.
Take Your Best Shot Take Your Best Shot - Digital Imaging Expert Tim Grey tackles your photography q uestions with clear, informed answers to the questions serious photographers ask most often
dekePod 101 Photoshop Tips in 5 Minutes -- Deke's wacky Photoshop tips-fest portends more good times ahead -- this instructive series of video podcasts promises to be uncensored, unregulated, and frankly unlike any other videos on the topics of computer graphics
Video Trailers Beat Book Reviews Doubleday is learning that video trailers are better advertising than most print media. They've launched a contest and a series of trailers for "Rules of Deception," the new espionage thriller by Christopher Reich
Fashioning Technology Even if you're not into making your own fashions, this ultra-cool look at the possibilities of mixing fashion garments with technology is fantastic browsing -- it's a new DIY (Do-It-Yourself) guide from O'Reilly Media and the creators of Craft magazine
Maker's Notebook for makers, crafters, backyard scientists, inventors, and engineers -- actually anyone with a creative bent -- the journal even comes with engineering graph paper packed between its sturdy electric blue cover
The Ultimate HTML Reference Do you code html? The Ultimate HTML Reference is a complete and up-to-date guide to HTML -- definitive resource covers all aspects of HTML and XHTML, including the upcoming HTML 5 specifications
Google Apps Sooner or later, you'll want to learn Google Apps, which includes a word processor, spreadsheet, and other office productivity programs, now poses serious competition to Microsoft Office's dominant position on business desktop applications
Learning Flex 3 offers an engagingly unique, hands-on approach that allows you to tinker with examples right away and create your own Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) with Flex
Painting the Web Not since Lynda Weinman arrived on the scene has there been such a comprehensive book on creating graphics for the web. Catch Users' Eyes and Keep Them on Your Site -- Painting the Web
Google Apps: The Missing Manual So as Google's reach spreds across the internet, their online apps include a word processor, spreadsheet, and other office productivity programs. But Google sucks when it comes to documentation. You'll need some help!
Leopard Security Mac OS X Leopard Security - a 429 page volume - offers detailed descriptions, step-by-step instructions, as well as command-line examples, and best-practices are presented for the home user or the enterprise security architect
Photoshop CS3 Accelerated Photoshop CS3 Accelerated - navigate Photoshop, whether you're a beginner or a pro - accelerate your photoshop skills with this practical, sophisticated guide
Audio Editing with Adobe Audition Raising the bar for audio editors -- many are turning to Adobe Audition for functions they can't do in any of the many other programs available.
Optimize Your Use of Logic Pro 8 Although Logic Pro 8 introduces many features which improve the program's accessibility and ease of use, it remains a powerful and complex piece of software. Fortunately, you've got Logic Pro 8 Tips and Tricks --
Surviving the Economic Downturn The financial news of the past few weeks has left many a business owner panicked -- but David Giannett says you can actually use the economic downturn to create a better organization.
Taking Your iPod touch to the Max Taking Your iPod touch to the Max provides a thorough and enjoyable introduction to the iPod touch, covering all the best, and undocumented tricks and shows readers exactly how to use and enjoy Apple's latest iPod.
Download Mac Cult Books... No Starch Press Turns Table on File Sharing Posts torrent versions of best-selling tech books with 11,000 combined downloads in first week
Digital Photography digital photography from the ground up - a comprehensive course in the principles & techniques of modern photography
Digital Photography Companion the practical photography advice you can take anywhere - information that shows you how to take control over your digital camera today to improve your photography skills, boost your picture-taking and image-editing knowledge, and, ultimately, shoot better images that truly reflect your creative spirit.
David Pogue: Switching to the Mac If you wanted to switch from Windows to Mac, this is the guide to help you make a smooth transition - David Pogue gets you past the challenges of switching: transferring your stuff, assembling Mac programs so you can do what you did with Windows, and learning your way around Mac OS X
Facebook: The Missing Manual Facebook: The Missing Manual -- Finally! A Missing Manual to Help You Navigate the World's Most Popular Social Networking Site
iPhoto '08: The Missing Manual David Pogue and Derrick Story Inside Apple iPhoto 08: The Missing Manual find everything you need to know to start using this popular digital photography software
Adobe InDesign CS3 Nothing comes closer to a personal coach than Deke McClelland. In this impressive book, Deke works with you to learn the most important skills in Adobe's InDesign software. Get Deke to train you One-on-One
Ready, Fire, Aim: Michael Masterson's Much-Anticipated New Book, Ready, Fire, Aim, Is Released Nationwide and Offers Nine Powerful Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Should Stop Procrastinating and Start Selling!
Advanced Rails Advanced Rails shows experienced Rails developers how they can build large applications such as these, providing key information that previously they would have to glean for themselves by scouring dozens of developers' blogs
Take Your Photography to the Next Level Written for the photographer who strives to achieve a higher level of results in their work this book tackles some of the rarely discussed, yet essential, aspects of successful photography.
Visualizing Data With all the data we've collected, we still don't have many satisfactory answers. This book shows how to make use of data as a resource that might otherwise never be used - a variety of basic visualization principles - how to understand data: how to get from a sea of numbers to meaningful information.
The Creative Digital Darkroom Katrin Eismann Teaches Photographers How to Sculpt with Light and Listen to Their Images - new tutorial provides digital photographers with much more than the quick tips and gimmicky effects of many of today's books
The Nikon D80 Dbook The Nikon D80 Dbook is the ideal companion for anyone who wants to get the most from their Nikon camera -- includes 620 PDF pages with the fundamentals on all aspects of the digital image creation process: digital photography basics, taking pictures, image optimization, lenses and more
Photoshop CS3 RAW "RAW data is the holy grail of digital photography," says Mikkel Aaland -- his latest edition focuses on the important features of Adobe Photoshop CS3, including Camera Raw's new retouching tools
Ready. Set. ActionScript 3.0. Turn your programming dreams into a virtual reality with Learning ActionScript 3.0 from O'Reilly
Capture the Cosmos The challenge of astrophotography may appear daunting. But spectacular results are not only possible; they are easy to learn with the step-by-step approach of this new book
Web Design for ROI What if you could change one button on your site and increase sales or leads by 10% – 50%? Making small, simple design changes to a web site can significantly increase profit margins according to a new book, Web Design for ROI
Leopard Pocket Guide Mac OS X Leopard Pocket Guide fills this need. This timely new resource by Mac expert Chuck Toporek comes packed with more than 300 tips and techniques. It covers all the details you need to learn Leopard's new features
iPod: The Missing Manual Bopping around the iPod. Learn everything from turning an iPod off and on to charging an iPod without a computer.
iMovie '08 & iDVD, Mac OS X Leopard David Pogue has authored two exciting new titles which are sure to bring smiles to the faces of Apple aficionados everywhere -- iMovie '08 & iDVD, Leopard -- New Missing Manuals... just in time for the holiday season!
What is "HDRI" and why you need it High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) is cutting-edge imaging technology which digitally captures and edits all light in a scene. It represents a quantum leap in imaging technology -- and the final step that places digital ahead of analog. The HDRI Handbook now lets you take advantage of this technology.
Linux Firewalls Linux Firewalls shows how to use iptables and Netfilter to detect and prevent network-based attacks -- in today's security nightmare, a secure firewall is essential
Making Things Talk Tom Igoe bestows the power of communication upon your favorite tech creations -- guidelines for electronic verbosity
Photoshop Lightroom Adventure Field testing in Iceland turned out to be a stroke of brilliance," enthuses George Jardine, pro photo evangelist for Adobe Systems, about Mikkel Aaland's new book, Photoshop Lightroom Adventure
Security Power Tools Security Power Tools - reveal how to use, tweak, and push the most popular network security applications
Marshall McLuhan ... Everyman's McLuhan Everyman's McLuhan is McLuhan's career; his words are accompanied by colorful and innovative illustrations that apply McLuhan's and Gordon's ideas to the realities of 21st century technology and media.
Adobe Photoshop CS3 One-on-One Pioneering computer graphics author Deke McClelland updates his bestselling hands-on tutorial for "Adobe Photoshop CS3" -- Read the Lessons. Watch the Video. Do the Exercises.
Dynamic Learning: Flash CS3 Professional For webmasters and web crafters, this new Flash CS3 Lesson Book Includes DVD with Video Tutorials, filling the training gap for Adobe's less-famous CS product
Designing Web Navigation A cool site with lots of interactivity and user participation will still be lousy if the navigation doesn't work -- Designing Web Navigation details basic design principles, development techniques, and practical advice for creating optimal navigation systems
Webbots, Spiders, and Screen Scrapers Did you think the web is pages only? This guide to writing webbots, spiders, and screen scrapers shows you how to harness the Web using automated agents with PHP/CURL

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