Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Not Heavy on the Tech, but Informative
This is a book where you get exactly what you think it'd be based on the title. It goes into the stock filters included in modern versions of PhotoShop (CS) their variants and adjustments. Similar tools exist in filters vended by third party sellers so this book is extensible more or less to other than stock filters.

The value of this book is in its examples of how to use the rather large array of filters to enhance your work. Although I've been using PhotoShop for years now, I rarely bother with filters (aside from the common ones like Unsharp Mask) because I wasn't interested in turning my photos into a weird freak show. This book demonstrates how one may use these filters to truly enhance the photos rather than distort them in an effort to make startling an otherwise indifferent photo.

A good example of how this book can assist your productivity is the Diffuse Glow filter. This is one I never even bothered with before but I plan on experimenting with it for both landscapes and portraits - all from seeing the examples and settings of how it was used for the making of this book.

My only quibble is that the filters' tech isn't explained which may help the reader in getting more from these filters. Frex, it gives an explanation of the High Pass filter but no mention of what is passed or not passed by this filter. What is 'high' and 'low' in a photograph? What is passed or not passed then? Yes the examples show images of before and after but not the why. I would have liked some more 'why' and 'how', but that's me.

The bottom line is that in learning more about a few filters, I feel sure that I have gotten more than my money's worth from this book.

This is a great book!
While this book is not really thick like some Photoshop books are. That doesn't mean it lacks anything when it comes to the filter menu. Mr Pring has not only managed to cover every filter but give us the lowdown on them too.

He explains the basics of each filter. When he is done with the summary of a filter, he moves on to the next section for that filter, which is called "How It Works".

In "How It Works" Mr Pring takes an image and applies the filter at different settings. There could be anywhere from three to 28 different images per filter. What is really impressive about this section is that he supplies us with the settings that were applied to every image to achieve each of those effects. Thank you Mr Pring!

The next section is called "Using the filter", and of course this is my favorite part for each filter. Here Mr Pring has provided us with a MINI tutorial for each filter. Notice I said MINI. Don't expect a tutorial that will walk you though how to make a movie poster from start to finish or you will be sorely disappointed. The tutorials are only about applying a filter to your image. Period. However, they are very detailed for what they are meant for.

Some filters do not have a Using the Filter section. That's because the How it Works section will also be your tutorial. For example, the Extract and Liquify filters will fall in this category. Don't worry though he still gives you a lot of information to help you understand how they work. The Liquify filter has 28 examples explaining how they were achieved.

One of the things that I really like about this book is the layout. They have kept the filters in their proper groups with the same layout as Photoshop. This makes it extremely easy to find the information you seek in not only the contents, but the index area as well. The chapters are created around each filter group. Artistic, Blur, and so on.

Well, all that is left is my finishing thoughts about this book.

I know I have a lot of readers who are Corey Barker junkies like me. We can't wait for him to upload that weekly tutorial at Planet Photoshop. So what is the one major thing you notice about Corey?That he is a filter freak? DING! DING! DING! You just hit the nail on the head. What does he always tell us all the time? Get in there, play and experiment with those filters! He has ended up with a certain look more then once by experimenting. Well, this is the book you want to help you play around with those filters. Furthermore, this book was written based on the Photoshop CS2 Filters Menu.I went though the book and the filter menu in Photoshop CS3, which is the version that I own. It appears that no changes have been made from one version to the next in the filter menu. The only change that has been made that I am aware of in CS4 is the removal of the extract filter. (Thanks AJ). So with that said. Even though this book was written four years ago, it is still up to date and can hold its own with Photoshop CS3 & 4 too. This and all the goodies contained within it have earned it a place on my desk right between Katarina Eismann Restoration and Matt Kloskowski Layers book. This book will not be hitting my bookshelf anytime soon...

A Must Have For Every Photoshop User
For anyone who uses Photoshop in graphic design and or to correct or edit their precious photos, this book is a must have in your library of reference materials. It takes the mystery out of all those scary, misused, underused and never used filters in Photoshop by clearly showing and explaining how to use them and when to use them. This is one fantastic book.

One of a great series
The O'Reilly Studio put their thinking caps on for all ages and levels of expertise at Photoshop. The step by stepinstructions with options made this, as well as all their other Cookbooks, a delight to learn from and practice with, in an easy-to-understand format. I would love to see them come out with CD's for their books included.

So You Want to Learn About Photoshop's Filters
To be frank, I bought this book because to get free shipping, I had to add one more book to my order of "Photoshop Cosmetic Surgery, by Barry Huggins. It was one of many that I could have chosen for this purpose, but I chose it because it appeared that it could illuminate in detail an area of Photoshop that I was interested in exploring in greater depth than I had previously been able to do. In general, I am satisfied with my choice, although there were some areas where I would have liked greater detail and explanation. This book is not for a newbie to Photoshop. It assumes a reasonable degree of familiarity with the program, and simply proceeds, without fanfare, to describe how to use the many filters and their settings. I recommend this book for a reasonably competent Photoshop user who wants to continue to increase his/her mastery over this wonderful and hugely flexible program. ... Read more

Product Description
Embedded Systems: Desktop Integration explores designing embedded systems and monitoring and controlling them from desktop systems. Through the step-by-step development of an embedded thermostat, readers learn how to implement three different hardware interfaces: RS-232, USB, and Ethernet. Several different components are used to provide the reader with alternative hardware solutions.

Additionally, three different types of microcontrollers are used to implement the intelligence in the thermostat: the BASIC Stamp, the dsPIC, and the Cypress PSoC. Monitor and control software is developed for Windows, Linux, and the BSD operating Systems. Several cross-platform tools are explored including wxWindows, Borland Delphi and Kylix, and C++BuilderX, and there is even a section on how to make your own printed circuit boards. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Book For Advertisements
This is a great book to get use to terminology.
Its great for learning serial communications I2C Communications.
The processes of which.
And it is also a great book from a hardware standpoint.

But for the applications end of the spectrum.
Falls short of complete.Unless you have the money for programs
basically advertised in this book.

A really great book would be titled.
[...]What else do you need?"

And it would be complete with working programs.Not left thinking... "man I need another 1000 or so bucks to do what I need"

It would be good for a reference in your collection.

embedded desktop integration
I am using the case study and guidelines in this book to engineer my own small system interface as a demo to employers AND as demo to potential clients for new product prototype implementation(just getting started on my own business). I find this book to be of excellent value in what the author provides.I would recommend it to anybody who is engineeringPC to embedded microcontroller based interfaces.

Great Book for Comparing PC to Embedded Systems Communications
I recently purchased this book for a project at work. I am a project manager for a large appliance manufacturer and needed to make a decision on which method of communications would be used between a new appliance and personal computer. This book helped me not only assess the best method of communications but also aided in chossing PC development tools and which operating systems to support. This book not only educated me in choosing the right tools to support multiple OS platforms but also in how to compare serial, USB, and ethernet communications. If you need to develop for multiple operating systems or want to understand and compare different methods of PC communications I would highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
A handy guide for using cost, productivity and profit to setprices that work. Pricing methods include by the hour, by the page,and by the job. Desktop publishing examples show the reader how togenerate production time standards and budgeted hourly rates for flatrate pricing. Lists typical times to perform job functions. Includescost and break-even analysis, maximum profit formulas, creativepricing strategies, subtle ways to raise price, countering cutthroatcompetition, estimating, bidding and negotiating techniques. Tables,sample forms, and charts. Free software offer in book.

The new and revised Pricing Guide for Desktop Services,contains more how-to tips, tricks, strategies and rules of thumb thatcan double or triple your business within a year. Based on great ideasfrom our own customers, we've expanded the original material toinclude production time standards, step-by-step budgeted hourly rates,rebate and coupon strategies, maximum income potential, and muchmore. We also added more examples, charts and figures. This 382-page,perfect bound book is packed with proven ideas for making pricing workfor you. ... Read more

Product Description

Sams Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML and CSS in One Hour a Day is a new edition of the best-selling book that started the whole HTML/web publishing phenomenon. The entire book has been revised and refined to reflect current web publishing practices and technologies. It includes extensive coverage of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), which have become a staple in web development.

You'll have no problem learning from expert author Laura Lemay's clear and approachable writing style. Simple, step-by-step instructions with lots of practical, interesting examples of web pages will guide you as you master current web publishing technologies and practices.

Customer Reviews (9)

Very Explanatory - a bit too much
If you want to spend hours reading about html, this is the book for you. To be fair, I used a free online tutorial ([...]) to teach myself html and CSS and it worked well for me because it teaches you everything you need to know and takes you through the lessons quickly with no extra fluff. I definitely won't say that this book isn't useful, but it isn't easy to read and it takes much longer to understand the concepts than it should. Plus it mixes in CSS near the beginning without explaining it.
It does split everything into lessons, which makes for a more orderly learning experience. Overall, only buy this book if you need it for a class.

Could be misleading
I remember Lemay's earlier books, and that she's a good writer.I was ready to pick this one up, but early on, when the authors write about DOCTYPE, they say "you don't really need it" - if you leave it out you'llbe OK.

That's asbad as saying "just leave out HEAD and BODY, it'll work anyway".

It might work, but you really need to specify DOCTYPE if you're going to build websites.

A big error like that makes me wonder how much the've left out or skimmed over in the rest of the book.

I'd call this a "Getting Started" book - one to get your feet wet.But you'll need to go on to other, better books if you really want to do HTML & CSS.

Not a bad book
I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book right now, and I am pleased with it so far. I'm pretty familiar with computers and the Internet already, but the authors include enough information for beginniers to get a good grasp on the terminology early on.

The book breaks down the material into 21 lessons, implying that each one should take one hour per day. A word of warning: you'll probably need more than an hour unless you're a really quick study. The early lessons are pretty basic and go by quickly, but by lessons 5 & 6 the terminology starts coming fast. The authors offer several suggestions for HTML editors to use while reading the book, and I highly recommend downloading one (I use the free HTML-Kit, and it works quite well).

I do have a few complaints. The authors seem to spend a lot of time covering "deprecated" HTML tags, which are considered outdated in favor of CSS. They say that it these tags are good ot know if you find them in older websites, but for someone like me who is new to HTML, including the old tags with the new is a bit confusing, and I frequently have to check the appendix to make sure that the tag I'm using is not obsolete. CSS has not been covered extensively yet (it looks like lesson 9 will do that), but it looks pretty different from HTML. If a new edition of this book is made, the authors need to ditch the outdated HTML and include the CSS right from the beginning.

My other complaint is that, for a book on HTML, the examples aren't that well edited. I just finished lesson 7 and was having a difficult time adding color to my pages until I realized that the author(s) had accidentally used a comma instead of a semicolon. That tiny mistake made a huge difference, and it's not the only tiny mistake they made.

Good beginner text for learning HTML and CSS
I purchased this book for a college course I am taking titled "Web Design and Development".The instructor chose the the textbook but it is well written and has numerous examples of good web site and page design.Gets into some of the more advanced features of creating web pages using XHTML and CSS.I would recommend this book for a beginning web programmer or administrator.

This is great until lesson 9
and then the bottom falls out.This book is fantastic as far as a beginner or review course for html and basic CSS.However . . . the chapter on CSS layouts and positioning (lesson 9) leaves ALOT to be desired.I became completely lost when I reached this chapter.I don't know which one of the authors handled this lesson but I'm hoping they'll fix it for future editions.They assume that the audience knows more than they should about class and IDs without ever providing adequate examples.The examples that are provided seem to skip steps.Still a good book but if you're new to CSS layouts and positioning like me, you're better off googling a CSS tutorial for beginners. ... Read more

Product Description
Created especially for non-designers, DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR DESKTOP PUBLISHING provides easy-to-understand explanations of design principles as well as real examples of those principles in use. Through its unique combination of the didactic and the practical, this text helps desktop publishers make smart design choices and implement them using the tools available in popular software packages.Packed with illustrative examples, the book includes numerous classroom exercises for hands-on experimentation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

If you only buy one book on desktop publishing, this is it.
Don't judge THIS book by its cover.The cover designer managed to violate several of the carefully-explained rules author Lichty elaborates in this lucid text.The discussions of fonts, typography and page layout are clear to beginners and professionals alike, and written and illustrated with considerable wit.Profusely illustrated with both good and bad examples, this slim text ends each chapter with a bibliography to help the reader who needs more detailed information.Minor quibbles:the author's use of high-end Aldus Pagemaker and Quark XPress for exercises slights the users of lower-priced desktop publishing software; some examples using Microsoft Publisher would be welcome.And the author inexplicably omits all of Edward Tufte's seminal books on visual communications from his bibliographies.But if you can only buy one book on desktop publishing, this is the one to have. ... Read more

Product Description

Whether you are a FileMaker developer who is new to web publishing, a web developer who is new to FileMaker, or a complete beginner looking to put your data online, this book is for you.

In Part I, you learn the basics of how web publishing works and how to write your own HTML and PHP. In Part II, you learn how to build a FileMaker database and install and configure the FileMaker Server to host the database. In Part III, you learn how to put it all together to create web pages that talk to your database and allow people to view the data and, if you like, modify it. Throughout the book, publishing a FileMaker Product Catalog to the web is used as an example. Each chapter builds on the previous chapter. When you are done, you will have a working website!

Detailed information on how to…

• Master web publishing
• Read and write basic HTML
• Read and write basic PHP
• Build a FileMaker database
• Install and configure FileMaker Server
• Publish your FileMaker data to the web
• Work with portals and container fields
• Repurpose your FileMaker layouts on the web

Introduction 1
Part I: Basics of Web Publishing
Chapter 1: How Web Publishing Works 7
Chapter 2: Introduction to HTML 17
Chapter 3: Introduction to PHP 31
Part II: Laying the Groundwork
Chapter 4: Building a Simple FileMaker File 49
Chapter 5: Configuring the Server(s) 67
Part III: Publishing FileMaker Data on the Web
Chapter 6: Viewing FileMaker Data 91
Chapter 7: Altering FileMaker Data 115
Chapter 8: Working with Related Data (Portals) 137
Chapter 9: Working with Images 167
Chapter 10: Repurposing a FileMaker Layout on the Web 189
Part IV: More Information
Appendix A: Performance Tuning 213
Appendix B: Security Concerns 217
Appendix C: Error Handling and Prevention 225
Appendix D: FileMaker PHP API Reference 231
Index 239

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent Introduction to PHP and FileMaker
Jonathan Stark does an excellent job of explaining web publishing with php and FileMaker.This is the only book on web publishing with php that I've encountered that takes a complete novice from 0-60 in under 300 pages.It starts at the basics with html, php and FileMaker without making assumptions about the reader's skill level.

Additionally, Stark does an excellent job laying a foundation of basic php knowledge. He explains the code line by line in a manner that is not only easy to understand but makes it possible for the reader to grasp the concept. After reading the book I was able to create an application using methods not directly covered in his book.

Furthermore, the author is also incredibly accessible.On two occasions I contacted Mr. Stark with problems I was having with the code (my error on both occasions) and he replied to my inquiries within 24 hours. An accessible author instills a very high level of confidence in their knowledge level.

Overall, I consider this a must read for any FileMaker developer who needs to learn how to get their data on the web.I also highly recommend this book to any non-FileMaker developer that needs a solid introduction to php.Of the three books I own that tout being introductions to php development this is the only one that truly delivers on its promise and at a much better value than the other books.My only question is when will Mr. Stark deliver a"Beyond the Basics" version?

Stark Raving Good
I needed a book to get myself jump started using Filemaker's API for PHP when I found Jonathan Starks book.Jonathan brings you through the process from configuration of Filemaker Server to the creation of small Product/Inventory database.The examples are very informative and Jonathan explains the code so its understandable to both the newbie and the more experienced developer.Sample files are available on Jonathans website.Jonathan uses the "Template" method for PHP coding and I found it to be a great way to do development.I highly recommend this book.It will get you off to a great start and give you the basics to get started creating some great sites.

Excellent intro to the PHP API for Filemaker
A great introduction to working with Filemaker and PHP for publishing dynamic web pages.Written by brilliant developer extraordinaire Jonathan Stark, this book will break down the basics and give you everything you need to get started quickly.

His method of breaking down code into manageable chunks with inline comments really helps you wrap your head around what would otherwise look like daunting pages of PHP code.

Experienced developers may skip the first few sections about basic Filemaker and HTML and dig right into the heart of the PHP API for filemaker.Good stuff!

Conciso y bien explicado
Un muy buen libro. Muy diferente al estilo de los libros de "* for dummies", utilizando ejemplos concisos y bien explicados para darse a entender.
El libro es un excelente prefacio a PHP, y Filemaker desde cero, y llega hasta la configuración de servidores, que pareciera ser un proceso exclusivamente administrativo.

PHP and FileMaker Integration -a fast and enjoyable journey!
Over the holiday break I had some time to read (a better word might be "consume") Jonathan Stark's book "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9." In a little more than 250 pages, Jonathan manages to do the impossible: He explains how to put the FileMaker API for PHP to use.

The book is divided into four logical sections. The first section provides background information for those new to the world of Web publishing, including an introduction to HTML and PHP. After reading this section, you won't be an HTML expert, and you certainly won't be a PHP pro. But you will have a good understanding of the technologies involved in Web publishing and development, and how those technologies fit together.

The second section of the book provides a foundation for the examples that are used later on. The section includes a chapter on how to setup a FileMaker database (creating fields, working with the database, performing finds, and so on). I'm sure that the majority of readers will find this section to be unnecessary and might be tempted to skip it. However, the chapter does cover one key topic that you should take a few minutes to check out, and that is an explanation on how to setup a FileMaker account (and grant it the correct privileges) that PHP can use to connect to the database.

The second section also covers installation, deployment, and configuration of FileMaker Server, as well as the new PHP Site Assistant. Jonathan makes a recommendation -- and one that I heartily agree with -- that if you do not absolutely need your own server, then using a server provided by a Web hosting provider is an ideal solution. However, if you do have your own server, you'll find this information to be of great use.

The third section of "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9" includes what I consider to be the most valuable information in the book. This section covers the FileMaker API for PHP (often referred to as "FileMaker.php") itself, and does so using an example Web application that is developed and expanded throughout the section. The application is one that most readers will be able to associate with -- an online product catalog.

The section includes chapters on how to select, sort, and do finds against a FileMaker database using PHP. Another chapter explains how to alter FileMaker data over the Web, including the creation of new records and updates and deletions of existing records. There are also chapters on how to view, add, edit, and delete related data via PHP (which is accomplished using portals), as well as some very useful information on how to work with images (including images stored in container fields and those stored by reference using URLs).

The last chapter in the third section describes a very interesting concept: Developing a PHP application that automatically updates as the FileMaker layouts that it is built on are updated. For example, if a field is added or removed, the PHP application automatically adds and/or drops the field as well. If you are looking for an easy way to let your FileMaker users "self-manage" a PHP application, then this chapter will prove to be invaluable to you.

"Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9" covers a lot of ground, and does so in a way that makes it a fast and enjoyable journey. Jonathan's writing style and "voice" make it easy to follow along with the material. His expert knowledge of PHP and FileMaker is apparent, and he does a great job of sharing that knowledge in the book.

If you are looking for a good book on PHP and FileMaker integration -- whether you are new to the topic or consider yourself to be a pro -- then I highly recommend picking up a copy of "Web Publishing with PHP and FileMaker 9." ... Read more

Product Description
Self-Publishing And Marketing From The Trenches will help guide you away from the pitfalls and money traps that await the self-published writer. It will maximize your budget, save you time, and help you publish professional books, ebooks, and audio books in the global market.With 30 years in the trenches and several publications to his credit, Peter H. Zindler presents invaluable self-publishing insights, tips, and recommendations,so don't miss out. Learn how to join the ranks of great self-published writers like Hemingway, Twain, Kipling, Shaw, Byron, L'Amour, and Zane Grey.• The Internet and other new technologies have leveled the publishing andmarketing playing fields.• All writers have the opportunity to become globally published authors.• This year, new self-published titles outnumbered traditionally publishedtitles.• Digital ebooks and audio books are on the rise and are critical to selfpublishedwriters.• Self-publishing is a key advantage for gaining access to agents andtraditional publishers."You got me really excited about self-publishing as a first choice for publishing...."Jeremy Scott Golden"I was very glad to attend your workshop, and I am most encouraged to self-publish."Ann WadsworthPeter H. Zindler has authored several books, stage plays, radio shows, newspaper articles, and TV pilots. He and his wife also founded their own publishing company, David Bauer Press. His books have won several awards, and he wrote, produced, and directed a children's radio show in Los Angeles for a year. Three years after taking over a Christian critique group, four new writers became published, and the group had 13 books published in total. He is an impassioned speaker with a heart to see unknown writers realize their dreams and visions through the published word. He is also an associate minister for A Touch From Above Ministries in Ramona, California. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

New Writer Gives High Praise
I spent the entire day reading this book, ignoring birthday calls in order to finish it before heading to a 4th of July BBQ.The book reached it's target audience, a servant of God who was called to write but not qualified to write (at least...not yet, not until the final pieces of God's puzzle are linked together).

Peter has been doing this for thirty years.He knows publishing and he knows marketing.He has helped others in his group to self-publish and he gives his Creator all the credit.Yes, he is the right one to help me get qualified in time to release God's Black Sheep Squadron by St. Patrick's Day,2011.

I have already begun incorporating Pete's ideas into my marketing and self-publishing plans.I give this book five stars and recommend it to anyone wishing to navigate difficult waters in the world of publishing.

Mike Mulligan
[...]

A Concise Guide to Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing and Marketing From the Trenches is a concise overview of how to self-publish your book. Another title could be The Hard Truth About Publishing in 2010. We know it isn't easy but Pete provides targeted steps that you need to get your books in print. My favorite quote is, "True self-publishing is a lot of work, but if the book sells, there is a great reward for the author..."

Byron Mettler author of Out of Darkness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

BEST BOOK ON THE MARKET FOR DESKTOP PUBLISHING
This book was written to inform readers with precise information and step by step features of desktop publishing using microsoft word, powerpoint presentation, and publisher.As a Wordprocessing Typist I find this book is easy to use for anyone.The next series of word 2003 desktop publishing is just as useful as this one.I would recommend either or both to add to collection because it would save you time and money from taking it in college, its so simple you can learn it at home and advance on the job. ... Read more

Product Description
Even though conventional wisdom suggests otherwise, creative people can copy other people's work and it is legal. How is this possible? By using the vast pool of creative works that fall into a category called Public Domain. This book shows how the author has built a public domain publishing company on a shoestring, how he has used his company to publish his own writing and how he optimizes his relationships with other publishing entities like Create Space, Lightning Source and Amazon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Public Domain Publishing Bible
A must read for anyone who writes. There are a lot of books out there that could be reprinted but are not. One reason being, they've been forgotten. If the book is public domain, it's yours and you can take advantage of the material, the idea, the whole ball of wax.

I like writing; I was interested in what Andras Nagy had to say, so I read the book and found there are many areas I had never considered that were possible in copyright material.

This book The Public Domain Publishing Bible was very in lightening, and a must read for anyone who in considering the venture. I give it five thumbs up.

Comprehensive guide on how to republish public domain titles
Andras M. Nagy is a self-proclaimed gambler. The enterprise described in his book The Public Domain Publishing Bible is not to be undertaken by the faint at heart.

Public domain titles contain initial publication dates before 1923. According to U.S. copyright law, anyone can republish these titles for profit. Nagy stresses that it is imperative to add original content to these works in terms of illustrations, footnotes, introductory material, covers, etc. Otherwise, you will be competing with numerous versions of these titles republished without modification. He states that sometimes Amazon.com will not even pick up your version if you merely republish the text as is.

The field is also littered with what Nagy calls "copyright bullies." These individuals claim that they own the copyright to a public domain title. Their claim is invalid, but they will attempt to intimidate you by suggesting legal action. In the very least, their aim is to get you to cease publishing the work. Nagy urges you to stand your ground and demand proof of ownership. Personally, I don't know if I would want to run into potential legal problems. Nagy recommends hiring the U.S. Copyright Office to investigate the copyright status of a title before publishing it. It is a financial drawback at $150 an hour.

To make money Nagy uses print-on-demand (POD). If he has the only in-print version of a public domain title, he uses Ingram's Lightning Source to take advantage of the wholesaler's extensive distribution network. If he's competing against other republished versions, Amazon's CreateSpace has lower set-up fees. He recommends using free software applications such as Scribus, Open Office and Gimp to cut start-up costs. Nagy also discusses book scanning for those not interested in typesetting. Optical character recognition (OPR) scans the entire physical book allowing text to be directly inputted into a word processing program. You can hire a book scanning service or invest in the equipment to create your own scans.

Nagy goes on to explain publicity tactics for promoting your public domain catalog. His main focus is on creating a web site that is search engine optimized (SEO). He explains off-the-page SEO techniques such as blogger reviews, directory submissions and article & press release distribution. On-the-page efforts entail an ALT tag for every image, keywords in page titles and anchor tags for inbound links.

At times, Nagy drifts away from his subject when he writes about creating a screenplay or the IndieBound movement. These sections would have been better off as appendices instead of breaking up the narrative.

Nagy's 10 basic rules for public domain publishing are:

1. Be selective in what you publish
2. Add creative modifications
3. Sell wholesale
4. Republishing titles as is use CreateSpace
5. Do your own set-up & design
6. Use reasonable freelancers for what you can't do
7. Take a long term view
8. Learn to work with Amazon & Lightning Source
9. Work with independent bookstores
10. Write what you know. Stick to fields you like.

Overall, this is a comprehensive guide on how to republish public domain titles with a realm of useful resources and pertinent web sites. ... Read more

Product Description
A complete kit for creating professional-looking graphics on the PC features projects that teach fundamentals of desktop graphics and design and includes a copy of Arts & Letters DRAW and a limited-time version of Micrografx Picture Publisher.(Intermediate). ... Read more

Product Description
Sams Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML 4 in 21 Days, Professional Reference Edition is a completely revised version of the expanded, hardcover edition of the best-selling book that started the whole HTML/Web publishing phenomenon. The Professional Reference Edition of the book includes seven additional chapters covering Web page scripting, CGI and Perl, Java, and Web server setup and administration, in addition to an expanded 250-page reference section. Amazon.com Review
Part of the Teach Yourself series, this book puts all of thefoundational knowledge you need to build Web sites into one largevolume, along with a solid explanation of the code and designprinciples involved. Experienced author Laura Lemay packs a tremendousamount of instruction into this massive title.

The first week ofinstruction covers the basics of the Web; introduces HTML; andpresents simple text formatting, links, and image display. Since thisbook focuses on product-independent HTML 4 coding rather thaninstruction on a particular Web-design application, the skills youacquire will be applicable in any tool. In the next seven days ofinstruction, the author teaches you about style sheets, frames,tables, and the use of multimedia elements. Throughout thesediscussions, she presents each topic in the context of real-worldapplication and page design.

In the final week, Lemay takes youbeyond the basics and into the world of Java, Common Gateway Interface(CGI) scripting, and dynamic HTML (DHTML), including discussions ofthe differences between Netscape and Microsoft implementations. Shefinishes the book off with several chapters on effective design, sitepublishing and promotion, and server administration. A companionCD-ROM includes demo and trial versions of tons of authoring tools andclip media. --Stephen W. Plain ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

HTML Still the Standard, Base, of the Web!!!
This book is one of the best for everyone that is serious about learn or to have always handy because it have everything that you need to know about HTML.
A must have for all levels of Web people.

Great book for beginners
I found this book to be extremely helpful.I'm a rookie at web development and after being only half way through this book I feel like an expert(well almost).If you are looking for a good book that teaches you from scratch with step by step examples, stop searching.This is the book you want.The reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because some of the graphics used in the book, I can't find them on the CD.However there are a lot of other ones on the CD.

First rate entry level HTML primer
Laura Lemay has become one of the premier writers of web development texts, and this book is a good example.Many entry level texts get you started using code that has been depricated by the W3C, knowing full well that future browsers may not support the coding methods they are teaching.Laura does an excellent job of introducing newcomers to the "art" of web development while at the same time, prepares them for impending changes in the coding standards.The basics are well covered with easy to understand examples.Advanced techniques are introduced in such a way as not to confuse the novice. While the book does not come with a CD rom with sample code, most books this size are considerably more expensive.In my opinion, the trade off was well worth it.This book is an absolute must have for the novice who is serious about learning HTML.

I was impressed..
This is quite a thick book which covers a lot, and it's a good introduction to a lot of subjects, such as HTML, Javascript, style-sheets, forms, dynamic HTML, and more. You won't get full coverage on all these topics, though. If you're creatingyour own site, you will probably want a bigger reference that covers everything. But as an introduction to these topics, this book is excellent.
I had no trouble finding the code to match this book (2nd edition). But it appears that it's not contained in the 2mb zip download that's offered, which is for a different edition. You just have to download the examples for each individual chapter.
I do have some criticisms, which have nothing to do with the author(s), but the editing. Maybe I imagined it, but the section on DHTML contained so many typographical errors that I wondered whether the editor was taking a long nap instead of correcting all the mistakes. Again - maybe I imagined the errors. I'm not nitpicking, since it makes some of the examples difficult to understand. Badly worded sentences should be avoided at all costs in books like these. You don't want the reader thinking, "Didhe/she mean this, OR this?"
If you could combine the book with a few decent webreferences (this book has some great sites you can visit if you're after more information), then you could get pretty far with HTML. You really need to know all this stuff if you want to start with more advanced subjects in web development any way.

where are the files?
Overall, this book is great.I found it well written and easy to understand and follow.The only complaint that I have, was locating all of the files for each lesson. I find this very confusing from a beginner's stand point. The beginning of the book gives a website to download the source files.But it is for an older edition.The CD that accompanies the book does not contain everything do each lesson. ALot of guessing to fiqure what files they are using for each lesson. ... Read more

Product Description
An introduction to Mechanical Desktop Release 6. Process-based text presenting MDT commands, options, and techniques where they naturally fit in the design process of real-world products. Softcover. CD-ROM included. ... Read more

Product Description
Cheng's MECHANICAL DESKTOP® R3, SURFACE, PARAMETRIC, AND ASSEMBLY MODELING, covers the four design tools of Mechanical Desktop® using a step-by-step approach to give readers proficiency in using Mechanical Desktop® R3.The author uses examples from a variety of applications, which show how Mechanical Desktop® is used to design actual products.Careful attention to pedagogical devices such as chapter objectives, aims and overviews at the beginning of each chapter, as well as chapter summaries and exercises makes Cheng's step-by-step method simple to use in introductory Engineering/Design courses in universities, community colleges and technical institutes.Cheng's book also complements introductory AutoCAD® texts such as Cheng's Mastering AutoCAD® R14 (Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning 2000) and is a comprehensive reference for people using Mechanical Desktop on a daily basis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another Basic Handbook
I was very disappointed with this textbook.The basic tutorial included with AutoCAD is much more informative and helpful.I expected more tips and tricks for the price I paid, but I was sadly disappointed.Not one tip or trick.

As another reviewer previously mentioned....the written text on one page usually refers to figures located one or two pages from the actual text.A lot of flipping pages, very annoying.Also, the author asks you several questions at the end of each chapter, as if this were a student manual or something.Wasted pages on this since he already outlines at the beginning of the chapter what you are supposed to learn.Also, the author doesn't take advantage of the toolbar menu structure of AutoCAD, so you are left with no support on how to locate icons at all within AutoCAD.This is really bad because 1/4 of the AutoCAD graphics area contains these icons and one is left with no definition of how they are laid out or what they mean.One of the things I was really looking for was how to incorporatate a systematic or standard approach in creating parts, assemblies, and on to drawing documentation.There was a huge amount of information left out in regards to this and I felt sort of "suckered" from the summary.I had really expected more depth in this, but rather half of the text covers surface modeling only.About 1/5 actually text content covers any type of documentation process.

Overall....I expected more and you would be better off with a lower cost student manual.Steer clear of this one unless you get a deal on a used one. ... Read more

Product Description

Tech journalist Pamela Pfiffner explores the rich history behind the modern publishing revolution, as seen through the lens of one of its most important players. In the past 20 years, Adobe Systems has become synonymous with great design tools, and the company's impact on how we work in publishing, graphic arts, and on the Web is unmatched. Join Pfiffner on a colorful journey from the roots of the desktop publishing revolution through the rise of the Web and interactive design. Along the way, you'll witness the birth and evolution of PostScript, the explosion of the Photoshop market, the realization of the paperless office, and other events that have shaped the way we communicate.

Inside the Publishing Revolution is not one of those dull historical tomes you know and loathe from high school. Pfiffner packs its pages with lively, insightful interviews with world-class designers and illustrators, as well as personal insights and recollections from John Warnock, Chuck Geschke, Jonathan Seybold, and other publishing luminaries. Richly illustrated and beautifully designed, the book features galleries of historically significant work by leading artists and rare photographs from the Adobe archives. For added perspective, Pfiffner walks you through an illustrated timeline of the publishing revolution. As with history, the final chapter of the Adobe story remains to be written, so the book ends with an eye toward the future: an exclusiveoverview of the company's vision of publishing in the next decade.

Customer Reviews (5)

A pleasure
A pleasure to read, both for the inspiration coming from reading about people being very successful being idealistic, and from learning about the history of the Desktop Publishing revolution.

"Book of the Year" AWARD for 2002
We at the Designer's Bookshelf have just awarded this book "THE BOOK OF THE YEAR" award for 2002. These awards are given by the editors and staff at the Design Bookshelf, DT&G Magazine, and the Graphic Design network as top choices for all those involved in the design, publishing and visual arts fields.

More, more, more!
The only real flaw in this book is I want more. Adobe's story is fascinating, and I could probably read a detailed history of each product without being bored. (And I would have loved to have found out why Adobe never made an Illustrator 5 or 6 for the PC).

Not the usual corporate history.
I got the book in the morning and started reading right away, skipped lunch and finished. Short read you might say... not at all; the text and the images are excellent and the book reads like a novel (reason why I skipped lunch). What a story!

It answered many questions that came up in my 10+ years of experience as a graphic design professional. Why Adobe this and how Adobe that.

The great thing about the book that it made me re-live my experiences; the advent of the mac and the LaserWriter, early releases of the software (it is quite touching to see pictures of the first, say, Illustrator), the successes and the failure the company went through. Those of us (graphic designers) who have pasted photostated type on the blue outline grid by hand will relate.

The book is about what and how things happened to allow us (graphic designers) to work the way we do today; it is, however, also about how Adobe changed the publishing world and global communication altogether.

Thumbs up on this one. Thank you Pamela Pfiffner for a great piece of research and writing. Thank you Adobe for the perseverance in bringing it all together towards the age of Network Publishing.

Belongs in every designer's library!
Anyone who uses a computer to design graphics, create printed documents, edit Web graphics, make movies and animations, or just type a letter should read this book.

While most people recognize the contributions Apple and Microsoft made to computers, few realize how much Adobe was right in there with those other companies.

This book tells that story--and does so with humor, behind-the-scenes gossip, and inside information. What were the "Font wars" of 1989? What were Adobe's original plans for Photoshop? What was the original purpose for the Acrobat PDF format?

Even better the quotes from industry greats. What did Steve Jobs think the first time he saw PostScript added to a printer? How did designers such as Roger Black and Louis Fishauf feel about products such as Illustrator and Photoshop?

The book is filled with tons of candid photos of those early days. You'll gasp as you see the much-younger versions of today's famous speakers and industry giants. My favorite is the extremely young Steve Jobs (in a tie and jacket!) at the debut of the PostScript LaserWriter.

The author must have been given quite a bit of leeway with the writing because she also describes those times Adobe didn't get it exactly right. What were the mistakes Adobe made in their first Web page-creation program? What was the problem with the original distribution of Acrobat Reader? And who was the only person at Adobe who could easily use the original Illustrator Pen tool?

And in an age of trade paperbacks, this book is a physical joy--a beautifully bound embossed-hardcover book with a varnish-coated dust jacket. The inside pages are exquisitely designed, with full-color photos throughout the book.

This is the sort of book you pick up and read, then pick up again, then again, then again. There's always one more little tidbit to laugh or smile over. ... Read more

Product Description
Create professional-quality building design projects using the newest release of Autodesk® Architectural Desktop! This concise manual focuses squarely on the rationale and practicality of the Architectural Desktop (ADT) process through lessons that emphasize "why" as well as "how" to help readers complete their projects successfully.The author, an experienced architect and instructor, discusses the features and functions of Release 2004 in an easy-to-understand fashion that conveys a clear sense of its value, including each tool’s potential.The resulting up-to-date resource is chock full of real-life, tested advice from a certified professional on the usage of the software that will help shorten the learning curve for readers and instill confidence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

confusing
This text is confusing, contains several errors and overall quite useless for the classroom setting.

Aubin's Mastering ADT very thorough and easy to follow
Paul's book, after working through the Comprehensive Tutorial by H. Edward Goldberg, is like reading Proust in English for an English as a first language speaker compared to reading Proust in French for an English as a first language speaker. The steps are small enough that a person who is new to the program can follow along without difficulty. Plus, Paul's accessibility is invaluable.
Great resource and learning tool.
The reviewer who said there must be a better book out there somewhere might consider writing one for the office in which he/she works so as to have one to recommend for new employees.
I, too, would be interested in reviewing the new attempt.

Help at Last for the CADaphobes!
I'm an architect who's worked with CAD for 10 years...got dragged into using it, literally kicking and screaming!!I needed 3D capabilities to stay competitive, but the thought of learning another CAD program struck terror in the very marrow of my bones!I took took hours and hours of classroom and on-line classes to try to learn ADT and VIZRender, and I feel like it was money up in smoke.Out of sheer desperation I bought Aubin's book, and have found it to be one of the....no, THE clearest, most straightforward CAD guide I've ever, ever, EVER read!!Starting with the basics, and guiding the reader through step-by-step tutorials in plain, non-technical language, Aubin has developed a guide that even a technophobe can clearly understand.

I'd give the book a full 5-star, but it's a little lacking in trouble shooting.If things don't work out the way they're supposed to, it would be helpful to have some suggestions on what might be wrong.

After only one day of working through the guide, I could design a simple building in 3-D.After a full week, the sunshine was pouring through the windows.Well worth the money.

Could have used an editor and some better examples.
After working with various versions of AutoCad for the last 7 years, this was my first introduction to Architectural Desktop. I have worked my way through this book over the last week. It is quite possibly the LEAST-well-written Cad book I have ever used. Paragraphs are repeated, steps are skipped over, words are missing in the middle of sentences.

The tutorials give you the false impression that you are accomplishing something, without teaching you how to apply the concepts to the actual projects you will be required to work on in the real world. One man in my office described the tutorials this way: "It's like 'This Old House', Bob takes the camera crew into the bathroom as Norm finishes caulking the tub. Bob turns to the camera and tells you that now you too can remodel your bathroom."

There has to be a better book out there on this program. I just don't know what it is. Don't spend your money on this, take your chances on some other book. Best of Luck.

Best Resource
When I have a question, I go to the Aubin book first.The help menu and the official Autodesk books never have as much of what I need. ... Read more

Product Description
Offering general design advice rather than program-specific tips, this idea reference provides an overview of all desktop design tools, including the use of type, color, border, graphics, lines, white space, and more, the fundamentals of good design, and much more. Original. (All Users). ... Read more

Product Description
Whether it's a guide for patrons, a newsletter, or a home pageon the World Wide Web, a smart, attractive publication can reach largegroups of people --and speak highly of the library and staff itrepresents. This manual helps readers create their own desktoppublications and make them look sharp, read well, and commandattention. Covered are hardware and software requirements, theessential rules of design, planning and producing newsletters,developing and publishing library guides, and creating World Wide WebPages and loading them on a server. Containing over ninety figuresillustrating ideas in the text, here's the book you need to get yourmessage across creatively and effectively with desktop publishing. ... Read more