Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts
Monday, March 9, 2009
Excel 2007: The Missing Manual
Product Description
Microsoft Excel continues to grow in power, sophistication, and capability, but one thing that has changed very little since the early '90s is its user interface. The once-simple toolbar has been packed with so many features over the years that few users know where to find them all. Microsoft has addressed this problem in Excel 2007 by radically redesigning the user interface with a tabbed toolbar that makes every feature easy to locate and use. Unfortunately, Microsoft's documentation is as scant as ever, so even if users can find advanced features, they probably won't know what to do with them.
Excel 2007: The Missing Manual covers the entire gamut of how to build spreadsheets, add and format information, print reports, create charts and graphics, and use basic formulas and functions. Like its siblings in the Missing Manual series, this book crackles with a fine sense of humor and refreshing objectivity about its subject, guiding readers through the new Excel with clear explanations, step-by-step instructions, lots of illustrations, and friendly, time-saving advice. It's a perfect primer for small businesses with no techie to turn to, as well as those who want to organize household and office information.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #2929 in Books
* Published on: 2006-12-27
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 856 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Matthew MacDonald is an author and programmer extraordinaire. He's the author of Excel: The Missing Manual, Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual, the forthcoming Access 2007: The Missing Manual, and over a dozen books about programming with the Microsoft .NET Framework.
Customer Reviews
Great Resource4
This is great for tips and special uses. It is also great for people upgrading from older versions of Office to find out where things have moved or how they are done in 2007.
Excel-lent book5
I love these Missing Manuals for Excel. The descriptions are written in a clear conversational tone, and the examples are easy to follow. I use Excel for basic list and schedule making, to type notes for college, to calculate statistics for my tennis team, and for different finance calculations and reports at work. Sometimes the help function that comes with Excel is sufficient for quick questions, but for more complicated use and/or plainer explanations, I prefer the book to the help function. I have the manuals for both Excel 2003 and 2007, and the manuals are not interchangeable for the two versions. Whichever version of Excel you use, whether you want to look up basic how-to's, do complicated computations, or get into the bells and whistles, I would recommend the Missing Manual.
Excellent book5
Pro: This is the third Missing Manual book I've bought. The thing I appreciate most about all the Missing Manual books is the rigorous QA that ensures the reader will not be frustrated by errors. This is a clear, easy-to-follow, informative book. I highly recommend it.
Con: The book's "Get Satisfaction" feedback website is poor. I was not able to leave a suggestion there, so I'll put in here.
These are my suggestions: 1) Replace "Get Satisfaction" with a better feedback tool and 2) in the file name of "Missing CD" files, include a reference to the figure in the book. That will make it easier to use the CD examples along with studying the book.
Escape From Excel Hell: Fixing Problems in Excel 2003, 2002 and 2000
Product Description
* Written especially for advanced beginners and intermediate users, this book offers quick fixes for anyone bedeviled by faulty formulas, failed formatting, printer purgatory, and other perplexing Excel problems
* Offers three types of fixes: Escape in Under 30 Seconds, Escape in Under Two Minutes, and More Elaborate Escapes-over 400 solutions in all
* Topics covered include formula fixes, formatting fixes, data and layout fixes for Excel charts, PivotTable fixes, managing complexity in very large spreadsheets, fixing broken procedure functions, and more
* Includes preventive measures and best practices that teach users how to avoid problems in the future
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #370384 in Books
* Published on: 2006-03-21
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 408 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
When Excel talks back to you, here's what to do
You try to open a spreadsheet and Excel won't let you, because there's a macro involved. You cannot convince the software that the macro is safe. You hurl something across the room.
Grab this book instead! You'll find more than 200 fixes for things that drive Excel users crazy, organized and identified for easy access. More than 100 problems can be solved in anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes. If you're a more advanced user, turn to Part III, where you'll find the more elaborate escapes.
When all you want is to make your spreadsheet work so you can finish your project, here's all you need. Oh, and the macro problem? Check Chapter 1.
Loren Abdulezer's Top Escapes
* Escape # 1 Fix tricky worksheet headers and footers
* Escape # 2 Sort tabs by alphabetical order or date
* Escape # 3 Build conditional charts
* Escape # 4 Escape messy data with formulas
* Escape # 5 Don't pay a penalty for giant spreadsheets
CD-ROM INCLUDES:
* Excel spreadsheet examples and take-aways from the book
* A searchable version of the book plus the Adobe Acrobat Reader
* Crystal Xcelsius Professional trial software and sample files
See the CD appendix for details and complete system requirements.
About the Author
Loren Abdulezer is CEO and President of Evolving Technologies Corporation, a New York–based technology consulting firm. He is an experienced IT professional serving major Fortune 500 companies, including Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, IBM, Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, and Pfizer. He has consulted on strategic technology and Internet product design, data analysis, mathematical modeling, visual modeling, and simulation, MIS/Web reporting, Java and object-oriented programming, Internet security, and business continuity planning.
Loren is a world acknowledged expert on spreadsheets, visual modeling, and dashboard technology. He is the author of Excel Best Practices for Business (www.ExcelBestPractices.com), also published by Wiley, and is a Crystal Xcelsius Consulting Partner for Business Objects S.A. (www.XcelsiusBestPractices.com). You can find out more information about Loren and the book Escape From Excel Hell at www.EscapeFromExcelHell.com.
Customer Reviews
Better on 2nd Time Thru and Real-Life Referencing Usage3
Initially I gave the book 3 stars, but now I give it 4. Referencing the book in real-life (as well as a 2nd read thru) showed me how the book has more benefits than I thought. One good thing about the book is that it really is about Excel -- not differential equations, RLC circuits, etcetera. So many books, especially with "...For the Scientist" or "...For the Engineer" or "...For the Chemist" are really on, guess what? Science, engineering, chemistry and not on the software. An Excel for the Chemist book essentially goes over chemistry and statistics. Excel is incidental. The books are on the subject matter of chemistry or statistics or laboratory experiments workup. When you buy a book on Excel you should be getting to know E X C E L better -- not reviewing what they taught in your college chemistry/statistics/electrical engineering course. Well, for this book, Excel is NOT incidental, EXCEL is the topic -- the sole topic. I doubt that other books will advance your Excel knowledge as much as this book. It is very much a tips & tricks book -- but these are actually mostly substantive things.
Surpassed my Expectations!5
I consider myself to be an average-skill-level Excel user, and hesitated ordering this book because I was afraid it would be too technical and difficult to understand. But I purchased it anyway, and am so glad I did. I've been getting involved with more and more complicated spreadsheets, and thus needed some help. And Escape from Excel Hell provided just the help I needed.
Loren Abdulezer writes in a clear, easy to understand style, and includes many examples. Excel files containing his examples come on a CD with the book, so you can try out his suggestions and get a good understanding of why his techniques work.
I have learned so much from this book and now have a much better understanding of how to do things the "right" way from the beginning to avoid problems later when I need to modify my files.
This book is a keeper!
I Don't have time to investigate Excel problems5
I often don't have time to investigate solutions to certain problems I encounter in Excel. I, like most Excel users, end up building elaborate work-arounds that solve my problem ASAP. Well, I picked up this book yesterday and I have already found fixes that would have helped me save hours of work had I known about them.
The author has done all of the leg work for you, giving you the quickest way to solve specific issues. He does a great job providing real world examples of when and why you would use each fix. This is something you don't find in most "tips and tricks" style books. This book skips all of the theory and pomp and helps you get to the meat of your problem. Great Book!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
Product Description
Learn how to get the most out of Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard with legendary teacher and author Robin Williams.
The Peachpit Learning Series brings you the best-selling authors you know and love, on the topics that are near and dear to you, in a format that allows you to learn just what you need to know, and at your own pace. With this book, you can learn in your own way—whether it’s working through the lessons from start to finish, jumping straight to step-by-step exercises about new features, or looking up just what you need to know at that moment. There are hundreds of exciting tools and hidden gems in your Macintosh. And with the gentle yet expert hand of Robin Williams guiding you along the way, you will learn to take full advantage of all that Leopard has to offer. If you are new to Mac OS X, you'll learn to use your Mac with help from a world-renowned teacher. From there, you can move on to customize it to suit the way you work. And if you've been using Mac OS X already, you'll learn to use the new features in Leopard, like Spaces, Quick Look, and Time Machine, and explore all the enhancements to favorites like Mail and iChat.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #26884 in Books
* Published on: 2007-11-02
* Format: Illustrated
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 480 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Robin Williams is the author of dozens of best-selling and award-winning books about the Macintosh, including the groundbreaking The Little Mac Book, as well as Robin Williams Mac OS X Book and Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger: Peachpit Learning Series. She is an icon in the Mac community. Through her writing, teaching, and seminars, Robin has educated and influenced an entire generation of computer users in the areas of design, typography, desktop publishing, the Mac, and the Web.
Customer Reviews
OUTSTANDING! STRONGEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!5
I'm GLAD I took the time to get/read this book from cover to cover. I went from "n00bie" to having a pretty fair grasp of what's up with my Mac. I'd recommend it to all with no reservations whatsoever (it was positively the BEST book I found on Leopard).
Not that Great1
If you are familiar with computers in general, all the information found on the book are there for free on the internet. Don't waste your money buy this book. There plenty of other choices out there. I was extremely disappointed with this book and it was a waste of money .. Look at alternative before you buy
Max OS X 10.5 Leopard: Peachpit Learning Series5
I recommend this book for anyone new to Leopard, it is very easy to read and understand, plus its offers color diagrams. It's worth the money!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Diamonds Are Forever, Computers Are Not: Economic and Strategic Management in Computing Markets
Product Description
This is a collection of 43 essays about the economics and management of information technology markets. The first part of the book focuses on events, notable birth dates and longstanding trends. The unifying theme revolves around the role of human economic behavior in the face of uncertainty and confusion. The contributors’ intent is to explain, educate and entertain — to go beyond the obvious.
The next part contains writing about the Internet. It discusses the development of the online commercial world, and analyzes the macroeconomic side of the investment boom and bust related to Internet activities. It also focuses on the measurement of economic activity in the digital economy.
In addition, the book deals with how computers get used in organizations and discusses the Microsoft antitrust case. Finally, there are two long essays about economic constraints on strategic behavior in markets where standards and platforms matter.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1773725 in Books
* Published on: 2004-09
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 294 pages
Customer Reviews
Economic perspective on technology markets5
I took Dr. Greenstein's class several years ago at Kellogg when completing my MBA. I had picked up the book as I still find myself going back to some his teachings (even after so many years). The book contains a series of essays written in an easy to understand manner and deliver some very interesting economic perspectives on technology markets. The essays are organized in eight sections:
Part I: Musings
Part II: Observations, fleeting, and otherwise
Part III: Developing the digital world
Part IV: Internet boom and bust
Part V: Prices, productivity, and growth
Part VI: Enterprise Computing
Part VII: Microsoft, from the sublime to the serious
Part VIII: Platforms and Standards
A must read for every technology entrepreneur...
Outstanding Read!5
Dr. Greenstein has taken on complex issues and provided an entertaining, yet informative analysis of modern markets. This group of essays provide a practical starting point for the analysis of diverse economic systems.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book 2nd ed.
Product Description
Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book, 2nd Edition, shows Windows XP and 2003 users and administrators how to perform Windows management and administrative tasks using powerful scripts for just about every important task imaginable. It covers techniques for working with files, input/output, text files, and performing various network administrative tasks through scripting. It explains the concept and necessity of logon scripts, the backbone structure of a good logon script, and how to implement these scripts in an everyday environment to automate repetitive tasks such as inventory, file modifications, installations, and system updates. It also provides an in-depth look into the registry and registry editing tools including locating the important registry keys and values, and modifying them. The book features example scripts on every new topic covered to reinforce what the reader has just learned. Key scripting topics include manipulating the Windows XP file system, using powerful third-party scripting tools, creating scripts for installing service packs and new applications, automating applications from the command line, and performing Windows XP and 2003 administrative tasks. Everything is included in this book, and users can easily modify or combine the scripts to perform myriad tasks. A bonus introduction chapter is provided showing users how to select the best scripting language and how to get the most out of scripting resources.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #488019 in Books
* Published on: 2004-01-19
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 432 pages
Customer Reviews
Awesome!5
As a Systems Administrator, this is (by far) the best scripting resource I've found.
This is a MUST HAVE!
Most IT books have a lot of "filler". Not this one! Every page is filled with excellent information and valuable pre-written scripts that you can start using immediately.
Excellent Value!
This book has more bang for the buck than I've seen in years!
If you're considering purchasing this book, don't waste any more time. Buy it today while you can still get your hands on a copy! (out of print)
Mini-recipes for WSH4
If you are familiar with O'Reilly's cookbook books you will be familiar with the format. First the author presents a problem, then a set of solutions and a some description of how the solution works. This book has a similar format but the recipes are more small and the explanations more terse. The author expects that you know a lot about the Windows Script Host to start with and are looking for some help here and there to get through common problems.
The value of a recipes book is first in the areas it covers and problems it solves, and is secondarily in what you can learn from the solutions to the problems presented. Since the solutions are so small and the descriptions relatively brief, the value is really in what problems are covered. The sections I found most relevant were file management and 'inside the registry'. Your mileage may vary though, so I would look at the table of contents before making your purchase to ensure that you are getting enough value for your dollar.
An excellent, detailed and thorough reference5
Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, Windows Admin Scripting Little Black Book by Microsoft Windows expert Jesse M. Torres is a comprehensive and superbly organized, 464-page instructional reference and resource. Focusing on immediate solutions to difficult problems with security, information gathering; automatic task scheduling; basic information concerning Windows 2000/XP/2003 architecture, and a great deal more, Windows Admin Scripting is an excellent, detailed and thorough reference which is especially recommended to the attention of systems administrators.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Excel for the CEO
Product Description
Presenting innovative Microsoft Excel techniques for top management professionals, this reference for company leaders who do not have the time to attend courses or read bulky books on the program provides basics, special shortcuts, and tips that cover the special features of Excel. Useful facts, trivia, and insider secrets about Excel are interspersed throughout the text, and readers have the choice of jumping directly to the section of real-life case studies to learn by the innovative Do & Learn (D&L) approach. This reference is fully updated to reflect Excel 12.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1118340 in Books
* Published on: 2006-10-01
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 349 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
P. K. Hari is a certified Master of Microsoft Excel and a featured expert with www.experts-exchange.com, a solutions forum for IT problems.
Presenting innovative Microsoft Excel techniques for top management professionals, this reference for company leaders who do not have the time to attend courses or read bulky books on the program provides basics, special shortcuts, and tips that cover the special features of Excel. Useful facts, trivia, and insider secrets about Excel are interspersed throughout the text, and readers have the choice of jumping directly to the section of real-life case studies to learn by the innovative Do & Learn (D&L) approach. This reference is fully updated to reflect Excel 12.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1118340 in Books
* Published on: 2006-10-01
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 349 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
P. K. Hari is a certified Master of Microsoft Excel and a featured expert with www.experts-exchange.com, a solutions forum for IT problems.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows Vista Author: Robert Cowart, Brian Knittel; Buy New: $31.49
Product Description
SPECIAL EDITION Microsoft® Windows Vista® Second Edition
The only Windows Vista book you need
We crafted this book to grow with you, providing the reference material you need as you move toward Vista proficiency and use more advanced features. If you buy only one book on Vista, Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows Vista®, Second Edition, is the book you need.
• Tired of the constant barrage of spam, spyware, viruses and other ‘Net nasties? We show you how to rebuke the onslaught of hacker attacks, protect your identity, and keep your sanity, all at the same time.
• Is the new Vista interface making your trigger-finger itch? Ours too…that is, until we turned Windows inside out, shook out all the loose parts, and figured out just what makes this beast tick. Learn from our pain and suffering.
• If you finally broke down and purchased a Windows Media Center computer, or if you think you have one and didn’t even know it, you are holding just the book for you. We show you how to get up to speed with your new computer, transforming it from the little PC that could into the media juggernaut, entertainment center, gaming center, and way-better-than-TiVo replacement you never knew it could be.
• Ready to upgrade? We provide from-the-trenches advice on upgrading to Windows Vista. Maybe you to still want to run Windows XP but would like to try Vista for a while to see if you like it. We cover how to dual-boot your computer safely with both operating systems.
Category: Microsoft® Windows Operating System
Covers: Microsoft® Windows Vista®, all versions Windows Vista Service Pack 1
User Level: Beginner–Intermediate
Robert Cowart has written more than 40 books that have sold more than 1 million copies worldwide. He made his name writing for Sybex and Osborne–most notably in the best-selling Mastering Windows series. As an author and media developer for Que, Bob has written numerous Windows titles, including multiple editions of Que’s flagship Windows book, Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows®.
Brian Knittel is a software developer, consultant, and writer. He’s authored or coauthored many of Que’s best-selling Windows books, including Que’s leading Windows book, Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows®. Brian also is the author of Windows XP Under the Hood and coauthored Upgrading and Repairing Windows® with Scott Mueller.
On the CD-ROM
More than 80 minutes of how-to video, showing you how to get up to speed with Windows Vista! Bob and Brian show you how the new Vista Welcome Center works, how to personalize and tweak the desktop, how to use the new Windows Explorers, how to manage user accounts and more! Using screen cam videos and voice over, you’ll be able to watch the Windows masters at work, taking the guesswork out of getting up to speed with Vista. It’s like having Bob and Brian sitting next to you while you’re learning how to use Vista!
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #61807 in Books
* Published on: 2008-05-05
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 1536 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Robert Cowart has written more than 40 books on computer programming and applications, with more than a dozen on Windows. His titles include Windows NT Unleashed, Mastering Windows 98, Windows NT Server Administrator’s Bible, and Windows NT Server 4.0: No Experience Required. Several of his books have been bestsellers in their category and have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has written on a wide range of computer-related topics for such magazines as PC Week, PC World, PC Magazine, PC Tech Journal, Mac World, and Microsoft Systems Journal. In addition to working as a freelance consultant specializing in small businesses, he has taught programming classes at the University of California Extension in San Francisco. He has appeared as a special guest on the PBS TV series Computer Chronicles, CNN’s Headline News, ZD-TV’s The Screen Savers, and ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. Robert lives in Berkeley, California. In his spare time he is involved in the music world, producing chamber-music concerts and playing various genres of music. He meditates regularly in hopes of rewiring his inner computer.
Brian Knittel has been a software developer for more than 30 years. After doing graduate work in nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging technologies, he began a career as an independent consultant. An eclectic mix of clients has led to long-term projects in medical documentation, workflow management, real-time industrial system control, and most importantly, 20 years of real-world experience with MS-DOS, Windows, and computer networking in the business world. Previously, he coauthored Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP, and contributed to several of Bob Cowart’s other Windows books. Brian also coauthored Upgrading and Repairing Microsoft Windows, with Scott Mueller, and is the sole author of Windows XP Under the Hood. Brian lives in Oakland, California, and spends his free time restoring antique computers and trying to perfect his wood-fired pizza recipes.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing or considering the purchase of Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows Vista. It's amazing the changes that nearly 20 years can bring to a computer product such as Windows. When we wrote our first Windows book back in the mid-1980s, our publisher didn't even think the book would sell well enough to print more than 5,000 copies. Microsoft stock wasn't even a blip on most investors' radar screens. Boy, were they in the dark! Who could have imagined that a little more than a decade later, anyone who hoped to get hired for even a temp job in a small office would need to know how to use Microsoft Windows, Office, and a PC. Fifteen or so Windows books later, we're still finding new and exciting stuff to tell our readers.
Some people (including the U.S. Department of Justice) claim Microsoft's predominance on the PC operating system arena was won unethically through monopolistic practices. Whether or not this is true (we try, almost successfully, to stay out of the politics in this book), we believe that Windows has earned its position today through reasons other than having a stranglehold on the market. Consider that Windows NT 3.1 had 5 million lines of code. Windows Vista weighs in with about 50 million and takes up 4 or 5 gigabytes of disk space by itself. This represents a lot of work by anyone's accounting. Who could have imagined in 1985 that a mass-market operating system two decades later would have to include support for so many technologies, most of which didn't even exist at the time: DVD, DVD±RW, CD-R and CD-RW, Internet and intranet, MP3, MPEG, WMA, DV, USB, FireWire, APM, ACPI, RAID, UPS, PPOE, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11g, WPA2, IPv6, Teredo, fault tolerance, disk encryption and compression...? The list goes on. And that 4GB of disk space Vista occupies? It would have cost more than a quarter of a million dollars in 1985. Today, it costs a dollar or two.
Although rarely on the bleeding edge of technology, and often playing the role of the dictator with partner businesses and exterminator with competing businesses, Bill Gates has at least been benevolent from the users' point of view. In 1981, when we were building our first computers, the operating system (CP/M) had to be modified in assembly language and recompiled, and hardware parts had to be soldered together to make almost any new addition (such as a video display terminal) work. Virtually nothing was standardized, with the end result being that computers remained out of reach for average folks.
Together, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM changed all that. Today you can purchase a computer, a printer, a scanner, an external disk drive, a keyboard, a modem, a monitor, and a video card over the Internet, plug them in, install Windows, and they'll work together. The creation and adoption (and sometimes forcing) of hardware and software standards that have made the PC a household appliance the world over can largely be credited to Microsoft, like it or not. The unifying glue of this PC revolution has been Windows.
Yes, we all love to hate Windows, but it's here to stay. Linux and Mac OS X are formidable alternatives, but for most of us, at least for some time, Windows and Windows applications are "where it's at." And Windows Vista ushers in truly significant changes to the landscape. That's why we were excited to write this book.
Why This Book?
We all know this book will make an effective doorstop in a few years. You probably have a few already. (We've even written a few!) If you think it contains more information than you need, just remember how helpful a good reference can be when you need it at the 11th hour. And we all know that computer technology changes so fast that it's sometimes easier just to blink and ignore a phase than to study up on it. Windows Vista is definitely a significant upgrade in Windows's security and sophistication—one you're going to need to understand.
Windows Vista might seem similar to its predecessor, Windows XP, but it's a very different animal. Yes, the graphics and display elements are flashier, but it's the deeper changes that matter most. With its radically improved security systems, revamped Control Panel, friendlier network setup tools, new problem-tracking systems, improved support for mobile computers, and completely revamped networking and graphics software infrastructures, Vista leaves Windows XP in the dust. In all ways, it's superior to any operating system Microsoft has ever produced.
Is Windows Vista so easy to use that books are unnecessary? Unfortunately, no. True, as with other releases of Windows, online help is available. As has been the case ever since Windows 95, however, no printed documentation is available (to save Microsoft the cost), and the Help files are written by Microsoft employees and contractors. You won't find criticisms, complaints, workarounds, or suggestions that you use alternative software vendors, let alone explanations of why you have to do things a certain way. For that, you need this book! We will even show you tools and techniques that Microsoft's insiders didn't think were important enough to document at all.
You might know that Windows Vista comes in a bewildering array of versions, primarily Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate (not to mention Starter, which is sold only in emerging markets, and several extra versions sold in the European Union to comply with antitrust court-mandated restrictions). But Vista is Vista, and all that really distinguishes the versions is the availability of various features. Most of the differences matter only in the corporate world, where Vista will be managed by network administrators, so you don't need to worry about those yourself. For the remaining features, we tell you when certain features do or don't apply to your particular version of Windows Vista. (And we show you how to upgrade from one version to a better version, if you want the features your copy doesn't have!)
In this book's many pages, we focus not just on the gee-whiz side of the technology, but why you should care, what you can get from it, and what you can forget about. The lead author on this book has previously written 16 books about Windows, all in plain English (several bestsellers), designed for everyone from rank beginners to full-on system administrators deploying NT Server domains. The coauthor has designed software and networks for more than 20 years and has been writing about Windows for 10 years. We work with and write about various versions of Windows year in and year out. We have a clear understanding of what confuses users and system administrators about installing, configuring, or using Windows, as well as (we hope) how to best convey the solutions to our readers.
While writing this book, we tried to stay vigilant in following four cardinal rules:
* Keep it practical.
* Keep it accurate.
* Keep it concise.
* Keep it interesting, and even crack a joke or two.
We believe that you will find this to be the best and most comprehensive book available on Windows Vista for beginners through advanced users. And whether you use Windows Vista yourself or support others who do, we firmly believe this book will address your questions and needs.
Our book addresses both home and business computer users. We assume you probably are not an engineer, and we do our best to speak in plain English and not snow you with unexplained jargon. As we wrote, we imagined that you, our reader, are a friend or co-worker who's familiar enough with your computer to know what it's capable of, but might not know the details of how to make it all happen. So we show you, in a helpful, friendly, professional tone. In the
SPECIAL EDITION Microsoft® Windows Vista® Second Edition
The only Windows Vista book you need
We crafted this book to grow with you, providing the reference material you need as you move toward Vista proficiency and use more advanced features. If you buy only one book on Vista, Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows Vista®, Second Edition, is the book you need.
• Tired of the constant barrage of spam, spyware, viruses and other ‘Net nasties? We show you how to rebuke the onslaught of hacker attacks, protect your identity, and keep your sanity, all at the same time.
• Is the new Vista interface making your trigger-finger itch? Ours too…that is, until we turned Windows inside out, shook out all the loose parts, and figured out just what makes this beast tick. Learn from our pain and suffering.
• If you finally broke down and purchased a Windows Media Center computer, or if you think you have one and didn’t even know it, you are holding just the book for you. We show you how to get up to speed with your new computer, transforming it from the little PC that could into the media juggernaut, entertainment center, gaming center, and way-better-than-TiVo replacement you never knew it could be.
• Ready to upgrade? We provide from-the-trenches advice on upgrading to Windows Vista. Maybe you to still want to run Windows XP but would like to try Vista for a while to see if you like it. We cover how to dual-boot your computer safely with both operating systems.
Category: Microsoft® Windows Operating System
Covers: Microsoft® Windows Vista®, all versions Windows Vista Service Pack 1
User Level: Beginner–Intermediate
Robert Cowart has written more than 40 books that have sold more than 1 million copies worldwide. He made his name writing for Sybex and Osborne–most notably in the best-selling Mastering Windows series. As an author and media developer for Que, Bob has written numerous Windows titles, including multiple editions of Que’s flagship Windows book, Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows®.
Brian Knittel is a software developer, consultant, and writer. He’s authored or coauthored many of Que’s best-selling Windows books, including Que’s leading Windows book, Special Edition Using Microsoft® Windows®. Brian also is the author of Windows XP Under the Hood and coauthored Upgrading and Repairing Windows® with Scott Mueller.
On the CD-ROM
More than 80 minutes of how-to video, showing you how to get up to speed with Windows Vista! Bob and Brian show you how the new Vista Welcome Center works, how to personalize and tweak the desktop, how to use the new Windows Explorers, how to manage user accounts and more! Using screen cam videos and voice over, you’ll be able to watch the Windows masters at work, taking the guesswork out of getting up to speed with Vista. It’s like having Bob and Brian sitting next to you while you’re learning how to use Vista!
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #61807 in Books
* Published on: 2008-05-05
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 1536 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Robert Cowart has written more than 40 books on computer programming and applications, with more than a dozen on Windows. His titles include Windows NT Unleashed, Mastering Windows 98, Windows NT Server Administrator’s Bible, and Windows NT Server 4.0: No Experience Required. Several of his books have been bestsellers in their category and have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has written on a wide range of computer-related topics for such magazines as PC Week, PC World, PC Magazine, PC Tech Journal, Mac World, and Microsoft Systems Journal. In addition to working as a freelance consultant specializing in small businesses, he has taught programming classes at the University of California Extension in San Francisco. He has appeared as a special guest on the PBS TV series Computer Chronicles, CNN’s Headline News, ZD-TV’s The Screen Savers, and ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. Robert lives in Berkeley, California. In his spare time he is involved in the music world, producing chamber-music concerts and playing various genres of music. He meditates regularly in hopes of rewiring his inner computer.
Brian Knittel has been a software developer for more than 30 years. After doing graduate work in nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging technologies, he began a career as an independent consultant. An eclectic mix of clients has led to long-term projects in medical documentation, workflow management, real-time industrial system control, and most importantly, 20 years of real-world experience with MS-DOS, Windows, and computer networking in the business world. Previously, he coauthored Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows XP, and contributed to several of Bob Cowart’s other Windows books. Brian also coauthored Upgrading and Repairing Microsoft Windows, with Scott Mueller, and is the sole author of Windows XP Under the Hood. Brian lives in Oakland, California, and spends his free time restoring antique computers and trying to perfect his wood-fired pizza recipes.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing or considering the purchase of Special Edition Using Microsoft Windows Vista. It's amazing the changes that nearly 20 years can bring to a computer product such as Windows. When we wrote our first Windows book back in the mid-1980s, our publisher didn't even think the book would sell well enough to print more than 5,000 copies. Microsoft stock wasn't even a blip on most investors' radar screens. Boy, were they in the dark! Who could have imagined that a little more than a decade later, anyone who hoped to get hired for even a temp job in a small office would need to know how to use Microsoft Windows, Office, and a PC. Fifteen or so Windows books later, we're still finding new and exciting stuff to tell our readers.
Some people (including the U.S. Department of Justice) claim Microsoft's predominance on the PC operating system arena was won unethically through monopolistic practices. Whether or not this is true (we try, almost successfully, to stay out of the politics in this book), we believe that Windows has earned its position today through reasons other than having a stranglehold on the market. Consider that Windows NT 3.1 had 5 million lines of code. Windows Vista weighs in with about 50 million and takes up 4 or 5 gigabytes of disk space by itself. This represents a lot of work by anyone's accounting. Who could have imagined in 1985 that a mass-market operating system two decades later would have to include support for so many technologies, most of which didn't even exist at the time: DVD, DVD±RW, CD-R and CD-RW, Internet and intranet, MP3, MPEG, WMA, DV, USB, FireWire, APM, ACPI, RAID, UPS, PPOE, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11g, WPA2, IPv6, Teredo, fault tolerance, disk encryption and compression...? The list goes on. And that 4GB of disk space Vista occupies? It would have cost more than a quarter of a million dollars in 1985. Today, it costs a dollar or two.
Although rarely on the bleeding edge of technology, and often playing the role of the dictator with partner businesses and exterminator with competing businesses, Bill Gates has at least been benevolent from the users' point of view. In 1981, when we were building our first computers, the operating system (CP/M) had to be modified in assembly language and recompiled, and hardware parts had to be soldered together to make almost any new addition (such as a video display terminal) work. Virtually nothing was standardized, with the end result being that computers remained out of reach for average folks.
Together, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM changed all that. Today you can purchase a computer, a printer, a scanner, an external disk drive, a keyboard, a modem, a monitor, and a video card over the Internet, plug them in, install Windows, and they'll work together. The creation and adoption (and sometimes forcing) of hardware and software standards that have made the PC a household appliance the world over can largely be credited to Microsoft, like it or not. The unifying glue of this PC revolution has been Windows.
Yes, we all love to hate Windows, but it's here to stay. Linux and Mac OS X are formidable alternatives, but for most of us, at least for some time, Windows and Windows applications are "where it's at." And Windows Vista ushers in truly significant changes to the landscape. That's why we were excited to write this book.
Why This Book?
We all know this book will make an effective doorstop in a few years. You probably have a few already. (We've even written a few!) If you think it contains more information than you need, just remember how helpful a good reference can be when you need it at the 11th hour. And we all know that computer technology changes so fast that it's sometimes easier just to blink and ignore a phase than to study up on it. Windows Vista is definitely a significant upgrade in Windows's security and sophistication—one you're going to need to understand.
Windows Vista might seem similar to its predecessor, Windows XP, but it's a very different animal. Yes, the graphics and display elements are flashier, but it's the deeper changes that matter most. With its radically improved security systems, revamped Control Panel, friendlier network setup tools, new problem-tracking systems, improved support for mobile computers, and completely revamped networking and graphics software infrastructures, Vista leaves Windows XP in the dust. In all ways, it's superior to any operating system Microsoft has ever produced.
Is Windows Vista so easy to use that books are unnecessary? Unfortunately, no. True, as with other releases of Windows, online help is available. As has been the case ever since Windows 95, however, no printed documentation is available (to save Microsoft the cost), and the Help files are written by Microsoft employees and contractors. You won't find criticisms, complaints, workarounds, or suggestions that you use alternative software vendors, let alone explanations of why you have to do things a certain way. For that, you need this book! We will even show you tools and techniques that Microsoft's insiders didn't think were important enough to document at all.
You might know that Windows Vista comes in a bewildering array of versions, primarily Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate (not to mention Starter, which is sold only in emerging markets, and several extra versions sold in the European Union to comply with antitrust court-mandated restrictions). But Vista is Vista, and all that really distinguishes the versions is the availability of various features. Most of the differences matter only in the corporate world, where Vista will be managed by network administrators, so you don't need to worry about those yourself. For the remaining features, we tell you when certain features do or don't apply to your particular version of Windows Vista. (And we show you how to upgrade from one version to a better version, if you want the features your copy doesn't have!)
In this book's many pages, we focus not just on the gee-whiz side of the technology, but why you should care, what you can get from it, and what you can forget about. The lead author on this book has previously written 16 books about Windows, all in plain English (several bestsellers), designed for everyone from rank beginners to full-on system administrators deploying NT Server domains. The coauthor has designed software and networks for more than 20 years and has been writing about Windows for 10 years. We work with and write about various versions of Windows year in and year out. We have a clear understanding of what confuses users and system administrators about installing, configuring, or using Windows, as well as (we hope) how to best convey the solutions to our readers.
While writing this book, we tried to stay vigilant in following four cardinal rules:
* Keep it practical.
* Keep it accurate.
* Keep it concise.
* Keep it interesting, and even crack a joke or two.
We believe that you will find this to be the best and most comprehensive book available on Windows Vista for beginners through advanced users. And whether you use Windows Vista yourself or support others who do, we firmly believe this book will address your questions and needs.
Our book addresses both home and business computer users. We assume you probably are not an engineer, and we do our best to speak in plain English and not snow you with unexplained jargon. As we wrote, we imagined that you, our reader, are a friend or co-worker who's familiar enough with your computer to know what it's capable of, but might not know the details of how to make it all happen. So we show you, in a helpful, friendly, professional tone. In the
Windows Vista Annoyances
Product Description
Windows Vista may be the next big thing, but it still contains enough quirks and unaccountable behaviors to vex anyone. This unique guide not only discusses the most irritating features of the latest Microsoft operating system and how to get around them, but also explains how to improve Windows and do more with the software than Microsoft intended. You'll find information on setup, installation, upgrade from other Windows versions, the revamped interface, new security features, user accounts, troubleshooting, and the markedly improved Internet Explorer 7. Other chapters cover a wide range of key topics: Media Center - tips on photos, videos, music, TV tuners, HD, and the media center engine The Registry - explains the background and tools for working with Windows' database of settings Tinkering Techniques - offers hacking-style customization and problem-solving topics Networking and Wireless - includes LAN setup, WiFi sniffers and access points, connection sharing, firewalls, routers, and FTP Scripting and Automation - introduces simple programming using the Windows Scripting Host for automating repetitive tasks No other book takes our patented cranky, solutions-oriented approach. Our collection of tips, tools and techniques will improve your experience with Windows Vista, so you can control the OS -- rather than the other way around.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #37486 in Books
* Published on: 2008-01-04
* Released on: 2008-01-04
* Format: Illustrated
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 641 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
David A. Karp is the author of the bestselling Windows Annoyances series of books and the founder of Annoyances.org. His other books include eBay Hacks and Windows XP Pocket Reference. David also writes for PC Magazine and is the co-author of Windows XP in a Nutshell.
Customer Reviews
Windows Vista Annoyance- Superb book!5
This book like all the O'reilly books brings you nothing but quality material as you need it. David Karp covered almost every problem you might encounter using Windows Vista, and of course the Solutions to these problems. This is a large book and it's not like the many other tech books that you read and get bored along the way, no it isn't, David has done a great job of entertaining and yet getting to the point.
This is a must have book for anyone using windows Vista. I highly recommend it.Windows Vista Annoyances: Tips, Secrets, and Hacks
This book made the change EASY!!5
This book made the change EASY!!
Going from XP to Vista was a snap with the help of this book. If you are like me, a very amateur PC user used to XP, this book will make the switch to Vista painless and even fun.
Most useful book on Windows Vista5
This book is written for intermediate users, not beginners, and it is the best. When I purchased a new computer, it came with Windows Vista. So I bought 3 books on Vista, including Microsoft's own "Windows Vista Inside Out". I have found this book consistently more helpful in making the operating system do what I want it to do, rather than what Microsoft thinks it ought to do. It is clear, concise, and humorous; and that makes it easy to read. I just wish it had included a CD of the book, also.
Windows Vista may be the next big thing, but it still contains enough quirks and unaccountable behaviors to vex anyone. This unique guide not only discusses the most irritating features of the latest Microsoft operating system and how to get around them, but also explains how to improve Windows and do more with the software than Microsoft intended. You'll find information on setup, installation, upgrade from other Windows versions, the revamped interface, new security features, user accounts, troubleshooting, and the markedly improved Internet Explorer 7. Other chapters cover a wide range of key topics: Media Center - tips on photos, videos, music, TV tuners, HD, and the media center engine The Registry - explains the background and tools for working with Windows' database of settings Tinkering Techniques - offers hacking-style customization and problem-solving topics Networking and Wireless - includes LAN setup, WiFi sniffers and access points, connection sharing, firewalls, routers, and FTP Scripting and Automation - introduces simple programming using the Windows Scripting Host for automating repetitive tasks No other book takes our patented cranky, solutions-oriented approach. Our collection of tips, tools and techniques will improve your experience with Windows Vista, so you can control the OS -- rather than the other way around.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #37486 in Books
* Published on: 2008-01-04
* Released on: 2008-01-04
* Format: Illustrated
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 641 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
David A. Karp is the author of the bestselling Windows Annoyances series of books and the founder of Annoyances.org. His other books include eBay Hacks and Windows XP Pocket Reference. David also writes for PC Magazine and is the co-author of Windows XP in a Nutshell.
Customer Reviews
Windows Vista Annoyance- Superb book!5
This book like all the O'reilly books brings you nothing but quality material as you need it. David Karp covered almost every problem you might encounter using Windows Vista, and of course the Solutions to these problems. This is a large book and it's not like the many other tech books that you read and get bored along the way, no it isn't, David has done a great job of entertaining and yet getting to the point.
This is a must have book for anyone using windows Vista. I highly recommend it.Windows Vista Annoyances: Tips, Secrets, and Hacks
This book made the change EASY!!5
This book made the change EASY!!
Going from XP to Vista was a snap with the help of this book. If you are like me, a very amateur PC user used to XP, this book will make the switch to Vista painless and even fun.
Most useful book on Windows Vista5
This book is written for intermediate users, not beginners, and it is the best. When I purchased a new computer, it came with Windows Vista. So I bought 3 books on Vista, including Microsoft's own "Windows Vista Inside Out". I have found this book consistently more helpful in making the operating system do what I want it to do, rather than what Microsoft thinks it ought to do. It is clear, concise, and humorous; and that makes it easy to read. I just wish it had included a CD of the book, also.
Feature Extraction in Computer Vision and Image Proces...
Product Description
Focusing on feature extraction while also covering issues and techniques such as image acquisition, sampling theory, point operations and low-level feature extraction, the authors have a clear and coherent approach that will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals.
*Ideal module text for courses in artificial intelligence, image processing and computer vision
*Essential reading for engineers and academics working in this cutting-edge field
*Supported by free software on a companion website
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #821811 in Books
* Published on: 2002-01-09
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 368 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
Focusing on feature extraction while also covering issues and techniques such as image acquisition, sampling theory, point operations and low-level feature extraction, the authors have a clear and coherent approach that will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals.
From the Back Cover
*Ideal module text for courses in artificial intelligence, image processing and computer vision
*Essential reading for engineers and academics working in this cutting-edge field
*Supported by free software on a companion website
Image processing and computer vision are currently hot topics with undergraduates and professionals alike. Feature Extraction and Image Processing is the first book to provide a discussion of how techniques in this field can be implemented together, coupled with a deeper presentation of the analytical material. This text is supported with working Matlab and Mathcad files on the web, which not only allow readers to see the techniques described in the book in use, but also lets them explore areas that they are unfamiliar with.
Focusing on feature extraction while also covering issues and techniques such as image acquisition, sampling theory, point operations and low-level feature extraction, the authors have a clear and coherent approach that will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals.
About the Author
University of Southampton, UK
Alberto S. Aguado, University of Surrey, UK
Focusing on feature extraction while also covering issues and techniques such as image acquisition, sampling theory, point operations and low-level feature extraction, the authors have a clear and coherent approach that will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals.
*Ideal module text for courses in artificial intelligence, image processing and computer vision
*Essential reading for engineers and academics working in this cutting-edge field
*Supported by free software on a companion website
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #821811 in Books
* Published on: 2002-01-09
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 368 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
Focusing on feature extraction while also covering issues and techniques such as image acquisition, sampling theory, point operations and low-level feature extraction, the authors have a clear and coherent approach that will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals.
From the Back Cover
*Ideal module text for courses in artificial intelligence, image processing and computer vision
*Essential reading for engineers and academics working in this cutting-edge field
*Supported by free software on a companion website
Image processing and computer vision are currently hot topics with undergraduates and professionals alike. Feature Extraction and Image Processing is the first book to provide a discussion of how techniques in this field can be implemented together, coupled with a deeper presentation of the analytical material. This text is supported with working Matlab and Mathcad files on the web, which not only allow readers to see the techniques described in the book in use, but also lets them explore areas that they are unfamiliar with.
Focusing on feature extraction while also covering issues and techniques such as image acquisition, sampling theory, point operations and low-level feature extraction, the authors have a clear and coherent approach that will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals.
About the Author
University of Southampton, UK
Alberto S. Aguado, University of Surrey, UK
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Unleashed
Product Description
Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Unleashed provides a comprehensive and in-depth overview of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 and Enterprise Project Management (EPM). This book should be used as a reference to guide you through system capabilities and the use of more advanced product features in the context of your business processes. In this book you will find cutting-edge information, including the necessary framework and approach to implement a complex project management software product. Find practical, real-world guidance on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, use, manage, and customize your EPM Implementation. This book is your only in-depth source for Microsoft Office Project Server 2007!
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #40291 in Books
* Published on: 2007-11-01
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 1320 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
QuantumPM, LLC is a project, program, and portfolio management product and services firm that helps its clients create pragmatic and valuable solutions to address real-world problems. The company combines state-of-the-art tools from Microsoft and other technology leaders, its own expertise, and industry best practices to create solutions that support the way its customers work. QuantumPM products and services include management consulting, technical consulting, training, hosting services, earned value management, and business intelligence solutions.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction to Enterprise Project Management
Throughout this book, you will see that Enterprise Project Management (EPM; also called Enterprise Portfolio Management) is made up of two components: philosophy and tool. Although the book is primarily technical in nature, it is impossible to separate the technology from the environment in which it works. This software is not a "magic bullet" that will solve all process problems. Although it is great software, it has limitations, and the primary one is that it is only as good as the processes that surround the tool.
Why We Wrote This Book
The Sams Publishing Unleashed series is intended for both beginner and intermediate audiences. The primary purpose of this book is to provide knowledge to the reader of the capabilities of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, a robust EPM software application. It does not provide a step-by-step cookbook answer but rather provides the logic and approach that should be used for implementing a complex project management software product. Unlike other server products, EPM requires extensive knowledge of the project management domain and the business goals to install and configure it in the most optimal manner.
Much of the material covered in this book is simple enough for a beginner to understand but it also allows you to grow with the book as more advanced topics are covered. The intermediate user will find that the material is new and interesting and provides practical tips, tricks, and guidelines based on this team's experience of hundreds of successful EPM installations and implementations for thousands of users.
This book is comprehensive enough to be a source of powerful and meaningful information but is not meant to be a "cradle-to-grave" guide of all things possible with this software. It does need to fit in a briefcase or next to your desk!
The team is excited to offer you the opportunity to get into the consultants' heads and get some practical and real-world examples on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, and manage an EPM implementation.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into six parts designed to be of interest to a wide variety of readers. Some of the chapters focus on planning and organization, whereas others focus on technology details. The following information should help you decide which chapters are important for your role.
Part I—Initiating Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part I is an introduction to the software application and to the philosophy of approach to EPM. It is intended for all audiences to provide context for successfully planning and managing the EPM environment.
Chapter 1, "Enterprise Project Management Overview," describes enterprise thinking and what it takes to be successful with deployment of a software tool. The tool is not a magic bullet that will solve all problems regarding people, process, and environment.
Chapter 2, "Understanding Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 as an Enterprise Project Management Solution," is an overview of the major features of the EPM tool and how these features are integrated within the tool.
Chapter 3, "Initiating Your EPM Implementation," discusses what you should do and understand before beginning your EPM implementation planning. In addition to reviewing organizational factors and processes that you need to consider, the chapter details business justification, scope development, and obtaining authority to proceed as necessary steps before starting the planning process.
Part II—Planning Your Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part II discusses what your business and IT staff must do to properly plan and prepare for the implementation. Chapters in this part detail organizational processes and roles, Project Server 2007 architecture, and the technical design of the solution integrating your business processes.
Chapter 4, "Planning the Organizational Processes and Roles," helps the reader approach the implementation of this tool realistically by first understanding the key focus areas. In addition, you will understand how Project Server 2007 features and functions address the main usage scenarios, the planning of Project Server 2007 users and roles, planning project phases to be integrated into the solution, planning the actual deployment of the tool, migration planning, development of operational policies and processes, and finalizing and communicating implementation scope.
Chapter 5, "Understanding Microsoft office 2007 Project Server Architecture," provides the high-level view of the software components, the solution architecture, and considerations for scalability and security.
Chapter 6, "Designing the Enterprise Project Management Solution Architecture Details," provides an in-depth look at design requirements that must be considered when planning an EPM implementation.
Part III—Implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007
Part III discusses the steps necessary for implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. The intended audience for the chapters in this part are members of the implementation team.
Chapter 7, "Installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007," focuses on the high level steps and checklists, as well as useful references to already existing materials for installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. In addition, it provides a post-installation validation checklist that verifies the success of the installation—a crucial step prior to configuring the solution.
Chapter 8, "Configuring Your EPM Solution," provides an introduction to configuring the solution as well as reminds the implementation team to revisit business requirements to ensure that the solution addresses the key user needs and functionality.
Chapter 9, "Configuring Security Model Settings," addresses the security options and capabilities of the software. This important chapter helps the reader create a security model that is both robust and flexible so that it does not require a great deal of administrative time to maintain.
Chapter 10, "Configuring Enterprise Custom Fields," describes the core configuration elements of the software. Configuration models vary from organization to organization based on the complexity of the setup and the needs of the business. This chapter discusses the options available for the user.
Chapter 11, "Configuring Resources Attributes and Resource Pool," discusses the details of configuring the resource breakdown structure and configuring the resource pool, including resource types, matching skill sets, and synchronizing with Active Directory.
Chapter 12, "Configuring Calendars," explains the various settings and functionality of the Enterprise Global calendars and design considerations for various ways to configure the solution.
Chapter 13, "Configuring Task and Time Management Settings," explains the difference in the functionality of task and time management and the configuration options available to your organization to best fit your business model and processes.
Chapter 14, "Standardizing Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 Global Settings," discusses ways to standardize views, tables, toolbars, forms, maps, and other elements across your organization.
Chapter 15, "Configuring the Microsoft Office Project Web Access 2007 Interface," details the configuration options for the look and feel elements of the web-based Project Server 2007 component, Project Web Access.
Chapter 16, "Configuring Operational Policies," provides details for configuring and handling alerts and reminders, enterprise settings, server-side event handlers, Active Directory synchronization, project workspace management, and provisioning settings.
Chapter 17, "Configuring Reporting and Analysis," explains how an organization can set up views of the data and reports to meet the needs of di...
Customer Reviews
If you're implementing Project Server, THIS IS THE BOOK5
This is actually one of the best books I have seen in support of a product. Not only does it provide in depth information, it is specific to certain 'views' about the product, including technical, business, adoption, etc. If you are implementing Project Server, this will be one of the wisest decisions you could make to purchase this book.
Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Unleashed provides a comprehensive and in-depth overview of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 and Enterprise Project Management (EPM). This book should be used as a reference to guide you through system capabilities and the use of more advanced product features in the context of your business processes. In this book you will find cutting-edge information, including the necessary framework and approach to implement a complex project management software product. Find practical, real-world guidance on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, use, manage, and customize your EPM Implementation. This book is your only in-depth source for Microsoft Office Project Server 2007!
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #40291 in Books
* Published on: 2007-11-01
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 1320 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
QuantumPM, LLC is a project, program, and portfolio management product and services firm that helps its clients create pragmatic and valuable solutions to address real-world problems. The company combines state-of-the-art tools from Microsoft and other technology leaders, its own expertise, and industry best practices to create solutions that support the way its customers work. QuantumPM products and services include management consulting, technical consulting, training, hosting services, earned value management, and business intelligence solutions.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction to Enterprise Project Management
Throughout this book, you will see that Enterprise Project Management (EPM; also called Enterprise Portfolio Management) is made up of two components: philosophy and tool. Although the book is primarily technical in nature, it is impossible to separate the technology from the environment in which it works. This software is not a "magic bullet" that will solve all process problems. Although it is great software, it has limitations, and the primary one is that it is only as good as the processes that surround the tool.
Why We Wrote This Book
The Sams Publishing Unleashed series is intended for both beginner and intermediate audiences. The primary purpose of this book is to provide knowledge to the reader of the capabilities of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, a robust EPM software application. It does not provide a step-by-step cookbook answer but rather provides the logic and approach that should be used for implementing a complex project management software product. Unlike other server products, EPM requires extensive knowledge of the project management domain and the business goals to install and configure it in the most optimal manner.
Much of the material covered in this book is simple enough for a beginner to understand but it also allows you to grow with the book as more advanced topics are covered. The intermediate user will find that the material is new and interesting and provides practical tips, tricks, and guidelines based on this team's experience of hundreds of successful EPM installations and implementations for thousands of users.
This book is comprehensive enough to be a source of powerful and meaningful information but is not meant to be a "cradle-to-grave" guide of all things possible with this software. It does need to fit in a briefcase or next to your desk!
The team is excited to offer you the opportunity to get into the consultants' heads and get some practical and real-world examples on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, and manage an EPM implementation.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into six parts designed to be of interest to a wide variety of readers. Some of the chapters focus on planning and organization, whereas others focus on technology details. The following information should help you decide which chapters are important for your role.
Part I—Initiating Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part I is an introduction to the software application and to the philosophy of approach to EPM. It is intended for all audiences to provide context for successfully planning and managing the EPM environment.
Chapter 1, "Enterprise Project Management Overview," describes enterprise thinking and what it takes to be successful with deployment of a software tool. The tool is not a magic bullet that will solve all problems regarding people, process, and environment.
Chapter 2, "Understanding Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 as an Enterprise Project Management Solution," is an overview of the major features of the EPM tool and how these features are integrated within the tool.
Chapter 3, "Initiating Your EPM Implementation," discusses what you should do and understand before beginning your EPM implementation planning. In addition to reviewing organizational factors and processes that you need to consider, the chapter details business justification, scope development, and obtaining authority to proceed as necessary steps before starting the planning process.
Part II—Planning Your Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part II discusses what your business and IT staff must do to properly plan and prepare for the implementation. Chapters in this part detail organizational processes and roles, Project Server 2007 architecture, and the technical design of the solution integrating your business processes.
Chapter 4, "Planning the Organizational Processes and Roles," helps the reader approach the implementation of this tool realistically by first understanding the key focus areas. In addition, you will understand how Project Server 2007 features and functions address the main usage scenarios, the planning of Project Server 2007 users and roles, planning project phases to be integrated into the solution, planning the actual deployment of the tool, migration planning, development of operational policies and processes, and finalizing and communicating implementation scope.
Chapter 5, "Understanding Microsoft office 2007 Project Server Architecture," provides the high-level view of the software components, the solution architecture, and considerations for scalability and security.
Chapter 6, "Designing the Enterprise Project Management Solution Architecture Details," provides an in-depth look at design requirements that must be considered when planning an EPM implementation.
Part III—Implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007
Part III discusses the steps necessary for implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. The intended audience for the chapters in this part are members of the implementation team.
Chapter 7, "Installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007," focuses on the high level steps and checklists, as well as useful references to already existing materials for installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. In addition, it provides a post-installation validation checklist that verifies the success of the installation—a crucial step prior to configuring the solution.
Chapter 8, "Configuring Your EPM Solution," provides an introduction to configuring the solution as well as reminds the implementation team to revisit business requirements to ensure that the solution addresses the key user needs and functionality.
Chapter 9, "Configuring Security Model Settings," addresses the security options and capabilities of the software. This important chapter helps the reader create a security model that is both robust and flexible so that it does not require a great deal of administrative time to maintain.
Chapter 10, "Configuring Enterprise Custom Fields," describes the core configuration elements of the software. Configuration models vary from organization to organization based on the complexity of the setup and the needs of the business. This chapter discusses the options available for the user.
Chapter 11, "Configuring Resources Attributes and Resource Pool," discusses the details of configuring the resource breakdown structure and configuring the resource pool, including resource types, matching skill sets, and synchronizing with Active Directory.
Chapter 12, "Configuring Calendars," explains the various settings and functionality of the Enterprise Global calendars and design considerations for various ways to configure the solution.
Chapter 13, "Configuring Task and Time Management Settings," explains the difference in the functionality of task and time management and the configuration options available to your organization to best fit your business model and processes.
Chapter 14, "Standardizing Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 Global Settings," discusses ways to standardize views, tables, toolbars, forms, maps, and other elements across your organization.
Chapter 15, "Configuring the Microsoft Office Project Web Access 2007 Interface," details the configuration options for the look and feel elements of the web-based Project Server 2007 component, Project Web Access.
Chapter 16, "Configuring Operational Policies," provides details for configuring and handling alerts and reminders, enterprise settings, server-side event handlers, Active Directory synchronization, project workspace management, and provisioning settings.
Chapter 17, "Configuring Reporting and Analysis," explains how an organization can set up views of the data and reports to meet the needs of di...
Customer Reviews
If you're implementing Project Server, THIS IS THE BOOK5
This is actually one of the best books I have seen in support of a product. Not only does it provide in depth information, it is specific to certain 'views' about the product, including technical, business, adoption, etc. If you are implementing Project Server, this will be one of the wisest decisions you could make to purchase this book.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Pivot Table Data Crunching for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (Business Solutions)
Product Description
This book consolidates all the best functionality of pivot tables into one guide that provides you with a meaningful tutorial, offering practical solutions to day-to-day problems. Within just the first 2 chapters, you will be creating basic pivot tables, increasing productivity, and producing reports in minutes instead of hours. Within the first 6 chapters, you will learn how to use pivot tables to quickly highlight your top 10 customers or bottom 5 products in profitability; quickly create analysis comparing sales this period to last period by product or region or both; easily summarize daily transactional data by month or quarter or year in a few mouse clicks-all without knowing any formulas!
By the end of the book, you will truly be a pivot table guru, automating pivot tables using VBA, creating pivot tables with external data in OLAP cubes, and even creating dynamic reporting systems so that your managers can answer their own queries with a few mouse clicks.
- Take advantage of the numerous pivot table recipes
- Create powerful summary reports in seconds
- Build ad-hoc query tools with ease
- Enhance your Executive Reporting
- Filter reports to top 10 customers or products
- Add dynamic charts to reports
- Quickly summarize daily data by month, quarter, or year
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1------------- Pivot Table Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
2------------- Creating a Basic Pivot Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
3------------- Customizing a Pivot Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
4------------- Controlling the Way You View Your Pivot Data . . . . . . . . . . . .83
5------------- Performing Calculations Within Your Pivot Tables . . . . . . . . 117
6------------- Using Pivot Charts and Other Visualizations . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
7------------- Analyzing Disparate Data Sources with Pivot Tables . . . . . . 167
8------------- Sharing Pivot Tables with Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
9------------- Working with and Analyzing OLAP Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
10---------- Enhancing Your Pivot Table Reports with Macros . . . . . . . . .215
11---------- Using VBA to Create Pivot Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
12---------- Common Pivot Table Issues and Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291
A------------ Finding Pivot Table Commands on the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . .315
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #13939 in Books
* Published on: 2007-01-05
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 360 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Bill Jelen is Mr. Excel! He is principal behind the leading Excel website, MrExcel.com. He honed his pivot table wizardry during a 12-year tenure as a financial analyst for a fast growing public computer firm. Armed with only a spreadsheet, he learned how to turn thousands of rows of transactional data into meaningful summaries in record time. He is an accomplished author of books on Excel and is a regular guest on “Call For Help” on TechTV Canada. As an Excel consultant, he has written Excel VBA solutions for hundreds of clients around the English-speaking world. His website hosts over 12 million page views annually.
Michael Alexander is a Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) with over 14 years experience developing business solutions with Microsoft Office, VBA, and .Net. He currently lives in Frisco, Texas, where he works as a senior program manager for a top technology firm. In his spare time, he runs a free tutorial site, www.datapigtechnologies.com, where he shares basic Access and Excel tips with intermediate users.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Pivot tables are the single most powerful feature in all of Excel. They came along during the 1990s when Microsoft and Lotus were locked in a bitter battle for dominance of the spreadsheet market. The race to continually add enhanced features to their respective products during the mid-90s led to many incredible features, but none as powerful as the pivot table.
With a pivot table, you can take 1 million rows of transactional data and transform it into a summary report in seconds. If you can drag a mouse, you can create a pivot table. In addition to quickly summarizing and calculating data, pivot tables allow you to change your analysis on the fly by simply moving fields from one area of a report to another.
There is simply no other tool in Excel that gives you the flexibility and analytical power that pivot tables can give you.
What You Will Learn from This Book
It is widely agreed that close to 50% of Excel users leave 80% of Excel untouched. That is, most users don't tap into the full potential of Excel's built-in utilities. Of these utilities, the most prolific by far is the pivot table. Despite the fact that pivot tables have been a cornerstone of Excel for more than 12 years now, they remain one of the most underutilized tools in the entire Microsoft Office Suite. If you have picked up this book, you are savvy enough to have heard of pivot tables or even have used them on occasion. You have a sense that pivot tables have a power that you are not using, and you want to learn how to leverage that power to quickly increase your productivity.
Within the first two chapters, you will be able to create basic pivot tables, increase your productivity, and produce reports in minutes instead of hours. Within the first seven chapters, you will be able to output complex pivot reports with drill-down capabilities accompanying charts. By the end of the book, you will be able to build a dynamic pivot table reporting system.
What Is New in Excel 2007's Pivot Tables
Microsoft streamlined the pivot table interface to make it easier to use. In the last six versions of Excel, you generally created and modified a pivot table by dragging field names around the worksheet. Excel provided subtle visual clues about where a dropped field would appear, but these clues were too subtle for most. If you accidentally dropped a text field in the data area instead of the row area, disaster would result. Now, in Excel 2007, you can build a pivot table by checking a few boxes. Excel's IntelliSense figures out the best location for the field. To modify the default, you can drag field names around the PivotTable Field List.
Also new in Excel 2007 is the easier interface for sorting and filtering fields in a pivot table. Whereas sorting was formerly hidden three levels deep in the menu system, it is now just one click away from the PivotTable Field List.
Formatting such as heat maps, data bars, banded rows, and columns are now available as icons on the Excel 2007 Ribbon.
Finally, Microsoft is pushing a high-end server product that allows many people to access data stored in pivot tables. It is no surprise that pivot tables play a key role in the interactivity of Excel Services for SharePoint.
Skills Required to Use This Book
We have created a reference that is comprehensive enough for hard-core analysts yet relevant to casual users of Excel. The bulk of the book covers how to use pivot tables in the Excel user interface. The final chapter describes how to create pivot tables in Excel's powerful VBA macro language. This means that any user who has a firm grasp of the basics (preparing data, copying, pasting, entering simple formulas) should have no problem understanding the concepts in this book.
Life Before Pivot Tables
Imagine that it is 1992. You are using Lotus 1-2-3 or Excel 4. You have thousands of rows of transactional data, as shown in Figure I.1. Your manager asks you to prepare a summary report showing revenue by region and product.
In 1992, preparing this report was a daunting task. It required superhuman spreadsheet skills that few could master. Here are the steps you needed to take:
1. You need to get a list of the unique regions in the dataset. Use the Advanced Filter command with Unique Records Only (see Figure I.2) to extract a list of the unique regions.
2. You need to get a list of the unique products in the dataset. Use the Advanced Filter command with Unique Records Only a second time to extract a list of the unique products.
3. You need to turn the list of products sideways so that it runs across the columns. Copy the list of unique models. Then choose Edit, Paste Special, Transpose to arrange the products as headings going across the report. You now have a skeleton of the report, as shown in Figure I.3.
4. You could use the DSUM function to total a column based on one criterion, but not based on two criteria. Therefore, you need to abandon typical functions and instead rely on an array formula. Before entering the array formula, set up two fields above the report to hold a sample region and sample model.
5. In the corner cell of the report, build an array formula to test whether the region column is North and the Model column is 4055T, and if so, add the corresponding row from the Revenue column. After typing this formula, remember to press Ctrl+Shift+Enter; otherwise, the formula will not work. The formula is shown in the formula bar in Figure I.4.
Tip - For a complete explanation of two-condition sums using array formulas, see http://www.MrExcel.com/tip031.shtml.
6. You know you're a hard-core data analyst if you can still imagine pressing the keystrokes for /Data Table 2 in Lotus 1-2-3. Figure I.5 shows the equivalent function in Excel. In Excel 2007, this command is found in Data, Data Tools, What If Analysis, Data Table.
7. Finally, after using two advanced filters and a Paste Special command, writing the hardest formula in the world, and then using the Data Table command, you have the result your manager is looking for, as shown in Figure I.6. If you could pull off this analysis in 10 minutes, you were doing an amazing job.
Now, if your manager takes a look at the report and asks you to add Market to the analysis, you are nearly back at square one and are looking at an additional 15 minutes to produce the new report.
The Invention of the Pivot Table
The concept that led to today's pivot table came from the halls of the Lotus Development Corporation with a revolutionary spreadsheet program called Lotus Improv. Improv was envisioned in 1986 by Pito Salas of the Advanced Technology Group at Lotus. Realizing that spreadsheets often have patterns of data, Pito concluded that if a user could build a tool that could recognize these patterns, then he could build enhanced data models. Lotus ran with the concept and started developing the next-generation spreadsheet.
Throughout 1987, Lotus demonstrated its new program to a few companies. In 1988, Steve Jobs saw the program and immediately wanted it developed for his upcoming NeXT computer platform. The program, finally named Lotus Improv, was eventually shipped in 1991 for the NeXT platform. A version for Windows
This book consolidates all the best functionality of pivot tables into one guide that provides you with a meaningful tutorial, offering practical solutions to day-to-day problems. Within just the first 2 chapters, you will be creating basic pivot tables, increasing productivity, and producing reports in minutes instead of hours. Within the first 6 chapters, you will learn how to use pivot tables to quickly highlight your top 10 customers or bottom 5 products in profitability; quickly create analysis comparing sales this period to last period by product or region or both; easily summarize daily transactional data by month or quarter or year in a few mouse clicks-all without knowing any formulas!
By the end of the book, you will truly be a pivot table guru, automating pivot tables using VBA, creating pivot tables with external data in OLAP cubes, and even creating dynamic reporting systems so that your managers can answer their own queries with a few mouse clicks.
- Take advantage of the numerous pivot table recipes
- Create powerful summary reports in seconds
- Build ad-hoc query tools with ease
- Enhance your Executive Reporting
- Filter reports to top 10 customers or products
- Add dynamic charts to reports
- Quickly summarize daily data by month, quarter, or year
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1------------- Pivot Table Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
2------------- Creating a Basic Pivot Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
3------------- Customizing a Pivot Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
4------------- Controlling the Way You View Your Pivot Data . . . . . . . . . . . .83
5------------- Performing Calculations Within Your Pivot Tables . . . . . . . . 117
6------------- Using Pivot Charts and Other Visualizations . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
7------------- Analyzing Disparate Data Sources with Pivot Tables . . . . . . 167
8------------- Sharing Pivot Tables with Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
9------------- Working with and Analyzing OLAP Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
10---------- Enhancing Your Pivot Table Reports with Macros . . . . . . . . .215
11---------- Using VBA to Create Pivot Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
12---------- Common Pivot Table Issues and Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291
A------------ Finding Pivot Table Commands on the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . .315
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #13939 in Books
* Published on: 2007-01-05
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 360 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Bill Jelen is Mr. Excel! He is principal behind the leading Excel website, MrExcel.com. He honed his pivot table wizardry during a 12-year tenure as a financial analyst for a fast growing public computer firm. Armed with only a spreadsheet, he learned how to turn thousands of rows of transactional data into meaningful summaries in record time. He is an accomplished author of books on Excel and is a regular guest on “Call For Help” on TechTV Canada. As an Excel consultant, he has written Excel VBA solutions for hundreds of clients around the English-speaking world. His website hosts over 12 million page views annually.
Michael Alexander is a Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) with over 14 years experience developing business solutions with Microsoft Office, VBA, and .Net. He currently lives in Frisco, Texas, where he works as a senior program manager for a top technology firm. In his spare time, he runs a free tutorial site, www.datapigtechnologies.com, where he shares basic Access and Excel tips with intermediate users.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Pivot tables are the single most powerful feature in all of Excel. They came along during the 1990s when Microsoft and Lotus were locked in a bitter battle for dominance of the spreadsheet market. The race to continually add enhanced features to their respective products during the mid-90s led to many incredible features, but none as powerful as the pivot table.
With a pivot table, you can take 1 million rows of transactional data and transform it into a summary report in seconds. If you can drag a mouse, you can create a pivot table. In addition to quickly summarizing and calculating data, pivot tables allow you to change your analysis on the fly by simply moving fields from one area of a report to another.
There is simply no other tool in Excel that gives you the flexibility and analytical power that pivot tables can give you.
What You Will Learn from This Book
It is widely agreed that close to 50% of Excel users leave 80% of Excel untouched. That is, most users don't tap into the full potential of Excel's built-in utilities. Of these utilities, the most prolific by far is the pivot table. Despite the fact that pivot tables have been a cornerstone of Excel for more than 12 years now, they remain one of the most underutilized tools in the entire Microsoft Office Suite. If you have picked up this book, you are savvy enough to have heard of pivot tables or even have used them on occasion. You have a sense that pivot tables have a power that you are not using, and you want to learn how to leverage that power to quickly increase your productivity.
Within the first two chapters, you will be able to create basic pivot tables, increase your productivity, and produce reports in minutes instead of hours. Within the first seven chapters, you will be able to output complex pivot reports with drill-down capabilities accompanying charts. By the end of the book, you will be able to build a dynamic pivot table reporting system.
What Is New in Excel 2007's Pivot Tables
Microsoft streamlined the pivot table interface to make it easier to use. In the last six versions of Excel, you generally created and modified a pivot table by dragging field names around the worksheet. Excel provided subtle visual clues about where a dropped field would appear, but these clues were too subtle for most. If you accidentally dropped a text field in the data area instead of the row area, disaster would result. Now, in Excel 2007, you can build a pivot table by checking a few boxes. Excel's IntelliSense figures out the best location for the field. To modify the default, you can drag field names around the PivotTable Field List.
Also new in Excel 2007 is the easier interface for sorting and filtering fields in a pivot table. Whereas sorting was formerly hidden three levels deep in the menu system, it is now just one click away from the PivotTable Field List.
Formatting such as heat maps, data bars, banded rows, and columns are now available as icons on the Excel 2007 Ribbon.
Finally, Microsoft is pushing a high-end server product that allows many people to access data stored in pivot tables. It is no surprise that pivot tables play a key role in the interactivity of Excel Services for SharePoint.
Skills Required to Use This Book
We have created a reference that is comprehensive enough for hard-core analysts yet relevant to casual users of Excel. The bulk of the book covers how to use pivot tables in the Excel user interface. The final chapter describes how to create pivot tables in Excel's powerful VBA macro language. This means that any user who has a firm grasp of the basics (preparing data, copying, pasting, entering simple formulas) should have no problem understanding the concepts in this book.
Life Before Pivot Tables
Imagine that it is 1992. You are using Lotus 1-2-3 or Excel 4. You have thousands of rows of transactional data, as shown in Figure I.1. Your manager asks you to prepare a summary report showing revenue by region and product.
In 1992, preparing this report was a daunting task. It required superhuman spreadsheet skills that few could master. Here are the steps you needed to take:
1. You need to get a list of the unique regions in the dataset. Use the Advanced Filter command with Unique Records Only (see Figure I.2) to extract a list of the unique regions.
2. You need to get a list of the unique products in the dataset. Use the Advanced Filter command with Unique Records Only a second time to extract a list of the unique products.
3. You need to turn the list of products sideways so that it runs across the columns. Copy the list of unique models. Then choose Edit, Paste Special, Transpose to arrange the products as headings going across the report. You now have a skeleton of the report, as shown in Figure I.3.
4. You could use the DSUM function to total a column based on one criterion, but not based on two criteria. Therefore, you need to abandon typical functions and instead rely on an array formula. Before entering the array formula, set up two fields above the report to hold a sample region and sample model.
5. In the corner cell of the report, build an array formula to test whether the region column is North and the Model column is 4055T, and if so, add the corresponding row from the Revenue column. After typing this formula, remember to press Ctrl+Shift+Enter; otherwise, the formula will not work. The formula is shown in the formula bar in Figure I.4.
Tip - For a complete explanation of two-condition sums using array formulas, see http://www.MrExcel.com/tip031.shtml.
6. You know you're a hard-core data analyst if you can still imagine pressing the keystrokes for /Data Table 2 in Lotus 1-2-3. Figure I.5 shows the equivalent function in Excel. In Excel 2007, this command is found in Data, Data Tools, What If Analysis, Data Table.
7. Finally, after using two advanced filters and a Paste Special command, writing the hardest formula in the world, and then using the Data Table command, you have the result your manager is looking for, as shown in Figure I.6. If you could pull off this analysis in 10 minutes, you were doing an amazing job.
Now, if your manager takes a look at the report and asks you to add Market to the analysis, you are nearly back at square one and are looking at an additional 15 minutes to produce the new report.
The Invention of the Pivot Table
The concept that led to today's pivot table came from the halls of the Lotus Development Corporation with a revolutionary spreadsheet program called Lotus Improv. Improv was envisioned in 1986 by Pito Salas of the Advanced Technology Group at Lotus. Realizing that spreadsheets often have patterns of data, Pito concluded that if a user could build a tool that could recognize these patterns, then he could build enhanced data models. Lotus ran with the concept and started developing the next-generation spreadsheet.
Throughout 1987, Lotus demonstrated its new program to a few companies. In 1988, Steve Jobs saw the program and immediately wanted it developed for his upcoming NeXT computer platform. The program, finally named Lotus Improv, was eventually shipped in 1991 for the NeXT platform. A version for Windows
Microsoft(R) Office Project Server 2007 Unleashed
Product Description
This is the eBook version of the printed book.
Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Unleashed provides a comprehensive and in-depth overview of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 and Enterprise Project Management (EPM). This book should be used as a reference to guide you through system capabilities and the use of more advanced product features in the context of your business processes. In this book you will find cutting-edge information, including the necessary framework and approach to implement a complex project management software product. Find practical, real-world guidance on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, use, manage, and customize your EPM Implementation. This book is your only in-depth source for Microsoft Office Project Server 2007!
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #18729 in Books
* Published on: 2007-11-01
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 1320 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
QuantumPM, LLC is a project, program, and portfolio management product and services firm that helps its clients create pragmatic and valuable solutions to address real-world problems. The company combines state-of-the-art tools from Microsoft and other technology leaders, its own expertise, and industry best practices to create solutions that support the way its customers work. QuantumPM products and services include management consulting, technical consulting, training, hosting services, earned value management, and business intelligence solutions.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction to Enterprise Project Management
Throughout this book, you will see that Enterprise Project Management (EPM; also called Enterprise Portfolio Management) is made up of two components: philosophy and tool. Although the book is primarily technical in nature, it is impossible to separate the technology from the environment in which it works. This software is not a "magic bullet" that will solve all process problems. Although it is great software, it has limitations, and the primary one is that it is only as good as the processes that surround the tool.
Why We Wrote This Book
The Sams Publishing Unleashed series is intended for both beginner and intermediate audiences. The primary purpose of this book is to provide knowledge to the reader of the capabilities of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, a robust EPM software application. It does not provide a step-by-step cookbook answer but rather provides the logic and approach that should be used for implementing a complex project management software product. Unlike other server products, EPM requires extensive knowledge of the project management domain and the business goals to install and configure it in the most optimal manner.
Much of the material covered in this book is simple enough for a beginner to understand but it also allows you to grow with the book as more advanced topics are covered. The intermediate user will find that the material is new and interesting and provides practical tips, tricks, and guidelines based on this team's experience of hundreds of successful EPM installations and implementations for thousands of users.
This book is comprehensive enough to be a source of powerful and meaningful information but is not meant to be a "cradle-to-grave" guide of all things possible with this software. It does need to fit in a briefcase or next to your desk!
The team is excited to offer you the opportunity to get into the consultants' heads and get some practical and real-world examples on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, and manage an EPM implementation.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into six parts designed to be of interest to a wide variety of readers. Some of the chapters focus on planning and organization, whereas others focus on technology details. The following information should help you decide which chapters are important for your role.
Part I—Initiating Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part I is an introduction to the software application and to the philosophy of approach to EPM. It is intended for all audiences to provide context for successfully planning and managing the EPM environment.
Chapter 1, "Enterprise Project Management Overview," describes enterprise thinking and what it takes to be successful with deployment of a software tool. The tool is not a magic bullet that will solve all problems regarding people, process, and environment.
Chapter 2, "Understanding Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 as an Enterprise Project Management Solution," is an overview of the major features of the EPM tool and how these features are integrated within the tool.
Chapter 3, "Initiating Your EPM Implementation," discusses what you should do and understand before beginning your EPM implementation planning. In addition to reviewing organizational factors and processes that you need to consider, the chapter details business justification, scope development, and obtaining authority to proceed as necessary steps before starting the planning process.
Part II—Planning Your Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part II discusses what your business and IT staff must do to properly plan and prepare for the implementation. Chapters in this part detail organizational processes and roles, Project Server 2007 architecture, and the technical design of the solution integrating your business processes.
Chapter 4, "Planning the Organizational Processes and Roles," helps the reader approach the implementation of this tool realistically by first understanding the key focus areas. In addition, you will understand how Project Server 2007 features and functions address the main usage scenarios, the planning of Project Server 2007 users and roles, planning project phases to be integrated into the solution, planning the actual deployment of the tool, migration planning, development of operational policies and processes, and finalizing and communicating implementation scope.
Chapter 5, "Understanding Microsoft office 2007 Project Server Architecture," provides the high-level view of the software components, the solution architecture, and considerations for scalability and security.
Chapter 6, "Designing the Enterprise Project Management Solution Architecture Details," provides an in-depth look at design requirements that must be considered when planning an EPM implementation.
Part III—Implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007
Part III discusses the steps necessary for implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. The intended audience for the chapters in this part are members of the implementation team.
Chapter 7, "Installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007," focuses on the high level steps and checklists, as well as useful references to already existing materials for installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. In addition, it provides a post-installation validation checklist that verifies the success of the installation—a crucial step prior to configuring the solution.
Chapter 8, "Configuring Your EPM Solution," provides an introduction to configuring the solution as well as reminds the implementation team to revisit business requirements to ensure that the solution addresses the key user needs and functionality.
Chapter 9, "Configuring Security Model Settings," addresses the security options and capabilities of the software. This important chapter helps the reader create a security model that is both robust and flexible so that it does not require a great deal of administrative time to maintain.
Chapter 10, "Configuring Enterprise Custom Fields," describes the core configuration elements of the software. Configuration models vary from organization to organization based on the complexity of the setup and the needs of the business. This chapter discusses the options available for the user.
Chapter 11, "Configuring Resources Attributes and Resource Pool," discusses the details of configuring the resource breakdown structure and configuring the resource pool, including resource types, matching skill sets, and synchronizing with Active Directory.
Chapter 12, "Configuring Calendars," explains the various settings and functionality of the Enterprise Global calendars and design considerations for various ways to configure the solution.
Chapter 13, "Configuring Task and Time Management Settings," explains the difference in the functionality of task and time management and the configuration options available to your organization to best fit your business model and processes.
Chapter 14, "Standardizing Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 Global Settings," discusses ways to standardize views, tables, toolbars, forms, maps, and other elements across your organization.
Chapter 15, "Configuring the Microsoft Office Project Web Access 2007 Interface," details the configuration options for the look and feel elements of the web-based Project Server 2007 component, Project Web Access.
Chapter 16, "Configuring Operational Policies," provides details for configuring and handling alerts and reminders, enterprise settings, server-side event handlers, Active Directory synchronization, project workspace management, and provisioning settings.
Chapter 17, "Configuring Reporting and Analysis," explains how an organization can set up views of the data and reports to meet the needs of di...
Customer Reviews
If you're implementing Project Server, THIS IS THE BOOK5
This is actually one of the best books I have seen in support of a product. Not only does it provide in depth information, it is specific to certain 'views' about the product, including technical, business, adoption, etc. If you are implementing Project Server, this will be one of the wisest decisions you could make to purchase this book.
This is the eBook version of the printed book.
Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Unleashed provides a comprehensive and in-depth overview of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 and Enterprise Project Management (EPM). This book should be used as a reference to guide you through system capabilities and the use of more advanced product features in the context of your business processes. In this book you will find cutting-edge information, including the necessary framework and approach to implement a complex project management software product. Find practical, real-world guidance on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, use, manage, and customize your EPM Implementation. This book is your only in-depth source for Microsoft Office Project Server 2007!
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #18729 in Books
* Published on: 2007-11-01
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 1320 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
QuantumPM, LLC is a project, program, and portfolio management product and services firm that helps its clients create pragmatic and valuable solutions to address real-world problems. The company combines state-of-the-art tools from Microsoft and other technology leaders, its own expertise, and industry best practices to create solutions that support the way its customers work. QuantumPM products and services include management consulting, technical consulting, training, hosting services, earned value management, and business intelligence solutions.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction to Enterprise Project Management
Throughout this book, you will see that Enterprise Project Management (EPM; also called Enterprise Portfolio Management) is made up of two components: philosophy and tool. Although the book is primarily technical in nature, it is impossible to separate the technology from the environment in which it works. This software is not a "magic bullet" that will solve all process problems. Although it is great software, it has limitations, and the primary one is that it is only as good as the processes that surround the tool.
Why We Wrote This Book
The Sams Publishing Unleashed series is intended for both beginner and intermediate audiences. The primary purpose of this book is to provide knowledge to the reader of the capabilities of Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, a robust EPM software application. It does not provide a step-by-step cookbook answer but rather provides the logic and approach that should be used for implementing a complex project management software product. Unlike other server products, EPM requires extensive knowledge of the project management domain and the business goals to install and configure it in the most optimal manner.
Much of the material covered in this book is simple enough for a beginner to understand but it also allows you to grow with the book as more advanced topics are covered. The intermediate user will find that the material is new and interesting and provides practical tips, tricks, and guidelines based on this team's experience of hundreds of successful EPM installations and implementations for thousands of users.
This book is comprehensive enough to be a source of powerful and meaningful information but is not meant to be a "cradle-to-grave" guide of all things possible with this software. It does need to fit in a briefcase or next to your desk!
The team is excited to offer you the opportunity to get into the consultants' heads and get some practical and real-world examples on how to plan, install, configure, deploy, and manage an EPM implementation.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into six parts designed to be of interest to a wide variety of readers. Some of the chapters focus on planning and organization, whereas others focus on technology details. The following information should help you decide which chapters are important for your role.
Part I—Initiating Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part I is an introduction to the software application and to the philosophy of approach to EPM. It is intended for all audiences to provide context for successfully planning and managing the EPM environment.
Chapter 1, "Enterprise Project Management Overview," describes enterprise thinking and what it takes to be successful with deployment of a software tool. The tool is not a magic bullet that will solve all problems regarding people, process, and environment.
Chapter 2, "Understanding Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 as an Enterprise Project Management Solution," is an overview of the major features of the EPM tool and how these features are integrated within the tool.
Chapter 3, "Initiating Your EPM Implementation," discusses what you should do and understand before beginning your EPM implementation planning. In addition to reviewing organizational factors and processes that you need to consider, the chapter details business justification, scope development, and obtaining authority to proceed as necessary steps before starting the planning process.
Part II—Planning Your Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Implementation
Part II discusses what your business and IT staff must do to properly plan and prepare for the implementation. Chapters in this part detail organizational processes and roles, Project Server 2007 architecture, and the technical design of the solution integrating your business processes.
Chapter 4, "Planning the Organizational Processes and Roles," helps the reader approach the implementation of this tool realistically by first understanding the key focus areas. In addition, you will understand how Project Server 2007 features and functions address the main usage scenarios, the planning of Project Server 2007 users and roles, planning project phases to be integrated into the solution, planning the actual deployment of the tool, migration planning, development of operational policies and processes, and finalizing and communicating implementation scope.
Chapter 5, "Understanding Microsoft office 2007 Project Server Architecture," provides the high-level view of the software components, the solution architecture, and considerations for scalability and security.
Chapter 6, "Designing the Enterprise Project Management Solution Architecture Details," provides an in-depth look at design requirements that must be considered when planning an EPM implementation.
Part III—Implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007
Part III discusses the steps necessary for implementing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. The intended audience for the chapters in this part are members of the implementation team.
Chapter 7, "Installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007," focuses on the high level steps and checklists, as well as useful references to already existing materials for installing Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. In addition, it provides a post-installation validation checklist that verifies the success of the installation—a crucial step prior to configuring the solution.
Chapter 8, "Configuring Your EPM Solution," provides an introduction to configuring the solution as well as reminds the implementation team to revisit business requirements to ensure that the solution addresses the key user needs and functionality.
Chapter 9, "Configuring Security Model Settings," addresses the security options and capabilities of the software. This important chapter helps the reader create a security model that is both robust and flexible so that it does not require a great deal of administrative time to maintain.
Chapter 10, "Configuring Enterprise Custom Fields," describes the core configuration elements of the software. Configuration models vary from organization to organization based on the complexity of the setup and the needs of the business. This chapter discusses the options available for the user.
Chapter 11, "Configuring Resources Attributes and Resource Pool," discusses the details of configuring the resource breakdown structure and configuring the resource pool, including resource types, matching skill sets, and synchronizing with Active Directory.
Chapter 12, "Configuring Calendars," explains the various settings and functionality of the Enterprise Global calendars and design considerations for various ways to configure the solution.
Chapter 13, "Configuring Task and Time Management Settings," explains the difference in the functionality of task and time management and the configuration options available to your organization to best fit your business model and processes.
Chapter 14, "Standardizing Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 Global Settings," discusses ways to standardize views, tables, toolbars, forms, maps, and other elements across your organization.
Chapter 15, "Configuring the Microsoft Office Project Web Access 2007 Interface," details the configuration options for the look and feel elements of the web-based Project Server 2007 component, Project Web Access.
Chapter 16, "Configuring Operational Policies," provides details for configuring and handling alerts and reminders, enterprise settings, server-side event handlers, Active Directory synchronization, project workspace management, and provisioning settings.
Chapter 17, "Configuring Reporting and Analysis," explains how an organization can set up views of the data and reports to meet the needs of di...
Customer Reviews
If you're implementing Project Server, THIS IS THE BOOK5
This is actually one of the best books I have seen in support of a product. Not only does it provide in depth information, it is specific to certain 'views' about the product, including technical, business, adoption, etc. If you are implementing Project Server, this will be one of the wisest decisions you could make to purchase this book.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 Bible
Product Description
This authoritative, solutions-based resource describes configuring, managing, and troubleshooting any SharePoint installation
Key topics discussed include creating an Office Server portal, content management, SharePoint server and business intelligence, Office Server customization, and solutions scenarios
Expert advice covers how to use SharePoint to create collaborative Web sites that easily integrate with corporate intranets and portals, team and customer collaboration sites, document management systems, and more
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #59225 in Books
* Published on: 2007-06-12
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 792 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
Implement SharePoint and make the most of it
SharePoint Server 2007 offers incredible versatility to content managers, project managers, and administrators, and here's everything you need to know to harness its power. Create Office-compatible collaborative Web sites, corporate intranets and portals, document management systems, and much more. This essential reference helps you deploy, configure, customize, and troubleshoot SharePoint to maximize business intelligence, manage records and Web content, enable collaboration among employees and customers, and boost business success.
* Create portals that facilitate business processes
*
Use SharePoint as a Business Intelligence platform
*
Discover solutions and hacks that offer new options
*
Customize and use Web Parts
*
Implement lists and libraries
*
Integrate Office 2007 functions
*
Manage business records and use the Report Center
About the Author
Wynne Leon, Wayne Tynes, and Simeon Cathey have a combined 40 years of consulting experience. Wynne's specialty is architecting and implementing Microsoft technologies, and she has published works on Exchange and Active Directory. Wayne specializes in knowledge management and prior to forming Avitiva, worked on the Microsoft SharePoint product team. Simeon excels in leading teams to design and develop innovative solutions. Their company, Avitiva, is focused on the design, development, hosting, and implementation of SharePoint.
Customer Reviews
Not thorough-mostly info available for free from Microsoft Office Online1
Skip it-Real basic stuff already available for free from Microsoft online and covered in more useful detail. Definitely not up to the title Sharepoint Bible. There are much better Sharepoint resources for your money that cover scenarios that represent real world tasks you are likely to come across that aren't just a single point & click in the Sharepoint. http://www.amazon.com/Real-World-SharePoint-2007-Indispensable/dp/0470168358 is one example I do recommend.
Good reference for End Users3
I was reccomended this book by a collegue as the only book I would need to get up to speed on MOSS. That was not a very good reccomendation. It is very weak on the setup, configuration and Share Service Provider aspects of managing a MOSS environment. It also has nothing of relevance on doing Web Parts.
What is is very strong in is end user tasks, such as building and maintaining list and document libraries. It also has some great content on customizing the envrinment and branding. The SharePoint Designer is also introduced as well.
If you are a normal office worker who is responsible for maintaining the content for your group or team, this is an excellent book. If you are a network admin or a developer this would be a good book to have, but do not expect anything very deep.
Comprehensive vision3
I started working on sharepoint since 1 year almost , and waiting for issued rich reference for all the ideas and components related to each field supported by practical examples help to handle the most wode issues experienced from standalone to larg servers farm.
This authoritative, solutions-based resource describes configuring, managing, and troubleshooting any SharePoint installation
Key topics discussed include creating an Office Server portal, content management, SharePoint server and business intelligence, Office Server customization, and solutions scenarios
Expert advice covers how to use SharePoint to create collaborative Web sites that easily integrate with corporate intranets and portals, team and customer collaboration sites, document management systems, and more
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #59225 in Books
* Published on: 2007-06-12
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 792 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
Implement SharePoint and make the most of it
SharePoint Server 2007 offers incredible versatility to content managers, project managers, and administrators, and here's everything you need to know to harness its power. Create Office-compatible collaborative Web sites, corporate intranets and portals, document management systems, and much more. This essential reference helps you deploy, configure, customize, and troubleshoot SharePoint to maximize business intelligence, manage records and Web content, enable collaboration among employees and customers, and boost business success.
* Create portals that facilitate business processes
*
Use SharePoint as a Business Intelligence platform
*
Discover solutions and hacks that offer new options
*
Customize and use Web Parts
*
Implement lists and libraries
*
Integrate Office 2007 functions
*
Manage business records and use the Report Center
About the Author
Wynne Leon, Wayne Tynes, and Simeon Cathey have a combined 40 years of consulting experience. Wynne's specialty is architecting and implementing Microsoft technologies, and she has published works on Exchange and Active Directory. Wayne specializes in knowledge management and prior to forming Avitiva, worked on the Microsoft SharePoint product team. Simeon excels in leading teams to design and develop innovative solutions. Their company, Avitiva, is focused on the design, development, hosting, and implementation of SharePoint.
Customer Reviews
Not thorough-mostly info available for free from Microsoft Office Online1
Skip it-Real basic stuff already available for free from Microsoft online and covered in more useful detail. Definitely not up to the title Sharepoint Bible. There are much better Sharepoint resources for your money that cover scenarios that represent real world tasks you are likely to come across that aren't just a single point & click in the Sharepoint. http://www.amazon.com/Real-World-SharePoint-2007-Indispensable/dp/0470168358 is one example I do recommend.
Good reference for End Users3
I was reccomended this book by a collegue as the only book I would need to get up to speed on MOSS. That was not a very good reccomendation. It is very weak on the setup, configuration and Share Service Provider aspects of managing a MOSS environment. It also has nothing of relevance on doing Web Parts.
What is is very strong in is end user tasks, such as building and maintaining list and document libraries. It also has some great content on customizing the envrinment and branding. The SharePoint Designer is also introduced as well.
If you are a normal office worker who is responsible for maintaining the content for your group or team, this is an excellent book. If you are a network admin or a developer this would be a good book to have, but do not expect anything very deep.
Comprehensive vision3
I started working on sharepoint since 1 year almost , and waiting for issued rich reference for all the ideas and components related to each field supported by practical examples help to handle the most wode issues experienced from standalone to larg servers farm.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
XML Programming Bible by Brian Benz
Product Description
Covers all the most recent XML core and related specifications including XML 1.1, J2EE 1.4, Microsoft .NET's latest iteration, as well as open source XML items from the Apache project.
Strong coverage of XML use with databases, transactions, and XML security.
Discusses both Microsoft (.NET) and Sun (Java) programming integration with XML, an approach not taken in any other book.
Presents extensive business examples, including several major applications developed throughout the book.
No previous exposure to XML is assumed.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #360309 in Books
Published on: 2003-09-26
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
984 pages
Editorial Reviews
Download Description
* Covers all the most recent XML core and related specifications including XML 1.1, J2EE 1.4, Microsoft .NET's latest iteration, as well as open source XML items from the Apache project.
* Strong coverage of XML use with databases, transactions, and XML security.
* Discusses both Microsoft (.NET) and Sun (Java) programming integration with XML, an approach not taken in any other book.
* Presents extensive business examples, including several major applications developed throughout the book.
* No previous exposure to XML is assumed.
Download Description
* Covers all the most recent XML core and related specifications including XML 1.1, J2EE 1.4, Microsoft .NET's latest iteration, as well as open source XML items from the Apache project.
* Strong coverage of XML use with databases, transactions, and XML security.
* Discusses both Microsoft (.NET) and Sun (Java) programming integration with XML, an approach not taken in any other book.
* Presents extensive business examples, including several major applications developed throughout the book.
* No previous exposure to XML is assumed.
Book Info
Guide to using the new XML 1.1 to structure data for spreadsheets, configuration parameters, and financial transactions. Covers Microsoft .NET and Java programming interaction with XML. For intermediate to advanced users. Softcover.
Customer Reviews
A good description of XML
This book does a great job at describing XML. It does not contain any exercise (although it contains some codes) to help you get your feet wet.
This is a good reference book. If you are a beginner, you will still need another book to help you get started.
Excellent book!
As a follow-up to the XML 1.1 Bible review, I took a look at the XML Programming Bible by Brian Benz with John Durant (Wiley). For those who want to use XML within their application development (as opposed to just web pages), this is the perfect follow-on book to have.
The chapter breakout...
Part 1 - Introducing XML - XML Concepts; XML Documents; XML Data Format and Validation; XML Parsing Concepts; Parsing XML with DOM; Parsing XML with SAX; XSLT Concepts; XSL Transformations; XSL Formatting Objects
Part 2 - Microsoft Office and XML - Microsoft XML Core Services; Working with the MSXML DOM; Generating XML from MS Access Data; Creating an Excel Spreadsheet from an XML Data Source
Part 3 - XML Web Applications Using J2EE - XML Tools for J2EE: IBM, Apache, Sun, and Others; Xerces; Xalan; XML APIs from Sun
Part 4 - Relational Data and XML - Accessing and Formatting XML from SQL Server Data; Accessing and Formatting XML from Oracle Data; Accessing and Formatting XML from DB2; Building XML-Based Web Applications with JDBC; Transforming Relational XML Output into Other Formats
Part 5 - Introducing Web Services - Web Services Concepts; SOAP; WSDL; UDDI; Microsoft Web Services; J2EE Web Services
Part 6 - Microsoft .Net and Web Services - Creating and Deploying .Net Web Services; Accessing .Net Web Services; Building a .Net Web Services Client
Part 7 - Web Services and J2EE - Web Service Tools for J2EE: IBM, Apache, Sun, and Others; Web Services with the Sun Java Web Services Developer Pack; Apache Axis; Access Web Services from Java Applications
Part 8 - Advanced Web Services - Accessing Relational Data via Web Services; Authentication and Security for Web Services; Index
I think I got finger cramps just typing all that! :-)
Seriously, there's really good material here. The assumption is made that you already understand basic XML technology. Benz doesn't spend an inordinate amount of time covering introductory material. Part 1 does do a bit of that, but only enough to establish the basic direction for the rest of the book. There is much more attention paid to XML concepts that come into play for programmers, such as the document object model of XML and how the two types of parsers (DOM and SAX) work. The rest of the book is highly practical, with examples of how to generate or access XML data using a variety of platforms, such as Microsoft Office, .Net, J2EE, Oracle, etc.
For me personally, I appreciate the emphasis on code and working examples. I have always learned more by taking something that works, tearing it apart, and using it as the basis for my own efforts. Benz has provided many examples that provide just that opportunity. Being that he doesn't restrict his writing to a single platform (like .Net or J2EE), this is one of few books that have a cross-over appeal to many technology platforms. If you happen to work in a shop that uses both Microsoft and Java technologies, you'll be able to get a single book that will assist you on both sides of the fence.
Basically, there's nothing I can find fault with for this book. It's solid writing of essential information you need for using XML in your various applications. This is a book that gets my highest recommendation.
Great Book!
Brian covers the topic areas complete, with examples and walkthroughs. Anyone who will touch more than 1 or 2 implementations of XML should have this book in their library.
Friday, February 22, 2008
I-Net+ Study Guide by David Groth
Product Description
Here's the book you need to prepare for CompTIA's i-Net+ Exam.
This Sybex Study Guide provides:
Full coverage of every exam objective
Practical information on network hardware
Hundreds of challenging review questions, in the book and on the CD
Leading-edge exam preparation software, including a testing engine and electronic flashcards
Authoritative coverage of all exam objectives, including:
Internet Basics
Web Site Development
Performance Monitoring
Networking Fundamentals
Internet Security
E-Business Concepts
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1112778 in Books
Published on: 2000-01
Number of items: 1
Binding: Hardcover
675 pages
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The i-Net+ exam was developed for the millions of job seekers who want to stand up tall and shout, "Hey! You! Companies! I know something about the Internet, so hire me for oodles of money!" And after you read the new Sybex i-Net+ Study Guide and pass the exam--because you will pass if you read this book thoroughly--you too will be able to join in the joy and revelry that comes with being one of those mysterious wizards who Understands The Net.
Okay... maybe it's not that great. (For one thing, the secret handshake we Internet wizards have gives you all sorts of nasty cramps.) But it is a laudable and well-written overview of the basic issues involved in working with the Web, which is exactly what the i-Net+ is testing for--and whether you're a long-term Net junkie checking your knowledge before the exam, or just a novice looking to position yourself for better and bigger things, this book will serve you very well.
Given the breadth of the topics that need to be covered, the guide is succinct but thorough. The writing is a cut above the usual mass of study guides, frequently taking oft-obtuse concepts like routing, copyright protection, and DHCP and putting them in simple terms that the layperson can understand. That said, the book is extremely text-heavy and uses illustrations sparsely, generally relying on long paragraphs to get the point across. If you're more visual than verbal, this probably isn't the book for you. The illustrations, primarily used to demonstrate routing and security concepts, are mostly top-notch and clarify the objectives nicely. Only one or two clunkers mar the excellent visuals.
But what about the content? The topics map closely to the i-Net+ objectives and range from the basics of internetworking and simple protocol explanations all the way up to mid-range explanations of basic Internet design concepts, i-Net troubleshooting, and security. The chapters on networking basics and site functionality are outstanding for striking that tenuous balance between too complex for the beginner and too simple to pass the test.
However, a couple of notable topics are skipped over too quickly: the programming language section passed by far too fast, with major up-and-coming topics like Active Server Pages getting a one-paragraph brushoff, and the potentially exam-critical fact that VBScript only works in Internet Explorer browsers gets only a parenthetical warning buried deeply in the text. Likewise, the explanation of HTML basics is far too brief and could have used better organization (say, a chart of the critical tags) to get beginners up to speed on simple HTML coding. In an inverse problem, the chapter on client configuration seems a trifle overworked.
There are 20 questions at the end of every chapter, with answers given immediately afterward (a change I applaud Sybex for making, since flipping all the way to the end of the book was très annoying). The questions are multiple-choice and tend to err on the shallow side, but by and large they give you decent preparation. There is an introductory assessment test and a final exam test, but for some reason Sybex chose not to let you know what a passing grade on these exams would be. (Try 75%, the passing grade on the actual i-Net+.) Tests on disk and a set of electronic flashcards provide more testing practice, although after taking all of them it's still unclear whether the i-Net+ expects you to install all patches immediately or wait until the last minute.
Despite a few minor drawbacks, this is still an excellent one-stop guide for the certification junkie. --William Steinmetz
Book Info
Provides a comprehensive resource needed to prepare for and pass the iNet+ exam. Presents complete coverage of all six exam domains: I-Net Basics, I-Net Clients, Development, Networking and Infrastructure, I-Net Security, and Business concepts. Includes a practice exam, glossary, and a guide to acronyms.
From the Back Cover
Here's the book you need to prepare for CompTIA's i-Net+ Exam. This Sybex Study Guide provides:
Full coverage of every exam objective
Practical information on network hardware
Hundreds of challenging review questions, in the book and on the CD
Leading-edge exam preparation software, including a testing engine and electronic flashcards
Authoritative coverage of all exam objectives, including:
Internet Basics
Web Site Development
Performance Monitoring
Networking Fundamentals
Internet Security
E-Business Concepts
Customer Reviews
Two typos before the first chapter
I found two major typos before I even began the first chapter. I hope this is not indicative of the quality of the entire product, since I will be testing in just a few weeks.
Even before reading the first chapter I found errors in the assessment test. Question 14 has the answer printed under the question instead of at the end of the test like the rest of the questions. The second error is in the answers for question 27. The answer is listed as one letter but the explanation says a different answer is the best.
I have used other Sybex guides in the past with good results.
i-Net+ review
it's a good book to learn for the examen.
i have my examen tomorrow and i think i have no problem to pass it.
some things in the book aren't up to date, but it's difficult to be up to date with a book like this...
but i think it's enough to learn for the examen...
kind regards
IgNo
Excellent Resource
I read several reviews about this book prior to purchasing it and some gave it mediocre scores. My perception is that it excelled in preparing me for the exam which I passed with ease. Another excellent resource is www.mcmcse.com
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Excel 2003 Bible by John Walkenbach
Product Description
* The most comprehensive guidebook available on the most popular spreadsheet program, fully updated to include all-new "X" features
* Written by the leading Excel guru known as "Mr. Spreadsheet," John Walkenbach, who has written more than thirty books and 300 articles on related topics and maintains the popular Spreadsheet Page at www.j-walk.com/ss
* The definitive reference book for beginning to advanced users, featuring expert advice and hundreds of examples, tips, techniques, shortcuts, work-arounds, and more
* Covers expanded use of XML and Web services to facilitate data reporting, analysis, importing, and exporting information
* Explores Excel programming for those who want advanced information
* CD-ROM includes all templates and worksheets used in the book, as well as sample chapters from all Wiley Office "X" related Bibles and useful third party software, including John Walkenbach's Power Utility Pak
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1077 in Books
Published on: 2003-09-19
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
936 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
If Excel 2003 can do it, you can do it too...
Whether you're just discovering Excel or are already a power user, there's no better instructor than "Mr. Spreadsheet," John Walkenbach. From basic formulas, functions, and chart creation to data analysis, custom number formats, data validation, and Excel programming with VBA, this is the comprehensive resource for Excel 2003. No matter what your level of expertise, you'll benefit from hundreds of examples, exercises, tips, techniques, and workarounds, all served with a generous helping of the master's expert advice.
Inside, you'll find complete coverage of Excel 2003
Learn your way around cells, rows, columns, worksheets, workbooks, and ranges
Discover how to create charts and diagrams, organize lists, and simplify complex tasks using Excel
Develop formulas that manipulate text, look up values, and perform financial applications
Analyze data using external database files and pivot tables
Perform "what if" analysis, use Goal Seek and Solver, and gain proficiency with the Analysis ToolPak
Use XML to facilitate data reporting, analysis, importing, and exporting
Explore conditional formatting, link and consolidate worksheets, and use Excel in a workgroup
Understand how Excel uses HTML in Internet applications
Program Excel using VBA, develop UserForms, and create custom add-ins
Bonus CD-ROM and companion Web site!
Exclusive Office 2003 Super Bible eBook, with more than 500 pages of information about how Microsoft Office components work together
Bonus shareware, freeware, trial, demo, and evaluation programs that work with or enhance Microsoft Office
Searchable eBook version of Excel 2003 Bible
An easy-to-use interface that allows you to browse and install everything on the CD
About the Author
John Walkenbach is the author of approximately three dozen spreadsheet books. Visit his Web site at http://.j-walk.com.
Customer Reviews
Great Desk Reference Book
I am an Excel novice, and the "Excel Bible - 2003" was a fantastic ready reference book for me. If you plan on doing ANY sort of analytical work on your PC, I highly reccomend using Microsoft Excel. As such, this book will help you successfully navigate through your first few days, weeks, and years of Excel.
Also, Mr. Walkenbach (the author) is very accessable. I had a few basic questions for him regarding Excel formulas, sent him an e-mail and had a response within 48 hours. Pretty remarkable, in my opinion.
Review of Excel 2003 The Bible
I needed a text book that was well written and easy to understand detailing advanced programming for Excel. I looked around for a while before deciding on John Walkenbach's "The Bible".
The information is well laid out and easy to follow.
It comes with a CD Rom with additional information but also includes the book in electronic form.
I am very happy with my selection and will be purchasing other text books from "The Bible" range.
Jeff
Excel 2003 Bible
Awesome, Easily understood, beginners to experts, Lots of unique ways to make processes easier and simpler. Well worth it!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Access 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual by Matthew MacDonald
Product Description
This fast-paced book teaches you the basics of Access 2007 so you can start using this popular database program right away. You'll learn how to work with Access' most useful features to design databases, maintain them, search for valuable nuggets of information, and build attractive forms for quick-and-easy data entry.
The new Access is radically different from previous versions, but with this book, you'll breeze through the new interface and its timesaving features in no time with:
Clear explanations
Step-by-step instructions
Lots of illustrations
Larger type
Plenty of friendly advice
Ideal for small businesses and households, Access runs on PCs and manages large stores information, including numbers, pages of text, and pictures -- everything from a list of family phone numbers to an enormous product catalog. Unfortunately, each new version of the program crammed in yet another set of features -- so many that even the pros don't know where to find them all. Access 2007 breaks the mold: Microsoft changed the user interface by designing a tabbed toolbar that makes features easy to locate.
One thing that hasn't improved is Microsoft's documentation. Even if you find the features you need, you still may not know what to do with them. Access 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual is the perfect primer for small businesses with no techie to turn to, as well as those who want to organize household and office information.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #97920 in Books
Published on: 2007-01-25
Format: Illustrated
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
378 pages
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Donald Bales is a Business Analyst and Computer Applications Consultant specializing in the analysis, design, and programming of client- server and web-based distributed applications; internationalization of existing applications; systems integration; and data warehousing. Don has over twenty years experience with Oracle as both a developer and a database administrator, and over ten years experience with Java. He is currently working on the migration of medical and industrial hygiene systems to a web environment for a major Oil company. When he is not developing applications, Donald can often be found working with horses, playing the piano, or playing the bagpipes. Donald has had several careers, and has at various times been a mechanic, a general contractor, Mr. Mom, a developer, a CTO, and currently a consultant. He has a bachelor of science degree in Business from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois. Don currently resides in Downers Grove, Illinois with his wife Diane and his daughter Kristyn. He can be contacted by email at don@donaldbales.com.
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