Nice Basic Introduction
927447
Nice Basic Introduction quite clearly explained.
Some mistakes like repeating words or line numbers missing in the code blocks of Kindle version, but this is minor.
3621467
This is a basic level guide to computer security. People who have a background in the subject will probably find that they already know most of these concepts. For people trying to learn in the first place, this is a good place to start. The book covers the sort of threats and security measures that come up with individual machines as well as broader networks, and emphasizes the importance of "non-tech" security measures as well, including those posed by physical threats (namely theft), environmental problems like excessive heat, fires and humidity. There are plenty of illustrations and lots of examples using utilities already available to Windows users, which might infuriate Linux and Mac types but is probably the smart move for a general audience.

Overall, a good primer for the basic concepts.
705171
Good basic simple stuff that you can't go wrong with
2671524
This is a nice introduction to WCF, LINQ, and the Entity framework.

The book introduces WCF first.  It starts with Hello World and ends with a multilayered real world example.

It ends this section connecting to a database with a SqlClient adapter and adding exception handling (faults) to the design.

It then moves into an introduction of LINQ, followed by two chapters on LINQ to Entities.  One is an introduction chapter on LINQ to Entities and an advanced topics chapter.

The author wraps the book up by replacing the SqlClient adapter with LINQ to Entities and introducing distributed transaction support.

One of the things I found disappointing with the book was that it had no coverage of WCF auditing/logging/tracing.  These are essential tools when developing Multi-tier services.

I found the book to be one of those books I would read from cover to cover.  I probably would grab this book first as a reference.

All in all I found the book a good read.  If you are looking for an introduction to WCF, LINQ, and the Entity framework this is a great place to start.
1093557
This book gives an introduction to a number of Internet-based tools and how they can be used by teachers.  The focus tends to be on K-12, but the principles are applicable (generally) to other settings, including higher education.

The author covers blogs, wikis, RSS, social bookmarking, Flickr, and podcasting.  Some strengths of this book include:
-Solid introduction to each tool for those not familiar
-Simple "how to" to get started with each tool
-Good pointers to resources, especially the free ones
-Some commentary on the significance of these tools that goes beyond "gee whiz"

Some weaknesses:
-In spite of a focus on K-12, there was little discussion of how to use these tools to support specific educational standards.  Granted, that's a huge task, but some examples would be nice.  Then again, if you "get" the tools, that exercise is for the reader.
-Huge emphasis on blogs, much shorter entry on podcasting.  I can only guess that the author wrote about what he knew most about.

The physical paperback itself is ok.  Mine definitely shows the wear and tear of being carried around in my bag.

Overall: if you're a teacher (or technology coordinator) and are a relative newcomer to these tools, this is a very good place to start.
2979576
In typical "Visual Quickstart" fashion, this book is well organized, illustrated, and written.  If you want to start with Django and have limited exposure, then this book is a good place to start.  It's not very in-depth, however, and it's a short book -- a weekend read.  If you want a solid study of Django (and Python), you'll probably have to look elsewhere, but for a beginner, it's good.
1338412
This is a nice and short basic introduction to stoicism. I actually recommend reading this before you start with Seneca and Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. It helps to know the background and the "why"; especially when reading books by great leaders who wrote them about 2000 years ago!
After this you can read "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius -- also for free on Kindle Classics, or "the stoics bible".
4170402
This book is an introduction to MicroPython (an implementation of Python for microcontrollers) and uses the BBC micro:bit as a learning platform.  The first couple of chapters are a basic introduction to the micro:bit and how to set up the MicroPython programming environment Mu.  There are several of chapters that can be quickly skimmed if you already have a working knowledge of Python, but it's a good review/introduction for newcomers to the language.  The final chapters give examples specific to the micro:bit - including using the Radio function and how to communicate between the micro:bit and your own Python code running on a separate computer.
I wish it had gone a little more in depth with some of the examples, but there's enough there (plus pointers/references to the full documentation) to keep you busy.
2345809
Quite clearly, this pocket guide does what it's supposed to do. It gives you a quick & dirty intro into the podcasting world. I already know a thing or two on podcasting but for beginners, this is a nice introduction. Why the 'but...'?? Well, there is a small chapter on 'Fixining common audio problems'. This was a very small chapter but I'd like to have that one a bit bigger. Perhaps in an other pocket guide? I liked that part because it kinda gives you shortcuts to some specific solutions to improve your audio, without going in the technical stuff. Very nice.
737437
This is a pleasant introduction to Unix that someone just starting out with Mac OS X will find very useful. Don't bother with this if you are already experienced with Unix or Linux, but if you've never been at a Unix command line in your life, this is a good place to start.
I liked that the authors went to some effort to cover what could go wrong with the examples they used. I think it was also good that they covered Fink and a few Unixy applications like Pine.
There are bigger and more inclusive books out there, but the brevity of this (128 pages) makes it very non-threatening for the command-line phobic. The back cover states that its target audience is traditional Macintosh users, and while I don't fall into that category at all, I suspect that even the most fearful will find this to be a painless experience.
I did think it a little odd that the Apple Developer Connection considers this a "Recommended Title". While it's certainly true that developers can be just as Unix naive as anyone else, I would think that most Mac Developers would want something far more techy than this. I don't mean to imply that this is just fluff; but it definitely is just a light surface treatment and wouldn't seem to take a developer where they probably want to go. I could be wrong, of course.
2141242
Brief, but fairly comprehensive. No unnecessary explanations of options etc.
91273
This one is OK as an introduction, but very short and not much if anything new to say.
3585083
One of the worst qualities of computer books is their length. For some reason most books decide to talk about functions for 189 pages and what an integer is for 35. This book offers a clear introduction to the java language and manages to be less than an inch thick.  The book is very well formatted and ordered and is pretty pleasant to read. And thankfully it is content to give one good sized example rather than 6 long cryptic ones.
  However it is not an effective advanced reference. It fails to talk about RMI, JNI and reflection which are very useful advanced concepts that I would like to hear about from these authors.
2677227
For the person looking for a nice overview ans new to the subject.
1314841
As a basic introduction to how DirectX 11 usage, this book seems great so far. I've used previous versions of DirectX, so I can't comment on how clear it would be for a complete beginner, but for someone who already knows the basics it was certainly very easy to follow. And it does a great job of explaining advanced fundamentals, touching on most topics you'll need to understand as a DirectX programmer, which is great. You'll find information on the latest 11.1 and 11.2 interfaces as well, in case you want to target Windows 8-only features.

That said, past the first few chapters (which describe both the native interfaces and the C# interfaces), the book focuses almost entirely on C#/.NET examples.

As a developer who has avoided using managed code in games, this is not the way I'd personally prefer to see my examples. On the other hand, C# examples are almost always cleaner than the equivalent C/C++ code would have been, just due to the overhead of the native COM interfaces.

Overall it seems like a great buy if you're looking to update your skills to cover the latest DirectX technologies.
3295490
Decent starter guide well layed out found this useful in all sorts of ways
1357891
Very basic and concise. Sometimes that is all that is needed. It's worth reading as a general introduction. I would recommend it.