Scott Kelby's 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3

As a 70 year old,self taught relative new-comer to PC's, the scope and depth of Photoshop has proved to be almost overwhelming - but where do you start to de-mystify the programme's daunting controls and options?<br /><br />Teach-yourself books generally assume you have at least a good grounding of computer-speak - and I didn't even know what the shift key was, or how to find it!<br /><br />I had been browsing through Scott Kelby's tuition sites, and although enlightening they seemed to be just one step too far ahead for we old chaps with an attention span/memory grasp - THEN I bought his 7-Point System and a whole new world opened up before me. Undreamed of techniques unfolded that were readily understood, and the hours of pleasure working through the 21 lessons - some of the more basic I can now do with hardly a glance at the pages.<br /><br />If you are new to PhotoShop , buy this book. I have a grandson who has been grounded in Adobe CS3 and is in his last university year majoring in Film Making, Production & Anomation - he has worked through my book and now buying his own - I guess no fuller praise than this can be offered.<br /><br />Scott Kelby's approuch to digital imaging is superb, a bright light shining through the dark magic & mystery.<br /><br />Just three words - BUY THIS BOOK.

Buyer Beware.

I recently attended a two-day course on Adobe Photoshop CS3 as part of my conversion to digital photography and digital imaging. At the end of that course the students were all given a copy of this book which contains a training CD Rom. As I was already booked onto the"advanced course" in 14 days time, I eagerly put the CD into my computer to practise what I had learned. Only then did I discover the CD would not work without my having first purchased and installed the full Adobe Photoshop CS3 software. <br /><br />In my case, I had already ordered that software so it was only a matter of a few days delay before I could get started. Just be warned that you cannot use this product without having first installed the full software package - and that is a separate purchase altogether.<br /><br />Once that's done, it's actually great. Anyone who starts at page one - with no previous experience and no knowledge of the difference between a tool bar and a menu bar, will find it all fit slowly into place as the book teaches one step at a time and then builds on each step until you find yourself automatically going back to something already learned as though you have been doing it for years.<br /><br />My only criticism of the book is some pretty silly typing errors. In one example you are referred back to a previous page only to find they got the page number wrong. In another, a list of tools is incorrect.<br /><br />I did find such basic errors to be quite surprising (and very annoying at the time) from a team of people who are otherwise so technically competent.<br /><br />NM<br /><br />

A very impressing book

Before I get started I would like you to know that this is NOT a commercial review. I am just an Amazon customer.<br /><br />After many years using Microsoft books to prepare for my exams, I found this book excellent for many reasons. This is not a training kit for beginners of course. But experienced administrators will see that everything is explained very clearly and the coverage of each subject has been hugely improved in respect of previous books from Microsoft. Make sure you read it cover to cover and read ALL the"Real World" sections written before each chapter. It is True Enterprise Administration reading. Outstanding!

Best so Far

This field guide will appeal to beginners through to the serious amateur. It covers all the technical stuff as well as some good guidance on photography in general. If you have recently purchased the 40D and wanted a good book then this is it. If I had to be picky then my only criticism is the continued reference to L series lenses, which whilst ideal are often out of financial reach for many. You can get some very good results with some cheaper lenses.<br />

It helped me pass 70-620, nuff said!

I have read a lot of study guides over the years and despite the size of this book it was amazingly easy to read and digest.<br /><br />The content weas laid out logically and flowed with ease.<br /><br />I know a lot of people are upset that there is not evaluation included but if you work in IT you should be able to lay your hands on a copy. Also I strongly recommend actually using Vista before taking the 70-620!

The best programming book

This is the scond book i bought from the same author(Andrew Troelsen) and I am glad to do so. The first book was about vb2005 and the .net framework or simlar title to this, which I liked the style and depth of explaination. This writer doesn't leave any room for confusion. He explains everything in details. This book is very useful for biggeners as well as a must a have for advanced programmers who wants to learn C#. This book is highly recommended

A great Companion

I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday gift when I first got into my Family Tree. It is a really useful resource helping a beginner find their way around the wealth of info available on the web to the amateur genealogist. There is info on where to start and on the whole aray of online sources. A great book, worth the money.

Best command line deskside Linux guide

If you do choose to explore the command line interface of Linux this may be the only book you need buy. True, if you are setting up a network or a LAMP server you will need much more, but if your goal is to gain an insight into what goes on under the hood of Linux or you just need an aide memoire for common Linux commands, this is the best book available. Written in a style that works both as a tutorial and a reference work its only real weakness is the absence of a simple quick reference guide to Linux commands - you have to rely on the index. Although it aims at a Fedora audience, there is probably no user of any other distro that won't find this book worth the purchase price. And it's a very convenient size to literally slip into your pocket.

Web Analytics: A must for ever web team

I'm not a web analyst. Nor am I a statistician. However I've just finished reading `Web Analytics: An Hour a Day' and I feel like I could do a pretty good job of the former without being daunted by the latter. <br /><br />It all comes down to one concept - that of a data driven decision making culture. Or put another way, how to maximise the return on all your hard work. Avinash describes it wonderfully and provides lots of useful advice about how to achieve it. <br /><br />If that sounds dull, fear not - Avinash does a much better job of making it interesting and exciting.<br /><br />If you're a web analyst, you shouldn't need this review to convince you to buy the book - read some of Avinash's blog posts and you'll soon work it out for yourself. If you're not an analyst but you're involved in managing a website or sites you'll find it incredibly refreshing and useful (failing that make sure at least one person one your web team has read it). <br /><br />Personally I can't recommend it highly enough. You don't have to read it cover to cover, and even the most experienced web professionals should find plenty to think about.<br /><br />

Andy Murray, PRINCE2 Consultant

PRINCE2, or PRojects IN Controlled Environments, is a project management methodology. It covers the management, control and organisation of a project.<br /><br />PRINCE2(tm) was launched by the UK Government in 1996 and has since become the most widely used project management method worldwide. By the beginning of 2007 there were more than 250,000 certified Project Managers who had sat and passed the PRINCE2(tm) practitioner exam. Practitioners can now be found in all 7 continents (yes, even in Antarctica). <br /><br />PRINCE2(tm) is now more than a just manual. When people say"we are using PRINCE2(tm)" they don't mean that they are using the manual. They mean that they direct, manage or participate on a project which follows (some of) the processes, components and techniques embodied in the manual. PRINCE2(tm) has become `a way' of delivering projects. It has become a community, comprising:<br />* The UK Government (it is owned by the Office of Government Commerce - OGC)<br />* A documented method (the manual, now in its 4th edition), available in several languages<br />* An accreditation body (APM Group Ltd)<br />* 120+ accredited training organisations, providing training around the globe in 17 languages<br />* 15+ accredited consulting organisations<br />* Software tools (There were 52 tools supporting PRINCE2(tm) listed in the last PM Software Tool sourcebook)<br />* An official user group (The Best Practice User Group - BPUG) and numerous others covering more than 10 countries<br />* Several on-line discussion forums dedicated to PRINCE2(tm)<br />* More than 1.6 million pages on the world-wide-web which reference PRINCE2(tm); much more than any other method.<br /><br />While the PRINCE2(tm) manual is owned and maintained by the UK Government, several other governments are now recommending its use (for example The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany) and it has been adopted by The United Nations Development Program as part of their global framework for managing projects. Its use extends beyond Governments and institutions as it has been adopted by the private sector with some vigour. PRINCE2(tm) has also moved beyond its IT origin and is used for R&D projects, construction projects, product development projects, marketing projects, business transformation projects and many more.<br /><br />If you want to use PRINCE2 to manage your projects then this is the essential reference book. <br /><br />It contains:<br />* 8 chapters of processes (e.g. directing a project, initiating a project, planning)<br />* 8 chapters of Components (e.g Organisation, Management of Risk, Business Case)<br />* 3 chapters of Techniques (e.g. Product Based Planning)<br />* Appendix A - Product Description outlines<br />* Appendix B - Project Management Team roles<br />* Appendix C - Risk Categories<br />* Appendix D - PRINCE2 healthcheck (a set of checklists)<br />* Appendix E - Project Document Management

Written in plain english

What a breath of fresh air to find a down to earth explanation of how to get on with Excel 2003. It's written in plain english, with a sense of humour thrown in. With clear step-by-step instructions and plenty of illustrations to get you through each subject, you can't go wrong. In just a few days, I've read the book and carried out the instructions of the exercises with ease, and I'm not a computer whizz by any stretch of the imagination. Well worth the money.

Not the best

I have several"how to" photoshop books but most of them tend to be of the"now click this..then click that" type. What I needed was a book that told me"why" I clicked that, so I though that being devoted completely to the"layers" tool it would be give me a more in-depth explanation of the tool. Things start off well enough with an overview of exactly what a"layer" is, but then jumps straight into creating"gimicks". There are plenty of better books on the market for creating gimicks in photoshop ( try one of the excellent Katrin Eismann books )but that wasn't what I needed. This author is from the same stable as Scott Kelby who writes excellent books on this subject ,and it shows through as he tries to write in the same style (love it or hate it). Unfortunately he is not Kelby and the book is actually short on useful techniques that you will want to use every day. (incidentally, the useful stuff has already been covered elsewhere ) This book, after my initial flick through will no doubt end up at the bottom of my pile..while my search goes on for a real-world sugar-free explanation of this powerful tool.<br /><br />

A Must Have

This is one of those books that every lecturer who teaches any kind of animation will tell you to buy, not suggest, TELL YOU TO BUY. A large section of the book explains animation history and some guide lines (like don't listen to music! lol) before breaking down different walk cycles and then moving on to other various things that can be animated. THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANY LEVEL OF ANIMATOR (as even the legendary animators rules are altered in this book at some points).

What a great Book...

I have brough this book , and the resaion is that its great. It covered everything I needed to get to the level I am now, I have had many a great experiance. Great Book!

ITIL for the rest of us

I have been working with ITIL v2 since the end of the 90's. I had both titles from OGC (Service Delivery and Service Support) and used both extensively. I bought the previous version of this ITSMF book in 2003, and from then on, I barely opened the OGC publications. It served me very well over 5 years. Now that ITIL v3 is available I decided to invest in this ITSM book rather than invest over 5 times as much in the OGC versions. Like its predecessor, this ITSMF text is a gem: it contains all I need to know about the 5 process groups, the new processes, and how I should go about introducing v3. I would heartily recommend it.

Does what it says on the cover

A excellent book for those of us that aren't too familar with this computer lark.Very easy to read with great see-how guides.Lovely coloured pages that invite you to get involved,yet without bogging you down with too much information.I gave this book 5 stars although it doesn't cover some of 'vista ultimate' functions,but hey if you are man enough to handle the ultimate(like myself)then this book will serve you well,plain and simple.

How groundswell thinking can help to achieve success in a"flat world"

<br />What Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff characterize as"the groundswell" is"a social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other instead of from companies. If you're in a company, this is a challenge...[This trend] has created s permanent, long-lasting shift in the way the world works. This book exists to help companies deal with the trend, [begin italics] regardless of how the individual technology pieces change [end italics]."More specifically, Li and Bernoff respond to questions such as these:<br /><br />What unique threats does the groundswell pose?<br />How to turn it to competitive advantage,"like a jujitsu master"?<br />What are its component technologies?<br />What is The Social Technologies Profile and what does it offer?<br />What is the four-step POST process for creating strategies?<br />What are the five primary objectives for a groundswell strategy?<br />How to create customers who are evangelists for you?<br />How to establish and support relationships between and among your customers?<br />How can the same trends that empower customers also empower employees?<br /><br />Throughout their narrative, drawing upon a wealth of data accumulated by Forrester Research as well as by their own studies, Li and Bernoff include a number of real-world examples - in the form of mini-case studies -- that demonstrate key points. They offer lessons to be learned from Mini USA, the American arm of BMW's Mini Cooper brand (how to listen through brand monitoring, Pages 89-93), Ernst & Young (how to communicate in social networks, Pages 104-106), Hewlett-Packard (how to communicate with customers through blogging, Pages 108-112), eBags (how to energize with customer ratings and reviews, Pages134-140), Constant Contact (how to energize by creating a community, Pages 140-145), the Lego Group (how to energize an existing community, Pages 145-147), and BearingPoint (how to use a wiki to reassure clients, Pages 165-168). Granted, not all of these lessons are directly relevant to a reader's own organization. However, they help to create a context for each key point as well as a frame of reference for what Li and Bernoff describe as a"permanent, long-lasting shift in the way the world works."<br /><br />They conclude this brilliant book by offering some advice, not on what to do but on how to be: ever-mindful that the groundswell is about person-to-person activity, a good listener, patient, opportunistic, flexible, collaborative, and humble. Guided and informed by the information and counsel provided by Li and Bernoff, readers will be able to formulate and then execute strategies to achieve a competitive advantage."You'll be able to build on your successes, both with customers and within your own company. And then, as the groundswell rises and becomes ubiquitous, you will be ready." <br /><br />Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Rob Cross and Andrew Parker's The Hidden Power of Networks: Understanding How Work Really Gets Done in Organizations. Also Gary Hamel's The Future of Management (with Bill Breen) and Ram Charan's Leaders At All Levels as well as Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution co-authored by Jeanne Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson, Richard Ogle's Smart World: Breakthrough Creativity and the New Science of Ideas, and Global Brain co-authored by Satish Nambisan and Mohanbir Sawhney.

Detailed and Relevant

If you are working in online marketing and not taking web analytics seriously then it's time to do so. Brian's book is a good way to get started with one of the most popular, and cost effective (it's free), web analytics solutions around.<br /><br />The book reflects Brian's extensive knowledge of the Google Analytics package and provides clear and practical techniques for using the product. It is useful either as self study material or as part of a more formal training course and something I would certainly recommend to delegates attending our own Google Analytics classes.