Introduction to Algorithms, Second Edition : 9780262032933

The book moves forward with more advanced algorithms that implement strategies for solving more complicated problems (including dynamic programming techniques, greedy algorithms, and amortized analysis). Algorithms for graphing problems (used in such real-world business problems as optimizing flight schedules or flow through pipelines) come next. In each case, the authors provide the best from current research in each topic, along with sample solutions.

This text closes with a grab bag of useful algorithms including matrix operations and linear programming, evaluating polynomials, and the well-known Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) (useful in signal processing and engineering). Final sections on "NP-complete" problems, like the well-known traveling salesman problem, show off that while not all problems have a demonstrably final and best answer, algorithms that generate acceptable approximate solutions can still be used to generate useful, real-world answers.

Overview of algorithms (including algorithms as a technology); designing and analyzing algorithms; asymptotic notation; recurrences and recursion; probabilistic analysis and randomized algorithms; heapsort algorithms; priority queues; quicksort algorithms; linear time sorting (including radix and bucket sort); medians and order statistics (including minimum and maximum); introduction to data structures (stacks, queues, linked lists, and rooted trees); hash tables (including hash functions); binary search trees; red-black trees; augmenting data structures for custom applications; dynamic programming explained (including assembly-line scheduling, matrix-chain multiplication, and optimal binary search trees); greedy algorithms (including Huffman codes and task-scheduling problems); amortized analysis (the accounting and potential methods); advanced data structures (including B-trees, binomial and Fibonacci heaps, representing disjoint sets in data structures); graph algorithms (representing graphs, minimum spanning trees, single-source shortest paths, all-pairs shortest paths, and maximum flow algorithms); sorting networks; matrix operations; linear programming (standard and slack forms); polynomials and the Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT); number theoretic algorithms (including greatest common divisor, modular arithmetic, the Chinese remainder theorem, RSA public-key encryption, primality testing, integer factorization); string matching; computational geometry (including finding the convex hull); NP-completeness (including sample real-world NP-complete problems and their insolvability); approximation algorithms for NP-complete problems (including the traveling salesman problem); reference sections for summations and other mathematical notation, sets, relations, functions, graphs and trees, as well as counting and probability backgrounder (plus geometric and binomial distributions).

Considers the mathematical foundations of the analysis of algorithms and maintains this mathematical rigor throughout the work. A great resource on the basic tools used to analyze the performance of algorithms.

About the Author
Thomas H. Cormen is Associate Professor of Computer Science at Dartmouth College. Charles E. Leiserson is Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ronald L. Rivest is Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Clifford Stein is Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia University.

Introduction to 80X86 Assembly Language and Computer Architecture : 9780763717735

A computer can be viewed from many different levels, and used for many different functions, such as the creation of new application software. However, an actual computer works at an even lower level than this. Introduction to 80x86 Assembly Language and Computer Architecture divides its emphasis between the assembly-language/machine-language level of computer operations and the architectural level, that is, the level defined by the machine instructions that the processor can execute. Although the primary architecture covered is the Intel 80x86 family, each chapter does include information about other architectures, or computer levels. Programmers are expected to program effectively at any level, therefore, Introduction to 80x86 Assembly Language and Computer Architecture is essential to the fundamental principles at the machine level that they will have to understand. Programming in assembly language and studying related concepts in Introduction to 80x86 Assembly Language and Computer Architecture prepares the student to program effectively in any programming language, to pursue advanced studies in computer design and architecture, and to learn more about system detail for specific computers.

Introduction To 802.11 Wireless Lan (wlan), Technology, Market, Operation, And Services : 9780974694344

If you are involved or getting involved in 802.11 Wireless LAN systems and services, this book is for you. This book explains the functional parts of a Wireless LAN system and their basic operation. You will learn how WLANs can use access points to connect to each other or how they can directly connect between two computers. Explained is the basic operation of WLAN systems and how the performance may vary based on a variety of controllable and uncontrollable events.

This book will explain the key differences between the WLAN system versions such as frequency and data rates along with which versions are compatible with each other. Tips are included on how to install a WLAN system along with common problems you may encounter and solutions you may use.

Included is an overview of Ethernet technology and how it applies to 802.11 Wireless LAN. The fundamentals of frequency hopping and spread spectrum technology that are used in 802.11 systems will help you to understand how 802.11 systems will help you to understand how 802.11 systems can co-exist with devices that use the same ISM frequency band. Covered are the differences between 802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.

You will learn how 802.11 systems can use independent DCF “Ad-hoc” and/or controlled PCF “non-contention” based operation. The different types of antennas that are commonly used in WLAN systems are explained and you will discover the typical range for WLAN systems and how to extend the range of WLAN systems through the use of directional antennas.

Discussed are the basic steps for equipment configuration and options you may want to consider to maintain system security. Also included are brief overviews of 802.16 UWB and the use of proprietary protocols.

This Book Provides:

• The Functional parts of Wireless LAN systems


• Basic WLAN Operation


• How to Connect WLAN Devices without an Access Point


• Key WLAN industry Market Numbers


• Comparison of Different WLAN System Versions


• How to Install WLAN Systems


• WLAN Equipment Configuration Options


• WLAN Technology Evolution


• Important Security Issues

Introduction to 3G Mobile Communications, Second Edition : 9781580535076

The third generation (3G) mobile communication system is the next big thing in the world of mobile telecommunications. The first generation included analog mobile phones [e.g., Total Access Communications Systems (TACS), Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT), and Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS)], and the second generation (2G) included digital mobile phones [e.g., global system for mobile communications (GSM), personal digital cellular (PDC), and digital AMPS (D-AMPS)]. The 3G will bring digital multimedia handsets with high data transmission rates, capable of providing much more than basic voice calls.

This book was written to provide the reader with an information source that explains the principles and the basic concepts of the most important of the 3G telecommunications systems—universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) or Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)—in an easily understandable form. Some comparative information on the other 3G systems (the most important of which is CDMA2000) appears in the early sections of the text, but the UMTS/3GPP version of 3G is the largest and most important of the 3G initiatives, and it is the primary subject of the book. All the significant 3G versions serve to protect their corresponding 2G system investments. Since UMTS/3GPP is a GSM extension, and 2G is mostly about GSM [not code-division multiple access (CDMA) or timedivision multiple access (TDMA)], UMTS plays a key role in 3G.

Numerous research papers and technical specifications about 3G are available, but these are generally quite difficult to understand, especially if the reader does not have substantial experience in telecommunications engineering. A typical specification contains exact rules on how a certain technical feature should be implemented. It does not explain why it is implemented in a certain way, nor does it tell us how this feature fits into the big picture, that is, into the entire 3G system. In this book I have deciphered that information, added my own analysis about the subject, and provided it to the reader in plain English. The result is an entry-level introduction to 3G, with an emphasis on the 3GPP-specified frequency division duplex (FDD) mode system, which will most probably be the most widely used 3G system.

It is not the intention of this book to go into great detail. 3G is a broad subject, and it would be impossible to provide a detailed analysis of every aspect in one volume. Instead, the basics are discussed and references to other information sources are provided so that interested readers can study specific subjects in more depth if they so wish. The Internet is also a very good source of information where telecommunications is concerned, and the references include appropriate Web site addresses.

Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0 : 9781556229138

This book is an introduction to programming interactive 3D computer graphics using DirectX 9.0, with an emphasis on game development. It teaches you the fundamentals of Direct3D, after which you will be able to go on to learn and apply more advanced techniques. Assumingly, since you have this book in your hands, you have a rough idea of what DirectX is about. From a developer’s perspective, DirectX is a set of APIs (application programming interfaces) for developing multimedia applications on the Windows platform. In this book we are concerned with a particular DirectX subset, namely Direct3D. As the name implies, Direct3D is the API used for developing 3D applications.

This book is divided into four main parts. Part I explains the mathematical tools that will be used throughout this book. Part II covers elementary 3D techniques, such as lighting, texturing, alpha blending, and stenciling. Part III is largely about using Direct3D to implement a variety of interesting techniques and applications, such as picking, terrain rendering, particle systems, a flexible virtual camera, and loading and rendering 3D models (XFiles). The theme of Part IV is vertex and pixel shaders, including the effects framework and the new (to DirectX 9.0) High-Level Shading Language. The present and future of 3D game programming is the use of shaders, and by dedicating an entire part of the book to shaders, we have an up-to-date and relevant book on modern graphics programming.

For the beginner, this book is best read front to back. The chapters have been organized so that the difficulty increases progressively with each chapter. In this way, there are no sudden jumps in complexity, leaving the reader lost. In general, for a particular chapter we will use the techniques and concepts previously developed. Therefore, it is important that you have mastered the material of a chapter before continuing. Experienced readers can pick the chapters of interest.

Finally, you may wonder what kinds of games you can develop after reading this book. The answer to that question is best obtained by skimming through this book and seeing the types of applications that are developed. From that you should be able to visualize the types of games that can be developed based on the techniques taught in this book and some of your own ingenuity.

Introduction to 3D Game Engine Design Using DirectX 9 and C# : 9781590590812

Introduction to 3D Game Engine Design Using DirectX 9 and C# illustrates the process of creating a simple 3D game engine. During this process, author Lynn Harrison demonstrates many facets of the DirectX 9 software through clear-cut explanations and examples.

Throughout the course of the book, you'll develop an off-road driving game that brings such features as management of large scenes, environmental effects, and physics into play. To write the game, you'll use cutting-edge technologies—C# and DirectX, and the .NET Framework—and you'll go beyond simple graphics to explore audio, user input, artificial intelligence, and multiplayer design.

Introducing Windows Server 2008 : 9780735624214

Your first look at the next generation of Windows Server-straight from the experts.

Get a jump on evaluating Windows Server 2008-with technical insights direct from the Windows Server team. This practical introduction delivers real-world implementation scenarios and pragmatic advice for administering Windows Server in the enterprise.

• Deploy Windows Server 2008, and configure and manage server roles


• Understand Windows Server Virtualization


• Implement a single, integrated IDA solution built on Active Directory


• Explore enhancements in Internet Information Services 7.0


• Use failover clustering for high-availability solutions


• Implement the Network Access Protection platform

About the Author

Mitch Tulloch was lead author for the Microsoft Windows Vista Resource Kit (Microsoft Press, 2007) and is a widely recognized expert on Windows administration, networking, and security. Mitch has published over 200 articles for different IT pro sites and magazines and has written over a dozen books, including the Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking and the Microsoft Encyclopedia of Security (both from Microsoft Press), Windows Server Hacks (O’Reilly Media, 2004) and IIS 6 Administration (McGraw-Hill/Osborne, 2003). Mitch has been the technical reviewer for numerous IT pro titles from Microsoft Press, and he has developed and taught graduate-level courses in Information Security Management (ISM) for the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program of Jones International University. Mitch also writes a weekly editorial for IT World’s Windows in the Enterprise newsletter, which is read by thousands of IT professionals around the world.

Mitch has been repeatedly awarded Most Valuable Professional (MVP) status by Microsoft for his outstanding contributions in supporting both his local IT pro user group and the larger global community of IT professionals around the world. The Microsoft MVP Program recognizes individuals who share a deep commitment to building community among IT professionals and show a willingness to help others with their questions and problems.

Mitch is president of MTIT Enterprises, an IT content-development business based in Winnipeg, Canada. Before starting his own business in 1998, Mitch worked as a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) for Productivity Point.

Introducing Microsoft WinFX: The Application Programming Interface for the Next Generation of Microsoft Windows, Code Name Longhorn : 9780735620858

Get a headstart evaluating and programming with Microsoft’s next-generation client operating system. Get an expert, developer-focused introduction to the next generation Windows client operating system. Windows programming authority Brent Rector takes you inside the WinFX application model, explaining how its unified, managed-coded environment dramatically simplifies many programmatic “housekeeping” tasks and provides application security services from the very beginning of the development process. Then you’ll jump right into compiling, deploying, and running your first applications. From learning the new Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) to taking advantage of the radical enhancements in security and privacy features, unified storage, file system APIs, rich media, and collaboration and communication services—you get the prerelease insights and preview code to dig into the “Longhorn” API right now.

Discover how to:

• Design applications using the WinFX application model


• work with the Microsoft .NET Build Engine


• Exploit XAML to produce media-rich user interfaces and enhance online page navigation


• Use the new WinFS storage system in Longhorn to access, manipulate, extend, and share data with less programmatic complexity


• Move information between a .NET object and the UI and back again—without writing any procedural code—using data binding


• Create security-enhanced communication applications—from Web services to RemoteObjects—with the new Windows communications technology, code name “indigo”


• Write mobile applications with improved power management, grab-and-go docking, and wireless networking capabilities

Introducing Microsoft Windows Vista : 9780735622845

Your insider's preview of the next release of Microsoft Windows.

What's new and improved in the newest release of the Microsoft Windows family of client operating systems? Which versions of Windows Vista are right for you and your organization? How will the new features and capabilities in Windows Vista improve security, make users more productive, and make it easier for IT professionals to deploy, manage, and support Windows desktops and mobile clients? Popular author and MVP William Stanek offers expert insights in this first look into the latest generation of Windows operating systems. Discover the new features and tools for deploying Windows Vista, help secure PCs and user accounts, migrate user settings and data, manage application compatibility, improve reliability, reduce support costs, develop applications, and help users achieve new levels of productivity and success at home or on the job. It's the guided preview for IT professionals, business decision makers, early adopters, users, and developers-and anyone else who wants to start planning and hit the ground running with Windows Vista.

About the Author

William R. Stanek has over 20 years of hands-on experience with advanced programming and development. He is a leading technology expert, an award-winning author, and a pretty-darn-good instructional trainer. Over the years, his practical advice has helped millions of programmers, developers, and network engineers all over the world. He has written over 25 computer books. Current or forthcoming books include Microsoft Windows Command-Line Administrator's Pocket Consultant, Microsoft Windows Vista Administrator's Pocket Consultant, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Administrator's Pocket Consultant, Second Edition, and Windows Server 2003 Inside Out.

Mr. Stanek has been involved in the commercial Internet community since 1991. His core business and technology experience comes from over 11 years of military service. He has substantial experience in developing server technology, encryption, and Internet solutions. He has written many technical white papers and training courses on a wide variety of topics. He frequently serves as a subject matter expert and consultant.

Mr. Stanek has an MS with distinction in information systems and a BS magna cum laude in computer science. He is proud to have served in the Persian Gulf War as a combat crewmember on an electronic warfare aircraft. He flew on numerous combat missions into Iraq and was awarded nine medals for his wartime service, including one of the United States of America's highest flying honors, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross. Currently.

Introducing Microsoft Windows Server 2003 : 9780735615700

Covers topics including upgrading to Windows Server 2003, networking, Internet Information Services, XML Web services, security, storage management, clustering services, and multilingual support

I'd like to thank the folks who made this book possible. Martin DelRe was my acquisitions editor. Valerie Woolley was the book's project editor and was responsible for managing the overall process. She did a great job of pushing me to keep schedules. A number of other people deserve thanks. First is the technical editor, Dail Magee, Jr. His technical input to this book was dead-on accurate. The book's copy editor, Shawn Peck, made sure that the book flowed well and was readable.

Introducing Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 : 9780735619524

Explore InfoPath 2003—and transform the way you manage business information and deliver results! This guide expertly reviews InfoPath features and capabilities—including the latest updates from Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 1—demonstrating how to create easy-to-use forms to capture data from spreadsheets, text files, databases, XML Web services, and even e-mail in reusable XML format. Whether you’re streamlining your invoicing system, managing performance appraisals, or collecting feedback from users or customers, you’ll discover how to quickly connect the people and information you need—with no XML enterprise or advanced programming required.

Discover how to:

• Use InfoPath forms to capture and validate user input—without writing code


• Design from features, from basic controls and views to digital signing options


• Send forms to shared servers, Web sites, form libraries, or e-mail


• Easily reuse captured XML data in other applications, such as Microsoft Word or Excel


• Develop front-end forms that interoperate with back-end databases such as Microsoft SQL Server and with Web services


• Use your programming skills to customize forms with the InfoPath 2003 Toolkit for Visual Studio .NET


• Generate special purpose XML documents, such as Really Simple Syndication 9RSS) 2.0 files

Introducing Microsoft .NET, Third Edition : 9780735619180

What problems can Microsoft .NET solve? What architectural approaches does it take to solve them? How do you start using .NET ,and how do you profit from it? Get the answers to these questions and more in the third edition of this popular, high-level .NET review—now updated for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 and .NET Framework version 1.1. Its organization makes it easy to decide how deep technically you want to go. The author expertly covers a single topic from the top down in each chapter, introducing simpler concepts first them progressing to greater technical detail. He makes his points with a minimum of jargon, a maximum of wit, a multitude of diagrams, and a wealth of meaningful analogies and clear explanations. By the end of this illuminating walk through, you’ll know enough about .NET to plan for the future of software as a Web service.

Topics covered include:

• What the heck is .NET anyway?


• .NET Framework objects


• Microsoft ASP.NET and Web Forms


• XML Web services


• Microsoft ADO.NET


• Handling XML


• Events and delegates


• Threads


• Windows Forms


• Data access


• Bonus chapters on the Web about Windows Forms controls and Web Forms controls

New chapters in this edition:

• .NET Remoting


• The Reflection namespace

Introducing Microsoft .NET, Second Edition : 9780735615717

What problems does Microsoft .NET solve? What architectural approaches does it take to solve them? How do you start using .NET-and how do you profit from it? Get the answers to these questions and more in this entertaining, no-nonsense .NET walkthrough. The author, a well-known computer-science instructor at Harvard, covers a single topic from the top down so readers can choose how deep they want to go. Thoroughly updated and featuring five new chapters plus a new chapter available on the Web, this is the first book to read about the innovative .NET development platform.

Text offering a systematic introduction to Microsoft .NET, with a witty, jargon-free style. Each chapter covers one subject in detail, and features detailed diagrams, meaningful analogies and clear explanations. Code samples for the examples in the text are provided on the companion Web site. Softcover. DLC: Internet programming.

I always thought that the product now named Microsoft .NET sounded very cool. I remember reading Mary Kirtland's articles in the November and December 1997 issues of Microsoft Systems Journal describing what was then called COM+, a run−time environment that would provide all kinds of useful services, such as cross−language inheritance and run−time access control, to object programmers. As a COM geek, I liked the way this environment promised to solve many of the problems that kept hanging me up in COM.

Microsoft then decided that the next version of Microsoft Transaction Server would be called COM+ 1.0 and would be integrated into Windows 2000; what Mary had described would be COM+ 2.0. Later, Microsoft renamed COM+ Microsoft .NET, and I coined the term MINFU, Microsoft Nomenclature Foul−Up, for all this jumping around. But the product still sounded cool, and I was thrilled when Microsoft Press asked me to write a book about it with the same high−level treatment as I had given COM+ 1.0 in Understanding COM+ (Microsoft Press, 1999). You are holding, and, I hope, buying, the result.

About the Authors
David S. Platt
President and founder of Rolling Thunder Computing, David S. Platt teaches programming of .NET at Harvard University and at companies all over the world. He is the author of six previous books on programming in Windows. The first edition of this book is currently outselling Tom Clancy's Every Man a Tiger on Amazon.com. (That shows you what kind of geeks buy their books there.) He is also a frequent contributor to MSDN Magazine.

Dave holds a master of engineering degree from Dartmouth College. When he stops working, he spends his free time working some more. He wonders whether he should tape down two of his daughter's fingers so that she can learn how to count in octal. He lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and can be contacted at www.rollthunder.com.

Introducing Microsoft LINQ : 9780735623910

Your first look at building data-rich applications using Microsoft LINQ.

Get a head start using Microsoft Language Integrated Query (LINQ). Two experienced developers give you advanced insights and expert guidance for using this unified model for data access. You will learn how to write queries in your native programming language-Microsoft Visual Basic or Visual C#--using next-generation querying facilities in the Microsoft .NET Framework.

Discover how to:

• Query and manipulate different data domains with a unified syntax


• Work with local type inference, lambda expressions, and extension methods


• Use XML literals, late binding over XML, and relaxed delegates


• Query items using methods and generics in the System.Linq namespace


• Apply deferred query evaluation and extension methods resolution


• Query relational structures and physical models with LINQ to ADO.NET


• Convert queries into native SQL with LINQ to SQL


• Define and manage XML content by using LINQ to XML

About the Authors

Paolo Pialorsi is a consultant, trainer, and author who focuses on software development, concentrating on .NET, XML, and Web services. He is a founder of DevLeap, a group focused on producing sophisticated content for the developer community. He has written three books about XML and Web Services.

Marco Russo is a founder of DevLeap. He is a regular contributor to developer user communities and is an avid blogger on Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence and other Microsoft technologies. Marco provides consulting and training to professional developers on the Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft SQL Server and is the author of two Italian books about C# and the common language runtime.

Introducing Microsoft ASP.NET AJAX (Pro - Developer) : 9780735624139

Get an expert introduction to the new JavaScript enhancements (code-named "Atlas") for Microsoft ASP.NET 2.0. More than a basic AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML) script library, the Microsoft implementation brings object orientation to JavaScript, together with enhanced client-side and server-side controls that greatly simplify coding while delivering enhanced Web experiences with any browser. Scheduled for release with the next version of Microsoft Visual Studio, code named "Orcas," AJAX extensions and tools can be used by developers today. This book offers expert insights direct from the Microsoft product team and noted ASP authority Dino Esposito, as well as hands-on instruction and examples of Web development with AJAX. This ideal reference will be updated online, keeping readers up to date with the evolving tool. The book includes code samples in ASP.NET 2.0 created using C# and JavaScript.

About the Author

Dino Esposito is a trainer and software consultant based in Rome, Italy. He is a member of the Solid Quality Mentors team. Dino specializes in Microsoft .NET technologies and spends most of his time teaching and consulting across Europe, Australia, and the United States.

Over the years, Dino developed hands-on experience and skills in architecting and building distributed systems for banking and insurance companies and, in general, in industry contexts where the demand for security, optimization, performance, scalability, and interoperability is dramatically high.

Every month, at least five magazines and Web sites throughout the world publish Dino’s articles covering topics that range from Web development to data access, and from software best practices to Web services. A prolific author, Dino writes the monthly “Cutting Edge” column for MSDN Magazine, the “CoreCoder” column for aspnetPRO Magazine, and the ASP.NET-2-The-Max newsletter for the Dr. Dobb’s Journal . Considered an authoritative and acknowledged expert in Web applications built with .NET technologies, Dino contributes to the Microsoft content platform for developers and IT consultants.

Dino has written an array of books, most of which are considered state-of-the-art in their respective areas, including Applied XML Programming with the .NET Framework (Microsoft Press, 2002). Still requested, quoted, and, more importantly, used by developers worldwide is Visual C++ Windows Shell Programming (Apress, 1998). It remains the unique reference for anyone planning to extend the navigation capabilities of the Windows operating system.

His two most recent books are Programming Microsoft ASP.NET 2.0: Core Reference and Programming Microsoft ASP.NET 2.0 Applications: Advanced Topics (Microsoft Press, 2006). An ASP.NET MVP, Dino regularly speaks at industry conferences all over the world (Microsoft TechEd, Microsoft DevDays, DevConnections, DevWeek, and Basta) and local technical conferences and meetings in Europe and the United States.

Introducing Maya 8: 3D for Beginners (CD) : 9780470051351

If you're just beginning to dive into the world of 3D, this is the book for you."
—Animation Magazine

The Academy Award® winning Maya® 3D animation and effects software is the first choice of film and video artists, game developers, and 3D design professionals. Discover how to build, render, and animate your own digital models and scenes, and begin to develop professional-level Maya skills with the latest edition of this popular bestseller.

Starting with the basics, the book builds from the ground up, combining straightforward text with practical examples that make it fun and easy to learn Maya's core features while introducing new Maya 8 elements such as improved polygon tools and enhanced rendering with mental ray. Clear-cut, engaging lessons let you experiment using the wealth of files provided on the CD-ROM. You'll also find an abundance of instructional and inspirational Maya creations in the full-color insert.

The accompanying CD-ROMs images, movies, and scene files let you view material from the book right on your own computer. Tackle all-new rendering and dynamics tutorials and much more. The CD includes Maya Personal Learning Edition software.

Introducing Character Animation with Blender : 9780470102602

Open your mind to the possibilities

Let this in-depth professional book be your guide to Blender, the powerful open-source 3D modeling and animation software that will bring your ideas to life. Using clear step-by-step instruction and pages of real-world examples from talented Blender users, expert animator Tony Mullen walks you through the complexities of modeling and animating, with a special focus on characters. From Blender basics to creating facial expressions and emotion to rendering, you'll jump right into the process and learn valuable techniques that will transform your movies.

• Walk through the complete process of building a character


• Master mesh modeling tools and organic modeling


• Fashion skin, hair, and clothing with material shaders, textures, and other tools


• Learn to sync lip movements with a sound file


• Understand interpolation curves, keyframes, and the basics of animating

Model your characters using a variety of mesh editing techniques

See how armatures, lattices, and IK interact

Light and render your work for exactly the effect you want

Valuable DVD with complete Blender installation

The companion DVD provides the Blender installer for Windows®, Macintosh®, and Linux®. You'll also find:

• All the source files you need to produce the examples and tutorials in the book


• The short film Elephants Dream and all the files used to create it


• An impressive gallery of short animations created by Blender artists around the world


• Plenty of useful links to related Blender resources


• A large collection of third-party software and plug-ins, including Audacity, Python, and the popular BlenderPeople

www.sybex.com

About the Author

Tony Mullen, Ph.D., teaches at Tsuda College, Tokyo, where his courses include modeling and animation with Blender as well as the Python programming language. Mullen has been a cartoonist and an illustrator. His screen credits include writer, co-director, or lead animator on several short films, including the award-winning Gustav Braüstache shorts.

Introducing AutoCAD 2008 : 9780470121504

Quickly Master AutoCAD 2008 Essentials

This practical guide helps users of all skill levels learn the basics of AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD LT 2008 easily and efficiently. In this fresh new take on the popular Just Enough AutoCAD, bestselling AutoCAD author and expert George Omura offers clear explanations, a task-based approach, and pages of real-world examples and exercises to make this thorough book more valuable and useful than ever.

Whether you're new to AutoCAD or just looking for a quick refresher, you'll find the fast, focused introduction to AutoCAD what you need to get quickly up to speed.

• Discover what's new in AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD LT 2008


• Master the basics of drawing and editing


• Add and edit notes and dimensions


• Learn the fundamentals of 2D drawings and 3D models


• Understand layers, blocks, groups, and external references


• Find areas and distances quickly


• Extract hidden data

About the Author

George Omura is a licensed architect, Autodesk Authorized Author, and CAD specialist with more than 20 years of experience in AutoCAD and over 30 years of experience in architecture. He has worked on design projects ranging from resort hotels to metropolitan transit systems to the San Francisco Library project. George has written numerous other AutoCAD books for Sybex, including Mastering AutoCAD 2007 and AutoCAD LT 2007, Just Enough AutoCAD 2007, and Mastering Autodesk VIZ 2007.

Introducing ASP.NET 2.0 (Pro Developer) : 9780735620247

What’s a Web application? Basically, it’s a set of publicly accessible pages
bound to a well-known URL. No matter which direction Web-related technologies
take in the future, this basic fact will never change. The reason is the
underlying transport protocol, HTTP. If we were to change the underlying protocol,
we would end up with a different type of application. Period.

For all practical purposes, Web development began 10 years ago. Since then,
we’ve seen numerous technologies emerge, from short-lived ones such as
Microsoft ActiveX documents to watershed technologies such as Microsoft Active
Server Pages (ASP). The arrival of ASP in 1997 made it clear that real-world Web
development would be possible only through a rich and powerful server-side programming
model.

Much as Microsoft Visual Basic did for Windows development, ASP provided
a set of server tools for building dynamic Web applications quickly and
effectively. More important, it pointed the way ahead. ASP wasn’t perfect (or,
more accurately, not yet perfected), so vendors improved the model by adding
object orientation and dynamic code compilation. Java Server Pages (JSP) introduced
key concepts such as compilation, components, tag customization, and a
first-class programming language. (This was a different company, different platform,
different programming paradigm, and different underlying technology—
but the underlying idea was the same.)

ASP.NET took five years to materialize—an entire geological era in Web
development terms—finally arriving in 2002. It was the next step in the evolutionary
process that started with ASP and found an excellent next version in JSP.

ASP.NET 2.0 is a major upgrade from there.
ASP.NET 2.0 features a new set of controls that simplify Web-based data
access and includes functionality that facilitates user interaction, code reuse,
and design-time development and even improves the aesthetic experience.

Introducing 3ds Max 9: 3D for Beginners : 9780470097618

Let Your Imagination Run Wild

Video game and feature-film artists have used 3ds Max to create Halo 2, King Kong, Myst V, and more. Now you can harness this popular animation software with the clear, step-by-step instruction in this easy-to-follow guide.

Introducing 3ds Max 9: 3D for Beginners breaks down the complexities of 3D modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. You'll jump right into the pipeline—from preproduction to production to postproduction—with clear-cut explanations, tutorials, and hands-on projects to build your skills. A special color insert includes real-world examples from talented 3ds Max beginners. From immediately creating your first animation to tackling poly modeling, rendering, and particles, you'll get a solid grounding in 3ds Max 9.

• Build the knowledge you need for game, film, and TV production


• 
  

  Master modeling—from simple and complex polygon mechanical models to organic character modeling

  
  


• 
  

  Assign textures effects and UV texture mapping

  
  


• 
  

  Create walk cycles and simple character animations with Character Studio

  
  


• 
  

  Explore lighting, rendering, and raytracing concepts

  
  


• 
  

  Render through mental ray and raytracing

  
  


• 
  

  Discover simple rigid body dynamics and Max's particle systems

  
  

Valuable companion CD

The CD includes all the image files, scenes, and support materials needed to create the tutorials in the book, as well as a demo version of 3ds Max.

Create a low-poly model tank

Learn to apply different surfaces to objects

Put cameras to workAbout the Authors

About the Author

Dariush Derakhshani is an award-winning 3D animator, author, and educator. He has worked on movies such as The Fantastic Four and Pan's Labyrinth, the South Park TV series, and numerous commercials and music videos. He teaches 3D animation and is the author of Introducing Maya 7: 3D for Beginners (Sybex).

Randi L. Munn teaches 3D animation at The Art Institute of California and has worked as a digital artist and technical director for games and movie projects with Gizmo Games, RJB Enterprises, and Sony.

Interviewing and Diagnostic Exercises for Clinical and Counseling Skills Building : 9780805846409

This book contains twenty client profiles to use in practicing interviewing and diagnostic skills. Ten profiles are of adult cases ranging in age from eighteen to seventy (chapters 3-12). Ten profiles are of child or teen cases ranging in age from seven to seventeen (chapters 13-22). In addition to age, the twenty profiles vary in terms of ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, socioeconomic status, presenting problems, and level of problem severity.

This book, specifically designed to meet the needs of those teaching and learning interviewing and diagnostic skills in clinical, counseling and school psychology, counselor education, and other programs preparing mental health professionals, offers a rich array of practical, hands-on, class- and workshop-tested role-playing and didactic exercises.

The authors, who bring to their task a combined 31 years of practice and 24 years of teaching these skills, present 20 complex profiles of a broad range of clients--adults, teens, and children; differing in ethnicity, gender, religion, socioeconomic status, presenting problems, and problem severity. The profiles provide students/trainees with a wealth of information about each client's feelings, thoughts, actions, and relationship patterns on which to draw as they proceed through the different phases of the intake/initial interview, one playing the client and one the interviewer. Each client profile is followed by exercises, which can also be assigned to students not participating in role-playing who have simply read the profile.

The profiles are detailed enough to support a focus on whatever interviewing skills an instructor particularly values. However, the exercises highlight attending, asking open and closed questions, engaging in reflective listening, responding to nonverbal behavior, making empathetic comments, summarizing, redirecting, supportively confronting, and commenting on process. The authors' approach to DSM-IV diagnoses encourages students to develop their diagnostic choices from Axis I to Axis V and then thoughtfully review them in reverse order from Axis V to Axis I to ensure that the impacts of individual, situational, and biological factors are all accurately reflected in the final diagnoses. Throughout, the authors emphasize the importance of understanding diversity and respecting the client's perceptions--and of reflecting on the ways in which the interviewer's own identity influences both the process of interviewing and that of diagnosis.

Interviewing and Diagnostic Exercises for Clinical and Counseling Skills Building will be welcomed as a invaluable new resource by instructors, students, and trainees alike.

Interprocess Communications in Linux®: The Nooks & Crannies : 9780130460424

The topic of interprocess communication techniques is broad, challenging and dynamic. All but the most basic operating systems provide methods for processes communication. Early on, UNIX supported a number of rudimentary process communication constructs (such as lock files, signals and pipes). In the early 1980s, facilities such as message queues, semaphores, and shared memory were added to the mix by AT&T with its release of UNIX System V. Somewhat concurrently, the Berkeley Software Distribution added support for Internet protocols (4.3BSD) and the socket interface as a communication construct. By the mid-1990s, threads and multithreaded programming techniques were making significant, permanent inroads into the UNIX mainstream.

Along the way, UNIX spawned innumerable UNIX-like operating systems. One such operating system was MINIX. MINIX, written by Andrew S. Tanenbaum, is a small (about twelve thousand lines) PC version of UNIX. MINIX was presented as a pedagogical tool to permit the user to gain a better understanding of the inner working of a UNIX-like operating system. As all of the operating system source code was provided, the user could tinker with the code and refine its functionality. As a university student, Linus Torvalds' exposure to MINIX led him to develop a more robust UNIX-like operating system called Linux. In brief, Linux is a freely distributed hybrid version of UNIX. Linux system administration is BSD-like while its programming environment has a definite AT&T flavor. A number of commercial versions of Linux populate the market. These versions bundle Linux with a variety of other operating system related utilities and software packages. One of the more widely distributed commercial versions is Red Hat Linux. Red Hat Linux includes Richard Stallman's GNU project C (gcc) and C++ (g++) compilers.

Interpreting the CMMI: A Process Improvement Approach : 9780849316548

Written by experienced process improvement professionals who have developed and implemented systems in organizations around the world, Interpreting the CMMI: A Process Improvement Approach provides you with specific techniques for performing process improvement using the CMMI and the family of CMMI models. Kulpa and Johnson describe the fundamental concepts of the CMMI model—goals, practices, architecture, and definitions—in everyday language, give real-world examples, and provide a structured approach for implementing the concepts of the CMMI into any organization. They walk you through the myriad charts and graphs involved in statistical process control and offer recommendations.

The authors distill the knowledge gained in their combined 60 years of experience in project management, software engineering, systems engineering, metrics, quality assurance, configuration management, training, documentation, process improvement, and team building. Whether you are new to process improvement or an experienced professional, Interpreting the CMMI: A Process Improvement Approach saves you time wasted on false starts, false promises by marketers, and failed deadlines.

FEATURES

• Presents the pros and cons of attempting process improvement and implementing CMMI


• Guides you through a proven approach for designing the process improvement effort, for monitoring and controlling the effort, and measuring its success


• Offers advice for implementing several process improvement projects simultaneously to avoid added costs and missteps


• Discusses older methods of assessing organizations and compares them to the new SCAMPI method

About the Authors

Margaret Kulpa is the Chief Operating Officer of AgileDigm, Incorporated. As such, she provides senior-level management support for SEI initiatives and software process improvement. She has over 30 years of consulting experience, and experience in all phases of the system development life cycle, focusing on management, coding, quality assurance and testing, training, database design and analysis, technical writing and editing, business process reengineering (BPR), and electronic data processing (EDP) auditing.

Kent A. Johnson is the Director of Systems Engineering for TeraQuest, and an authorized CMMI instructor. His background includes over 25 years of experience in the development of complex software-intensive systems. He provides training, consulting, and assessments for clients working to improve their systems and software development capabilities. Internationally, he has helped clients in nine countries improve their systems and software processes.

Interorganisational Standards: Managing Web Services Specifications for Flexible Supply Chains : 9783790816532

Standards play crucial roles in many different aspects of today’s economy. They can define meanings of semantics, product interfaces, process steps, or performance levels. Interorganisational standards are specifications that define business-related semantics and processes, which are made accessible to other organisations’ information systems. While modular organisation forms such as supply chain networks demand such standards for higher flexibility, XML-based Web Services offer a relatively new technological platform to develop such standards. The development of comprehensive interorganisational standards, however, is far from being completed. This book thus answers the questions, how interorganisational standards are developed and how different actors should get involved in it. The author uses actor-network theory to conduct two in-depth case studies on ebXML and RosettaNet. While researchers will find new explanations for the development of interorganisational standards, managers and executives will benefit from the strategic implications this book discusses.

The goal of interorganisational standards is easily explained: if interfaces between organisations are standardised, then organisations can be plugged together to form complex value chains just as children assemble Lego blocks to form impressive toys. Moreover, newly plugged-in organisations can give value chains new shapes and can easily come apart again if external forces so dictate.2 Without standards, the same models might also be possible, but they would be much more expensive and it would take much longer to couple the different modules to form a working whole. Consequently, some authors call the vision of broadly adopted interorganisational standards a ‘plug & play economy’.

Indeed, companies are very interested in this idea, as it enables high adaptability to changing market demands, while keeping costs low. One example is Exel, a large logistics provider which globally ships products between tens of thousands of firms. As the customers of Exel have to send products to often changing business partners, Excel also permanently has to deal with new customers. The existence of different procedures in almost every company is the main reason Exel is very much interested in standardising processes with its customers. It would result in much lower costs of coupling with new customers, while greatly improving the accuracy of Exel’s logistics services. Exel thus participates in the RosettaNet initiative, which develops interorganisational standards for the electronics industry.

Internetworking with TCP/IP, Vol. III: Client-Server Programming and Applications--BSD Socket Version (2nd Edition) : 9780132609692

This is a revised version of this volume. Changes in this edition include: Code has been updated to use ANSI C and the UNIX operating systems (POSIX). Covers SLIP connections (a popular program that allows TCP/IP access to the Internet over dial-up phone systems. Latest changes in Network File System protocol (NFS3). This edition focuses on the BSD version of UNIX. This volume answers the question “How does one use TCP/IP?” — focusing on the client-server paradigm, and examining algorithms for both the client and server components of a distributed program.

Describes the AT&T TLI interface and uses it in all examples. The principles underlying distributed programs and all server designs are emphasized. Thoroughly covers the many ways to design interactive and concurrent client and server software, as well as their proper use and application. Concepts apply to Client-Server programs in general; not just TCP/IP. Any communications professional who wants to put TCP/IP to use. This is everyone working on Internet communications.

Internetworking with TCP/IP Vol.1: Principles, Protocols, and Architecture (4th Edition) : 9780130183804

The all-time best-selling TCP/IP book, this is still the reference for anyone who wants to learn about or work with the TCP/IP protocol suite. Justly renowned for its clarity and accessibility,this superb text covers wide area Internet backbones as well as local area network technologies like FDDI and Ethernet. This is volume 1 of a 3 part set including Internetworking With TCP/IP (Vol. 2): Design, Implementation, and Internals and Internetworking With TCP/IP (Vol. 3): Client-Server Programming and Applications/BSD Socket Version

Jon Postel, RFC Editor and former Deputy Internet Architect
THEclassic text for an introduction to TCP/IP.

Explains how voice and video are sent over IP internets and how IP Telephony operates, describes IP security and the security standard, IPsec, reviews the discussion of IPv6 to incorporate the latest changes, and explains Random Early Discard (RED), recommended for routers. DLC: Principles, protocols, and architectures.

TCP/IP has accommodated change well. The basic technology has survived nearly two decades of exponential growth and the associated increases in traffic. The protocols have worked over new high-speed network technologies, and the design has handled applications that could not be imagined in the original design. Of course, the entire protocol suite has not remained static. New protocols have been deployed, and new techniques have been developed to adapt existing protocols to new network technologies.

This edition contains updated information throughout the text as well as new material that describes technical advances and changes. For example, because classless addressing has become widely deployed, the description of IP forwarding examines techniques for classless lookup. In addition, the chapters on IP describe the Differentiated Services (DiffServe) scheme for classes of service as well as path MTU discovery and anonymous networks. The chapter on TCP describes Random Early Drop (RED). The chapter on exterior routing has been updated to use BGP as the primary example. The descriptions of protocols such as RIP, IGMP, SNMP, and IPv6 have been revised to incorporate new versions and recent changes. Finally, the chapter on security discusses IPsec.

After reading this book, you will understand how it is possible to interconnect multiple physical networks into a coordinated system, how internet protocols operate in that environment, and how application programs use the resulting system. As a specific example, you will learn the details of the global TCP/IP Internet, including the architecture of its muter system and the application protocols it supports. In addition, you will understand some of the limitations of the internet approach.

About the Author
DOUGLAS E. COMER is a Professor of Computer Science at Purdue University and a Fellow of the ACM. He is the author of many best-selling book: the three-volume series, Internetworking with TCP-IP, Computer Networks and Internets, second Edition, and The Internet Book. Comer served as Chairman of the DARPA Distributed Systems Architecture Board and the CSNET Technical Committees, and is a former member of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB).

Internetworking Troubleshooting Handbook : 9781578700240

If you can think of the problem, Internetworking Troubleshooting Handbook probably has the solution--at least when it comes to networking problems. This 714-page tome is absolutely phenomenal in scope. Though you may not find in-depth scholarly discussions of networking woes, you will find pragmatic tips that can help you through an immediate crisis. And the configuration screens, tables, and diagrams are both essential and useful additions to the text.

Divided into six sections, the first outlines general problem-solving techniques as well as available troubleshooting tools from Cisco and third-party vendors. Next, the authors contend with hardware, booting, and media (which essentially means answers as to what could be preventing the network routers or switches from automatically firing up). In addition, potential Ethernet, FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), and Token Ring malfunctions are more than sufficiently addressed.

The seven chapters of section 3 deal exclusively with routing protocols from TCP/IP to AppleTalk to the more obscure Banyan VINES. As for WAN connectivity, more than 100 pages are dedicated to serial line, dial-in, ISDN, frame relay, and X.25 connections. And if you're experiencing difficulty in your ATM or LAN switching environment, with your security servers, or with CiscoWorks, this team of authors has provided useful guidance for those issues as well. The five appendices--"Creating Core Dumps," "Memory Maps," "Technical Support Information," "References and Recommended Reading," and "Troubleshooting Worksheets"--are also invaluable. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt

Internetworking Troubleshooting Handbook focuses on helping you diagnose and resolve specific and potentially problematic issues common to every network type. This book aims to help you reduce downtime, improve network performance, and enhance network reliability using proven troubleshooting solutions. In addition, it is intended to help you make intelligent, timely, and cost-effective networking decisions for your networking environment. Each section of the book is devoted to problems common to a specific protocol. Sections are subdivided into symptoms, descriptions of environments, diagnosing and isolating problem causes, and problem-solution summaries. Specific protocols covered include TCP/IP, IPX, IBM, AppleTalk, Transparent Bridging, DECnet, and ISO CLNS.

Internetworking Troubleshooting Handbook (2nd Edition) : 9781587050053

If you can think of the problem, Internetworking Troubleshooting Handbook probably has the solution--at least when it comes to networking problems. This 714-page tome is absolutely phenomenal in scope. Though you may not find in-depth scholarly discussions of networking woes, you will find pragmatic tips that can help you through an immediate crisis. And the configuration screens, tables, and diagrams are both essential and useful additions to the text.

Divided into six sections, the first outlines general problem-solving techniques as well as available troubleshooting tools from Cisco and third-party vendors. Next, the authors contend with hardware, booting, and media (which essentially means answers as to what could be preventing the network routers or switches from automatically firing up). In addition, potential Ethernet, FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), and Token Ring malfunctions are more than sufficiently addressed.

The seven chapters of section 3 deal exclusively with routing protocols from TCP/IP to AppleTalk to the more obscure Banyan VINES. As for WAN connectivity, more than 100 pages are dedicated to serial line, dial-in, ISDN, frame relay, and X.25 connections. And if you're experiencing difficulty in your ATM or LAN switching environment, with your security servers, or with CiscoWorks, this team of authors has provided useful guidance for those issues as well. The five appendices--"Creating Core Dumps," "Memory Maps," "Technical Support Information," "References and Recommended Reading," and "Troubleshooting Worksheets"--are also invaluable. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt

An essential reference for solving difficult networking problems

• Learn from a general problem-solving model for troubleshooting internetworks


• Understand the difference between connectivity and performance problems


• Develop a strategy for isolating problem


• Investigate a variety of troubleshooting tools on the market and those currently in development


• Study dozens of problem scenarios for popular multiprotocol networks and internetworks

Created in conjunction with Cisco Systems' Technical Assistance Center (TAC), Internetworking Troubleshooting Handbook, Second Edition helps you diagnose and resolve specific and potentially problematic issues common to every network type. The book contains sections devoted to problems common to a specific technology area and provides proven troubleshooting solutions that enable you to reduce downtime, improve network performance, and enhance network reliability, are demonstrated in this book. The sections are subdivided into symptoms, descriptions of environments, diagnosing and isolating problem causes, and problem-solution summaries, and include specific protocols including TCP/IP, IPX, IBM, AppleTalk, Transparent Bridging, DECnet, and ISO CLNS. Also included in this second edition is brand-new troubleshooting advice for CiscoWorks 2000, cable, DSL, WAN switching, and security.

The second edition of the Internetworking Troubleshooting Handbook represents a collaborative effort by networking and documentation experts of the Cisco TAC team and other networking professionals. The TAC team, consisting of a group of network experts who provide round-the-clock technical suport to network professionals worldwide, has pooled their troubleshooting knowledge and expertise to update this edition with the most relevant, timely support solutions.

In addition to its live support centers worldwide, the TAC team ensures the quality of customer service by maintaining the uptime that customers demand through the TAC Web site. Visit the TAC Web site at www.cisco.com/tac to experience the comprehensive support resources available 24 hours a day.

Internetworking Technologies Handbook, Fourth Edition : 9781587051197

The updated edition of the best-selling all-in-one networking reference provides coverage of
essential and cutting-edge technologies.

Concise overviews of technologies essential to networking professionals at all levels, from
novice to expert.

New chapters include coverage of important topics like VoIP and EAP
Coverage of cutting edge technologies like optical networking and storage
Authored by Cisco Systems, worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.

Internetworking Technologies Handbook, Fourth Edition, is a comprehensive reference that
enables networking professionals to understand and implement contemporary internetworking
technologies. Master the terms, concepts, technologies, and devices used in today's networking
industry. Learn how to incorporate internetworking technologies into a LAN/WAN environment.
Complete with new and updated chapters on security, storage, optical networking, scalability,
and speed, this book is a complete and up-to-date reference to the topics that are essential to all
networking professionals, regardless of expertise.

Readers will obtain a greater understanding of LAN and WAN networking, particularly the
hardware, protocols, and services involved. Fundamental technology information is provided on
a broad range of integral systems and services, including detailed descriptions, review questions
to ensure concept comprehension and retention, and additional resources for further study.
Coverage is also extended not only to new networking concepts, but also to older, legacy
systems, providing a more realistic picture of the real-world networking environments in which
professionals operate. Tools and guidelines for optimizing system performance will increase
productivity and improve efficiency, helping the reader make more intelligent, cost-efficient
decisions for their networks.

Internetworking IPv6 with Cisco Routers (Communications Series) : 9780070228368

IPv6 is the Internet protocol of the future. Learn how to use it today. From a world expert on global internetworking, here is the authoritative yet accessible guide to IPv6, the network-layer protocol that will power the Internet and intranets in the next millennium. Packed with precise and detailed information derived from the final international standards, it shows how to internetwork IPv6 with Cisco Systems routers-based on Cisco's own strategic approach. Use this book as a self-study tutorial or a desktop reference. Either way, you'll find: a truly hands-on approach that applies to your daily work; Step-by-step guidance on migrating from IPv4 to IPv6; Full coverage of the IPv6-related protocols ICMPv6, RIPv6, IDRPv6, and BGP4+; Excellent troubleshooting help; Sample IPv6 packets, captured and analyzed in print and downloadable from a Web server. In particular, you'll learn how to use the powerful features of IPv6 for: REal-time transmission of live audio, video, and video-on-demand over the Internet; Mobile Internet access; Encrypted tunnels-the latest in network security. a Volume in the McGraw-HIll Series on Computer Communications.

Internet Television : 9780805843064

Internet television is the quintessential digital convergence medium, putting together television, telecommunications, the Internet, computer applications, games, and more. It is part of a historic move from individualized narrowband capacity, measured by kilobits per user, to one of broadband with a capacity of megabits per user. This move will have major consequences for many aspects of society and the economy, similar to the impact the automobile had when it replaced trains, horses, and bicycles. It will affect, in particular, the medium now called television.

What exactly is Internet television (TV)? There is no agreement on a definition. It comes with different names—web TV, IPTV, enhanced TV, personal TV, and interactive TV, for example—which signify slightly different things. At the lower end of complexity, it is merely a narrowband two-way Internet-style individualized (“asynchronous”) channel that accompanies regular one-way “synchronous” broadband broadcast TV or cable. This Internet channel can provide information in conjunction with broadcast programs, such as details on news and sports, or enable transactions (including e-commerce) in response to TV advertisements. This is known as “enhanced TV.” At the other end of complexity is a fully asynchronous two-way TV, with each user receiving and transmitting individualized TV programs, including direct interaction in the program plot line. In between is one-way broadband with a narrowband return channel that can be used to select video programs on demand (VOD). What Internet TV is today and can be in the future forms the context of this book.

This new medium is knocking at the door. Already, music is reaching millions of listeners around the world through the Internet. Video clips have traveled likewise. It will not be long before popular video programs are regularly delivered over the Internet as well, at significantly better quality and lower cost. People with broadband connections already download feature-length films, and in Japan, Yahoo BB is launching a portal of video channels.

Every new medium starts as a substitute and then evolves into something quite new. Internet TV, too, will first be used to access video servers that store existing programs, making them available for viewing at any time. But soon, going beyond the convenience of viewer choice and control, Internet TV will enable and encourage new types of entertainment, education, and games that take advantage of the Internet’s interactive capabilities. This assumes, of course, technical capability and economic viability, subjects of analysis in this volume.

This book is organized into five major sections: Infrastructure Implications, Network Business Models and Strategies, Content and Culture, Policy, and Global Impacts. Each section is introduced here.

Internet Security: Cryptographic Principles, Algorithms and Protocols : 9780470852859

Cryptography is the key to securing the Internet

If every communication network were to use a secure system based on encryption, then viruses, worms and hackers would have a very hard time. Unfortunately, this scenario does not reflect the reality of the Internet world today. However, with security issues becoming more and more important internationally, engineers of the future will be required to design tougher, safer systems. This book takes a long-term view. It is not a 'how-to' implementation guide for today's practitioners. It is a training text for the engineers of the future.

Features:

• Detailed discussion of block cipher design principles, including coverage of IDEA, RC5, RC6, Triple DES and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)


• Information on hash functions and message digests, including the latest protocols for digital signature, authentication and key-sharing HMAC.


• Expanded coverage of public-key encryption/signature algorithms, including Diffie-Hellman secret key exchange, RSA, ElGamal, Schnorr, DSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)


• Profiles for Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)


• Complete and detailed guides to the entire TCP/IP protocol suite


• IPsec for network-layer security


• PGP and S/MIME for e-mail security


• SSL/TLS for transport-layer security


• Firewalls for trusted systems


• SET security protocols used in the smart card

As well as providing an in-depth introduction to relevant cryptographic principles, algorithms and protocols, Internet Security links them to the technologies in use on the Internet today. State-of-the-art analyses of IETF standards plus summaries and explanations of RFC documents, numerous examples and a list of frequently used acronyms make this book a comprehensive and valuable reference for students, researchers and professional engineers alike - anyone engaged in the long-term development of secure systems.