This was my first book that I purchased for learning 3d studio max.. I also bought the fundamental book too.. I've only flip through couples of pages then I put it away to collect dust. The exercise are hard to follow, they gave complete instruction for teaching you a certain command. But you wouldn't find motivation to delve in to the 3d world by building something that's meaningless. The book is only good for advance user as it'll teaches you how to press certain short cut keys and stuff..

I found this book hard to comprehend.. even if I'm a immediate user, I wouldn't picked this book, as this is so boring.. It teaches you how to do certain things, but don't tell you much why you are doing it, or why is it necessary to take the steps..

there are few other good ones out there if you are a intermediate user...

This was my second 3D Studio max book. Buying it then was a mistake. There are many introductory books out there and this is one of the best but the problem is that the followup to this book; Inside 3DSMax vol 2, has everything vol 1 does and more. Get it if you are just starting out, and then I hope you are not scared of big books because this is where you start off, and start off well. If you already know your way around Max and just want to know advanced stuff like material manipulation and smoother models, get volume 2.

Many books on the market will give you step by step instructions how how to create a scene, or create certain effects. Although this is sometimes handy, it doesn't easially allow the user to incorperate the skills they learned into their own work.

Inside 3D Studio Max shows you the concepts behind how the program works, and allows you to apply these concepts, and skills to your own work, rather than a preformatted tutorial. It is this fact, however, that makes the book not extremely useful for modelers who are new to the program. This book often speaks of the manual which ships with 3DS Max, and the writer made it clear that this was not yet ANOTHER MANUAL. Inside 3D Studio Max explores how to expand your ability.

If you have no prior modeling practice, read the manual which ships with Max, then buy this book. If you do that, you will appreciate what is taught in this massive book.

This is an overall GREAT book, and it has really helped me to become a much better 3D artist.

Paul Copan's "True for You, but Not for Me" is a thought-provoking work that seeks to take an alternative approach to evangelism and theological discussions. In our day, relativism rules supreme, as every person feels their interpretation of reality is as valid as any other. Copan shows that it is difficult - if not impossible - to share Christ with those who have no desire to discuss Him on a level playing field of reason.

At the very heart of the book is the idea that there is absolute truth and that acknowledging this is essential for evangelization or any discussion that attempts to define "Truth". This book helps point out the lack of reason behind relativistic arguments. Fallacious logic and suspect beliefs systems are dealt with by showing people how to use logic to punch holes in relativistic thinking without having to know vast sections of Scripture. By taking Copan's clear reasonings to their logical conclusions one can create common ground for the sharing of the Gospel, increasing the likelihood of success.

Copan also includes excellent and reasonable ways to counter many of the harder arguments that many will raise with common sticking points in theology. For example, there is an extended section that addresses the question of how a loving God can send people to Hell who have never had the chance to hear the Gospel. Other questions on this same order of difficulty are discussed, with well-reasoned responses that will help Christians deal with the tougher questions they are often asked by those investigating Christianity.

The author's angle on evangelizing those firmly in the relativistic camp is simple, intelligent, and true to the idea that being logical and rational is part of calling oneself a Christian. Not a lot of Scripture here, since that is not the author's point. Getting to a common ground by dismantling resistance to even discussing the Bible is.

I liked the angle of the debate here and the call for greater logical thinking for Christians. The main flaw comes from the overuse of certain tactics of logic when another method of reasoning could be used - at times Copan seems repetitive. Another issue is not the fault of the book, per se, since while it is very helpful, it must be used to supplement, rather than supplant, a full knowledge of Scripture. Arguing logically is surely a help, but without a good command of the Bible all evangelism will fail. Discussing points logically can never get one to salvation - the Bible makes this clear ("Faith comes by hearing the word of God.")

So if you wish to have a logical approach to dealing with relativism and the difficult questions non-Christians ask, this is certainly an excellent source when used in conjunction with the Bible.

Copan's book, at its core, is simply a defense of the Law of Non-Contradiction. Consider the dilemma implied by the book's title. Is the statement "all truth is relative" a relative truth? If it's RELATIVELY true, then the statement itself cannot be trusted, since it may be untrue. If it's ABSOLUTELY true, then it contradicts itself, in that it simultaneously asserts and denies that there is at least one absolute truth. In other words, if it's true, it's false; and if it's false, it's false.

Or consider the relativistic religious statement, "all religons lead to God." This is a logical impossibility, since many of them assert that there is only one way to God. So either all exclusivistic religions are false, in which case they do NOT lead to God, or else one exclusivistic religion is true, in which case NO other religion leads to God. In either case, the premise is disproved.

I have a few questions for the reviewers who downrated this book: Mormons, JWs and Catholics, as well as evangelical Christians, all assert "truths" that contradict some of the "truths" of the others. So they can't all be right, can they? Copan's logical scalpel cuts deep; you can't reject his logic simply because you don't like its implications. HOW is it invalid?

Perhaps one of you could supply some examples of the "twisted logic" or "empty semantics" that demonstrate the "sheer lunacy of religion" or the book's lack of "heart". Rhetoric is empty unless backed up with specifics.

It all goes to show that you can't fool Mother Logic. A great book!

Are some of you people out there who are giving negative reviews even paying attention to what Paul Copan is saying? This book is not a straw man attempt at refuting Atheism, but rather a well thought out critique of Relativism, which is something that many Atheist could learn from. Although the writer is Christian, this book was not an attempt to establish a case for Christianity or any other Worldview, but rather a well reasoned defense of a necessary presuposition of rational thought; "Some things are true for everybody." If someone wishes to rate this book low, please do so on the basis of what the Author's intentions were in writing the book. The Author is not trying to give fleshed out arguments for the Existance of God and he doesn't have the space to grapple with the important and sensitive topic of how we deal with people who sincerely hold to non-Christian religious belief. So don't criticize him for not touching on these issues. Overall, this is an excellant book!!

The establishment in HOTEL HONOLULU has 80 rooms and the book has 80 chapters, one for each room. But it doesn't work out to 80 different stories; they're all intertwined -- some more so than others. The book is filled with bizarre, eccentric characters and a LOT of unpleasantness and distasteful stuff. I enjoyed the later pages much more, as Theroux got more philosophical: "It seemed to me that Peewee was there to remind me that my father was not dead. Seeing my father in him, I grieved less, and I saw that even here in Hawaii -- older and far from home -- I was still a part of some great cycle and my father was nearby. It helped me to see my father in him; it calmed me; it eased my pain."

Here -- take a trip: "It was one of those brilliant orchidaceous days on the North Shore of Oahu, under the towering palms. A silky breeze lisped through the needles of the ironwoods edging Sunset Beach. The cliffs behind us were as dark and leafy as spinach. ... Down at the beach, a man was casting into the surf, working his fishing rod like a coach whip. The breeze carried a scent of flowers." I thought reading the book might be a fun vacation, but it wasn't so much fun as thought-provoking. But it was fun, too.

This book gives you an insight in people, the fact that it is in Waikiki just puts the atmosphere in the right direction.
Theroux is an ecellent writer and describer of people. I enjoyed the reading very much.

There's a great premise for this novel by Paul Theroux. The narrator is an unnamed middle-aged writer who takes a job as a manager of a small seedy hotel in Honolulu. What follows is a book full of overlapping stories about the constant parade of guests and locals and a fresh look at what Hawaii is like by the New England-born author who now makes Hawaii his part-time home.

There's a wide variety of characters and a loose non-conventional plot. Most memorable of all is the larger-than-life figure of millionaire and hotel owner Buddy Hamstra, a big man who over-indulges his appetites in life. There's the writer's wife and daughter as well as permanent and temporary hotel guests and employees. It's a collection of vignettes interwoven with reoccurring themes and finely developed people. It's big and sprawling and full of pathos and humor, small portraits of human nature focusing on the themes of love and death.

I found myself drawn into it, enjoying the author's sharp observations and finding myself wanting to laugh out loud. How each character views this world is fascinating and the writer dares to ridicule it all. There's a power in the book that kept me reading in spite of the meandering pace. It's sad and funny and very human all at the same time as it willingly explores such topics such as ethnic tensions and physical disabilities. It might not always be a flattering picture of a place we sometimes think of as paradise, but it sure does seem real, as the characters grope and blunder along in their lives below a constantly shining Hawaiian sun. I just loved the experience of reading this book. Definitely recommended.

Paul Kennedy has developed a unique approach at explaining history. Paul Kennedy's historical model focuses on a few variables, including:
1) What % of GDP a Power dedicates to defense spending in order to maintain its empire;
2) What tax burden as % of GDP does that Power need to raise in order to maintain the defense spending level required;
3) How much leeway does that Power has in increasing its tax burden on its citizen;
4) How willing are the citizen to incur the level of tax burden required to maintain the necessary defense spending level.

Using these four variables, Paul Kennedy takes us on a fascinating tour of World history. He can explain a whole lot using his model, including the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, of Napoleon, the British Empire, among many others.

The current deteriorating U.S. fiscal position with rising budget deficits, due to a defense spending boom smacks of the imperial overstretch that P. Kennedy analysed in the later stage of several now defunct empires.

We are now reliving the Reagan years with Bush Jr. who is using the exact same formula (spend more on defense, cut taxes, let budget deficit baloon, and borrow). The Reagan years turned out OK with a booming economy and stock market. But, reading this book will give you a vision on an alternative scenario. If you want to know what may happen to the U.S., this book is now as current as ever.

This book is a bit dated by riding the 1980s fad of American declinism but not in the way most critics suggest. Kennedy did not help himself by his 1987 cover which showed Uncle Sam stepping down to make room for a rising Japan. However, many critical reviews apparently resulted from pontificators looking at the cover art and neglecting to read that stuff between the covers carefully. Although Nye (1990) later argued that US declinism was exaggerated by an unwarranted expectation that the US should retain its unnatural post-WWII apex, Kennedy himself suggested this 3 years earlier. Kennedy's "rise and fall" is not only boom and bust but also tidal ebbs and flows in relative power over time. Long before Nye, Kennedy described recent US "decline" as a return to its "natural" level and emphatically stated, "this reference to historical patterns does not imply that the United States is destined to shrink to the relative obscurity of former leading powers such as Spain or the Netherlands, or to disintegrate like the Roman and Austro-Hungarian empires" (1987 p.533, Kennedy's italics). Kennedy merely stated that the US could wane if it didn't mind itself.

Theoretically, Kennedy took a systemic view over the "long cycle" to argue that broad patterns of financial and economic development (the primary independent variables, in academic jargon) determine the ebbs and flows of relative power (p.xv-xvi). For instance, he argued that although a US defeat at Midway in 1942 certainly would have altered the next year of the war, it would not have affected the final result (p.353). This is a systemic explanation which downplays the roles of individuals in the long-term. Fans of individual level analysis can take solace in a greater role for individuals in the short-term, and of individuals' ability to navigate within systemic constraints (p.540). Nonetheless, theory is not the strong point of the book. For instance, his attempt to explain the "constantly upward spiral" of the West as due to the innovation caused by competitive quarrels among small, European kingdoms and city-states, in contrast to the expansive unitary states of Asia (p.xvi-xvii), is troubled. Not only could one dispute the monolithic Asia characterization, but his reason does not explain why the warring American city-states did not result in Mayans, Aztecs and Incans as permanent members of the UN Security Council. His Europe-Asia dichotomy appears to be a difference misconstrued as a causal explanation.

Instead of theory, the strength of this book is as a history. For instance, it shows that the majority of the world's manufacturing output was produced by the "Third World" as late as 1830, at which time per capita industrialization in continental Europe was closer to India's level than to Britain's level (p.149). Remember the other day when you couldn't quite recollect the exact figure for the Dutch military budget in 1622? This book would have saved you (it was 13.4 million Florins (p.69)). Even if many of the measures are estimates, I feel compelled to like a book which tells me the energy consumption of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1890 (19.7 million metric tons of coal equivalent (p.201)) or the per capita income of Bukovina in 1910 (310 Crowns (p.216)).

Amazing book! Wonderfully written. Surprisingly, only half-interpreted. As a few reviewers have pointed out, it is more properly used as a history book than an oracle. One more clearly understands previous global strategies in light of the overwhelming evidence presented.
Clearly Mr. Kennedy's central premise is correct - economic power by-and-large mirrors relative military power - which he distinctly points out in his historical study of the European powers from the 1600's forward.
While it is true he did not predict the fall of the USSR, he did point to its growing potential from the rising costs of military competition and internal economic stagnation. The case for Japan was additionally outlined, economically as well as socially. Finally, the "failure" to appropriately predict the continuing rise of the US was no failure at all, as the continuing rise of the US can only be measured in the relative decline of its competitors.
In summary, the book is truly an eye-opener. Whether you endeavor to understand western politics or economic policy relative to world power, the book provides a solid foundation from which to expand - and sufficient material for poignant questions about the future. Great job Prof. Kennedy.

This book is unquestionably the best C++ "how to" book ever written, and I see no way that it could possibly be improved. Not only is it filled with tons of useful information and numerous helpful code examples, it's one of those books that once you start reading, you just don't want to put it down. This book got me an A in my C++ class at UGA ... the teacher was inexperienced. I've read it so much the pages are starting to fall out. I can think of no words sufficient to describe my sincere appreciation to the Dietel's for this masterpiece. Buy it now! If you are disappointed, you should definitely start seriously considering some field other than Computer Programming. You would hate that as well.

Many yrs ago, I read the 2nd edition and thought it was a adequately well-written book. Recently, I got the 4th edition to refresh my skill in writing C++ code. Noticed that certain chapters were re-arranged.

The best way to learn object-oriented C++ is to understand the concepts from a cause and effect pov. I am a visual learner and I believe that Deitel did a good job in blending the concept with UML-based diagrams. It also included [EZ to Understand] code examples.

This book can also be used as a reference guide or a beginner guide for those with some programming background.

No one book does everything for everyone. No one writing style is perfect for everyone. For someone with a solid programming background and focused on writing good "solid" code, this book is pretty darn good.

I am currently a Computer Science major. Until now I couldnt find a C++ book that I felt was better than our text book. Browsing through C++ book after C++ book has led only to dissappointment. I have spent the last year looking for a great C++ reference book that also explains things in a straightforward non-egotistical way.
I hit the jackpot when I went to Amazon and went for the best reviewed book.
'C++ How To Program' explains the most important aspects of programming in a straightforward manner. The example codes are reader friendly due to the color highlighting and all work.
This covers everything from variables to data structures! The book has the added bonus of CGI implementation. Preprocessor is covered as well as an intense explanation of classes, which make C++ the great object oriented language it is.
I recommend this book to any Computer Science major or aspiring computer programmer

I chose this book as a text, on the recommendation of a colleague, for an Intro to Java course that I was teaching . After three weeks of using it, I regretted my choice. It is much too dense for a beginner. It also doesn't seem to have a good step-by-step method for learning the parts of the language, preferring to jump ahead into more advanced concepts that are mentioned in an offhand manner far too often. I found myself flipping back and forth constantly. Having said that, I feel that it is a good book to use if you have a decent programming background and a lot of time available. The examples are comprehensive (again, as long as you don't mind flipping back and forth), which would make this book a good auxiliary text.

I was one of the technical reviewers for this book. This book is meant not only for novice programmers and college students, but also for experienced programmers. It covers all core aspects of Java and introduces the reader to OO-style programming from a Java perspective in an incremental fashion consistently throughout the text. Each example is fully explained with output demonstrations, line-by-line source and API explanation. The book also covers good Java development and design practices e.g. SW Engineering Tips, Performance Tips, Design Patterns. The Vth Edition of this book covers JDK 1.4 release from Sun. It follows the same consistent approach from IVth edition to explain new features newly introduced in JDK 1.4 including Preferences API, non-blocking I/O. This book will be a great learning tool for both people just getting into Java OR for those transtitioning over to the latest version of Java from earlier versions of Sun JDK.

The Deitel's latest edition (5th edition) of Java How to Program
combines key Software Engineering principles with the Java tutorial material. The text gives the reader a hands on approach to architecting (OOA&D), designing (Patterns), and building n-tier Java software. The text makes excellent use of the industry defacto graphical modeling language, the Unified Modeling Language (UML), as the Java software is developed throughout the text via live-code programs and the Case Study. The text covers the latest J2SE 1.4.1 Application Programming Interfaces and even covers some of the server side technologies such as Java Servlets and JSPs.

The book starts with a strange 'Introduction to Programming' chapter, which is for people who don't know what a variable is (good thing _that's_ in a language reference book!) Meanwhile, there is no 'Introduction to VBScript' chapter. I found it very difficult to find simple information on syntax and keywords (just try to find anything on function return types or declaring arrays...) The main Appendix, which contains lots of valuable information, is organized randomly by arcane subjects (and there's no listing of the subjects) so it's difficult to find anything. It also seems to be lifted out of a VB book and contains things that aren't even supported in VBScript.

The range of topics covered is useful if you're trying to decide whether VBScript is right for your project . But if you're just trying to write Active Server Pages, I recommend skipping this book and getting 'Beginning ASP' by Wrox -- it uses VBScript exclusively and has a better introduction to the syntax and usage of the language.

Subs,procedures, and functions all covered in the book in Chapter 3.

"A reader" doesn't read much! I think Wrox and 1000's of other people who buy may noticed if Subs and Functions missing!

One of best books I buy. But I would like Appendix A (BEST VBScript reference ever!) to be alphabetical - easier to look up, but I love book anyway. I recommend to everyone.

I have read VBScript Programmer's Reference. I would to congratulate the team who put this book together. Its so well written I was programming within the day. Not just a "Hello World" program but a program of substance that opened files, validated them, wrote events in the event log etc.
The book is easy to follow and the short introduction to programming most useful for non-programmers like me and my team.
Unfortunately, for me, the book will lead to more work for me and my team of technical mainframe support staff converting mainframe legacy JCL to VBScript. I will be ordering two more copies of the book for my team and I am sure that they will gain much from it.
Even after a few days, members of staff from programming teams keep borrowing the book I am now forced to lie about its location (under my desk).
If I had a criticism I would say that Cscript should be covered in a little more detail, but its only minor point and I found the information I was looking for on the Web.

I bought 3 books on VBScript, the others are not bad books but they are written with a rocket scientist in mind and assume that the reader is competent in programming and modern scripting techniques. Thankfully your book saved the day and I actually enjoyed reading it. I get the impression that the team that put it together also enjoyed that task, it seems to come across in the text anyways.

Its a great book.

I called the 800 number that another reviewer posted. As soon as I asked for an answer key, the customer service lady knew what book I was referring to. She asked me if I am faculty, to which I said no. I am an independent student. Sorry, I can't send it to you. Take it up with your bookstore. Harper doesn't care about getting independent students' money. They should have a sticker on it that reads "FOR SCHOOLS ONLY". Now I'll have to return this book, which is still en route in some mailbag, since the publisher is more concerned now about a metriculated student of latin trying to pass an A on homework. That's okay, there are plenty of other Wheelock's suppliments from other publishers instead of HARPER. I could double check the work myself, or try to find the answer key online, but I'd much rather get my money back and return the product out of spite. As you can see, I gave the workbook a "neutral" 3. I'm giving the publisher's customer service a 1.

Regarding previous reviews relating to the answer key, I wrote an email to the customer service department of Harper Collins via their website, and received the answer key (for free) from them in under 5 days. Although it seems that other users of this book have had problems with Harper Collins, I want to acknowledge their prompt response to my request. I can't pass any judgment on the content of the workbook as of yet -- I've only just started to use it.

This workbook is a great for drilling/mastering the Latin concepts in the corresponding chapters in Wheelock's Latin. I'm working through it now myself. I really like extra drill for mastering/internalizing a new language, even though I don't have trouble with grammatical concepts in general (I studied Spanish and French in college, and German after college. I love languages--I was also a computer software consultant before I began homeschooling my children).

I'll also be using this workbook with my kids when they're ready for it (perhaps in 7th or 8th grade). They're currently working through Martha Wilson's Latin Primer series.

Also, thank you very much to the reader who posted the 800 number for the publisher. I called it to request the answer key after I ordered the workbook here on Amazon. They sent it at no charge via UPS, and it arrived in just 6 days (and it beat the workbook to my house).

Deitel books have been getting better and better with each new release. The later editions of "Java How To Program" were a vast improvement over the early editions of the book. Taking that experience, Deitel published this, their first C# book, in December 2001. The result is a mix of good and not so good. The overall approach to the topic is the standard Deitel method of covering topics in-depth with plenty of code samples. Anyone familiar with their C++ or Java books will recognize the Deitel formula immediately. In this case, the book suffers a little from being a first edition. The book covers all the main topics of the C# language, explains how to use Visual Studio, gives a primer on object oriented programming, and touches upon some advanced topics such as ADO, ASP, and web services. The book does have a feel of being rushed, however. Some of the examples seem either overly contrived or unnecessarily confusing. In some cases the explanations of the code are incomplete. For some reason, Deitel chose to print this book using only black and red instead of the multi-color print used in their Java books. Overall, this book is one of the better introductory C# books. It covers a much wider array of topics than many of the other C# books available and in general it covers them reasonably well. The CD does not include a student or demo copy of Visual Studio.

Superb. This book shows how it should be done. It covers just about everthing you need to know about C# - web services, XML, database access - it's all here in one book.

The many examples illustrate the concepts very well, and I particularly like the useful tips, 'common programming errors' and 'good programming practice' advice.

Surprisingly, the material is also accessible to people new to programming. There's sufficient introductory material (which experienced programmers can skip over) to allow program novices to start programming with C# - no need to start with Basic in a DOS window!

I have a few other books on C#, but this is easily the best.

I had been looking for a C# book which also took care of teaching to exploit all the benefits of the .Net framework. I had stumbled with some books that were too inclined to either the language itself or the .net framework, but this book keeps a good balance between these two topics.

I purchased Professional C# from Wrox, but I saw too many typos in the text and even worse in the code!, so I went ahead and returned it later. I decided to spend some time at the bookstore comparing books and after much deliberation this one won me. I think it was a little bit expensive but it was worth it since it includes clear explanations, visual representation of what the samples do and how they work and best of all, it covers may topics I was interested in like XML, SOAP, Web Services, ASP.NET, etc.

I even liked the two color schema (red and black) in which it is printed.