[Wellington-pm] [Fwd: Newsletter from O'Reilly UG Program, December 8]

Grant McLean grant at mclean.net.nz
Wed Dec 8 14:53:34 CST 2004


Apologies for the double posting of the meeting reminder (the mailing
list software sat on it for 18 hours).

-----Forwarded Message-----
> From: Marsee Henon <marsee at oreilly.com>
> To: perlmongers at catalyst.net.nz
> Subject: Newsletter from O'Reilly UG Program, December 8
> Date: Wed, 08 Dec 2004 12:38:46 -0800
> 
> ================================================================
> O'Reilly News for User Group Members
> December 8, 2004
> ================================================================
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Book News
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> -PC Hardware Annoyances
> -Mac Annoyances
> -Windows XP Personal Trainer
> -Excel 2003 Personal Trainer
> -PowerPoint 2003 Personal Trainer
> -Managing Projects with GNU make, 3rd Edition
> -Mind Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain
> -A Theory of Fun for Game Design
> -Flash Out of the Box
> -Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference, 3rd Edition
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Upcoming Events
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> -Gordon Meyer ("Smart Home Hacks"), DigitalGuru,  Sunnyvale, CA--
>   December 15
> -Kyle Rankin, ("Knoppix Hacks"), at LUGOD, Davis, CA--January 4
> -Cary Millsap ("Optimizing Oracle Performance"),  COUG, 
>   Calgary, Alberta--January 5
> -O'Reilly (Booth #2225) at Macworld Conference  & Expo, 
>   San Francisco--January 10-14
> -Free Exhibit Hall Pass for Macworld
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Conference News
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> -Registration is Open for O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference, 
>   San Diego, CA--March 14-17, 2005
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> News
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> -David Pogue's "CBS News Sunday Morning" Wins an Emmy
> -Paying Attention (or Not) to the Flickr Daily Zeitgeist
> -New Titles on Safari
> -Lawrence Lessig on Blogs and the Law
> -Author IMterview: "Smart Home Hacks"
> -True Stories of Knoppix Rescues
> -Choosing a Language for Interactive Fiction
> -Inside EuroBSDCon 2004
> -Gifts, Gadgets, and Software for Mac Geeks
> -Reclaiming Hacks
> -Five Favorite Annoyances
> -How To Start Hacking Your PC
> -Using the SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services
> -Automate Windows Installations
> -Learning Lab: .NET Certificate $200 Instant Rebate
> -Simple Object Persistence with the db4o Object Database
> -Juggle Your Java with JDistro
> -Reeking Havok with the Experience Music Project
> -Greg Kessler: Rock and Roll Shooter
> 
> ================================================
> Book News
> ================================================
> Did you know you can request a free book to review for your
> group? Ask your group leader for more information.
> 
> For book review writing tips and suggestions, go to:
> http://ug.oreilly.com/bookreviews.html
> 
> Don't forget, you can receive 20% off any O'Reilly, No Starch, 
> Paraglyph, Pragmatic Bookshelf, SitePoint, or Syngress book you 
> purchase directly from O'Reilly.
> Just use code DSUG when ordering online or by phone 800-998-9938.
> http://www.oreilly.com/
> 
> ***Free ground shipping is available for online orders of at 
> least $29.95 that go to a single U.S. address. This offer 
> applies to U.S. delivery addresses in the 50 states and Puerto Rico.
> For more details, go to:
> http://www.oreilly.com/news/freeshipping_0703.html
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> New Releases
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> ***PC Hardware Annoyances
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 0596007159
> Through the use of snappy, entertaining, and practical solutions, this
> book aims to optimize peripheral hardware devices by offering easy fixes
> to their most annoying traits. Designed for PC users of all levels, this
> concise guide offers straightforward, easy-to-understand troubleshooting
> solutions. For maximum ease of use, "PC Hardware Annoyances" is divided
> into several broad hardware categories, including desktops, laptops and
> PDAs, graphics, sound, hard drives, CD/DVD drives, network, and printers
> and scanners. 
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pchardwareannoy/
> 
> A sample excerpt on "Desktop Annoyances, " is available online:
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pchardwareannoy/chapter/
> 
> 
> ***Mac Annoyances
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 059600723X
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/macannoy/chapter/index.html
> "Mac Annoyances" is written for the individual who can't live without a
> Mac yet can't deal with its fickle temperament. The book provides
> solutions to scores of common problems faced by Mac owners. Hassles
> associated with Mac OS X, iLife, Mac hardware, Microsoft Office, and more
> are all addressed in sharp detail with tips, tricks, and workarounds
> designed to drastically improve specific problem-solving capabilities.
> "Mac Annoyances" will save you time and enhance your overall user
> experience.
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/macannoy/
> 
> Chapter 6, "iPod Annoyances," is available online:
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/macannoy/chapter/index.html
> 
> 
> ***Windows XP Personal Trainer
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 0596008627
> Tired of being an XP lightweight? Start with the basics or build on your
> existing strengths as you master working with programs, managing files and
> folders, customizing windows, optimizing and maintaining your computer,
> exploring the Internet, using digital cameras and audio, and networking
> with Windows XP. You can quickly navigate to the topics you want to learn,
> and the hands-on guided simulations reinforce what you read, to offer a
> total learning experience.
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/winxppt/index.html
> 
> 
> ***Excel 2003 Personal Trainer
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 0596008538
> Beginners and experts alike can become Excel black belts, quickly and
> easily--no marathon training exercises required.  You'll master
> spreadsheet basics, editing and formatting worksheets, working with
> formulas, creating charts and graphs, automating tasks with macros, and
> working with other programs and the Internet. Then, when you're ready to
> push the envelope, you'll move on to advanced topics like data analysis
> and pivot tables--and you don't even need a copy of Excel to learn!
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/excelpt/index.html
> 
> 
> ***PowerPoint 2003 Personal Trainer
> ISBN: 0596008554
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> Focus on each of the key PowerPoint muscle groups as you develop your
> strength in the basics, editing and formatting a presentation, drawing and
> working with graphics, working with multimedia, using PowerPoint with
> other programs and the Internet, and then on to advanced topics. These
> bite-sized, pain-free workouts will get your PowerPoint skills pumped in a
> hurry.
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointpt/index.html
> 
> 
> ***Managing Projects with GNU make, 3rd Edition
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 0596006101
> "Managing Projects with GNU make, 3rd Edition" provides guidelines on
> meeting the needs of large, modern projects. This edition focuses on the
> GNU version of make, which has deservedly become the industry standard.
> GNU's powerful extensions are explored in this book, including a number of
> interesting advanced topics such as portability, parallelism, and use with
> Java. Learn how to get your builds to be as efficient as possible, reduce
> maintenance, avoid errors, and thoroughly understand what make is doing.
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/make3/
> 
> Chapter 12, "Debugging Makefiles," is available online:
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/make3/chapter/index.html
> 
> 
> ***Mind Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 0596007795
> This exploration into the moment-by-moment workings of the brain uses
> cognitive neuroscience to present experiments, tricks, and tips related to
> vision, motor skills, attention, cognition, and subliminal perception.
> Each "hack" examines specific operations of the brain. By seeing how the
> brain responds, we pick up clues about the architecture and design of the
> brain, learning a little bit more about how it's put together. Find out
> what's going on in your head.
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/mindhks/
> 
> Sample hacks are available online:
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/mindhks/chapter/index.html
> 
> 
> ***A Theory of Fun for Game Design
> Publisher: Paraglyph Press
> ISBN: 1932111972
> Never before has a guide so succinctly put together the essence of what it
> means to design for the elusive but highly important element of fun. And
> the pursuit of fun in interactive media like games is never ending. It's
> not so easy to articulate what fun is (try it sometime and you'll see) but
> leading interactive designer Raph Koster has developed a theory of fun
> that he cleverly presents in his groundbreaking book. Not only game
> designers, but all designers will treasure this insightful and challenging
> exploration of how to step out of the box and create designs that really
> entertain.
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/1932111972/
> 
> 
> ***Flash Out of the Box
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 0596006918
> Flash is all about creating unparalleled user experiences and applications
> for the Web, and this book is all about helping you think outside of the
> box to get there. "Flash Out of the Box" gets you animating, working with
> video, loading external assets, drawing, masking, modularizing, and more
> for developing the foundation you need to move out of the box and into
> more advanced techniques. This user-centric book makes learning Flash MX
> 2004 intuitive, logical, and fun.
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/flashbox/
> 
> Chapter 3, "Your First Animation," is available online:
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/flashbox/chapter/index.html
> 
> 
> ***Oracle SQL*Plus Pocket Reference, 3rd Edition
> Publisher: O'Reilly
> ISBN: 0596008856
> This portable, quick-reference guide is a must-have for developers and
> DBAs looking to maximize the effectiveness of SQL*Plus. The new, third
> edition includes updated syntax and format options for both SQL and
> SQL*Plus for Oracle Database 10g, Oracle's latest database release. It
> also describes both command-line and browser-based SQL*Plus, and provides
> information on new SQL features. This pocket reference serves as an ideal
> companion to the bestselling "Oracle SQL*Plus: The Definitive Guide."
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/orsqlpluspr3/
> 
> Sample excerpts are available online:
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/orsqlpluspr3/chapter/index.html/
> 
> ================================================
> Upcoming Events
> ================================================
> ***For more events, please see:
> http://events.oreilly.com/
> 
> ***Gordon Meyer ("Smart Home Hacks"), DigitalGuru, Sunnyvale, CA--
>   December 15
> Gordon makes an appearance at the DigitalGuru Computer Bookshop starting
> at 12:30pm. DigitalGuru will be offering a 40% discount on Gordon's book
> that day.  (If you can't make it December 15, be sure to stop by
> DigitalGuru before December 31 to take advantage of a special sale: up to
> 40% off ALL O'Reilly books, as well as books by our publishing partners.)
> DigitalGuru is located at 546-3 Lawrence Expressway in Sunnyvale, CA.
> http://www.digitalguru.com/index.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1
> 
> 
> ***Kyle Rankin, ("Knoppix Hacks"), at LUGOD, Davis, CA--January 4
> Author Kyle Rankin is a featured speaker at the first Linux Users Group of
> Davis meeting of the new year. He'll discuss the many uses of Knoppix,
> such as demonstrating Linux to new users, making Linux easier to install,
> using Knoppix as a rescue disc for both Linux and Windows, as a tool for
> system administrators, and more.
> http://www.lugod.org/meeting/upcoming/
> 
> 
> ***Cary Millsap ("Optimizing Oracle Performance"), COUG, 
>   Calgary, Alberta--January 5 
> Cary will be presenting to Calgary Oracle User Group at 6:30pm.
> Location TBA
> Please check their web site for more information:
> http://www.coug.ab.ca
> 
> 
> ***O'Reilly (Booth #2225) at Macworld Conference & Expo, 
>   San Francisco--January 10-14
> In addition to all of our fabulous new Mac titles, we'll feature author
> appearances at our booth and special promotional fun.
> 
> David Pogue, Missing Manual Series author and editor and "State of the
> Art" columnist for The "New York Times," hosts Macworld Live! on January
> 12 from 9:30am to 10:30am. Tune in for news of the day, exciting guests,
> David's famous song parodies, and plenty of surprises.
> 
> While you're there, be sure to catch actor and author Wil Wheaton's
> special feature presentation entitled "Just a Geek" on January 13 at
> 9:30am There will be a book signing after his presentation. Wil is the
> author of "Just a Geek" and "Dancing Barefoot."
> Moscone Convention Center, Booth #2225, San Francisco, CA
> http://macworldexpo.com/live/20/events/20SFO05A
> 
> ***Free Exhibit Hall Pass for Macworld, San Francisco, CA--
>   January 11-14 2005
> Make sure you register online with priority code N0220 (use zeros) before
> December 10.
> http://www.macworldexpo.com
> 
> A PDF version of the Macworld Pass is available online:
> http://www.oreilly.com/images/oreilly/ug/macworld2005.pdf
> 
> ================================================
> Conference News
> ================================================
> ***Registration is Open for 2005 O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference,
>   San Diego, CA--March 14-17, 2005
> Early Bird registration for ETech has just opened. This year's conference
> theme is "Remix," which infuses ETech's roll-up-your-sleeves tutorials,
> to-the-point plenary presentations, and real world focused breakout
> sessions. Come to ETech and discover how applications and hardware are
> being deconstructed and recombined in unexpected ways. Learn how users and
> customers are influencing new interfaces, devices, business models, and
> services.  For all scoop on tutorials, featured speakers, and conference
> events, check out:
> http://conferences.oreillynet.com/etech/
> 
> User Group members who register before January 31, 2005 get a double
> discount. Use code DSUG when you register, and receive 20% off the
> "Early Bird" price.
> 
> To register for the conference, go to:
> http://conferences.oreillynet.com/cs/et2005/create/ord_et05
> 
> ================================================
> News From O'Reilly & Beyond
> ================================================
> ---------------------
> General News
> ---------------------
> ***David Pogue's "CBS News Sunday Morning" Wins an Emmy
> The National Television Academy has announced the winners of the Annual
> Emmy Awards for Business and Financial Reporting. In the category of
> "Outstanding Interpretation and/or Analysis of a Business News
> Story--Regularly Scheduled Newscast," David Pogue's "CBS News Sunday
> Morning" won the Emmy: "David Pogue takes complex technological
> applications such as Google or Spam and makes them comprehensible to the
> ordinary, non-technophile viewer." David is the creator of the Missing
> Manuals Series.
> 
> You can read the press release here:
> http://www.emmyonline.org/emmy/2ndBizEmmyWinners.html
> 
> 
> ***Paying Attention (or Not) to the Flickr Daily Zeitgeist 
> Perhaps the most complex operating system in the world is the human brain.
> In "Mind Hacks," authors Matt Webb and Tom Stafford use cognitive
> neuroscience to present experiments, tricks, and tips related to vision,
> motor skills, attention, cognition, and subliminal perception. In this
> article, they explore how elements of web pages attract attention and
> influence reading. They then apply some of the ideas from their book in
> the examination of one such element, an animated photo-sharing widget, the
> Flickr Daily Zeitgeist.
> http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2004/12/06/mndhcks_1.html
> 
> 
> ***New Titles on Safari
> Search, annotate, read, and download chapters from your favorite technical
> books through Safari Bookshelf. New titles from O'Reilly include: "Java
> Network Programming, 3rd Edition;" "Securing Windows Server 2003;" "Unit
> Test Frameworks;" "Word Hacks;" "Managing Projects with GNU make, 3rd
> Edition;" "High Performance Linux Clusters;" "Oracle SQL*Plus: The
> Definitive Guide;" and "Windows XP Power Hound." If you haven't gone on
> Safari yet, get a free trial.
> http://www.oreilly.com/go/safari-ug
> 
> 
> ***Lawrence Lessig on Blogs and the Law
> In this IT Conversations interview, Lawrence Lessig talks about the growth
> of law-related blogs and their impact on the practice of law, and some of
> the problems with current copyright law.
> http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail285.html
> 
> Lessig will be speaking at O'Reilly's Emerging Technology Conference.
> http://conferences.oreillynet.com/etech/
> 
> 
> ***Author IMterview: "Smart Home Hacks"
> Gizmodo editor Joel Johnson talks to author Gordon Meyer about home
> automation and some of the reasons X10 is still a good choice for home
> hackers. After the IMterview, you'll find a hack on how to forward your
> phone calls without using the phone company's services, excerpted from
> Gordon's new book "Smart Home Hacks."
> http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/wireless/x10/index.php#smart-home-hacks-imterview-and-book-excerpt-025870
> 
> ---------------------
> Open Source
> ---------------------
> ***True Stories of Knoppix Rescues
> A battle-hardened sysadmin shares his near-death tales of Knoppix rescue.
> Kyle Rankin is a true Knoppix veteran with endless stories of broken
> systems and machines in distress. In this article, he shares a few of his
> favorites, complete with outcomes and weapons of choice. Not for the faint
> of heart. Kyle is the author of "Knoppix Hacks."
> http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2004/12/02/knpxhks_1.html
> 
> 
> ***Choosing a Language for Interactive Fiction 
> Retro gaming is hot, and what could be more retro than interactive
> fiction? If you pine for the days of white mailboxes, twisty little
> passages, and Babelfish all in your mind, perhaps you long to create your
> own interactive fiction world. Liza Daly starts down that path by
> explaining how to choose the right IF language.
> http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2004/11/24/interactive_fiction.html
> 
> 
> ***Inside EuroBSDCon 2004 
> European BSD fans recently had the opportunity to meet and talk during
> EuroBSDCon 2004. Federico Biancuzzi was there. Here are his thoughts from
> the conference and ideas on how to improve conferences for the rest of the
> European BSD community.
> http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/bsd/2004/11/24/eurobsdcon2004.html
> 
> ---------------------
> Mac
> ---------------------
> ***Gifts, Gadgets, and Software for Mac Geeks 
> This year's gift guide shows you the coolest gadgets and often includes
> clever software to accompany them. Suggestions start as cheap as $15 and
> most are less than $80. And the best part--everything works beautifully
> with Mac OS X.
> http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/11/23/gifts.html
> 
> 
> ***Reclaiming Hacks
> The O'Reilly Hacks series has stirred a controversy that usually extends
> no further than the front cover of a book. The hacking spirit, not the
> promotion of illegal activities, is being reclaimed through each one of
> these books. The curious nature of the hacker ethic, whether prompted by a
> sheer spark of genius or the urge of an annoyance, celebrates rolling up
> the sleeves and taking action. Hadley Stern, author of "iPod and iTunes
> Hacks," takes a stab at clarification and discusses the issues he faced
> while writing his book.
> http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/12/03/hadley_hks.html
> 
> 
> ***Five Favorite Annoyances
> As much as we love our Macs, we've got to admit that sometimes they annoy
> the patience out of us. John Rizzo, author of "Mac Annoyances," picks five
> of his favorite Mac annoyances to share. Better yet, he offers a fix for
> every problem. Don't get mad, get clever.
> http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/11/30/macannoy_1.html
> 
> ---------------------
> Windows/.NET
> ---------------------
> ***How To Start Hacking Your PC 
> Want to get under the hood of your PC and start hacking? Jim Aspinwall,
> author of "PC Hacks," literally wrote the book on it. In this first part
> of a two-part article, he teaches you everything you need to know to get
> started.
> http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2004/11/24/PC_Hacking_Part1.html
> 
> 
> ***Using the SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services 
> Microsoft has finally added reporting capabilities to its flagship
> database server, SQL Server 2000. In this article, Wei-Meng Lee walks you
> through the basics of creating a simple report using the SQL Server 2000
> Reporting Services.
> http://www.ondotnet.com/pub/a/dotnet/2004/11/29/sqlreporting.html
> 
> 
> ***Automate Windows Installations 
> Answer files can automate Windows installations, saving time and
> simplifying deployment. Mitch Tulloch, author of "Windows Server Hacks,"
> offers tips and tricks for making better use of them.
> http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2004/11/30/answer_files.html
> 
> 
> ***Learning Lab: .NET Certificate $200 Instant Rebate
> Learn .NET programming skills and earn a .NET Programming Certificate from
> the University of Illinois. The .NET Certificate Series from the O'Reilly
> Learning Lab is comprised of three courses that give you the foundation
> you need to do .NET programming well: Learn XML; Learn Object-Oriented
> Programming Using Java; and Learn C#. Only in December, receive a $200
> instant rebate when you enroll in all three courses.
> http://www.oreilly.com/redirector.csp?link=UADot&type=news
> 
> ---------------------
> Java
> ---------------------
> ***Simple Object Persistence with the db4o Object Database 
> Mapping Java objects to relational databases is a difficult task, fraught
> with perils and gotchas. db4o dodges the issue entirely by providing an
> object-oriented persistence mechanism that is small, lightweight, and
> efficient. Jim Paterson shows how it works.
> http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2004/12/01/db4o.html
> 
> 
> ***Juggle Your Java with JDistro 
> Typically, one Java application will live in its own virtual machine, but
> this is neither required nor necessarily desirable. JDistro, a
> multitasking Java application, makes it possible to run applications,
> applets, and more, all inside of one process. Howard Wen interviewed
> creators Guillaume Desnoix and Gerard Collin to find out how it works.
> a.com/pub/a/onjava/2004/11/24/jdistro.html
> 
> ---------------------
> Digital Media
> ---------------------
> ***Reeking Havok with the Experience Music Project
> High-tech drummer Reek Havok develops interactive music technology for
> Seattle’s Experience Music Project museum. In this interview, he takes
> you behind the scenes and shares his software groove secrets.
> http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2004/12/01/reek_1204.html
> 
> ***Greg Kessler: Rock and Roll Shooter
> Greg Kessler has photographed plenty of well known artists in the music
> industry, including the likes of Phish, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones,
> String Cheese Incident, and Of A Revolution (O.A.R.). In this portfolio,
> he not only presents the captivating images, Greg also includes anecdotes
> about the subjects themselves.
> http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2004/12/01/featured.html
> 
> ================================================
> >From Your Peers
> ===============================================
> Don't forget to check out the O'Reilly UG wiki to see what user groups
> across the globe are up to:
> http://wiki.oreillynet.com/usergroups/index.cgi
> 
> 
> 
> Until next time--
> 
> Marsee




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