Fundamental-Analysis-Software

Traditional software testing focuses two key metrics - defect removal efficiency and, in mature environments, defect density. This book takes a different approach that, on first read, may seem like anarchy to experienced test professionals who work on internal projects. However, when you stop and consider the context in which Ms. Hutcheson is using, the methods and metrics she sets forth make perfect sense.

The context is delivery of commercial products or getting company-critical applications rolled out for purposes of competitive advantage. Within this context she defines the following goals: (1) first to market with the product, (2) optimum pricing model, (3) products with the right features, (4) keeping unacceptable bugs to an absolute minimum. For the last she has a corollary, "Make sure your bugs are less expensive and less irritating than your competitor's", which is not the 'party line' in testing, especially in organizations that strive for zero defects, but is realistic, and especially so when time-to-market is critical. In some ways this book reflects software testing in marketing-driven product development. This is further reinforced by the following definitions and objectives:
- definition of quality is customer satisfaction.
- system for achieving quality is constant refinement.
- measure of quality is the profit.
- target goal of the quality process is a hit every time.

Achieving the above within the software testing domain does require a departure from conventional thinking and methods, and how to go about achieving them is thoroughly covered in the body of the book. The key approach is to develop a test strategy that is based on 'Most Important Tests'. Supporting activities covered include building a test inventory, managing risk, and a feedback loop of data analysis.

In addition to being aligned to product line development, this book's approach can also be easily tailored to rapid, iterative development approaches such as agile methods. If you are working in an internal development environment that uses 'heavier' development lifecycles this book is not going to fit; however, if you work in a product-oriented environment this book will not only change your thinking, but will provide the basis for an integrated development-marketing approach that could make a real difference in competitive advantage.

I know Kamen's textbook on signals and systems since theedition of INTRODUCTION TO SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS published byMacmillan-USA in 1990. It was a very clear textbook and now in this second edition of his new text on FUNDAMENTALS OF SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS :WITH MATLAB EXAMPLES , professor Kamen's writing style become much more clear than ever. There are many textbooks on signals and systems in the market but Kamen's textbook is the unique with a very special friendly approach which makes the students very confortable with the subject on signals and systems. I really recommend this text for every one who wants to get a sound proficiency on signals and systems at the undergraduate level.It is the best.

The plain, unfettered language of this book demystified Signals and Controls for me. The examples and applications in MATLAB are direct and meaningful. This book will be the first place I look for information about signal processing in the future.

This book should really be called "Automating Windows Media Applications using Visual Basic", because this topic forms the majority of the content. Unfortunately, automation isn't really what most serious Windows Media developers, myself included, are interested in or need information on.

The core technology behind all Windows Media programming is called the Windows Media Format SDK: it is this library that powers all encoding applications including the Windows Media Encoder, Windows Media Services, Windows Media Player, parts of DirectShow, and manipulation of Windows media files themselves. Getting to grips with this vast library and its complexities is the real task facing professional developers on this platform. Unfortunately this doesn't get much more than cursory mention in the first chapter.

The bulk of the book concentrates primarily on automating Windows Media Encoder (using the Encoder SDK), a small, higher-level subset of Windows Media functionality. I can't honestly see why you'd want to write a Visual Basic application that uses the Encoder SDK as the Windows Media Encoder application itself is already up to the job. There is also a section on Windows Media Player, but again this focusses on higher-level automation and "skinning" of the player rather than looking at how you might receive Windows Media streams directly into your own application.

In addtion to all this, the author's decision to concentrate solely on Visual Basic, even though most "automation" developers have switched to .NET by now, and more serious Windows Media developers are confined to C++, diminishes the usefulness of this book even further. The book feels more like an extended magazine article rather than a serious reference book, and I could only really recommend it to Visual Basic hobbyists who are fiddling with Windows Media technology for fun.

Receiving this was such a shame, especially as the publication that accompainied it in my order was the excellent "Windows Media Resource Kit", which is an essential for any Windows Media professional, developer and administrator alike.

A great companion to books by Kimball and Inmon. Helps to clarify some areas where they may be vague or confusing. Includes info from other BI industry thought leaders. Used as a textbook at some universities. Loaded with diagrams and tables. Helps to bridge the gap between techies and management.
NOT as techy as Kimball so it won't lead you through a project or show you how to design databases, ETL or BI apps. A little more real-world examples than Inmon. Does not mention Inmon's CIF architecture by name, but it does explain a similar architecture.
A little too Expensive to buy without skimming through it first (go to a local book store and spend 30 to 60 minutes with it before you decide to order).

This is one of the best introductory books on data warehousing I've read. The authors make few assumptions of reader knowledge beyond the fact that they are IT professionals who have a technical background that doesn't necessarily include database and data warehouse knowledge. They do assume a basic knowledge of IT operations, project management skills and systems analysis and design - skills that IT professionals are expected to have.

The book is divided into five parts: Overview and Concepts, Planning and Requirements, Architecture and Infrastructure, Data Design and Data Preparation, and Implementation and Maintenance. These follow a development life cycle, making the structure of the book easy to follow.

What I like about this book is it doesn't just cover the theory and concepts (which it does do well), but sets data warehousing in the context of a larger architecture designed to meet specific business requirements. I also like the way the authors address real world issues such as planning and managing a data warehouse project, and the issues and factors surrounding adding a data warehouse into an existing technical architecture. This information is what IT professionals are seeking when they are faced with a technology with which they may not have strong knowledge, and it makes this book useful to the intended audience.

Among the chapters that I most liked are: Principles of Dimensional Modeling, Data Extraction, Transformation, and Loading, and Data Quality: A Key to Success. These capture the essence of data warehousing in my opinion and are topics that IT professionals without a data background need to understand. I also thought that each of the appendices were useful. They provided a finishing touch by covering project life cycle steps and checklists, critical success factors and guidelines for evaluating vendor solutions - each of which provide practical information.