Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • it gets the job done
  • I doubt students using this text can tackle dynamics
  • worst textbook I ever had
  • This book is a real dissaster!!!
  • Know's its place
Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems
Stephen T. Thornton , and Jerry B. Marion
Manufacturer: Brooks Cole
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0534408966

Book Description

This best-selling classical mechanics text, written for the advanced undergraduate one- or two-semester course, provides a complete account of the classical mechanics of particles, systems of particles, and rigid bodies. Vector calculus is used extensively to explore topics.The Lagrangian formulation of mechanics is introduced early to show its powerful problem solving ability.. Modern notation and terminology are used throughout in support of the text's objective: to facilitate students' transition to advanced physics and the mathematical formalism needed for the quantum theory of physics. CLASSICAL DYNAMICS OF PARTICLES AND SYSTEMS can easily be used for a one- or two-semester course, depending on the instructor's choice of topics.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars it gets the job done.......2007-10-10

it starts off well enough, but the chaos chapter is terrible. I did use multiple sources while i was taking an analytic mechanics course. The best part of the book is the well assorted bunch of problems.

3 out of 5 stars I doubt students using this text can tackle dynamics.......2007-04-28

I doubt students using this text will be as capable in tackling dynamics problems as one would assume. Give the Physics student fed on a regular diet of this book one of those swirling, mechanical-arm problems and they'll probably be dead in the waters. This is probably one of those books that create the illusion of mastery rather than develop real skills.
Springer has a real good series on classical mechanics nowadays. That's my tip.
Disclaimer: gave up on this book and never really used it, because I think it sucks and life is too short.

1 out of 5 stars worst textbook I ever had.......2007-02-03

This book is one of the reasons why I am now a math phd student, rather than a physics phd student. Unfortunately, physics departments stick to the same awful books, when they really ought to know better. It doesn't matter how much math you know--I was a senior math major. You can follow everything that is written in this book and still not learn much because the book hardly contains any real knowledge. Very little physical insight will be found here, unless you think about it for yourself and come up with your own explanations. The idea of actually understanding anything seems to be completely missing. The problems are often tedious, involving excessive computations (not that some of that isn't appropriate), with a few exceptions. Not a good textbook or reference. If you don't at least question this book, you will miss out, big time--I promise.

If you have the misfortune of having this as a text, please, at least try reading something else. Feynman's lectures cover some of the material at an elementary level. V. I. Arnold's Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics might be worth taking a look at, although it requires some mathematical sophistication for a full appreciation.

1 out of 5 stars This book is a real dissaster!!!.......2007-01-29

I used this book for Classical Mechanics and Classical Dynamics, and was a complete waste of time and money, the explanation of the topics is very superficial, and the mathematics are very poorly. However, the book is well organized, because clearly it develop a line of thought that an undergraduated student can follow, nonetheless the develop of this line of thought is a real dissaster. In conclusion, please look for another book, don't buy this piece of sh... Sorry, but I'm really dissapointed with this book. I had to buy another five books to complete what at last is the real classical dynamics.

P.S.: Beg your pardon if there is any grammar error, I'm not a native English Speaker.

4 out of 5 stars Know's its place.......2006-09-02

This semester is my first in grad school and we're starting into Goldstein and I'm using Marion for review and backfill. The really negative opinions on this page are over done. AND so are the really positive reviews.
Overall the book is just great for an undergrad who won't be going on to the PhD or masters. But once you're in one of these programs you may find yourself reaching for it to make sure you've got your basics covered.
Hopefully Thornton will upgrade the book and not dumb it down as time goes on. A layered approach usually works.
Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Author
  • Great buy!!!!!
  • Book is Fine
  • Great book
  • Excellent additional book for CAPM or Project + Exam
Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition
Kathy Schwalbe
Manufacturer: Course Technology
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0619215267

Book Description

Recreates the experience of dozens of projects, both successful and failed, to provide a real-world context for learning.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Author.......2007-09-11

Learn alot from the book about Project management. It does not only apply to management but apply to daily life. It teaches you more than there is. Definitely recommended. Like the CD and the material.

5 out of 5 stars Great buy!!!!!.......2007-03-08

The book got to me in a timely manner and was in great shape.

4 out of 5 stars Book is Fine.......2007-01-09

What can I say, the instructor required this book, so I purchased it. Well laid out. Broken down into sections that make sense when learning project management. The examples in the appendix could be done a little better, but the appendix is already over 100 pages. Wish it would have the Index on CDROM for easier searching, but overall it is a good book.

5 out of 5 stars Great book .......2007-01-04

I used this book as the accredited book for my project management course in my master study, actually it is a great book, I did not get enough time to read it all, but it really covers all the project managemnt subtitles, I recommend it for those who have project management experience, and also for those who just need to know something about project manegment, but you make sure you have time to read, it is not a small before sleep book, it is really technical one.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent additional book for CAPM or Project + Exam.......2006-10-14

I was issued this book for my project management class this past spring. The information contained in this particular book was detailed, and the author provided great examples plus a 120-day trail version of MS Project management software to add in practical development. I am using this book as additional information to pass the Certifed Associate in Project Management exam offer by the Project Management Institute.
Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Good but not user-friendly
  • A good reference and prefab pattern library.
  • Designing Interfaces
  • Jump-started my problem-solving process
  • Usefull, Concise - Great
Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design
Jenifer Tidwell
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596008031

Book Description

Designing a good interface isn't easy. Users demand software that is well-behaved, good-looking, and easy to use. Your clients or managers demand originality and a short time to market. Your UI technology -- web applications, desktop software, even mobile devices -- may give you the tools you need, but little guidance on how to use them well.

UI designers over the years have refined the art of interface design, evolving many best practices and reusable ideas. If you learn these, and understand why the best user interfaces work so well, you too can design engaging and usable interfaces with less guesswork and more confidence.

Designing Interfaces captures those best practices as design patterns -- solutions to common design problems, tailored to the situation at hand. Each pattern contains practical advice that you can put to use immediately, plus a variety of examples illustrated in full color. You'll get recommendations, design alternatives, and warnings on when not to use them.

Each chapter's introduction describes key design concepts that are often misunderstood, such as affordances, visual hierarchy, navigational distance, and the use of color. These give you a deeper understanding of why the patterns work, and how to apply them with more insight.

A book can't design an interface for you -- no foolproof design process is given here -- but Designing Interfaces does give you concrete ideas that you can mix and recombine as you see fit. Experienced designers can use it as a sourcebook of ideas. Novice designers will find a roadmap to the world of interface and interaction design, with enough guidance to start using these patterns immediately.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Good but not user-friendly.......2007-06-16

This book does to UI design what the well-known "Design Patterns" did for software design. Many readers, specially those experienced in graphical and UI design will find much of the content familiar, when not trivial, but the purpose of a "pattern language" book is not to break new ground but to formalize and explain a well known language.

The book is beautifully laid out and illustrated. The amount of theory preceding each group of patterns seems right on the mark.

¿Why the low star rating?

The book's binding broke before I finished reading it, something that's completely not user-friendly. If you're not in a hurry I'd wait for a second edition that fixes the problem.

3 out of 5 stars A good reference and prefab pattern library........2007-04-30

I found this a bit shallow as a read-through textbook or handbook, but it should make a very useful reference and may serve well as a prefab pattern library. I think it will serve best for those working on web sites and web apps, though it also covers desktop apps.

4 out of 5 stars Designing Interfaces.......2007-04-24

Designing Interfaces is a great book to get you started on the subject, wether you are a designer or a developer, this books will show you how important is to *design* you application.

Concepts are presented as design patterns and they are intended to help you resovle real world problems, some knowledge of UI design is recommended but every patten is described and explained very well, the use of the "Use When", "Why" and "How To" sections will give you al the information you need to know to make a decision on the use of any specific solution.

From web forms to destop application, this books will show you the right way to make the user's interaction experience as simple and intuitive as possible.

5 out of 5 stars Jump-started my problem-solving process.......2007-03-21

Having already read through the first few chapters, today I sat down with an explicit need: to solve a problem that involved searching and filtering a large set of data. This book came through for me. Yes, some of it appears obvious when you first read through, but once you have a specific problem to address, its true utility emerges. I opened to the Showing Complex Data chapter, and as I read through, ideas began to form. Some came directly from the book, others were inspired by or related to what I was reading. I took notes, and those notes helped me develop the questions about the data and the users I need to answer in order to continue.

When you're faced with a design challenge, and you're a bit stymied as to how to proceed, this book will help move the solution forward. Even if you think you have a solution, this book can help you make it fresh and creative.

4 out of 5 stars Usefull, Concise - Great.......2007-02-24

This is a really usefull book. It's also simply interesting to read.
Essentials of Organizational Behavior (8th Edition)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Book
  • Best place for on line purchases
  • Overall a very good book
  • Easy to understand
  • Well written and solid intro to the field of Org Behavior
Essentials of Organizational Behavior (8th Edition)
Stephen P Robbins
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0131445715

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Book.......2007-02-13

I really enjoyed this book. One reason is because it is a short book, and another is that it is written in easy, understandable terms.

5 out of 5 stars Best place for on line purchases.......2006-03-02

As always, very happy with the service received by Amazon. Pront delivery and in perfect condition.

4 out of 5 stars Overall a very good book.......2005-12-09

This is a very well written book. I used this book as part of my MBA program. No frills or fluff - just goes right to the point and explains it well in relatively fewer words. Also helped me tremendously in my job and the knowledge gained from this book does helps me in doing a better job. A must read for all managers.

5 out of 5 stars Easy to understand.......2005-10-26

This book gets right to the point. Even though it is direct it also offers excellent examples to help you understand the information quickly.

4 out of 5 stars Well written and solid intro to the field of Org Behavior.......2004-07-13

"Essentials in Organizational Behavior" is a solid text for a course surveying the field of Organizational Behavior. Its sixteen chapters are grouped into four parts. Part I introduces the field of organizational behavior, its goals and functions within an organization along with some challenges and opportunities.

Part II contains chapters two through six and focuses on how individuals function within an organization and the considerations managers need to have with values, personality, motivation, emotions, and how individuals make decisions.

Part III contains chapters seven through twelve and discusses groups in the organization. It begins discussion foundations of group behavior, some basics on work teams, communication, leadership & creating trust, power & politics, conflict & negotiation.

Part IV discusses the Organization System in chapters thirteen through sixteen. It begins with the foundations of organizational structure, culture, and then gets into the role of human resource policies and practices. The book concludes with Organizational Change and Development.

There is an epilogue to wrap things up, endnotes, and index and a glossary.

The book is clearly written. I like the way the author presents a variety of views and theories and never becomes dogmatic about a certain approach. Because it is concise it actually has a chance of being read (the usual 750 page textbook is largely left unread in most courses). However, to really become proficient in any of the many topics presented here the student will have to do much more study and practical work. I am confident that any teacher adopting the text for coursework would make the necessity for further study clear to the student. The endnotes do provide many fine sources for such study, but I would like to have seen some sources organized into a list of readings for study organized by topic. It would have added a few pages, but would not have overburdened this text.

In any case, this is a good introductory read for anyone who wants to a quick tour of the universe of Organizational Behavior.
Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Edition
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Bible of the Field
  • If you love rocket propulsion you must get this book
  • Rocket Scientists Use It Too
  • Fantastic resource
  • A Must-Have Textbook for every Aerospace Engineer
Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Edition
George P. Sutton
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471326429

Book Description

Aerospace Engineering/Mechanical Engineering
The definitive text on rocket propulsion-now completely revised to reflect rapid advancements in the field
For more than fifty years, this seminal text has been regarded as the single most authoritative sourcebook on rocket propulsion technology. More comprehensive and coherently organized than any other book on the subject, Rocket Propulsion Elements guides readers evenhandedly through the complex factors that shape propulsion, with both theory and practical design considerations.
With more than a third of the text and illustrations either completely new or extensively revised, this latest edition includes current information on engine structures, nozzle theory, gas properties, thrust chambers, launch vehicles, and more. With a detailed table of contents breaking down each chapter into subsections-as well as an expanded index of key words-the Seventh Edition efficiently steers readers quickly to the information they need. Other highlights include:
* Separate chapters on liquid, solid, and hybrid propulsion systems and a new chapter on thrust chambers including the new aerospike nozzle
* Comprehensive coverage of rocket propulsion technology, with applications to space flight, satellite flight, and guided and unguided missiles
* Problem-solving examples and exercises relevant to actual design situations
* More than 340 illustrations, including photographs, tables, and graphs
* Coherent, up-to-date chapter on electrical propulsion balancing fundamentals with practical aspects and applications
For professional engineers in the aerospace and defense industries as well as undergraduate and graduate students in mechanical and aerospace engineering, this time-honored resource is indispensable for its scope of coverage and utility.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Bible of the Field.......2007-03-24

When as a young physicist I started working on rocket nozzle design most of the material in this book had to be dug up from a paper here, a book there, or else it simply wasn't known. Now here's everything you need to know in a couple of chapters. And besides nozzle design, here in information on virtually every aspect of rockets from the design to the propellents, from concepts to testing. Most of the book is on conventional liquid or solid fuel chemical rockets, because that's where most of the action is today. There is a new chapter (from my older edition) on electrical propulsion.

The book is suitable for use as a textbook for either a one or two term course, or as an introductory book to an engineer now moving into the field, or as a reference book for the experienced. It is especially good to use when you need to come up to speed on some area of the business where you don't normally work.

The one weakness of the book is the lack of discussion on computers either in terms of engine control systems or of the design software that is avaiable. Next revision I guess.

5 out of 5 stars If you love rocket propulsion you must get this book.......2007-01-19

I have loved rocket propulsion in all its forms (real and imagined) since I was following the Apollo 11 mission on television. This book will help you with every aspect of rocketry whether for direct professional relevance, hobbyist development or whether you dream with many of us of solving the problems that will allow us (as so eloquently put by the late Carl Sagan) to "dip our toes in the cosmic ocean". I believe we must swim between the stars and the nuts and bolts foundations for doing it are in this book. Go get it. Lets do it.

5 out of 5 stars Rocket Scientists Use It Too.......2006-11-17

I started work with a rocket design group fresh out of a MS in mechanical engineering. One of the first things everybody told me was to pick up a copy of Sutton. It's a good thing I did, because I immediately started referring to it for just about every project I worked. After just a few months it became a dog eared, marked, and well used reference.

It's a few years later now, and I don't work with rockets full time any more. I've forgotten enough of the details that today when I was explaining a bit of rocketry to a coworker, out came Sutton again. It's still a great book.

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic resource.......2006-02-20

This was a required test for a rocket propulsion class, but it has become an invaluable resource for many classes. Purchased for at least 20% less than other outlets.

5 out of 5 stars A Must-Have Textbook for every Aerospace Engineer.......2004-03-27

This is the single best book on rocket propulsion systems, covering both liquid and solid rocket engines, hybrid rocket systems, and a dedicated chapter on electric propulsion. The authors include excellent illustrations and graphs to enhance the text, and practical examples which help the reader to grasp the theory. After loaning a copy of this book for over two years from my library, i finally bought it! Definitely recommended to all engineers and scientists who want to expand into the area of rocket propulsion.
Adaptive Filter Theory (4th Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • It's exactly what the title states, "Adaptive Filter THEORY"
  • Not a bad reference book.
  • A very good book for Adaptive DSP...
  • Adventures in the development of stochastic DSP
  • Adventures in the development of stochastic DSP
Adaptive Filter Theory (4th Edition)
Simon Haykin
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0130901261

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars It's exactly what the title states, "Adaptive Filter THEORY".......2005-03-17

I was introduced to this text in a graduate course. I was not too thrilled about learning from another Haykin book due to a previous experience with his Communication Systems text in an undergraduate course (Horribly confusing... Proakis's text is infinitely better). To my surprise, the book was very detailed and easy to read. The math is very clear and detailed (great for the self learner). Also, the second chapter, which serves as a review of stationary processes and properties, was written much better than most random process textbooks (I applaud Haykin for this given the section was only a review). In chapter 3 or 4, he shows the derivation of the Levison-Durbin Algorithm step-by-step. I strongly disagree with some of the other reviews stating this text is just the typical engineering manual or cookbook with no explainations.

However, this is either a love or hate text. If you are looking for a text about practical linear predictive filter design, this is NOT the book for you. This text is heavily geared towards understanding the theory behind the design... hence the title Adaptive Filter THEORY. However, it can make a great reference to engineers in the field of DSP.

2 out of 5 stars Not a bad reference book........2004-06-17

This book looks very impressive, but if you try to understand it you'll find it very mechanical. There is not much motivation behind the many pages of formulas and derivations. I'm not even sure how many people actually read those derivations becuase even in its 4th edition the book and its solution manual both have many typos (see, for example, equations 8.11 and 12.5). Even the problems are more focused on derivations than on numerical examples. This is a good cookbook if you just want to implement an algorithm or find some pointers to the original research papers. Like many other reviewers, I beleive that engineering textbooks are losing their depth and becoming more and more like instruction manuals.

5 out of 5 stars A very good book for Adaptive DSP..........2001-05-09

I have always wondered why many people have negative opinions about books by Simon Haykin, whether it is 'Communication Systems' or 'Adaptive Filter Theory'. Particularly, this book 'Adaptive Filter Theory', in my opinion, is one of the bestbooks on this subject. As Julius Kusuma correctly mentioned, this book is indeed an "adventure ride" into the field of Adaptive Filter Theory.

I discovered this book when I was doing a class project on Self-Orthogonalizing algorithms for Adaptive Beamforming and I felt that all the relevant information that I needed was present in this book. I did'nt really feel the neccesity to refer anything outside this book.

Apart from that, this book contains everything that a graduate student needs to know about this exciting field of adaptive filters. The author assumes some background on Random Signal Theory... I'd suggest to look up Sam Shanmugan et al's, "Random Signals: Detection, Estimation and Data Analysis" before beginning to read (enjoy) this "adventure ride" on Adaptive Filters.

5 out of 5 stars Adventures in the development of stochastic DSP.......2000-07-24

Despite the commonly negative opinion against Simon Haykin's book, I find this book to be a very fun reading. It starts off with a very brief review of DSP (more useful just for getting familiar with the notation, really), properties of random processes, and a small section on linear algebra in the middle of the book.

The rest of the book can be viewed as a story of how different approaches and algorithms were developed, and is a little difficult to use as reference due to its lack of structure and over-dependency on the previous chapters, both for technical content and notation. I have to admit that the notation used in this book is very, very poor and can be a source of frustration. The dependency is also a pain because you always have to keep flipping 100 pages back because Mr. Haykin prefers to say "Eqn. (4.24)" instead of "an AR model".

But there's a lot of hidden treasures within this book that should have been more emphasized. For example, Mold's theorem that states that any discrete stationary process can be decomposed into a deterministic component and a random component, which are uncorrelated to each other. I'm sorry, but a reference to a proof in another book is not enough to really motivate me. This is a very fundamental theorem if you're interested in stochastic signal processing. Sure, you don't cover the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus in your very first calculus class, but then again this is supposed to be a fairly advanced book.

So if you're interested in learning certain things quickly, this is NOT the book to get. Consider Munson Hayes' book instead. Save this one when you feel like investing a little time to hear Haykin's story on stochastic signal processing.

5 out of 5 stars Adventures in the development of stochastic DSP.......2000-07-24

Despite the commonly negative opinion against Simon Haykin's book, I find this book to be a very fun reading. It starts off with a very brief review of DSP (more useful just for getting familiar with the notation, really), properties of random processes, and a small section on linear algebra in the middle of the book.

The rest of the book can be viewed as a story of how different approaches and algorithms were developed, and is a little difficult to use as reference due to its lack of structure and over-dependency on the previous chapters, both for technical content and notation.

But there's a lot of hidden treasures within this book that should have been more emphasized. For example, Mold's theorem that states that any discrete stationary process can be decomposed into a deterministic component and a random component, which are uncorrelated to each other. I'm sorry, but a reference to a proof in another book is not enough to really motivate me. This is a very fundamental theorem if you're interested in stochastic signal processing. Sure, you don't cover the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus in your very first calculus class, but then again this is supposed to be a fairly advanced book.

So if you're interested in learning certain things quickly, this is NOT the book to get. Consider Munson Hayes' book instead. Save this one when you feel like investing a little time to hear Haykin's story on stochastic signal processing.
Axiomatic Design: Advances and Applications (The Oxford Series on Advanced Manufacturing)
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • Very questionable science, and many errors in text
  • What is important here?
  • A False Science
Axiomatic Design: Advances and Applications (The Oxford Series on Advanced Manufacturing)
Nam Pyo Suh
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195134664

Book Description

Design education, research, and practice have recently seen considerable evolution as university programs, researchers, journals, and conferences systematize design as a discipline and science. Nam P. Suh's book Axiomatic Design: Advances and Applications contributes to this systematic and scientific base and presents a fresh perspective on design, establishing a rational framework for the discipline. The book follows Suh's successful publication, The Principles of Design (OUP 1990), although the two books are substantially different in both content and approach. The first three chapters of Axiomatic Design cover the fundamental principles of axiomatic design. The following chapters offer a complete treatment of the design of systems, software, materials and materials processing, manufacturing systems, and product design. Suh shows how a scientific and systematic approach to design improves efficiency, productivity, savings, reliability, and quality for industries that currently rely on ad hoc design systems; Axiomatic Design contains the principles and practical knowledge necessary to achieve these improvements. Perfect for senior and graduate design and mechanical engineering students as well as professional engineers, this unique text offers the tools necessary to design with ease and elegance and serves as a stepping-stone in the ever-evolving intellectual science of design. Features BL Applies the principles of axiomatic design to a variety of real-life situations including mechanism design, software engineering, and basic business processes BL Includes numerous integrated case studies using axiomatic design to solve real-life design challenges BL Draws material from consulting cases with industrial firms throughout the world BL Requires no prerequisite reading (The Principles of Design can be read for clarification)

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Very questionable science, and many errors in text.......2005-12-08

I bought this book for a readings class this semester. I don't have a suitable vocabulary to describe how poor it is. The text is inconsistent and full of errors. The author blathers on without concluding much. He references his previous work and that of PhD theses (which I can only assume are his own students). I question the underlying assumptions of his theory but it is never fleshed out in sufficient detail to be understood and examined.

Some examples:

Page 8, the author discusses history, "there were no exceptions or counterexamples (to Newton's laws) until Einstein advanced the theory of relativity". Really? How about Maxwell's equations, the Michelson-Morley experiments, the theory of the ether, Mercury's orbit around the Sun?

Page 18, The author uses matrix algebra notation and operations on nonlinear equations. Superposition does not apply to nonlinear equations.

Example 1-13, consists of a redesign problem where one constraint is "no increase in cost", and the solution to the example problem is to add a component to the existing design. And that component is free?

Title of one section: "Reduction of uncertainty: Conversion of a design with time-dependent combinatorial complexity to a design with time-dependent periodic complexity".

It goes on. I made it about 100 pages into it.

4 out of 5 stars What is important here?.......2004-02-22

One of great emerging ideas in the past 20 years is that there are tools to help in the design of robust products and systems. There are other approaches: TRIZ, QFD and other heuristic-based methods. There are also references to Dr. Taguchi's robust design methods (DFSS). The point is that the author here has made his point - DFSS as applied to multi-requirement products and systems... and that includes just about every product/system we use and need... has an overlooked flaw. Read this book to understand what that flaw is and how to address it.

Is the material here ambitious and audacious? Well... yes, wouldn't it be if the author were on to something? I think that the key here is to understand where this information can be immediately used in engineering practice. The principle of design decoupling and Okcam's Razor are not particularly new ideas, but the way that the author is approaching the subject is important. He is trying to get a handle on something that has been to date very heuristically practiced, and often not well executed. If one understands the principles of, for instance, software engineering, it doesn't take long to understand where the author is going with his subject. Suh is a mechanical engineer (MIT), and this fact, in itself, is very surprizing and encouraging. The axioms that Suh present are necessary in order to achieve some sort of order to the discussion. I personally have managed to get past the initial objections to his reuse of certain terms and emphasis on certain axioms. For instance, Suh's principle of "minimum information content" is actually a statement about "less is more" in design from a reliability and design-robustness perspective.

Now for potential buyers: understand that there are applications of this method and theory that are extremely powerful and effective. This method has great implications to the field of systems engineering - it ties the SE discipline to something that you can get your hands on. In particular, look to the application of the method to the design of physical systems and their corresponding manufacturing systems. This isn't a trivial or invalid subject.

People who need ways to handle complexity and the total system design problem will benefit as will designers of common products. Software and hardware designers can both benefit, although the author uses language that is more recognizable in the realm of mechanical engineering and manufacturing systems. This material will take some time to integrate into your own storehouse of knowledge - so don't rush it. Approach this material with a need in hand, but with the understanding that it will likely modify your view of your discipline. Then you will make use of this material. Note the bibliographies; dig into the applications of this theory. You won't be disappointed in the outcome.

2 out of 5 stars A False Science.......2002-03-08

Is design a science? Or, can design be a science?
The author tries to conclude the principles for "good designs" into two axioms, then use them as the scientific approach to conduct the design activities. It is ambitious and audacious. Unfortunately, this is a false science. The paradox of the author's intent lies on the fact that science, by definition, should be repeatable and universal. However, regardless of the two controversial "axioms", which have been refuted in many literature among the design community, they themselve do not guarantee that different people will arrive on the same design. They are, at most, two design principles that may not be 100% true, depending on the cases.
The domain and tasks of design, is too broad and versatile to be abstracted by any "axioms", 'cause design is a mental process of creativity, and so far no one can sucessfully describe creativity in scientific terms.
Therefore, the answer is "no" to the question in the beginning of the review, at least not for this book.
Introduction to the Theory of Computation
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • My choice for textbook in my computation theory class
  • well-organized, progressive, and understandable
  • Great book on the subject
  • Very readable, diverse, and a little sparse
  • Most appropriate for CS students
Introduction to the Theory of Computation
Michael Sipser
Manufacturer: Course Technology
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0534950973

Amazon.com

"Intended as an upper-level undergraduate or introductory graduate text in computer science theory," this book lucidly covers the key concepts and theorems of the theory of computation. The presentation is remarkably clear; for example, the "proof idea," which offers the reader an intuitive feel for how the proof was constructed, accompanies many of the theorems and a proof. Introduction to the Theory of Computation covers the usual topics for this type of text plus it features a solid section on complexity theory--including an entire chapter on space complexity. The final chapter introduces more advanced topics, such as the discussion of complexity classes associated with probabilistic algorithms.

Book Description

This highly anticipated revision builds upon the strengths of the previous edition. Sipser's candid, crystal-clear style allows students at every level to understand and enjoy this field. His innovative "proof idea" sections explain profound concepts in plain English. The new edition incorporates many improvements students and professors have suggested over the years, and offers updated, classroom-tested problem sets at the end of each chapter.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars My choice for textbook in my computation theory class.......2007-10-01

I recently encountered this book at a publisher's booth at a computer conference and read it on the ride back home. This morning I made a trip to the college bookstore and notified them that it is the textbook that I will be using in my computation theory class this spring.
The chapter titles are:

0) Introduction - this chapter contains the fundamental mathematical background of sets, functions, graphs and proofs. For most students, it could be skipped or skimmed.
1) Regular languages - this chapter is an introduction to deterministic and nondeterministic finite automata and regular expressions.
2) Context-free languages - an introduction to context-free grammars and pushdown automata.
3) The Church-Turing theses - an introduction to Turing machines and the variants, such as multiple tapes and nondeterministic Turing machines.
4) Decidability - the definition of decidability and how Turing machines and finite automata are used to prove or disprove if a language is decidable.
5) Reducibility - the definition of reducible and how Turing machines can be used to execute reductions.
6) The recursion theorem - an introduction to the recursion theorem and some applications to formal theories.
7) Time complexity - the first chapter in the coverage of algorithmic complexity, in this case execution time.
8) Space complexity - an examination of the complexity of algorithms from the perspective of the amount of memory required.
9) Intractability - an examination of the problems that can be solved in principle but not in practice.
10) Advanced topics in complexity theory - approximation algorithms, probabilistic algorithms, alternation, interactive proof systems, parallel computation and cryptography.

There is less coverage of grammars than most books, which is replaced by more in the area of algorithmic analysis. In my opinion, that is an appropriate tradeoff, the analysis of algorithms gives the students some understanding of how automata are applied in computer science.
Another excellent feature of this book is the solutions to selected exercises that appear at the end of the chapters. My estimate is that reasonably detailed solutions to approximately one-third of the problems are included. This allows the students to work extra problems by themselves, and helps the instructor if they are asked to do another example in class that they have not already worked through.
The exposition is very good; I am convinced that the students will be able to read the material on their own, which is one more reason why I adopted this book for my course.

5 out of 5 stars well-organized, progressive, and understandable.......2007-01-06

As an intro to the theoretical background to computer science goes, this book is about as readable and approachable as you can get.

It gives a very thorough treatment of the whole theoretical basis, from regular languages and pumping lemmas out through Turing machines and related issues, and on to some interesting language classes (like NP and PSpace-complete).

If there's a single sticking point with the book, it's that it insists on a very strict formalism (ie: everything is proof-based) -- something necessary for the topic, but it sometimes renders the material a bit hard to digest.

5 out of 5 stars Great book on the subject.......2006-12-27

If you are interested in or for other reasons must read a book on this subject, this is the book. I took a class last semester which used Hopcroft as the text and I found myself often turning to this book for better understanding. This book is more intuitive and thus a bit less formal than Hopcroft but when trying to learn, understanding is better than mathematical formalism. If you are new to the subject, Sipser is the book to begin with.

5 out of 5 stars Very readable, diverse, and a little sparse.......2006-11-25

This is a wonderful little gem of a book that presents the theory of computation in a fascinating way. It is targeted at advanced undergraduates in computer science, but assumes remarkably little prior knowledge, making it accessible to nearly anyone. The book covers a lot of ground, including the standard fare of automata, computability, and complexity results, plus some bonus material such as probablistic and parallel complexity, information theory, decidable logical theories, and other topics that are normally left out of introductory books. On top of this, the book is remarkably thin!

The best attribute of Sipser's book, though, is the engaging style. This is an easy book to read. You will not feel like you're running into a brick wall, as is sometimes the case with books on abstract topics. It's not so much that the book is slow or gentle (it's really not) as that it is interesting, engaging, and has a knack for stopping short of getting too caught up in details. A number of small things -- the occasional amusing exercise, the "proof idea" sections, or helpful pictures -- add up to an enjoyable reading experience.

Two cautions are appropriate to students considering this book. First, there are variations between authors in the definitions of various automata (especially PDAs). The differences are trivial, and more a matter of taste than of any real importance; but it could come up if you use Sipser as a supplement to a course that follows a different textbook. Second, the coverage of many topics in Sipser's book is brief and concise, sometimes more than you might like. Some important concepts (for example, pairwise distinguishability of strings) are only mentioned in exercises, not in the main chapter, so at least skim all the exercises even if you don't do them. The sketchy coverage is especially pronounced in advanced topics, so (as always) expect to do some filling in of concepts if you go on into further study of this area.

5 out of 5 stars Most appropriate for CS students.......2006-06-01

As a teacher of the subject, I have had the chance to evaluate numerous books on the theory of computation. Of all the available texts, I think this one is the most appropriate for CS students. In the past I taught out of Dexter Kozen's book, which is incredibly elegant, but had some resistance from the students. Thinking it over I decided that Kozen's text, although beautiful, may be better suited to students pursuing a degree in pure math. Sipser's book, on the other hand, is more gentle. I find that Sipser demands far less mathematical maturity from his readers, and thus allows the difficulty to be shifted from excessive formalism to the inherent challenges present in the material. In addition, following Sipser's treatment, I was able to cover finite state machines and pushdown automata in far less time, thus allowing me to concentrate on computability and beyond. The book really shines in its treatment of computability theory, eloquently directing attention to some of the most beautiful aspects.

Another benefit of Sipser's book is the exercises, of which there are many more in this edition. Someone studying on their own should find the initial group of exercises in each section quite approachable. Even the more challenging problems are not incredibly hard, and typically draw their difficulty from the deeper themes of the chapter instead of obscure details.

If you are looking for an enjoyable, well-paced book with an introduction to computability and complexity that is truly inspiring, this is the one for you. A mathematician looking for a bit more rigor may do better with Kozen.
The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Saving the World
  • Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and anecdotal evidence is not proof
  • Hardcover and tradepaperback are different!!!
  • at last a pragmatic approach to develpment
  • Magical
The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits
C. K. Prahalad
Manufacturer: Wharton School Publishing
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131467506

Book Description

The world's most exciting, fastest-growing new market? It's where you least expect it: at the bottom of the pyramid. Collectively, the world's billions of poor people have immense entrepreneurial capabilities and buying power. You can learn how to serve them and help millions of the world's poorest people escape poverty.

It is being done-profitably. Whether you're a business leader or an anti-poverty activist, business guru Prahalad shows why you can't afford to ignore "Bottom of the Pyramid" (BOP) markets.

In the book and accompanying CD videos, Prahalad presents...

Why what you know about BOP markets is wrong A world of surprises-from spending patterns to distribution and marketing

Unlocking the "poverty penalty"

The most enduring contributions your company can make Delivering dignity, empowerment, and choice-not just products

Corporations and BOP entrepreneurs Profiting together from an inclusive new capitalism

"C. K. Prahalad argues that companies must revolutionize how they dobusiness in developing countries if both sides of that economic equation areto prosper. Drawing on a wealth of case studies, his compelling new bookoffers an intriguing blueprint for how to fight poverty with profitability." Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect,Microsoft

"The Bottom of the Pyramid belongs at the top of the reading list forbusiness people, academics, and experts pursuing the elusive goal ofsustainable growth in the developing world. C. K. Prahalad writes withuncommon insight about consumer needs in poor societies andopportunities for the private sector to serve important public purposes whileenhancing its own bottom line. If you are looking for fresh thinking aboutemerging markets, your search is ended. This is the book for you." Madeleine K. Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State

"Prahalad challenges readers to re-evaluate their pre-conceived notionsabout the commercial opportunities in serving the relatively poor nations ofthe world. The Bottom of the Pyramid highlights the way to commercialsuccess and societal improvement--but only if the developed worldreconceives the way it delivers products and services to the developingworld." Christopher Rodrigues, CEO, Visa International

"An important and insightful work showing persuasively how the privatesector can be put at the center of development, not just as a rhetoricalflourish but as a real engine of jobs and services for the poor." Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Saving the World.......2007-10-02

The author loves his TLA's (3 letter acronyms)! I wish someone had told me how technical this book was; those with an MBA will get the most out of it. But I love Prahalad's outlook and creativity. Perhaps with a little advice I can take my ideas and come up with a formal business plan.

3 out of 5 stars Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and anecdotal evidence is not proof.......2007-06-24

Last year this book became a best seller hit among the developmental community at Washington, D.C., to the point that all bookstores at Metro DC run out of it. With notorious and well publicized praising comments from Madeleine Albright, Bill Gates and the like, I bought it too, but just to discover all the frenzy was undeserved from the viewpoint of poverty eradication.

Undoubtedly Mr. Pralhad's research demonstrates there are plenty of opportunities to do good business among the poor at the BOP (bottom of the pyramid), for them to benefit from the products and services not available now, and for some of them to go out of poverty by becoming entrepreneurs (market penetration is always limited). I agree on these conclusions, as commented extensively by the previous reviewers, and without a doubt this book will become a reference in many Business Schools. But to assert that this strategy will eradicate poverty and bring development is plain sophistry. As Carl Sagan said "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence".

Why sophistry? Regarding the poverty eradication claimed by Mr. Prahalad I will try to highlight some of the main flaws in his rationale and lack of sufficient evidence:

1. Despite the consideration of several cases from around the Third-World, most of the discussion and arguments to build the framework are related to India, excessively. The conditions of the poor in Latin America are quite different, and often, they have better public services available to them. On the other hand, many African countries have worst conditions. So you can not reach valid conclusions based solely on a country with such unique cultural and ethnical conditions. For doing business the cases are fine, especially for India or China because they are such huge markets at the BOP.

2. Wealth creation is hugely overestimated. Poor entrepreneurs and their immediate family will undoubtedly benefit from these new economic activities, but the framework lacks an explanation about how these oases of welcomed capitalism will trickle-down to the rest of their neighbors and poor villages. The implicit assumption is that everybody at the BOP has to become an entrepreneur for this strategy to work, because by just having access to affordable consumer products it seems very unlikely that poverty will be eradicated. The proposed framework is just good for doing business and for the poor to have access to new services and products, but where is the sustainable "fishing industry" for the rest of the poor population? The cases are very unique, islands of excellence, and with limited potential for a population the huge size of the BOT to bail out of poverty in significant numbers.

3. The analysis lacks the historical, cultural, legal and socio-economical background for a given country or region, and this consideration is fundamental for a proper analysis on sustainable development. Even when Mr. Pralhalad correctly identifies lack of education, corruption and the size of the informal sector as barriers for development and doing business, he then oversimplifies a lot on how to overcome these key issues, and again, an isolated Indian case is used as the magic formula to solve the problem through information technology. In fact, at the end of Chapter 6, within the conclusions, he recognizes that the illustrations he provides "are but islands of excellence in a sea of deprivation and helplessness". As the development community knows well, these successful stories are very hard to replicate. In Latin America we have the outstanding cases of Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica. In Brazil, we have the cases of the Southern states of Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. All of them very developed as compared to their neighbors (in terms of income, education, health, etc.), but despite all efforts, no one has successfully reproduced these islands of excellence at a scale that makes a difference.

4. An example will help to understand how superficial the cases are from a point of view of development and poverty eradication. The Brazilian case of "Casas Bahia" lacks the consideration of the socio-economic environment of the country, especially the case omits to mention key characteristics of the financial and credit markets (for those interested in this particular case from the point of view of business, I recommend you read "Samuel Klein e Casas Bahia: Uma trajetoria de Sucesso", Novo Seculo, 2005, this is a real and really impressive business success story). Mr. Klein successfully, by trusting the poor, built an empire that today is still one of the few option many mid- and low-income families have to buy the first computer for their children going to college in Brazil. But, let's see why the market share for credit cards is only 4%, and why it is not a real threat for Casas Bahia own financial system as stated in the book, as well as why there is not much in here to help eradicat poverty in Brazil. Annual inflation today in Brazil is in the order of 3-4%, and the Brazilian currency, the "Real" have been steadily revaluating against the dollar for the last 3 years. However, interest rates in Brazil are sky-high, a legacy of the hyper-inflation times of twenty years ago. Interest rates for well-known international credit cards are 9-11% per month, which compounded translates to an annual rate close to 180%, regardless of whether you're poor or rich. Today retail chain stores of this type charge around 3% per month, embedded in the price of the consumer products, so the consumer doesn't know up-front the real price. This translates to a compounded rate of 43% per year. Often if you try to pay upfront, there is no discount. So where is the real benefit for the poor? Or are they just getting every day more indebted, and spending money on fat interests that they could have used to buy more or better food or better health services for their kids. I do not see where poverty eradication fits in this case. Obviously Brazil has a problem of lack of real competition in the capitalist sense; even the branches of American Banks doing business in Brazil charge these exorbitant rates. As a reference for the readers, you can buy a 30Gb iPod in Brazil for the "reasonable" amount of US$1,000, payable in 12 installments, and for the high price we also have to thank the federal government high taxes on almost everything. Coming back to the case, as an additional "benefit", you only can make the payments in person at stores of the retail chain, just to make sure the poor are tempted every month and come back for more when they are close to payback that debt. That's why there is a 77% of clients who make reapeat purchases as the book reports. Not surprisingly the case description mentions the criticism "that Casas Bahia simply exploits the poor and charges them exorbitant interest rates", but neglects to present a due explanation of why this is not truth, and simply disregards the cristicism.

5. Finally, Mr. Prahalad is extremely optimistic. At he end of Chapter 6 and in his own words: "I have no doubt that the elimination of poverty and deprivation is possible by 2020". This prophecy speaks by itself about the reliability of the analysis. And again, let's remember that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. All the book presents is anecdotal evidence, which is not proof as any scientist knows, and the framework presented has no predictive power, much less to assert that poverty will end by 2020.

Unquestionably an excellent business book, and a very innovative one, but just for that, business. That's why to me it only deserves 3 stars. On the other hand, not much value-added in there for doing real sustainable development across the board, as the author insinuates and some of the readers think, and certainly not much for real poverty eradication. For that outrageous addition to the book's title I took the other 2 stars. The "Erradicating poverty through profits" part of the book's title should be erased, so the book really deserves the 5 stars most reviewers gave to it (and as the previous reviewer rightly complained, the cases were really awfully edited for the paperback edition, even with repeated sentences). Definitely this book is not recommended if you are serious about new ideas for sustainable development. For a real book on that subject, read the recently publicated "The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It" by Paul Collier, though its scope refers mainly to very poor African countries, it is an example of a serious and proper approach to the problem of eradicating poverty. To understand the complexities of promoting development, you may also read "Making Globalization Work" by Joseph Stiglitz. These two books will clearly ilustrate why "The Fortune at the BOP" is not a book on development, and absolutely, no Nobel Prize is deserved.

1 out of 5 stars Hardcover and tradepaperback are different!!!.......2007-04-13

Here is a note I sent to the editor after buying the tradepaperback version.

Your editorial staff has done something so dumb I am astounded! (Also really $%^& mad.) The hardcover and trade paperback versions of CK Prahalad - The fortune at the bottom of the pyramid, are NOT the same. I assigned readings from this book to my class of 100 students. They went and bought the book and found that the case studies aren't there. On closer investigation I see that you shortened the case studies and renamed the chapters. Unfortunately the editing on the shortening is terrible and I simply can't ask my students to read such badly written material.

You did several things wrong
1) You sell two books with identical titles and covers, which have different content
2) You edited very very badly
3) You did this on an award winning book with high visibility

As far as I can tell there is no way for anyone to figure out that the content is different except in the very rare case that they own both versions.

This is a black mark on the Wharton name. What were you thinking?

-james

5 out of 5 stars at last a pragmatic approach to develpment.......2007-01-09

Prahalad'book "the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid" demonstrates the importance to get the people we are "supposed" to help to get involved. The bottom up approach is in line with William Shaffeerly and David Bornstein books where the people are key to any lasting development. The top down approach a la Jeffrey Sacks are fine for the politicians but did not bring much results after all these years. It is time for a change in approach and the Nobel Price to Dr. M.Yunus is very encouraging.

3 out of 5 stars Magical .......2006-08-29

FBP is an intriguing concept and the model can be scaled up or down in size in all parts of the world. The book serves as a wake up call to businessmen across the world.
Discrete-Time Signal Processing (2nd Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Academic Propaganda
  • Destined for a standard?
  • Six star book on Digital Signal Processing
  • Good book from initial reading
  • yes, it is!
Discrete-Time Signal Processing (2nd Edition)
Alan V. Oppenheim , Ronald W. Schafer , and John R. Buck
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0137549202

Amazon.com

This is the standard text for introductory advanced undergraduate and first-year graduate level courses in signal processing. The text gives a coherent and exhaustive treatment of discrete-time linear systems, sampling, filtering and filter design, reconstruction, the discrete-time Fourier and z-transforms, Fourier analysis of signals, the fast Fourier transform, and spectral estimation. The author develops the basic theory independently for each of the transform domains and provides illustrative examples throughout to aid the reader. Discussions of applications in the areas of speech processing, consumer electronics, acoustics, radar, geophysical signal processing, and remote sensing help to place the theory in context. The text assumes a background in advanced calculus, including an introduction to complex variables and a basic familiarity with signals and linear systems theory. If you have this background, the book forms an up-to-date and self-contained introduction to discrete-time signal processing that is appropriate for students and researchers. Discrete-Time Signal Processing also includes an extensive bibliography.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Academic Propaganda.......2007-05-14

Look, problems involving digital signals and systems can get very complicated, but the basics are just that--basic. This famous book on DSP is a quintessential example of academic propaganda: it misinforms the general public into thinking the subject matter is far harder than it is, while it privately informs insiders with very precise information.

Propaganda-free Alternative:

Signal Processing and Linear Systems by B. P. Lathi

5 out of 5 stars Destined for a standard?.......2006-05-14

It is my pleasure to comment on this book which I recently purchased. I have two of Dr. Oppenheim's previous books. This book is a core integration of a topic with too many diverse starting points (mine was digital filters derived from Prony's method, not in the book by name). Dr. Bose was my first EE Professor. Alan Oppenheim was my second EE instructor. Alan (just finished MSEE at the time) had not published a book yet, but his focus was always on your questions. His product was your understanding. If this book is for your shelf, it will not harm it. If this topic is for your mind, this book was meticulously written for you. Lance Webb, PhDEE

5 out of 5 stars Six star book on Digital Signal Processing.......2006-03-01

This is the outstanding 2nd edition of Oppenheim's classic DSP book, which for over two decades was the only real choice for a textbook on the subject. That was too bad, since the first edition was probably the worst thing I have ever seen in print - terse, incomprehensible, and with only a few awful and poorly illustrated examples. When I decided to take a refresher course in DSP, I was horrified to see our class would be using the second edition of that horrendous text. What I found instead was a completely rehabilitated textbook! This is not a beginner's DSP textbook by any stretch of the imagination, but absolutely everything is explained and there are plenty of well worked out examples. The end-of-chapter problems are broken down into simple, intermediate, and advanced problems with quite a few mind-puzzlers in the advanced section. Plus, the answers to the first 20 problems in every chapter are in the back of the book.
There is really nothing unique about the book's format. What does makes the book unique is the density and amount of material included. Just about every page is packed with well-explained important information. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has had a prior semester of an upper-level undergraduate class in Signals and Systems and wants to study DSP. An accompanying book that you might find helpful is "Understanding Digital Signal Processing" by Lyons. That book is good for getting an intuitive feel for DSP. Another book that will help you with some of the earlier concepts in this book (linear systems, DTFT, Z-transform, DFT, basic filter design) and some of the direct computations involved is "Schaum's Outline of Digital Signal Processing". Amazon does not show the table of contents, so I do that here:
1. Introduction.
2. Discrete-Time Signals and Systems.
Introduction. Discrete-time Signals: Sequences. Discrete-time Systems. Linear Time-Invariant Systems. Properties of Linear Time-Invariant Systems. Linear Constant-Coefficient Difference Equations. Frequency-Domain Representation of Discrete-Time Signals and Systems. Representation of Sequence by Fourier Transforms. Symmetry Properties of the Fourier Transform. Fourier Transform Theorems. Discrete-Time Random Signals. Summary.
3. The z-Transform.
Introduction. The z-Transform. Properties of the Region of Convergence for the z-Transform. The Inverse z-Transform. z-Transform Properties. Summary.
4. Sampling of Continuous-Time Signals.
Introduction. Periodic Sampling. Frequency-Domain Representation of Sampling. Reconstruction of a Bandlimited Signal from its Samples. Discrete-Time Processing of Continuous-Time Signals. Continuous-Time Processing of Discrete-Time Signals. Changing the Sampling Rate Using Discrete-Time Processing. Practical Considerations. Oversampling and Noise Shaping. Summary.
5. Transform Analysis of Linear Time-Invariant Systems.
Introduction. The Frequency Response of LTI Systems. System Functions for Systems Characterized by Linearity. Frequency Response for Rational System Functions. Relationship Between Magnitude and Phase. All-Pass Systems. Minimum-Phase Systems. Linear Systems with Generalized Linear Phase. Summary.
6. Structures for Discrete-Time Systems.
Introduction. Block Diagram Representation of Linear Constant-Coefficient Difference Equations. Signal Flow Graph Representation of Linear Constant-Coefficient Difference Equations. Basic Structures for IIR Systems. Transposed Forms. Basic Network Structures for FIR Systems. Overview of Finite-Precision Numerical Effects. The Effects of Coefficient Quantization. Effects of Roundoff Noise in Digital Filters. Zero-Input Limit Cycles in Fixed-Point Realizations of IIR Digital Filters. Summary.
7. Filter Design Techniques.
Introduction. Design of Discrete-Time IIR Filters from Continuous-Time Filters. Design of FIR Filters by Windowing. Examples of FIR Filter Design by the Kaiser Window Method. Optimum Approximations of FIR Filters. Examples of FIR Equiripple Approximation. Comments on IIR and FIR Digital Filters. Summary.
8. The Discrete Fourier Transform.
Introduction. Representation of Periodic Sequences: the Discrete Fourier Series. Summary of Properties of the DFS Representation of Periodic Sequences. The Fourier Transform of Periodic Signals. Sampling the Fourier Transform. Fourier Representation of Finite-Duration Sequences: The Discrete-Fourier Transform. Properties of the Discrete Fourier Transform. Summary of Properties of the Discrete Fourier Transform. Linear Convolution Using the Discrete Fourier Transform. The Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). Summary.
9. Computation of the Discrete Fourier Transform.
Introduction. Efficient Computation of the Discrete Fourier Transform. The Goertzel Algorithm Decimation-in-Time FFT Algorithms. Decimation-in-Frequency FFT Algorithms. Practical Considerations Implementation of the DFT Using Convolution. Summary.
10. Fourier Analysis of Signals Using the Discrete Fourier Transform.
Introduction. Fourier Analysis of Signals Using the DFT. DFT Analysis of Sinusoidal Signals. The Time-Dependent Fourier Transform. Block Convolution Using the Time-Dependent Fourier Transform. Fourier Analysis of Nonstationary Signals. Fourier Analysis of Stationary Random Signals: the Periodogram. Spectrum Analysis of Random Signals Using Estimates of the Autocorrelation Sequence. Summary.
11. Discrete Hilbert Transforms.
Introduction. Real and Imaginary Part Sufficiency of the Fourier Transform for Causal Sequences. Sufficiency Theorems for Finite-Length Sequences. Relationships Between Magnitude and Phase. Hilbert Transform Relations for Complex Sequences. Summary.

5 out of 5 stars Good book from initial reading.......2005-09-26

I haven't gone through this book all the way yet since classes haven't started; however, it seems to be a very well written book that is easy to get the necessary concepts out of easily. Once the class is done I will try to add a further review.

4 out of 5 stars yes, it is!.......2004-12-26

This is the book that focuses on the concept more than any thing else which ,in turn, build up your insight through the material.

This book addresses discrete time signal processing issues in an ordinary fashion and doesn't cover more advanced topics like wavelets or statistical signal processing.

Maybe you would be interested in this book if you are that senior/first year graduate student looking forward a nice job with a high salary or a DSP engineer that is interested in keeping his job :)

Overall, nothing can get better than Oppenheim DSP 1975 but however, this is a nice volume if you don't have the preceding one.
It is almost the same quality isn't it?

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