The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol begins with an ancient ritual, a shadowy enclave, and of course, a secret. Readers know they are in Dan Brown territory when, by the end of the first chapter, a secret within a secret is revealed. To tell too much would ruin the fun of reading this delicious thriller, so you will find no spoilers here. Suffice it to say that as with many series featuring a recurring character, there is a bit of a formula at work (one that fans will love). Again, brilliant Harvard professor Robert Langdon finds himself in a predicament that requires his vast knowledge of symbology and superior problem-solving skills to save the day. The setting, unlike other Robert Langdon novels, is stateside, and in Brown's hands Washington D.C. is as fascinating as Paris or Vatican City (note to the D.C. tourism board: get your "Lost Symbol" tour in order). And, as with other Dan Brown books, the pace is relentless, the revelations many, and there is an endless parade of intriguing factoids that will make you feel like you are spending the afternoon with Robert Langdon and the guys from Mythbusters.

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Learning Flash CS4 Professional

Learning Flash CS4 Professional offers beginners and intermediate Flash developers a unique introduction to the latest version of Adobe's powerful multimedia application. This easy-to-read book is loaded with full-color examples and hands-on tasks to help you master Flash CS4's new motion editor, integrated 3D system, and character control with the new inverse kinematics animation system. No previous Flash experience is necessary. This book will help you:

Understand Flash fundamentals with clear, concise information you can use right away Learn key concepts and techniques in every chapter, with annotated screenshots and illustrations Develop an ongoing project that utilizes material from every chapter Practice new skills and test your understanding with constructive exercises Learn how to package your work for distribution on the Web and through AIR desktop applications Download sample files and discuss additional Flash features on the companion blogAs part of the Adobe Developer Library, this is the most authoritative guide to Flash CS4 available. Get moving with Flash today!

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Oracle Data Guard 11g Handbook

Master Oracle Data Guard 11g

Provide superior data protection, availability, and disaster recovery using the tested techniques in this Oracle Press guide. Cowritten by a team of Oracle experts, Oracle Data Guard 11g Handbook provides a sound architectural foundation along with best practices for configuration, monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting. You will get full details on implementing deployment architectures to address requirements that extend beyond disaster recovery. This invaluable resource also includes a complete set of monitoring scripts available for download.

* Develop a disaster recovery plan for your Oracle database to meet your organization's requirements
* Configure and deploy Oracle Data Guard for your environment
* Tune and troubleshoot your physical and logical standby databases
* Implement the Oracle Data Guard Broker management framework
* Integrate with Oracle Grid Control
* Monitor your Oracle Data Guard environment
* Enable read-only services and disaster recovery with Oracle Active Data Guard
* Configure seamless database and application failover
* Minimize planned downtime using Oracle Data Guard switchover
* Handle backup and recovery with Oracle Recovery Manager

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AspectJ in Action: Enterprise AOP with Spring Applications

To allow the creation of truly modular software, OOP has evolved into aspect-oriented programming. AspectJ is a mature AOP implementation for Java, now integrated with Spring.

AspectJ in Action, Second Edition is a fully updated, major revision of Ramnivas Laddad's best-selling first edition. It's a hands-on guide for Java developers. After introducing the core principles of AOP, it shows you how to create reusable solutions using AspectJ 6 and Spring 3. You'll master key features including annotation-based syntax, load-time weaver, annotation-based crosscutting, and Spring-AspectJ integration. Building on familiar technologies such as JDBC, Hibernate, JPA, Spring Security, Spring MVC, and Swing, you'll apply AOP to common problems encountered in enterprise applications.

This book requires no previous experience in AOP and AspectJ, but it assumes you're familiar with OOP, Java, and the basics of Spring.

"Clear, concisely worded, well-organized ... a pleasure to read."
-From the Foreword by Rod Johnson, Creator of the Spring Framework

"This book teaches you how to think in aspects. It is essential reading for both beginners who know nothing about AOP and experts who think they know it all."
- Andrew Eisenberg, AspectJ Development Tools Project Committer

"Ramnivas showcases how to get the best out of AspectJ and Spring."
-Andy Clement, AspectJ Project Lead

"One of the best Java books in years."
-Andrew Rhine, Software Engineer, eSecLending

"By far the best reference for Spring AOP and AspectJ."
-Paul Benedict, Software Engineer, Argus Health Systems

"Ramnivas expertly demystifies the awesome power of aspect-oriented programming."
-Craig Walls, author of Spring in Action

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iPhone Cool Projects

The iPhone and iPod touch have provided all software developers with a level playing field—developers working alone have the same access to consumers as multinational software publishers. Very cool indeed! To make your application stand out from the crowd, though, it has to have that something extra. You must learn the skills to take your apps from being App Store filler to download chart-topping blockbusters.

Developers with years of experience helped write this book. Spend some time understanding their code and why they took the approach they did. You will find the writing, illustrations, code, and sample applications second to none. No matter what type of application you are writing, you will find something in this book to help you make your app that little bit cooler.

The book opens with Wolfgang Ante, the developer behind the Frenzic puzzle game, showing how timers, animation, and intelligence are used to make game play engaging. It moves on to Rogue Amoeba's Mike Ash explaining how to design a network protocol using UDP, and demonstrating its use in a peer-to-peer application—a topic not normally for the faint of heart, but explained here in a way that makes sense to mere mortals. Gary Bennett then covers the important task of multithreading. Multithreading can be used to keep the user interface responsive while working on other tasks in the background. Gary demonstrates how to do this and highlights traps to avoid along the way.

Next up, Canis Lupus (aka Matthew Rosenfeld) describes the development of the Keynote-controlling application Stage Hand, how the user interface has evolved, and the lessons he has learned from that experience. Benjamin Jackson then introduces two open source libraries: cocos2d, for 2D gaming; and Chipmunk, for rigid body physics (think “collisions”). He describes the development of Arcade Hockey, an air hockey game, and explains some of the code used for this.

Neil Mix of Pandora Radio reveals the science behind processing streaming audio. How do you debug what you can't see? Neil guides you through the toughest challenges, sharing his experience of what works and what to watch out for when working with audio. Finally, Steven Peterson demonstrates a comprehensive integration of iPhone technologies. He weaves Core Location, networking, XML, XPath, and SQLite into a solid and very useful application.

Software development can be hard work. Introductory books lay the foundation, but it can be challenging to understand where to go next. This book shows some of the pieces that can be brought together to make complete, cool applications.

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SQL Server 2008 Administration in Action

SQL Server 2008 Administration isn't a standard SQL Server tutorial-there are dozens of those to choose from. Instead, this book breaks down the role of "SQL Server Administrator" into its key focus areas and tasks and details the techniques and best practices that make an administrator effective. In this book, a reader can quickly identify a task and find the best practice associated with it. For example, a reader looking for information about indexing would find step-by-step procedures for identifying and dropping unused indexes, creating missing indexes, selecting the appropriate clustered index, and so forth.

Each technique is presented in a clear, straightforward style and in the order of the typical lifecycle of a SQL Server system. This allows a reader to easily open the book at the appropriate page and focus on what you need to know for each specific situation.

While most techniques will work for all versions of SQL Server, this book is current for the recent final release of SQL Server 2008.

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OCP: Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Professional Study Guide: (Exam 1Z0-053)

Prepare for OCP certification in Oracle Database 11g

Study, practice, and review for Oracle Certified Professional certification in Oracle 11g, Oracle's new release of its top-selling database software. Inside this in-depth guide, you'll find full coverage of essential topics for the very latest, updated Administration II exam (1Z0-053), including database architecture and ASM; configuring backups; using Flashback technology; managing database performance, memory, and resources; and more. Get extra exam practice using the exercise workbook in the Appendix. Start your preparation today with:

Full coverage of all exam objectives in a systematic approach, so you can be confident you're getting the instruction you need for the exam

Bonus Exercise Workbook that allows you to practice as you learn Real-world scenarios that put what you've learned in the context of actual job roles

Challenging review questions in each chapter to prepare you for exam day

Exam Essentials, a key feature in each chapter that identifies critical areas you must become proficient in before taking the exam

A handy tear card that maps every official exam objective to the corresponding chapter in the book, so you can track your exam prep objective by objective

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PMP: Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide

The much-anticipated update to the highly acclaimed PMP study guide!
The Project Management Profressional (PMP) certification is the most desired skill in today's IT marketplace and candidates are required to have thousands of hours of PM experience even before taking the PMP exam.

This fifth edition is completely updated for the newest exam and is the most comprehensive review guide on the shelf. You'll benefit from the detailed discussions on a wide range of PMP topics, concepts, and key terms-all of which cover the Project Management Process and Procedures.

A comprehensive study guide for the PMP certification exam that can also be used as a reference after the exam
Each chapter covers a list of objectives, followed by in-depth discussions of those objectives
Includes hands-on, real-world scenarios to prepare you for the many situations you may face on the job
Companion CD-ROM features a test engine of practice questions, electronic flashcards, and two hours of audio
Essential reading both before and after the PMP exam, this study guide is also aimed at anyone studying for the new Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) program.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

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SCJP: Sun Certified Programmer for Java Platform Study Guide: SE6 (Exam CX-310-065)

Sun's foundation-level Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP) for Standard Edition 6 is a must-have for any Java programmer, and is a prerequisite for Sun’s specialty certifications. This resource is essential preparation for the SCJP and focuses heavily on the skill set that Sun expects its SCJPs to have, with numerous examples, exercises, and real-world scenarios to give readers the tools needed to use what they learn. The material covers declarations, initialization, and scoping; flow control; API contents; concurrency; object-oriented concepts; collections/generics; and fundamentals. The interactive CD-ROM features chapter review questions, two bonus exams, a series of flashcards that can be used on PCs or handheld devices, and an e-book.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Administration with Windows PowerShell

The definitive guide to automating SQL Server admnistration with Powershell scripts

If you're a SQL Server database administrator, this book will make your life easier. Windows PowerShell is an administrative scripting tool that allows you to automate many tasks you're probably currently doing by hand. This nuts-and-bolts guide shows you how to create Windows PowerShell scripts to administer almost every aspect of SQL Server.

You'll get a thorough introduction to PowerShell basics and all the PowerShell components that have been integrated into SQL Server 2008, as well as actual administration tasks. The book provides complete scripts that have been tested and proven, saving you hours of effort.

The new release of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 now includes Windows PowerShell, allowing administrators of large-scale enterprise databases to automate many tasks

SQL Server 2008 Administration with Windows PowerShell introduces you to PowerShell, covering its components in detail as well as providing basic instruction in using scripts to administer the database

The book includes numerous examples of SQL tasks that have been automated and also provides completed scripts that you can put to use immediately

The Companion Web site includes complete code scripts

If you're a database administrator, the scripts and techniques in SQL Server 2008 Administration with Windows PowerShell will save you hours of effort.

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Google Speaks: Secrets of the World's Greatest Billionaire Entrepreneurs

In many ways, Google is the prototype of a successful twenty-first-century company. It uses technology in new ways to make information universally accessible; promotes a corporate culture that encourages creativity among its employees; and takes its role as a corporate citizen very seriously, investing in green initiatives and developing the largest corporate foundation in the United States.

Following in the footsteps of Warren Buffett Speaks and Jack Welch Speaks—which contain a conversational style that successfully captures the essence of hese business leaders—Google Speaks reveals the amazing story behind one of the most important new companies of our time by exploring the people and philosophies that have made it a global phenomenon in less than fifteen years.

Written by bestselling author Janet Lowe, this book offers an engaging look at how Google's founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, transformed their vision of a better Internet search engine into a business colossus with about $16 billion in annual revenue. Lowe discusses the values that drive Brin and Page-for example, how they both live fairly modest lives, despite each having a net worth in excess of $15.9 billion-and details how they have created a culture that fosters fun while, at the same time, keeping Google at the forefront of technology through relentless R&D investments and imaginative partnerships with organizations such as NASA.

In addition to examining Google's breakthrough business strategies and new business models-which have transformed online advertising and changed the way we look at corporate responsibility and employee relations-Lowe explains why Google may be a harbinger of where corporate America is headed. She also addresses controversies surrounding Google, such as copyright infringement, antitrust concerns, and personal privacy and poses the question almost every successful company must face: as Google grows, can it hold on to its entrepreneurial spirit as well as its informal motto, "Don't do evil"?

What started out as a university research project conducted by Sergey Brin and Larry Page has ended up revolutionizing the world we live in. Google Speaks puts these incredible entrepreneurs in perspective and shows you how their drive and determination have allowed them to create one of today's most powerful companies.

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Cisco ASA Configuration (08-2009)

This is a hands-on guide to implementing Cisco ASA (Adaptive Security Appliance). The Cisco ASA product replaces Cisco PIX Firewalls, and Cisco expert Richard Deal updates his bestselling book, "Cisco PIX Firewalls", to cover ASA. This book shows you how to configure and maintain a Cisco ASA appliance to control traffic in the corporate network and protect the network from internal and external threats and attacks. "Cisco ASA Configuration" covers the latest features available in versions 8.0 and 8.1, and includes detailed examples of complex configurations and troubleshooting. This expert guide helps you implement and manage this powerful multifunction network adaptive security appliance.

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Core Animation for Mac OS X and the iPhone: Creating Compelling Dynamic User Interfaces

Mac OS X Leopard introduces a fantastic new technology that makes writing applications with animated and cinematic user interfaces much easier. We'll explore this new technology by starting with the familiar concepts you already know from the pre-Leopard development kits.

Then we'll see how they apply to the new frameworks and APIs. We'll build on your existing knowledge of Cocoa and bring you efficiently up to speed on what Core Animation is all about.

With this book in hand, you can add Core Animation to your Cocoa applications, and make stunning user interfaces that your user's will be showing off to their friends.

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Stripes: ...and Java web development is fun again

As a Java developer, you want to leverage your knowledge and the wealth of Java libraries and tools. But when it comes to web development, many frameworks seem over-engineered and too complex. They have a steep learning curve, and it's just too difficult to get them to do exactly what you need because of their "closed-box" design.

Stripes brings simplicity back to Java web development. You'll be up and running in minutes, and can go a long way with just a few simple concepts. You'll spend your time developing your application, not maintaining gobs of configuration. Because Stripes is very transparent, you will understand exactly what is going on from request to response.

The popularity of Stripes keeps increasing because of its clean design and extensibility. With this complete tutorial and reference, you can master Stripes and take advantage of its productivity in web application development. You'll tailor the framework to your requirements, not the other way around!

This book is packed with explanations and examples so that you learn practical problem-solving techniques. You'll be able to "wrap your head around the framework" and fully understand how Stripes works. When a client requests a feature, you'll answer "yes" with confidence because you're using a framework that lets you get the results that you need without getting in your way. Because of its open design, Stripes lets you easily integrate your favorite tools: tag libraries, AJAX frameworks, ORM solutions, dependency injectors, and more.

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