What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Excellent. Thought-provoking., 18 May 2008
A very well presented, and extremely well researched effort. Everyone should read this. One star deducted jointly for the shameless (and frequent) promotion of the author's other works, and the sometimes unnecessarily long-winded passages in the book - its still very well done, but this is my own opinion.

I strongly recommend this book, very hard to put down.

Contains some wonderful ideas., 30 Apr 2008
For those of you who don't know, Ray Kurzweil is the man who invented Optical Character Recognition, along with various other pattern-recognition technologies. He is well-versed in what technology is theoretically capable of, and has spent his professional life trying to make it do these things.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ray Kurzweil, and this book in particular. The ideas that he puts forward may seem very optimistic, sometimes verging on techno-fanaticism, but nothing he is saying is negative. If he's right, the human race only has to survive until the 2040s and things will markedly improve.

However excellent I found the technological predictions made in this book, there are two points that brought it down to four stars. First, and a matter I admit is one of personal preference, there were far too many graphs to do with economy and business. This is an American book, so capitalism has to figure somewhere, and he is forgiven. The other point is that some of the speculations he is making are sociological ones and these are far more spurious than any technological speculations. However, they are not fundamental to what he is arguing.

All in all, an excellent, if at times overwhelming, read. I heartily recommend it as an introduction to transhumanism and futurism.

Revelatory, 21 Mar 2008
I discovered this book a couple of years ago. There was a sale at Waterstone's, and I had all but one of the books needed to take advantage of said sale. This took my interest, so I got a hold of it, and thank goodness I did.

I can honestly say that this is the most important non-fiction book I have ever read, and quite possibly one of the most important books period. Whilst I have always sensed something important might be taking place regarding technology, and I have always had a deep love of science and technology, Kurzweil highlights and articulates some incredible and illustrative concepts. I don't agree with everything he says, but the fundaments of the book seem entirely solid. Sometimes this terrifies me, but Kurzweil offers a great deal of hope as well.

Whether you embrace or reject the implications, however, Kurzweil's book makes an extremely imposing case that I have yet to see refuted. Reading it will prepare you for the future, whether that future looks glorious or horrifying to you.

Awesome book, 24 Jan 2008
My heart sank when I got this book. An American book on science that had that many pages must be written by someone who got paid by how many times they were able to repeat themselves. This has been my experience with books much thinner than this. Yet I was quite wrong. There is very little repetition and it is all appropriate. The book is very well written with careful attention given to the order in which ideas are presented. It is an astonishingly wide ranging book and essential reading for anyone who is interested in where technology is taking us. How the author found time to write it, along with perfoming all his other duties beats me. He must be one hell of a guy!
The only thing I take issue with him on, is... no I won't spoil it for you! You can make up your own mind. Just read it!

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Excellent. Thought-provoking., 18 May 2008
A very well presented, and extremely well researched effort. Everyone should read this. One star deducted jointly for the shameless (and frequent) promotion of the author's other works, and the sometimes unnecessarily long-winded passages in the book - its still very well done, but this is my own opinion.

I strongly recommend this book, very hard to put down.

Contains some wonderful ideas., 30 Apr 2008
For those of you who don't know, Ray Kurzweil is the man who invented Optical Character Recognition, along with various other pattern-recognition technologies. He is well-versed in what technology is theoretically capable of, and has spent his professional life trying to make it do these things.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ray Kurzweil, and this book in particular. The ideas that he puts forward may seem very optimistic, sometimes verging on techno-fanaticism, but nothing he is saying is negative. If he's right, the human race only has to survive until the 2040s and things will markedly improve.

However excellent I found the technological predictions made in this book, there are two points that brought it down to four stars. First, and a matter I admit is one of personal preference, there were far too many graphs to do with economy and business. This is an American book, so capitalism has to figure somewhere, and he is forgiven. The other point is that some of the speculations he is making are sociological ones and these are far more spurious than any technological speculations. However, they are not fundamental to what he is arguing.

All in all, an excellent, if at times overwhelming, read. I heartily recommend it as an introduction to transhumanism and futurism.

Revelatory, 21 Mar 2008
I discovered this book a couple of years ago. There was a sale at Waterstone's, and I had all but one of the books needed to take advantage of said sale. This took my interest, so I got a hold of it, and thank goodness I did.

I can honestly say that this is the most important non-fiction book I have ever read, and quite possibly one of the most important books period. Whilst I have always sensed something important might be taking place regarding technology, and I have always had a deep love of science and technology, Kurzweil highlights and articulates some incredible and illustrative concepts. I don't agree with everything he says, but the fundaments of the book seem entirely solid. Sometimes this terrifies me, but Kurzweil offers a great deal of hope as well.

Whether you embrace or reject the implications, however, Kurzweil's book makes an extremely imposing case that I have yet to see refuted. Reading it will prepare you for the future, whether that future looks glorious or horrifying to you.

Awesome book, 24 Jan 2008
My heart sank when I got this book. An American book on science that had that many pages must be written by someone who got paid by how many times they were able to repeat themselves. This has been my experience with books much thinner than this. Yet I was quite wrong. There is very little repetition and it is all appropriate. The book is very well written with careful attention given to the order in which ideas are presented. It is an astonishingly wide ranging book and essential reading for anyone who is interested in where technology is taking us. How the author found time to write it, along with perfoming all his other duties beats me. He must be one hell of a guy!
The only thing I take issue with him on, is... no I won't spoil it for you! You can make up your own mind. Just read it!

Good overview of topic, but assumes you must learn Python, 30 Nov 2008
This book provides an good collection of the various algorithms that can be used in this brave new world of Web 2.0. However, I have found it difficult to use as it has all its code written in Python, a language I know little about. It seems to me that if the algorithms were explained in detail beforehand, rather than having to be worked out from the code, this would be a superb book.

Given the type of analysis this book uses, the language could be either Java (as that pervades everywhere), PHP (the language of server scripting), or (even better) Lisp, which Python attempts to emulate.

It talks about making use of the various APIs that are now available, letting you access data that can be manipulated. But it does not show how the data looks before the programs modify them, so if you want (as I do) to use a different language, you cannot see from what you need to modify, only the result.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, but the Python code is poorly laid out (never heard of spaces? And if you have to use spaces to indent, try three spaces), and for those like me who don't read Python it was difficult to see what is going on. I don't want to learn Python just to learn the algorithms. I would, perhaps perversely, be prepared to plough through Lisp code, and it would be good to see the Python code converted to Lisp (and Java for that matter).

So yes, this is an interesting book as it describes areas of interest, given the new types of data that are widely available, but I only give it three stars because it seems to be written for Python users, not the general programming audience.

Keeps coming back, again and again, 05 Nov 2008
This is an excellent book that I keep coming back to again and again. It explains a variety of complex machine learning algorithms with easy to follow, clear, concise code. The only bad word I've heard about this book is that occasionally it would be useful to see the algorithms as equations as well as code, I didn't find that a problem at all though.

Very Useful, 22 Oct 2008
I was a beginner in both python and general programming when I got this book together with a book on how to use Python in general.

I actually found this book more useful than the general Python book as the use of examples is a much better way of learning (in my opinion). The examples introduced get more and more complex through the book which then forces you to learn about those programs in order to understand what they've done.

The fact that it exposes you to live web based data from the beginning is very useful indeed. My only wish would be that the formatting would be a bit clear. Python seems to thrive on using indentation rather than brackets and it can be difficult to see exactly which level of indentation is being used.

You need a ruler to use it!

very good introduction, 11 Sep 2008
This book really does an awesome job at guiding you through the process of using collective intelligence in your own applications. For me, a bit more explanation on the math would be nice, but if i just pay attention it still seems to stick, so it's not crucial.
just, well, get it! it's good

Pete

A truly outstanding book, 29 Mar 2008
This book is definitely worth having on your bookshelf. It breaks down one of the most complex and demanding subjects into delightful, succinct and digestible pieces.

Having dredged my way through similar books in the past, I wasn't expecting too much, but Programming Collective Intelligence is remarkable. I found this book gripping; completing each example was very rewarding, and has now got me hooked on learning more.

I ended up working my way through the entire book, and really feel that it was time well spent. I now feel that I actually understand the concepts and algorithms surrounding machine learning/AI/data mining, and as a bonus have become familiar with a huge number of web 2.0 APIs.

The source code is almost impeccable. Most programming books falter on sloppy and/or incomplete code, but Programming Collective Intelligence is well explained and has the complete Python code written in the book, as well as being available for download. I was able to do every example without any major problems, despite having never used the Python language before.

Well written & diagrammed, with good examples and wonderful explanations: this a fantastic book, and to be highly recommended.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Excellent. Thought-provoking., 18 May 2008
A very well presented, and extremely well researched effort. Everyone should read this. One star deducted jointly for the shameless (and frequent) promotion of the author's other works, and the sometimes unnecessarily long-winded passages in the book - its still very well done, but this is my own opinion.

I strongly recommend this book, very hard to put down.

Contains some wonderful ideas., 30 Apr 2008
For those of you who don't know, Ray Kurzweil is the man who invented Optical Character Recognition, along with various other pattern-recognition technologies. He is well-versed in what technology is theoretically capable of, and has spent his professional life trying to make it do these things.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ray Kurzweil, and this book in particular. The ideas that he puts forward may seem very optimistic, sometimes verging on techno-fanaticism, but nothing he is saying is negative. If he's right, the human race only has to survive until the 2040s and things will markedly improve.

However excellent I found the technological predictions made in this book, there are two points that brought it down to four stars. First, and a matter I admit is one of personal preference, there were far too many graphs to do with economy and business. This is an American book, so capitalism has to figure somewhere, and he is forgiven. The other point is that some of the speculations he is making are sociological ones and these are far more spurious than any technological speculations. However, they are not fundamental to what he is arguing.

All in all, an excellent, if at times overwhelming, read. I heartily recommend it as an introduction to transhumanism and futurism.

Revelatory, 21 Mar 2008
I discovered this book a couple of years ago. There was a sale at Waterstone's, and I had all but one of the books needed to take advantage of said sale. This took my interest, so I got a hold of it, and thank goodness I did.

I can honestly say that this is the most important non-fiction book I have ever read, and quite possibly one of the most important books period. Whilst I have always sensed something important might be taking place regarding technology, and I have always had a deep love of science and technology, Kurzweil highlights and articulates some incredible and illustrative concepts. I don't agree with everything he says, but the fundaments of the book seem entirely solid. Sometimes this terrifies me, but Kurzweil offers a great deal of hope as well.

Whether you embrace or reject the implications, however, Kurzweil's book makes an extremely imposing case that I have yet to see refuted. Reading it will prepare you for the future, whether that future looks glorious or horrifying to you.

Awesome book, 24 Jan 2008
My heart sank when I got this book. An American book on science that had that many pages must be written by someone who got paid by how many times they were able to repeat themselves. This has been my experience with books much thinner than this. Yet I was quite wrong. There is very little repetition and it is all appropriate. The book is very well written with careful attention given to the order in which ideas are presented. It is an astonishingly wide ranging book and essential reading for anyone who is interested in where technology is taking us. How the author found time to write it, along with perfoming all his other duties beats me. He must be one hell of a guy!
The only thing I take issue with him on, is... no I won't spoil it for you! You can make up your own mind. Just read it!

Good overview of topic, but assumes you must learn Python, 30 Nov 2008
This book provides an good collection of the various algorithms that can be used in this brave new world of Web 2.0. However, I have found it difficult to use as it has all its code written in Python, a language I know little about. It seems to me that if the algorithms were explained in detail beforehand, rather than having to be worked out from the code, this would be a superb book.

Given the type of analysis this book uses, the language could be either Java (as that pervades everywhere), PHP (the language of server scripting), or (even better) Lisp, which Python attempts to emulate.

It talks about making use of the various APIs that are now available, letting you access data that can be manipulated. But it does not show how the data looks before the programs modify them, so if you want (as I do) to use a different language, you cannot see from what you need to modify, only the result.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, but the Python code is poorly laid out (never heard of spaces? And if you have to use spaces to indent, try three spaces), and for those like me who don't read Python it was difficult to see what is going on. I don't want to learn Python just to learn the algorithms. I would, perhaps perversely, be prepared to plough through Lisp code, and it would be good to see the Python code converted to Lisp (and Java for that matter).

So yes, this is an interesting book as it describes areas of interest, given the new types of data that are widely available, but I only give it three stars because it seems to be written for Python users, not the general programming audience.

Keeps coming back, again and again, 05 Nov 2008
This is an excellent book that I keep coming back to again and again. It explains a variety of complex machine learning algorithms with easy to follow, clear, concise code. The only bad word I've heard about this book is that occasionally it would be useful to see the algorithms as equations as well as code, I didn't find that a problem at all though.

Very Useful, 22 Oct 2008
I was a beginner in both python and general programming when I got this book together with a book on how to use Python in general.

I actually found this book more useful than the general Python book as the use of examples is a much better way of learning (in my opinion). The examples introduced get more and more complex through the book which then forces you to learn about those programs in order to understand what they've done.

The fact that it exposes you to live web based data from the beginning is very useful indeed. My only wish would be that the formatting would be a bit clear. Python seems to thrive on using indentation rather than brackets and it can be difficult to see exactly which level of indentation is being used.

You need a ruler to use it!

very good introduction, 11 Sep 2008
This book really does an awesome job at guiding you through the process of using collective intelligence in your own applications. For me, a bit more explanation on the math would be nice, but if i just pay attention it still seems to stick, so it's not crucial.
just, well, get it! it's good

Pete

A truly outstanding book, 29 Mar 2008
This book is definitely worth having on your bookshelf. It breaks down one of the most complex and demanding subjects into delightful, succinct and digestible pieces.

Having dredged my way through similar books in the past, I wasn't expecting too much, but Programming Collective Intelligence is remarkable. I found this book gripping; completing each example was very rewarding, and has now got me hooked on learning more.

I ended up working my way through the entire book, and really feel that it was time well spent. I now feel that I actually understand the concepts and algorithms surrounding machine learning/AI/data mining, and as a bonus have become familiar with a huge number of web 2.0 APIs.

The source code is almost impeccable. Most programming books falter on sloppy and/or incomplete code, but Programming Collective Intelligence is well explained and has the complete Python code written in the book, as well as being available for download. I was able to do every example without any major problems, despite having never used the Python language before.

Well written & diagrammed, with good examples and wonderful explanations: this a fantastic book, and to be highly recommended.

Highly overrated, 27 Nov 2008
Announced and marketed as a breakthrough in terms of explaining Google Analytics it delivers a lot of static knowledge. Most of it you can read up logging onto Googles own websites, for example Google Analytics Conversion University. It is written in a cumbersome and dry style and obviously aimed at people who are already "in the know" but it fails to address marketers and business owners with less specific knowledge.
If you really want to understand how Google Analytics works and how it can be utilised for your own business purposes, I would recommend
Web Analytics An Hour a Day by Avinash Kaushik.

Detailed and Relevant, 17 Jul 2008
If you are working in online marketing and not taking web analytics seriously then it's time to do so. Brian's book is a good way to get started with one of the most popular, and cost effective (it's free), web analytics solutions around.

The book reflects Brian's extensive knowledge of the Google Analytics package and provides clear and practical techniques for using the product. It is useful either as self study material or as part of a more formal training course and something I would certainly recommend to delegates attending our own Google Analytics classes.

Highly Recommended, 18 May 2008
I've been running Google Analytics on a number of web sites since it was first released in 2005. I've got a lot of good information out of it, but I've always suspected that I'm not using it to its full potential. Having read this book I now have a much better idea of what I'm missing and, more importantly, how I can put that right.

Brian Clifton has written a really useful guide to getting the most benefit out of Google's free web analytics system. He is, of course, well-placed to do that as he leads the Google Analytics team for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Part one is a good overview of web analytics is. Chapter one explains what web analytics is and what you can get out of it. Chapter two goes into more detail about the method that people use to analyse their web site traffic and chapter three introduces Google Analytics and explains where it fits into the web analytics landscape.

Part two gives an introduction to using Google Analytics. Chapter four looks at the interface to Google Analytics. This chapter gives the reader a good free for the interactivity of the Google Analytics interface. It's this interactivity that makes Google Analytics far easier to use than many of its competitors. Chapter five looks in more depth at ten of the reports that the system generates. By the end of this chapter I was already learning new little tips about the system.

Part three is about implementing Google Analytics on your web site. chapter six shows you how to tag your web pages so they are included in your reports. This is about as far as my Google Analytics knowledge goes. So chapter seven introduces ways to customise the Google Javascript code in order to have more control over what data is recorded, it was all new (and very interesting). For example, the chapter has techniques for measuring page load time and tracking outgoing links. Chapter eight is all about Google Analytics best practices and is full of the kinds of tips that only an expert in using the tool would be able to share with you. Having read this chapter I configured up some of my sites to track search queries and set up more goals on my sites. Chapter nine is called "Google Analytics Hacks" and is a really useful cookbook of tips and techniques for getting even more out of Google Analytics. Top of my list of things to implement from this chapter is to add tracking to all of my error pages.

The sections we've discussed so far have all been about generating as much useful data about your web site traffic as possible. But, of course, huge piles of data don't do you any good at all unless you can make some sense of the data and then act on your findings. This is what part four is about. Chapter ten offers some useful hints on how to make sense of all of the data you have collected. Clifton looks at a web site from a number of points of view (sales, marketing, web content creator and webmaster) and for each of them suggests a number of key performance indicators that will be of interest to them. He then shows how to construct these KPIs out of the data that Google Analytics has captured. Chapter eleven moves on to the next stage and looks a number of real-world examples where data from Google Analytics can be used to identify poor performance from areas of a web site and suggests ways to improve matters.

I'm no web analytics expert and, to be honest, some of the stuff in part four made my eyes glaze over a little. But my company doesn't rely on its web site for income so I've never had to worry about the number of visitors I get or how long they spend on the site. Web analytics has really just been a hobby for me. If I was in a company where those kinds of things were important, then I feel confident that this book would be the right one to turn to in order to learn more. This book certainly goes into more depth when talking about both the technical side of Google Analytics and how to interpret the data than any other book I've read on the subject.

This book has taught me a lot of new and interesting things about Google Analytics and I feel sure that I'll be going back to it in the future when I need to know more. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to get the most out of their Google Analytics installation.

A book providing instant ROI, 29 Apr 2008
It only took me three evenings to read this book. This book is catchy, it has coherency and is very well written. It contains numerous tips and has a lot of clarifying images.

Don't expect the full story about web analytics and how to interpret figures and metrics provided by Google Analytics. And I guess this wasn't the true purpose of the book. Web Analytics is quite difficult. It can't be explained on paper.

But you can surely expect an excellent in-depth overview of Google Analytics and how to properly collect and find actionable data in the generated reports.

After a first reading, this book remains highly valuable. I'm sure I will use it a lot as a reference book (with a handy index). Therefore, I suggest a hard cover for the next issue. A special edition for the fans?

If you're interested in the measurement side of online marketing, this book is highly advised. I've you like to learn more, if not everything about the Web Analytics power tool of Google, this book is a must read. You will not regret it.

It is a recipe for a growing enthusiasm for Google Analytics and Web Analytics. Brian Clifton gives you a long enduring ROI with his book. Five thumbs up for that!

Aimed at any serious programmer or computer science student, the new second edition of Introduction to Algorithms builds on the tradition of the original with a truly magisterial guide to the world of algorithms. Clearly presented, mathematically rigorous, and yet approachable even for the maths-averse, this title sets a high standard for a textbook and reference to the best algorithms for solving a wide range of computing problems.

With sample problems and mathematical proofs demonstrating the correctness of each algorithm, this book is ideal as a textbook for classroom study, but its reach doesn't end there. The authors do a fine job at explaining each algorithm. (Reference sections on basic mathematical notation will help readers bridge the gap, but it will help to have some maths background to appreciate the full achievement of this handsome hardcover volume.) Every algorithm is presented in pseudo-code, which can be implemented in any computer language, including C/C++ and Java. This ecumenical approach is one of the book's strengths. When it comes to sorting and common data structures, from basic linked list to trees (including binary trees, red-black and B-trees), this title really shines with clear diagrams that show algorithms in operation. Even if you glance over the mathematical notation here, you can definitely benefit from this text in other ways.

The book moves forward with more advanced algorithms that implement strategies for solving more complicated problems (including dynamic programming techniques, greedy algorithms, and amortised analysis). Algorithms for graphing problems (used in such real-world business problems as optimising flight schedules or flow through pipelines) come next. In each case, the authors provide the best from current research in each topic, along with sample solutions.

This text closes with a grab bag of useful algorithms including matrix operations and linear programming, evaluating polynomials and the well-known Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) (useful in signal processing and engineering). Final sections on "NP-complete" problems, like the well-known traveloling salesmen problem, show off that while not all problems have a demonstrably final and best answer, algorithms that generate acceptable approximate solutions can still be used to generate useful, real-world answers.

Throughout this text, the authors anchor their discussion of algorithms with current examples drawn from molecular biology (like the Human Genome project), business, and engineering. Each section ends with short discussions of related historical material often discussing original research in each area of algorithms. In all, they argue successfully that algorithms are a "technology" just like hardware and software that can be used to write better software that does more with better performance. Along with classic books on algorithms (like Donald Knuth's three-volume set, The Art of Computer Programming), this title sets a new standard for compiling the best research in algorithms. For any experienced developer, regardless of their chosen language, this text deserves a close look for extending the range and performance of real-world software. --Richard Dragan

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Excellent. Thought-provoking., 18 May 2008
A very well presented, and extremely well researched effort. Everyone should read this. One star deducted jointly for the shameless (and frequent) promotion of the author's other works, and the sometimes unnecessarily long-winded passages in the book - its still very well done, but this is my own opinion.

I strongly recommend this book, very hard to put down.

Contains some wonderful ideas., 30 Apr 2008
For those of you who don't know, Ray Kurzweil is the man who invented Optical Character Recognition, along with various other pattern-recognition technologies. He is well-versed in what technology is theoretically capable of, and has spent his professional life trying to make it do these things.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ray Kurzweil, and this book in particular. The ideas that he puts forward may seem very optimistic, sometimes verging on techno-fanaticism, but nothing he is saying is negative. If he's right, the human race only has to survive until the 2040s and things will markedly improve.

However excellent I found the technological predictions made in this book, there are two points that brought it down to four stars. First, and a matter I admit is one of personal preference, there were far too many graphs to do with economy and business. This is an American book, so capitalism has to figure somewhere, and he is forgiven. The other point is that some of the speculations he is making are sociological ones and these are far more spurious than any technological speculations. However, they are not fundamental to what he is arguing.

All in all, an excellent, if at times overwhelming, read. I heartily recommend it as an introduction to transhumanism and futurism.

Revelatory, 21 Mar 2008
I discovered this book a couple of years ago. There was a sale at Waterstone's, and I had all but one of the books needed to take advantage of said sale. This took my interest, so I got a hold of it, and thank goodness I did.

I can honestly say that this is the most important non-fiction book I have ever read, and quite possibly one of the most important books period. Whilst I have always sensed something important might be taking place regarding technology, and I have always had a deep love of science and technology, Kurzweil highlights and articulates some incredible and illustrative concepts. I don't agree with everything he says, but the fundaments of the book seem entirely solid. Sometimes this terrifies me, but Kurzweil offers a great deal of hope as well.

Whether you embrace or reject the implications, however, Kurzweil's book makes an extremely imposing case that I have yet to see refuted. Reading it will prepare you for the future, whether that future looks glorious or horrifying to you.

Awesome book, 24 Jan 2008
My heart sank when I got this book. An American book on science that had that many pages must be written by someone who got paid by how many times they were able to repeat themselves. This has been my experience with books much thinner than this. Yet I was quite wrong. There is very little repetition and it is all appropriate. The book is very well written with careful attention given to the order in which ideas are presented. It is an astonishingly wide ranging book and essential reading for anyone who is interested in where technology is taking us. How the author found time to write it, along with perfoming all his other duties beats me. He must be one hell of a guy!
The only thing I take issue with him on, is... no I won't spoil it for you! You can make up your own mind. Just read it!

Good overview of topic, but assumes you must learn Python, 30 Nov 2008
This book provides an good collection of the various algorithms that can be used in this brave new world of Web 2.0. However, I have found it difficult to use as it has all its code written in Python, a language I know little about. It seems to me that if the algorithms were explained in detail beforehand, rather than having to be worked out from the code, this would be a superb book.

Given the type of analysis this book uses, the language could be either Java (as that pervades everywhere), PHP (the language of server scripting), or (even better) Lisp, which Python attempts to emulate.

It talks about making use of the various APIs that are now available, letting you access data that can be manipulated. But it does not show how the data looks before the programs modify them, so if you want (as I do) to use a different language, you cannot see from what you need to modify, only the result.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, but the Python code is poorly laid out (never heard of spaces? And if you have to use spaces to indent, try three spaces), and for those like me who don't read Python it was difficult to see what is going on. I don't want to learn Python just to learn the algorithms. I would, perhaps perversely, be prepared to plough through Lisp code, and it would be good to see the Python code converted to Lisp (and Java for that matter).

So yes, this is an interesting book as it describes areas of interest, given the new types of data that are widely available, but I only give it three stars because it seems to be written for Python users, not the general programming audience.

Keeps coming back, again and again, 05 Nov 2008
This is an excellent book that I keep coming back to again and again. It explains a variety of complex machine learning algorithms with easy to follow, clear, concise code. The only bad word I've heard about this book is that occasionally it would be useful to see the algorithms as equations as well as code, I didn't find that a problem at all though.

Very Useful, 22 Oct 2008
I was a beginner in both python and general programming when I got this book together with a book on how to use Python in general.

I actually found this book more useful than the general Python book as the use of examples is a much better way of learning (in my opinion). The examples introduced get more and more complex through the book which then forces you to learn about those programs in order to understand what they've done.

The fact that it exposes you to live web based data from the beginning is very useful indeed. My only wish would be that the formatting would be a bit clear. Python seems to thrive on using indentation rather than brackets and it can be difficult to see exactly which level of indentation is being used.

You need a ruler to use it!

very good introduction, 11 Sep 2008
This book really does an awesome job at guiding you through the process of using collective intelligence in your own applications. For me, a bit more explanation on the math would be nice, but if i just pay attention it still seems to stick, so it's not crucial.
just, well, get it! it's good

Pete

A truly outstanding book, 29 Mar 2008
This book is definitely worth having on your bookshelf. It breaks down one of the most complex and demanding subjects into delightful, succinct and digestible pieces.

Having dredged my way through similar books in the past, I wasn't expecting too much, but Programming Collective Intelligence is remarkable. I found this book gripping; completing each example was very rewarding, and has now got me hooked on learning more.

I ended up working my way through the entire book, and really feel that it was time well spent. I now feel that I actually understand the concepts and algorithms surrounding machine learning/AI/data mining, and as a bonus have become familiar with a huge number of web 2.0 APIs.

The source code is almost impeccable. Most programming books falter on sloppy and/or incomplete code, but Programming Collective Intelligence is well explained and has the complete Python code written in the book, as well as being available for download. I was able to do every example without any major problems, despite having never used the Python language before.

Well written & diagrammed, with good examples and wonderful explanations: this a fantastic book, and to be highly recommended.

Highly overrated, 27 Nov 2008
Announced and marketed as a breakthrough in terms of explaining Google Analytics it delivers a lot of static knowledge. Most of it you can read up logging onto Googles own websites, for example Google Analytics Conversion University. It is written in a cumbersome and dry style and obviously aimed at people who are already "in the know" but it fails to address marketers and business owners with less specific knowledge.
If you really want to understand how Google Analytics works and how it can be utilised for your own business purposes, I would recommend
Web Analytics An Hour a Day by Avinash Kaushik.

Detailed and Relevant, 17 Jul 2008
If you are working in online marketing and not taking web analytics seriously then it's time to do so. Brian's book is a good way to get started with one of the most popular, and cost effective (it's free), web analytics solutions around.

The book reflects Brian's extensive knowledge of the Google Analytics package and provides clear and practical techniques for using the product. It is useful either as self study material or as part of a more formal training course and something I would certainly recommend to delegates attending our own Google Analytics classes.

Highly Recommended, 18 May 2008
I've been running Google Analytics on a number of web sites since it was first released in 2005. I've got a lot of good information out of it, but I've always suspected that I'm not using it to its full potential. Having read this book I now have a much better idea of what I'm missing and, more importantly, how I can put that right.

Brian Clifton has written a really useful guide to getting the most benefit out of Google's free web analytics system. He is, of course, well-placed to do that as he leads the Google Analytics team for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Part one is a good overview of web analytics is. Chapter one explains what web analytics is and what you can get out of it. Chapter two goes into more detail about the method that people use to analyse their web site traffic and chapter three introduces Google Analytics and explains where it fits into the web analytics landscape.

Part two gives an introduction to using Google Analytics. Chapter four looks at the interface to Google Analytics. This chapter gives the reader a good free for the interactivity of the Google Analytics interface. It's this interactivity that makes Google Analytics far easier to use than many of its competitors. Chapter five looks in more depth at ten of the reports that the system generates. By the end of this chapter I was already learning new little tips about the system.

Part three is about implementing Google Analytics on your web site. chapter six shows you how to tag your web pages so they are included in your reports. This is about as far as my Google Analytics knowledge goes. So chapter seven introduces ways to customise the Google Javascript code in order to have more control over what data is recorded, it was all new (and very interesting). For example, the chapter has techniques for measuring page load time and tracking outgoing links. Chapter eight is all about Google Analytics best practices and is full of the kinds of tips that only an expert in using the tool would be able to share with you. Having read this chapter I configured up some of my sites to track search queries and set up more goals on my sites. Chapter nine is called "Google Analytics Hacks" and is a really useful cookbook of tips and techniques for getting even more out of Google Analytics. Top of my list of things to implement from this chapter is to add tracking to all of my error pages.

The sections we've discussed so far have all been about generating as much useful data about your web site traffic as possible. But, of course, huge piles of data don't do you any good at all unless you can make some sense of the data and then act on your findings. This is what part four is about. Chapter ten offers some useful hints on how to make sense of all of the data you have collected. Clifton looks at a web site from a number of points of view (sales, marketing, web content creator and webmaster) and for each of them suggests a number of key performance indicators that will be of interest to them. He then shows how to construct these KPIs out of the data that Google Analytics has captured. Chapter eleven moves on to the next stage and looks a number of real-world examples where data from Google Analytics can be used to identify poor performance from areas of a web site and suggests ways to improve matters.

I'm no web analytics expert and, to be honest, some of the stuff in part four made my eyes glaze over a little. But my company doesn't rely on its web site for income so I've never had to worry about the number of visitors I get or how long they spend on the site. Web analytics has really just been a hobby for me. If I was in a company where those kinds of things were important, then I feel confident that this book would be the right one to turn to in order to learn more. This book certainly goes into more depth when talking about both the technical side of Google Analytics and how to interpret the data than any other book I've read on the subject.

This book has taught me a lot of new and interesting things about Google Analytics and I feel sure that I'll be going back to it in the future when I need to know more. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to get the most out of their Google Analytics installation.

A book providing instant ROI, 29 Apr 2008
It only took me three evenings to read this book. This book is catchy, it has coherency and is very well written. It contains numerous tips and has a lot of clarifying images.

Don't expect the full story about web analytics and how to interpret figures and metrics provided by Google Analytics. And I guess this wasn't the true purpose of the book. Web Analytics is quite difficult. It can't be explained on paper.

But you can surely expect an excellent in-depth overview of Google Analytics and how to properly collect and find actionable data in the generated reports.

After a first reading, this book remains highly valuable. I'm sure I will use it a lot as a reference book (with a handy index). Therefore, I suggest a hard cover for the next issue. A special edition for the fans?

If you're interested in the measurement side of online marketing, this book is highly advised. I've you like to learn more, if not everything about the Web Analytics power tool of Google, this book is a must read. You will not regret it.

It is a recipe for a growing enthusiasm for Google Analytics and Web Analytics. Brian Clifton gives you a long enduring ROI with his book. Five thumbs up for that!


Yes, it's certainly comprehensive, 02 Dec 2007
There's a limited amount you can do in a thousand pages and I reckon the authors have done what they can.

This is *not* for casual reading, it's hard work on a par with Knuth's tomes. It's not as all-inclusive as the latter, but it goes deeper into certain aspects.

The mathematical bits at the start are okay, and there is an excellent exposition on the big-oh notation (and its relatives) - such is difficult to find, for some reason. That alone makes it worth getting.

However, as a work of art it seemed somewhat amorphous to me (yes, even books on mathematics and computer science, even technical manuals, are works of art and can be judged as such), and when I got to the end, I found myself not caring too much whether the butler did it or not.

That said, if you follow through with all the exercises and problems, and manage to do them all, you look like you could have a career as a code-cutter of adequate ability.

The world needs more books like this. Bring 'em on.

Sound introduction to foundational algorithms, 13 May 2007
The algorithms, including the mathematical background and justification, are set out clearly. The comprehensive index makes this a useful reference. Online resources to support the book include a corrections page and an explanation of the "Professor's names" jokes scattered through the text. There is an instructor's manual but, given the widespread use of the book in formal training courses, it is not available to independent users of the book, whether students or practitioners.

Very good book, 05 Jan 2005
I like this book very much. It's very well written and it shows every concept in a very understandable way.

Written Well !!, 23 Dec 2004
I enjoyed reading this book. The topics are covered in detail and explained well. However, at time the pseudo-codes dont make sense at all. There are sufficent exercises for practice purposes( but no answers given !). Novice in programming may find it tedious and elaborate because of its overt attention to efficency. I recommmend this book to anyone with little programming skills. In all, good book !

Good book..., 09 Aug 1999
AS a CS student, we had this book reccommnded for our data structures and our algorithms design courses. It was really usefull foor the algorithms design course (although I hadn't compared it to any other book...) but I did find a better book for the data structures course...

Gigantically comprehensive and carefully researched, Security Engineering makes it clear just how difficult it is to protect information systems from corruption, eavesdropping, unauthorised use and general malice. Better, Ross Anderson offers a lot of thoughts on how information can be made more secure (though probably not absolutely secure, at least not forever) with the help of both technologies and management strategies. His work makes fascinating reading, and will no doubt inspire considerable doubt--fear is probably a better choice of words--in anyone with information to gather, protect, or make decisions upon.

Be aware: this is absolutely not a book solely about computers, with yet another explanation of Alice and Bob and how they exchange public keys in order to exchange messages in secret. Anderson explores, for example, the ingenuous ways in which European truck drivers defeat their vehicles' speed-logging equipment. In another section, he shows how the end of the Cold War brought on a decline in defences against radio-frequency monitoring (radio frequencies can be used to determine, at a distance, what's going on in systems--bank teller machines, say) and how similar technology can be used to reverse-engineer the calculations that go on inside smart cards. In almost 600 pages of riveting detail, Anderson warns us not to be seduced by the latest defensive technologies, never to underestimate human ingenuity and always use common sense in defending valuables. It is a terrific read for security professionals and general readers alike. --David Wall

Topics covered: how some people go about protecting valuable things (particularly, but not exclusively, information) and how other people go about getting it anyway. Mostly, this takes the form of essays (about, for example, how the US Air Force keeps its nukes out of the wrong hands) and stories (one of which tells of an art thief who defeated the latest technology by hiding in a closet). Sections deal with technologies, policies, psychology and legal matters.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Excellent. Thought-provoking., 18 May 2008
A very well presented, and extremely well researched effort. Everyone should read this. One star deducted jointly for the shameless (and frequent) promotion of the author's other works, and the sometimes unnecessarily long-winded passages in the book - its still very well done, but this is my own opinion.

I strongly recommend this book, very hard to put down.

Contains some wonderful ideas., 30 Apr 2008
For those of you who don't know, Ray Kurzweil is the man who invented Optical Character Recognition, along with various other pattern-recognition technologies. He is well-versed in what technology is theoretically capable of, and has spent his professional life trying to make it do these things.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ray Kurzweil, and this book in particular. The ideas that he puts forward may seem very optimistic, sometimes verging on techno-fanaticism, but nothing he is saying is negative. If he's right, the human race only has to survive until the 2040s and things will markedly improve.

However excellent I found the technological predictions made in this book, there are two points that brought it down to four stars. First, and a matter I admit is one of personal preference, there were far too many graphs to do with economy and business. This is an American book, so capitalism has to figure somewhere, and he is forgiven. The other point is that some of the speculations he is making are sociological ones and these are far more spurious than any technological speculations. However, they are not fundamental to what he is arguing.

All in all, an excellent, if at times overwhelming, read. I heartily recommend it as an introduction to transhumanism and futurism.

Revelatory, 21 Mar 2008
I discovered this book a couple of years ago. There was a sale at Waterstone's, and I had all but one of the books needed to take advantage of said sale. This took my interest, so I got a hold of it, and thank goodness I did.

I can honestly say that this is the most important non-fiction book I have ever read, and quite possibly one of the most important books period. Whilst I have always sensed something important might be taking place regarding technology, and I have always had a deep love of science and technology, Kurzweil highlights and articulates some incredible and illustrative concepts. I don't agree with everything he says, but the fundaments of the book seem entirely solid. Sometimes this terrifies me, but Kurzweil offers a great deal of hope as well.

Whether you embrace or reject the implications, however, Kurzweil's book makes an extremely imposing case that I have yet to see refuted. Reading it will prepare you for the future, whether that future looks glorious or horrifying to you.

Awesome book, 24 Jan 2008
My heart sank when I got this book. An American book on science that had that many pages must be written by someone who got paid by how many times they were able to repeat themselves. This has been my experience with books much thinner than this. Yet I was quite wrong. There is very little repetition and it is all appropriate. The book is very well written with careful attention given to the order in which ideas are presented. It is an astonishingly wide ranging book and essential reading for anyone who is interested in where technology is taking us. How the author found time to write it, along with perfoming all his other duties beats me. He must be one hell of a guy!
The only thing I take issue with him on, is... no I won't spoil it for you! You can make up your own mind. Just read it!

Good overview of topic, but assumes you must learn Python, 30 Nov 2008
This book provides an good collection of the various algorithms that can be used in this brave new world of Web 2.0. However, I have found it difficult to use as it has all its code written in Python, a language I know little about. It seems to me that if the algorithms were explained in detail beforehand, rather than having to be worked out from the code, this would be a superb book.

Given the type of analysis this book uses, the language could be either Java (as that pervades everywhere), PHP (the language of server scripting), or (even better) Lisp, which Python attempts to emulate.

It talks about making use of the various APIs that are now available, letting you access data that can be manipulated. But it does not show how the data looks before the programs modify them, so if you want (as I do) to use a different language, you cannot see from what you need to modify, only the result.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, but the Python code is poorly laid out (never heard of spaces? And if you have to use spaces to indent, try three spaces), and for those like me who don't read Python it was difficult to see what is going on. I don't want to learn Python just to learn the algorithms. I would, perhaps perversely, be prepared to plough through Lisp code, and it would be good to see the Python code converted to Lisp (and Java for that matter).

So yes, this is an interesting book as it describes areas of interest, given the new types of data that are widely available, but I only give it three stars because it seems to be written for Python users, not the general programming audience.

Keeps coming back, again and again, 05 Nov 2008
This is an excellent book that I keep coming back to again and again. It explains a variety of complex machine learning algorithms with easy to follow, clear, concise code. The only bad word I've heard about this book is that occasionally it would be useful to see the algorithms as equations as well as code, I didn't find that a problem at all though.

Very Useful, 22 Oct 2008
I was a beginner in both python and general programming when I got this book together with a book on how to use Python in general.

I actually found this book more useful than the general Python book as the use of examples is a much better way of learning (in my opinion). The examples introduced get more and more complex through the book which then forces you to learn about those programs in order to understand what they've done.

The fact that it exposes you to live web based data from the beginning is very useful indeed. My only wish would be that the formatting would be a bit clear. Python seems to thrive on using indentation rather than brackets and it can be difficult to see exactly which level of indentation is being used.

You need a ruler to use it!

very good introduction, 11 Sep 2008
This book really does an awesome job at guiding you through the process of using collective intelligence in your own applications. For me, a bit more explanation on the math would be nice, but if i just pay attention it still seems to stick, so it's not crucial.
just, well, get it! it's good

Pete

A truly outstanding book, 29 Mar 2008
This book is definitely worth having on your bookshelf. It breaks down one of the most complex and demanding subjects into delightful, succinct and digestible pieces.

Having dredged my way through similar books in the past, I wasn't expecting too much, but Programming Collective Intelligence is remarkable. I found this book gripping; completing each example was very rewarding, and has now got me hooked on learning more.

I ended up working my way through the entire book, and really feel that it was time well spent. I now feel that I actually understand the concepts and algorithms surrounding machine learning/AI/data mining, and as a bonus have become familiar with a huge number of web 2.0 APIs.

The source code is almost impeccable. Most programming books falter on sloppy and/or incomplete code, but Programming Collective Intelligence is well explained and has the complete Python code written in the book, as well as being available for download. I was able to do every example without any major problems, despite having never used the Python language before.

Well written & diagrammed, with good examples and wonderful explanations: this a fantastic book, and to be highly recommended.

Highly overrated, 27 Nov 2008
Announced and marketed as a breakthrough in terms of explaining Google Analytics it delivers a lot of static knowledge. Most of it you can read up logging onto Googles own websites, for example Google Analytics Conversion University. It is written in a cumbersome and dry style and obviously aimed at people who are already "in the know" but it fails to address marketers and business owners with less specific knowledge.
If you really want to understand how Google Analytics works and how it can be utilised for your own business purposes, I would recommend
Web Analytics An Hour a Day by Avinash Kaushik.

Detailed and Relevant, 17 Jul 2008
If you are working in online marketing and not taking web analytics seriously then it's time to do so. Brian's book is a good way to get started with one of the most popular, and cost effective (it's free), web analytics solutions around.

The book reflects Brian's extensive knowledge of the Google Analytics package and provides clear and practical techniques for using the product. It is useful either as self study material or as part of a more formal training course and something I would certainly recommend to delegates attending our own Google Analytics classes.

Highly Recommended, 18 May 2008
I've been running Google Analytics on a number of web sites since it was first released in 2005. I've got a lot of good information out of it, but I've always suspected that I'm not using it to its full potential. Having read this book I now have a much better idea of what I'm missing and, more importantly, how I can put that right.

Brian Clifton has written a really useful guide to getting the most benefit out of Google's free web analytics system. He is, of course, well-placed to do that as he leads the Google Analytics team for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Part one is a good overview of web analytics is. Chapter one explains what web analytics is and what you can get out of it. Chapter two goes into more detail about the method that people use to analyse their web site traffic and chapter three introduces Google Analytics and explains where it fits into the web analytics landscape.

Part two gives an introduction to using Google Analytics. Chapter four looks at the interface to Google Analytics. This chapter gives the reader a good free for the interactivity of the Google Analytics interface. It's this interactivity that makes Google Analytics far easier to use than many of its competitors. Chapter five looks in more depth at ten of the reports that the system generates. By the end of this chapter I was already learning new little tips about the system.

Part three is about implementing Google Analytics on your web site. chapter six shows you how to tag your web pages so they are included in your reports. This is about as far as my Google Analytics knowledge goes. So chapter seven introduces ways to customise the Google Javascript code in order to have more control over what data is recorded, it was all new (and very interesting). For example, the chapter has techniques for measuring page load time and tracking outgoing links. Chapter eight is all about Google Analytics best practices and is full of the kinds of tips that only an expert in using the tool would be able to share with you. Having read this chapter I configured up some of my sites to track search queries and set up more goals on my sites. Chapter nine is called "Google Analytics Hacks" and is a really useful cookbook of tips and techniques for getting even more out of Google Analytics. Top of my list of things to implement from this chapter is to add tracking to all of my error pages.

The sections we've discussed so far have all been about generating as much useful data about your web site traffic as possible. But, of course, huge piles of data don't do you any good at all unless you can make some sense of the data and then act on your findings. This is what part four is about. Chapter ten offers some useful hints on how to make sense of all of the data you have collected. Clifton looks at a web site from a number of points of view (sales, marketing, web content creator and webmaster) and for each of them suggests a number of key performance indicators that will be of interest to them. He then shows how to construct these KPIs out of the data that Google Analytics has captured. Chapter eleven moves on to the next stage and looks a number of real-world examples where data from Google Analytics can be used to identify poor performance from areas of a web site and suggests ways to improve matters.

I'm no web analytics expert and, to be honest, some of the stuff in part four made my eyes glaze over a little. But my company doesn't rely on its web site for income so I've never had to worry about the number of visitors I get or how long they spend on the site. Web analytics has really just been a hobby for me. If I was in a company where those kinds of things were important, then I feel confident that this book would be the right one to turn to in order to learn more. This book certainly goes into more depth when talking about both the technical side of Google Analytics and how to interpret the data than any other book I've read on the subject.

This book has taught me a lot of new and interesting things about Google Analytics and I feel sure that I'll be going back to it in the future when I need to know more. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to get the most out of their Google Analytics installation.

A book providing instant ROI, 29 Apr 2008
It only took me three evenings to read this book. This book is catchy, it has coherency and is very well written. It contains numerous tips and has a lot of clarifying images.

Don't expect the full story about web analytics and how to interpret figures and metrics provided by Google Analytics. And I guess this wasn't the true purpose of the book. Web Analytics is quite difficult. It can't be explained on paper.

But you can surely expect an excellent in-depth overview of Google Analytics and how to properly collect and find actionable data in the generated reports.

After a first reading, this book remains highly valuable. I'm sure I will use it a lot as a reference book (with a handy index). Therefore, I suggest a hard cover for the next issue. A special edition for the fans?

If you're interested in the measurement side of online marketing, this book is highly advised. I've you like to learn more, if not everything about the Web Analytics power tool of Google, this book is a must read. You will not regret it.

It is a recipe for a growing enthusiasm for Google Analytics and Web Analytics. Brian Clifton gives you a long enduring ROI with his book. Five thumbs up for that!


Yes, it's certainly comprehensive, 02 Dec 2007
There's a limited amount you can do in a thousand pages and I reckon the authors have done what they can.

This is *not* for casual reading, it's hard work on a par with Knuth's tomes. It's not as all-inclusive as the latter, but it goes deeper into certain aspects.

The mathematical bits at the start are okay, and there is an excellent exposition on the big-oh notation (and its relatives) - such is difficult to find, for some reason. That alone makes it worth getting.

However, as a work of art it seemed somewhat amorphous to me (yes, even books on mathematics and computer science, even technical manuals, are works of art and can be judged as such), and when I got to the end, I found myself not caring too much whether the butler did it or not.

That said, if you follow through with all the exercises and problems, and manage to do them all, you look like you could have a career as a code-cutter of adequate ability.

The world needs more books like this. Bring 'em on.

Sound introduction to foundational algorithms, 13 May 2007
The algorithms, including the mathematical background and justification, are set out clearly. The comprehensive index makes this a useful reference. Online resources to support the book include a corrections page and an explanation of the "Professor's names" jokes scattered through the text. There is an instructor's manual but, given the widespread use of the book in formal training courses, it is not available to independent users of the book, whether students or practitioners.

Very good book, 05 Jan 2005
I like this book very much. It's very well written and it shows every concept in a very understandable way.

Written Well !!, 23 Dec 2004
I enjoyed reading this book. The topics are covered in detail and explained well. However, at time the pseudo-codes dont make sense at all. There are sufficent exercises for practice purposes( but no answers given !). Novice in programming may find it tedious and elaborate because of its overt attention to efficency. I recommmend this book to anyone with little programming skills. In all, good book !

Good book..., 09 Aug 1999
AS a CS student, we had this book reccommnded for our data structures and our algorithms design courses. It was really usefull foor the algorithms design course (although I hadn't compared it to any other book...) but I did find a better book for the data structures course...

A Darned Good Read!, 15 Sep 2003
The best general Information Security introduction I�ve read. Very readable, with lots of references, Ross combines a wealth of practical experience with his academic prowess. Note that whilst he explains much of the technology in detail, it is not technology-specific in the way of, say, Hacking Exposed. This is not really a �how to do IS in 10 easy steps� book - it is more reflective, and questions many traditional assumptions. It also takes a critical look at many of the issues involved with physical security, though does not cover Disaster Recovery/ Business Continuity Planning.

Thanks Ross for a much needed book, 30 Jul 2003
Security Engineering combined with Ross's website is a great service to Computer Security professionals and Security researchers.
I used to spend countess hours searching for information on banking security and other topics, since I got this book, my time is better spent analysing information rather than searching. The book has excellent references and resources. I am amazed at the amount of information this book contains.
Security Engineering is a great text book for my Security Courses.

I sincerely hope that Ross will write some more books soon.

The best possible introduction to security., 12 Nov 2001
Should be added to the list of required reading for CEO's and CIO's of all companies that work with "systems" of any type.
The book has been written in a manner that both groups of people could understand. There are masses of references for those who want to go deeper.

Best Book on This Topic I've Ever Seen, 01 Sep 2001
Think you are an expert on computer security? Yes? Well, no matter if you can do triple-DES in your head, by carefully reading this book (and learning its lessons) you will find many holes in any security system you have ever designed. Guess what? They don't need to crack your 1024 bit key to thwart your procedures -- there's at least a hundred ways to go around encryption.

Ross Anderson surveys the entire spectrum of contemporary techno-security, from nuclear weapons to the electric meters used in South Africa, and tells you the nuts-n-bolts of how they are architected, and where things fall apart. What becomes clear is that perfect security doesn't exist in the real world, so you need to create "security in depth", where you secure all aspects of your enterprise. Attacks can come from the CEO, your customer, the janitor, the designer, or a passing crack head. In fact, the biggest threat is time itself -- a procedure secure today will become vulnerable in a couple of years if you don't treat security as a living, growing, changing, high-priority part of your enterprise.

Early in the book he opened my eyes -- I know a thing or two about security, yet his example of a military IFF system blew me away. If I had been asked, I would have swore it was a perfect system. Yet, with a simple little trick, the enemy not only defeated it but used it as a weapon. There's a hundred head-slapping moments in this book where you mutter "holy crap!" when you see how vulnerable some things have been.

Look, just buy the damn book, ok? If you have any responsibility for security, you need it. End of story..

Quite simply, amazing., 31 Aug 2001
This book is for anyone who wonders how security mechanisms function. What separates this book from every other book on security is that this book is not limited to computer or network security, it gets into the nitty gritty of digital security.

The author is nothing short of brilliant. He covers a great variety of security issues, from smart cards, power monitoring, cryptography, passwords, access control, EMF emission monitoring [Tempest], biometrics, banking security, the history of all the previous topics, etc., etc., etc..

The other impressive qualities of this book are its clear and amusing writing style, excellent references, and tieing all this together in a fashion that provides a cohesive strategy for implementing truly secure systems.

While this book purports not to be for hackers, they will doubtlessly find this book of immense interest as well, as it covers information that I have not seen addressed in any other book that I have come across. You will learn more from reading this book than reading three years worth of 2600 Magazine.

All in all, great reading, intensely valuable information, and more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

What a great book to compliment Lego Mindstorms, 21 Jan 2008
My 12 year old son received Lego Mindstorms for Xmas in 2006 and I recognised that we needed further guidance and inspiration to learn and go beyond the basics. Therefore we bought this book for Xmas 2007,, and it's been fantastic. It offers a reference guide to all the pieces and how to work with gears and axles etc,, it explains and provides a reference for all the programming blocks. Then it provides 6 robots with clear step by step instructions on how to build them, and provides the programming code for each. The programmes build up in complexity to a level where the robots could be believed to be intelligent. The other great thing is that the author has provided free of charge all the programmes featured in the book on his website. We have downloaded a few for "tag-bot" with no difficulty. We have had great fun running tag-bot around the house. The programme downloads avoid you having to write the programme steps from scratch, and allow you to review them and learn from them. We are now using our understanding of the author's programmes to create alternatives. The authors work is clear, well written and authoritative. If you want your child or any adult for that matter to master Automation and Control, then you won't go wrong with this great Lego Mindstorms package and this book. Great Mr Perdue!!

This is the one!!!, 10 Nov 2007
OK, you have the brilliant Lego Mindstorms NXT set. You made Spike the Scorpion and were amazed but then there's a big gap - what do you do next?

This book arrived 3 hours ago. I've waited 4 months for it. It really teaches you robotics. I now understand gears!!

The diagrams are clearer than 'The Mayan Adventure' which has greyish black and white photographs. I'm confident the chapters on programming will explain NXT-G. The 6 robots - based on 4 designs look incredible. They start simple and get complex. If number 6 does what it says (and I think it will) I will be amazed.

This book, the Mindstorms NXT set and some well chosen storage containers (essential!) combine to make the best £200 Christmas present around.

Excellent. Thought-provoking., 18 May 2008
A very well presented, and extremely well researched effort. Everyone should read this. One star deducted jointly for the shameless (and frequent) promotion of the author's other works, and the sometimes unnecessarily long-winded passages in the book - its still very well done, but this is my own opinion.

I strongly recommend this book, very hard to put down.

Contains some wonderful ideas., 30 Apr 2008
For those of you who don't know, Ray Kurzweil is the man who invented Optical Character Recognition, along with various other pattern-recognition technologies. He is well-versed in what technology is theoretically capable of, and has spent his professional life trying to make it do these things.

I have nothing but good things to say about Ray Kurzweil, and this book in particular. The ideas that he puts forward may seem very optimistic, sometimes verging on techno-fanaticism, but nothing he is saying is negative. If he's right, the human race only has to survive until the 2040s and things will markedly improve.

However excellent I found the technological predictions made in this book, there are two points that brought it down to four stars. First, and a matter I admit is one of personal preference, there were far too many graphs to do with economy and business. This is an American book, so capitalism has to figure somewhere, and he is forgiven. The other point is that some of the speculations he is making are sociological ones and these are far more spurious than any technological speculations. However, they are not fundamental to what he is arguing.

All in all, an excellent, if at times overwhelming, read. I heartily recommend it as an introduction to transhumanism and futurism.

Revelatory, 21 Mar 2008
I discovered this book a couple of years ago. There was a sale at Waterstone's, and I had all but one of the books needed to take advantage of said sale. This took my interest, so I got a hold of it, and thank goodness I did.

I can honestly say that this is the most important non-fiction book I have ever read, and quite possibly one of the most important books period. Whilst I have always sensed something important might be taking place regarding technology, and I have always had a deep love of science and technology, Kurzweil highlights and articulates some incredible and illustrative concepts. I don't agree with everything he says, but the fundaments of the book seem entirely solid. Sometimes this terrifies me, but Kurzweil offers a great deal of hope as well.

Whether you embrace or reject the implications, however, Kurzweil's book makes an extremely imposing case that I have yet to see refuted. Reading it will prepare you for the future, whether that future looks glorious or horrifying to you.

Awesome book, 24 Jan 2008
My heart sank when I got this book. An American book on science that had that many pages must be written by someone who got paid by how many times they were able to repeat themselves. This has been my experience with books much thinner than this. Yet I was quite wrong. There is very little repetition and it is all appropriate. The book is very well written with careful attention given to the order in which ideas are presented. It is an astonishingly wide ranging book and essential reading for anyone who is interested in where technology is taking us. How the author found time to write it, along with perfoming all his other duties beats me. He must be one hell of a guy!
The only thing I take issue with him on, is... no I won't spoil it for you! You can make up your own mind. Just read it!

Good overview of topic, but assumes you must learn Python, 30 Nov 2008
This book provides an good collection of the various algorithms that can be used in this brave new world of Web 2.0. However, I have found it difficult to use as it has all its code written in Python, a language I know little about. It seems to me that if the algorithms were explained in detail beforehand, rather than having to be worked out from the code, this would be a superb book.

Given the type of analysis this book uses, the language could be either Java (as that pervades everywhere), PHP (the language of server scripting), or (even better) Lisp, which Python attempts to emulate.

It talks about making use of the various APIs that are now available, letting you access data that can be manipulated. But it does not show how the data looks before the programs modify them, so if you want (as I do) to use a different language, you cannot see from what you need to modify, only the result.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good book, but the Python code is poorly laid out (never heard of spaces? And if you have to use spaces to indent, try three spaces), and for those like me who don't read Python it was difficult to see what is going on. I don't want to learn Python just to learn the algorithms. I would, perhaps perversely, be prepared to plough through Lisp code, and it would be good to see the Python code converted to Lisp (and Java for that matter).

So yes, this is an interesting book as it describes areas of interest, given the new types of data that are widely available, but I only give it three stars because it seems to be written for Python users, not the general programming audience.

Keeps coming back, again and again, 05 Nov 2008
This is an excellent book that I keep coming back to again and again. It explains a variety of complex machine learning algorithms with easy to follow, clear, concise code. The only bad word I've heard about this book is that occasionally it would be useful to see the algorithms as equations as well as code, I didn't find that a problem at all though.

Very Useful, 22 Oct 2008
I was a beginner in both python and general programming when I got this book together with a book on how to use Python in general.

I actually found this book more useful than the general Python book as the use of examples is a much better way of learning (in my opinion). The examples introduced get more and more complex through the book which then forces you t