Christmas is here...and so are the products! Pctyrant reviews some of this years more unusual stocking stuffers for the PC enthusiast who may already have everything. The selection process caused much debate at the Pctyrant editorial offices but we finally narrowed it down to three unique products: The much anticipated Joe Montana 49k Modem, the ground breaking Dummies for Dummies book and an amazing new programming book by Sarah Michelle Geller. Enjoy!
Dummies
for Dummies
by Julie King
What? A Dummies book to help people learn how to use the Dummies books?
Well, the idea's not as dumb, or at least frivolous, as you might think.
The Dummies books have a unique voice and icon driven style that's built-up
a loyal following over the years. Using these books has always been self-explanatory,
at least that's what the creators thought. Over the years they've received
a constant stream of complaints and requests for help on how to decipher
the Dummies style. Heeding the call the Dummies people asked veteran Dummies
book's writer
Julia Adair King to tackle the redundant but apparently necessary
Dummies for Dummies Book. "Having written over 20 of the Dummies books
I was quite intimate with the Dummies style and worldview ... at least
that's why I thought. Writing the Definitive Guide to Using the Dummies
Book's required an almost reversed engineering, or say deconstruction,
to figure out exactly what it was in the Dummies Books that was making
it difficult for some people to understand how to use them. After all,
the Dummies Books are remedial by nature and creating a training text
on something that already assumes you know nothing was a real challenge.
Ultimately we ended up with a book that has explanations for the explanations
and another character who looks very similar to the Dummies guide character
who kind of hovers above him and throws in additional explanations and
comments about what the dummies guide character is already explaining...it's
actually quite surreal, almost parody." Perhaps, but for those loved ones
that just can't seem to "get it" this book may be the missing
link on the road to PC proficiency.
Dummies
for Dummies
by Julie King
Publisher: IDG Books
Price:$19.95
290pages- Softcover
The definitive guide to using the Dummies Books
Joe
Montana 49k External USB Modem
In a bold move to capitalize on the growing "cybersports"
market 3COM shocked industry insiders with the release of its SportsHero2000
line of external modems. The first and most daring of its new line is
the Joe Montana 49k Business modem which will hit the stores just in time
for Christmas. We asked Daisey McMurray, Senior Team Leader for the SportsHero2000
development project on the benefits of the 49k standard."The enhanced
V.49 "linebacker" data compression packs the most information
possible into each transmission for added efficiency. If the line is dropped
for any reason during a remote connection, the modem will automatically
"rush" the last number. When you connect a "Go Niners!"sound
file is triggered and plays through a small speaker in the helmet. This
sound effect alone more than makes up for any "perceived" shortcomings
when compared to those boring 56k modems. Consumers should not be fooled
by a high number followed by the letter "k " nor underestimate
the impact of style." The modem also checks the ESPN.com site for
Niners information and updates every time you go online. It also comes
with the Sports Connections CD-ROM containing a suite of software to get
you up and running, including: PlayCenter software for PC to PC video
game play, Jimmy the Greek v2.05 for Windows for instant odds and statistics
on upcoming games, and Microsoft Internet Explorer NFL Edition Web browser...
Go Niners!!
Joe
Montana 49k External Modem v.90
Company: US Robotics/3com
Price: $225.00
Specs:
Type: External Data Speed 49k Networkable Modem
Protocol: ITU-T v.90
Bus Type: USB
What's Hot
Helmet on top is way cool. "Go Niners!" and "Cheering"
sound effects get you pumped everytime you go online.
What's Not
Near regulation size helmet may take up more room than you can afford.
Niners Nelmet may look unprofessional to some clients who don't understand
the technology.
Data
Structures & Algorithm Analysis in Java
by Sarah Michelle Geller
Most people are surprised to find out that Sarah Michelle Geller of
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fame is also an accomplished Java
programmer. Following in the footsteps of programming pioneers Ada
Lovelace and Grace
Hopper, Sarah is one of the best kept secrets in the programming industry.
She's ghost written over 20 books on programming under various publishers
and is a regular guest lecturer at MIT (albeit, under an assumed name
so as not to pack the halls with screaming fans and an ogling press) This,
her first book under her real name, is one of her best. Sarah goes far
beyond explaining how to code algorithms and actually explains the logic
behind the various data structures. One warning, though, if you're not
already somewhat familiar with the subject, you won't be able to understand
much of the book. I would recommend this for anyone who wants to do serious
programming in Java or any other language. Pctyrant recently caught up
with Sarah to get the story on the book. "I came from a poor background...
my father walked out on me when I was just a child. Being naturally shy,
I would hide out in my room for days. One day my mom brought home an old
IBM... hardly any memory or power but I was drawn to it immediately. Before
long I had mastered the basic languages and was doing some serious programming...
I figured programming was my ticket out of poverty. Boy was I wrong! Through
a series of freak accidents I ended up in the entertainment industry and
my first book was published during my first year playing Erica Kane’s
daughter, Kendall Heart, on the daytime soap "All My Children". As
my profile increased, and the book went into its second printing, the
publisher decided to remove my name for fear that no one would take it
seriously... thus the career in ghost writing. Ironically, copies of the
first 93' edition are now going for over $500 on ebay..although
I doubt it's for the writing." Well-written, thorough, and ALL the
source code is downloadable on Sarah's site www.mit.edu/sarahmg
Data
Structures & Algorithm Analysis in Java
by Sarah Michelle Geller
Publisher: MIT Press
Price: $49.99
597pages- Hardcover
Advaced level guide to Java programming( not for beginners!) Topics include
d-Heaps, Binomial Heaps, NP-Completeness, Deterministic Skip Lists, and Java
1.2 connection API.
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