Computer Media
Rachel Singer Gordon -- Library Journal, 5/1/2006
AMES, KEVIN. Digital SLR Photography with Photoshop CS2 All-in-One for Dummies. Wiley. 2006. 449p. ISBN 0-7645-9577-6. pap. $34.99.
KELBY, SCOTT. The Photoshop Channels Book: How To Unlock the Hidden Power of Channels for Color Correction, Masking, Collages, and More! Peachpit. 2006. 275p. ISBN 0-321-26906-3. pap. $39.99.
ROMANIELLO, STEPHEN & ELIZABETH CARDENAS-NELSON. Photoshop CS2 Visual Encyclopedia: Your Visual A to Z Reference. Wiley. 2006. 416p. ISBN 0-7645-9860-0. pap. $39.99.
Photoshop remains the king of professional image-editing software, and all public and academic libraries should stock guides to the current version. For intermediate users, the full-color, widely illustrated Photoshop Channels Book focuses on improving skills—and images—by using Photoshop channels (a block of image data that contains an image color or brightness value). A friendly tone, step-by-step instructions, thorough explanations, insider tips, and hands-on projects make this a nice supplementary guide for larger institutions. Sample files are available online. Heavy on images and light on text, the full-color Photoshop CS2 Visual Encyclopedia features step-by-step how-tos alphabetized within two color-coded parts ("Tools" and "Techniques"). Sidebar tips and See Also references add information, and labeled screen shots illustrate each point. A good choice for beginners, visual learners, and all libraries. Also full-color, Digital SLR Photography with Photoshop CS2 contains five "minibooks": The Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera, The Digital Photograph, The Digital Negative, Working with Photographs in Photoshop CS2, and Preserving Pixels, plus appendixes (resources and keyboard shortcuts) and bonus chapters on cataloging and electronic proofs. This good beginner's introduction walks readers through techniques step by step. Both digital photography and Photoshop CS2 are well covered, although those needing guidance on only one topic might prefer a more focused guide to either. Sample files are available online, but readers must register to view. Tips add information. An appropriate supplemental guide for all libraries.
FEILER, JESSE. FileMaker 8 @work: Projects and Techniques To Get the Job Done. SAMS. 2006. 229p. ISBN 0-672-32856-9. pap. $29.99.For both new users and upgraders, FileMaker 8 @work provides a clear introduction to the FileMaker database software. Step-by-step instructions and screen shots progress through real-world projects, while background explanations aid in understanding. Project and media files are available online, and notes add information and make suggestions for better working with data. Recommended for all libraries.
KVERN, OLAV MARTIN & DAVID BLATNER. Real World Adobe InDesign CS2: Industrial-Strength Page-Layout Techniques. Peachpit. 2006. 867p. ISBN 0-321-32202-9. pap. $49.99.This beginning to intermediate guide to InDesign CS2, Adobe's desktop publishing and page-layout software, covers both the Mac and the Windows versions. Tips for those switching from competing programs such as QuarkXPress and PageMaker are particularly helpful, as are clear and friendly chapters on using more advanced features such as scripting, interactive PDF, and XML. Simple yet thorough explanations, tips for creating a smooth workflow, and comprehensive coverage make this a good choice for all libraries.
OUALLINE, STEVE. Wicked Cool Perl Scripts: Useful Perl Scripts That Solve Difficult Problems. No Starch. 2006. 312p. ISBN 1-59327-062-3. pap. $29.95.The "P" in Perl stands for "Practical"—perhaps one reason why this scripting language keeps on chugging. For intermediate users, Wicked Cool Perl Scripts exemplifies the practical approach, highlighting utilities that make readers' computing and online lives easier. The book is largely made up of scripts that solve a given problem or carry out a common task, from a currency conversion script to one that creates an online photo gallery. For each, the author provides code, information on running the script, a results summary, and discussion of how it works and of hacking the script. Luckily, sample scripts and documentation are available online, as later examples get quite lengthy. For larger libraries.
RICHARDS, JOE & others. Active Directory. 3d ed. O'Reilly. 2006. 800p. ISBN 0-596-10173-2. pap. $49.99.While Active Directory (introduced in Windows 2000) was a leap forward in managing network resources, its ins and outs continue to challenge network administrators. Most useful as a reference for working network administrators and upgraders, Active Directory covers Active Directory for both Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 (plus SP1 and R2); libraries should update older editions for coverage of new R2 features and automating basic Exchange tasks. Thorough explanations, comprehensive coverage, and logical organization recommend this for all medium and larger libraries.
TYLER, DENISE & AUDRE VYSNIAUSKAS. Practical Poser 6. Charles River. 2006. 520p. ISBN 1-58450-443-9. pap. $49.95 with CD.Poser allows users to create 3-D animations of human characters, or "avatars." For beginning to intermediate users, Practical Poser 6 walks users through topics from work space basics to hair and clothing to rendering; step-by-step tutorials throughout help with self-study. Its CD contains tutorial files, sample Poser figures, textures, materials, demos, and images; an appendix contains a handy FAQ. Unfortunately, the book is printed in black and white (with only a color insert), when it would have benefited from color throughout. Some screen shots are fairly dark, which obscures detail. Still, the content is useful. Appropriate for larger libraries.
