Programming books are not fun. No one uses Lisp anymore, and almost no one ever did. There is no practical reason to read a book about Lisp. These are a few misconceptions that this review aims to correct. Land of Lisp is by Conrad Barski, M.D. It is a book filled with enjoyable art, clear prose, and an easy to follow structure. The examples used in the book are easy to comprehend and do a very good job of illustrating the concepts being taught while also being interesting. Let’s step back for a minute. What is Lisp? Lisp is a…
Category: General
(In honor of the 200th anniversary of Pride & Prejudice, a review written in a style which attempts similarity to that of Miss Austen.) I found myself, through no fault of my own, suffering terribly for several days under a fever. During the course of that time, I exhausted the contents of my reading list and asked my beloved wife if I might read her favorite book, one Pride and Prejudice by a Miss Jane Austen. Here is my opinion. Miss Austen is a talented writer. She is witty, charming, gifted in her phrasing and descriptive ability, and has a…
I previously reviewed a book intended to teach programming to kids, Super Scratch Programming Adventure. That book used a self-contained editor and language that was easy to understand, easy to use, but confined its usefulness to a very limited set of roles. This is because of how Scratch is run and written. It is no secret that I like Python. Even though I really don’t write code anymore, at least not very often, for most purposes I am still a big fan of Python over any other programming language I have learned. I’ve reviewed two Python books in the past,…
This time around I have a real treat: three books about LEGO. These bricks were a staple of my childhood. They are well made and foster creativity in ways no other toy does. My LEGO collection has been handed down to my kids (who allow me to play with them sometimes) and added to many times. These books give interesting insights and ideas that LEGO aficionados may enjoy. Each book is focused on a different segment of this audience. All are from No Starch Press. All the books are nicely printed on quality paper and include amazing color illustrations throughout. I’ll…
With every copy of Ubuntu Unleashed 2013 Edition we include a DVD of Ubuntu 12.10. This is similar to what we have done with past editions. The contents of the DVD are identical to and taken from the main Ubuntu download page. In the past, this disc has been sufficient to boot live or install on either a Windows machine or a Mac. However, this time around, anyone putting the disc in a Mac will find that the machine will not boot from the disc. Bummer. We didn’t discover this until after the book was printed, the DVDs were created…
Advent really starts in a couple of days, but I’m already thinking about it. Here’s my thought for the season. Feel free to ignore this if it isn’t your thing. If my religious post makes you feel a little grumpy, please read it in the light of my post from 2007 about Holiday Greetings and hyper sensitivity. The season of Advent is about waiting and anticipation. We believe these things, but are waiting for their full arrival…just as we believe in faith that Christ’s actions brought about our justification, but we are still waiting for the completion. Christianity too often…
I was the sole editor and contributor of new content for Ubuntu Unleashed 2013 Edition. This book is intended for intermediate to advanced users.
The video podcast was recorded several months ago, but editing and post-production took a while. The video just posted to YouTube, where you can see a full size version. Enjoy!
I live in the United States of America. It is an election year. The election is next month. The atmosphere is charged with political conversation and rhetoric. Some of it is based on knowledge. Some of it is based on fancy. Some of it is so obviously false that it is stunning that the speaker/writer believes that anyone will buy in to what is being said/written. On many occasions it is obvious that too many people have no understanding of economics, how an economy works, or even basic history. This book weaves all three together beautifully. Economix: How Our Economy…
No, not all my reviews are positive, but it has been a while since I have posted even a lukewarm review. That is intentional. I got tired of making half-hearted recommendations for things I wasn’t thrilled about. Especially over the last two years, I have become more and more picky about what I am willing to recommend. So, as a result, all my reviews are pretty positive. If I don’t mention a book that I have been asked to review, I either haven’t read it, or I’m not willing to recommend it strongly. EDIT, 23 Nov. 2013: Over the last…