[Nottingham] O'Reilly UK User Group NEWSLETTER 15-05
Michael Erskine
perl at tecspy.com
Sat Nov 26 13:02:36 GMT 2005
All, here's the latest User Group news from Josette Garcia at O'Reilly UK.
Enjoy,
Michael Erskine.
O'Reilly UK User Group Programme
NEWSLETTER
Issue 15-05
Within a week, this newsletter will be available to be downloaded in pdf
format from the Developers Group web site at
<http://www.richplum.co.uk/oreilly/1505.pdf>. You are welcome to create
a link to it for your members' use. Previous newsletters are available at -
<http://www.richplum.co.uk/oreilly/1405.pdf>
<http://www.richplum.co.uk/oreilly/1305.pdf>
<http://www.richplum.co.uk/oreilly/1205.pdf>
<http://www.richplum.co.uk/oreilly/1105.pdf>
Our aim is to have both formats available at the same time, but that
might take us a little longer.
================================================
HIGHLIGHTS
================================================
NEWS FROM O'REILLY AND BEYOND
-The Impact of "Ambient Findability"
-Laughing Lemur Contest at Findability.org
-Avoiding Oblivion in Your Tech Career
-Control Freaks: Modding and the Clash with Law
-User Group Members receive a special 50% discount on Learning Lab Courses
-What Is TurboGears (Hint: Python-Based Framework for Rapid Web
Development)
-What Is a Linux Distribution
-Sync Services Framework (How It Works and What You Can Do)
-Tiger's Improved Firewall (and How to Use It)
-Windows Server Hacks: Shadowing Remote Desktop Sessions
-Beware of Network Sniffers
-JBoss Cache as a POJO Cache
-The Community of Web 2.0
-MacVoices Features Leander Kahney "The Cult of iPod"
-Vince Lawrence: 8,000 Square Feet of iTunes
-The PEZ MP3 player--A Project, Dream, and a Reality
BOOK NEWS
- Books for review
- Coming soon
CONFERENCE NEWS
YOUR BOOK REVIEWS
YOUR NEWS
================================================
NEWS FROM O'REILLY AND BEYOND
================================================
---------------------
General News
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***The Impact of "Ambient Findability" Peter Morville, author of
"Ambient Findability," discusses the results of being able to find
anything from anywhere at anytime, thanks to ubiquitous computing and
the Net in this Business Week article.
<http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/nov2005/id20051109_002975.htm>
***Laughing Lemur Contest at Findability.org To enter, snap a photo that
includes the lemur, upload it to Flickr, and tag it with
ambientfindability. Entries will be accepted through December 11, 2005.
Evaluation criteria include popularity (in Flickr, Google, de.licio.us),
comicality (make the lemur laugh), and other facets of the user
experience. The winner will receive a $500 Amazon Gift Certificate, a
$100 O'Reilly Gift Certificate, and autographed copies of the lemur and
polar bear books. For contest details and rules, please go to:
<http://www.findability.org/archives/000067.php>
***Avoiding Oblivion in Your Tech Career Life moves quickly for the
technologist, so it's imperative to stay young and vital in one's tech
career. Using the analogy of Shakespeare's renowned soliloquy from As
You Like It on the seven phases of life, Michael Havey offers tips on
how you can sustain technology excellence well into your golden years.
Michael is the author of "Essential Business Process Modeling."
<http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/10/31/avoiding-oblivion-in-tech-career.html>
***Control Freaks: Modding and the Clash with Law Modders, and the
millions more who possess a natural creativity and an urge to get
control over their lives, have, as Andy Oram puts it, "tumbled head-on
into a legal snake pit." Their passion for changing things has become
one of the fastest up-and-coming social trends in the US, and thus has
drawn the litigious eye of large entertainment and media companies. Andy
remains optimistic, however, that modders themselves can find ways to
shift the focus away from modding as a legal issue, and toward a view of
modding as a social and business issue.
<http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/10/28/modding-and-the-clash-with-law.html>
***User Group Members receive a special 50% discount on Learning Lab
Courses As an O'Reilly User Group member, you save on all the courses in
the following University of Illinois Certificate Series: -Linux/Unix
System Administration -Web Programming -Open Source Programming -.NET
Programming -Client-Side This offer ends December 31st, 2005. To redeem,
use Promotion Code "ORALL1" to save 50%. Each course comes with a free
O'Reilly book and a 7-day money-back guarantee. Register online:
<http://learninglab.oreilly.com/>
---------------------
Open Source
---------------------
***What Is TurboGears? (Hint: Python-Based Framework for Rapid Web
Development) TurboGears is a Python-based framework that enables you to
quickly build database-driven, ready-to-extend web applications. In this
article, Matthew Russell takes you inside this framework for a look at
its internal mechanisms, then introduces you to its creator, Kevin
Dangoor. <http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/11/08/turbogears.html>
***What Is a Linux Distribution? The Linux kernel may be the star of the
show, but like any star, it needs a supporting cast. In this case, the
supporting cast is known as a Linux distribution--a useful set of system
and application programs bundled with the OS. Edd Dumbill serves up
overviews of the major Linux distributions as well as the specialist
distros, and for who (or what) each distro is best suited.
<http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2005/10/27/what-is-a-linux-distribution.html>
---------------------
Mac
---------------------
***Sync Services Framework (How It Works and What You Can Do) With
Tiger, Apple introduced a new extensible Sync Services framework
embedded into the OS. And it's available to any application, not just
Apple programs. Mary Norbury-Glaser explains this framework and shows
you practical examples of its implementation.
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/11/04/sync-services.html>
***Tiger's Improved Firewall (and How to Use It) Among Tiger's many
enhancements, Apple introduced a whole new firewall called ipfw2. It
works just the like the old firewall, but has new features that allow
greater flexibility and more control. In this article, Peter Hickman
shows you some of the new features and how you can use them to more
easily manage your firewall.
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/11/01/firewall.html>
---------------------
Windows/.NET
---------------------
***Windows Server Hacks: Shadowing Remote Desktop Sessions Shadowing
Terminal Services sessions is a cool feature of Windows Server 2003 that
lets you remotely control the desktop session of another Terminal
Services user.
<http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/11/08/shadowing-remote-desktop-sessions.html>
***Beware of Network Sniffers Network sniffing is harder than most
people think, but that doesn't mean it's not a threat. Mitch Tulloch,
author of "Windows Server Hacks," tells you the truth about sniffing
dangers, and shows you how to protect your network.
<http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/11/01/beware-of-network-sniffers.html>
---------------------
Java
---------------------
***JBoss Cache as a POJO Cache Typical in-memory cache systems can trip
you up in ways you don't expect, from mangled object relationships to
overly expensive serialization operations. A POJO cache offers a
simpler, lower-maintenance alternative. Ben Wang uses JBoss Cache to
show how POJO caches work.
<http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2005/11/09/jboss-pojo-cache.html>
***The Community of Web 2.0 In this 48-minute audio program from the Web
2.0 conference, Tim O'Reilly speaks with Sun Microsystems COO Jonathan
Schwartz and Mozilla Foundation president Mitchell Baker about developer
communities, distribution, architectures and expandability, and the
value of open source.
<http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2005/11/02/community-of-web-20.html>
---------------------
Digital Media
---------------------
***MacVoices Features Leander Kahney "The Cult of iPod" No Starch Author
Leander Kahney discusses the impact of the iPod and how it has changed
the music industry, the music culture and how music is consumed.
<http://www.macvoices.com/archives/2005/507.html>
***Vince Lawrence: 8,000 Square Feet of iTunes Step inside the cavernous
studio of Chicago's Slang Musicgroup, where teams of computer-packing
producers create hit songs and remixes in a vast range of styles
inspired by 20,000 CDs worth of networked iTunes.
<http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/10/26/vince-lawrence-slang-music.html>
---------------------
MAKE
---------------------
***The PEZ MP3 player--A Project, Dream, and a Reality Pat Misterovich
is a stay-at-home dad with a one-person company who had a dream to make
an MP3 player that looks like a PEZ dispenser. We've been covering Pat's
PEZ MP3 player throughout the year, reading his progress and milestones,
anxiously awaiting the arrival of this dream-turned-PEZ MP3 player.
<http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2005/10/the_pez_mp3_player_is_here.html>
Sample Projects from MAKE: <http://makezine.com/samples/>
================================================
BOOK NEWS
================================================
Copies of our books are available for your members to review -- send me
an email with the delivery address together with the book you would like
to review. When the review is published, please send me a copy or the
url. I would also appreciate if you could send a copy to
www.amazon.co.uk <http://www.amazon.co.uk>
Latest books available for review -
* Access 2003 for Starters: The Missing Manual
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/accesstmm/>
Access 2003 for Starters: The Missing Manual delivers everything you
need--and nothing you don't--to use Access right away. The quick and
painless way to learn how to put the world's most popular desktop data
management program to work for you, this book explains all the most
useful features of Access 2003--including designing and creating
databases, organizing and filtering information, and generating
effective forms and reports.
* BlackBerry Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/blackberryhks/>
The versatile and flexible BlackBerry handheld computing device allows
you to stay in touch and in-the-know--no matter where you are or where
you go. For both corporate and consumer users, BlackBerry Hacks delivers
tips, tools, and innovative ways to most effectively use the all-in-one
phone, inbox, organizer, and browser for phone calls, instant messaging,
email, organizing, web browsing, receiving RSS feeds, and much more.
* Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/creatingwstmm/>
Think you have to be a technical wizard to build a great web site?
Think again. For anyone who wants to create an engaging web site--for
either personal or business purposes--Creating Web Sites: The Missing
Manual demystifies the process and provides tools, techniques, and
expert guidance for making your ideas and vision a reality with a
professional and reliable web presence.
* Essential PHP Security <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/phpsec/>
The PHP scripting language works beautifully with other open source
tools, such as the MySQL database and Apache web server software, to
build interactive web applications. But security is still an issue that
developers need to address, given the frequency of attacks on web sites.
Essential PHP Security explains the types of attacks that hackers use on
web sites and how to correctly configure Apache and PHP to guard against
them. The author of Essential PHP Security, Chris Shiflett, is an
internationally recognized expert in the field of PHP security and this
book shows developers how to guard against attacks by writing secure PHP
code.
* Excel for Starters: The Missing Manual
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/excelrookiestmm/>
Excel for Starters: The Missing Manual gives you nothing more (and
nothing less) than what you need to make Excel do exactly what you want.
Clear explanations (with lots of examples), step-by-step instructions,
illustrations, and timesaving advice guide you through the most useful
features of Excel 2002 and 2003--including how to build spreadsheets,
add and format information, print reports, create charts and graphics,
and use basic formulas and functions.
* Greasemonkey Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/greasemonkeyhks/>
Greasemonkey--the new Firefox extension that allows you to write
scripts that alter the web pages you visit--allows you to alter site
appearance, fix bugs, or even combine data from different web sites to
meet your own needs. Some people are content to receive information from
websites passively; some people want to control it. For those who prefer
to customize and control their content, Greasemonkey Hacks provides the
expertise you need to take command of any web page you view.
* Integrating Excel and Access
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/integratingea/>
This unique reference shows you how to combine the powerful analysis
tools of Excel with the structured storage and more powerful querying of
Access. It covers everything you need to know, including interfaces,
object models, and code. Learn how to crunch and visualize data like
never before. Perfect for all Microsoft Office users.
* Internet Forensics <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/internetforensics/>
This practical guide to Internet fraud gives you the skills you need to
fight back against the spammers, con artists, and identity thieves that
plague the Internet. The book shows you how to nab the bad guys by
extracting the information that lies hidden in every email message, web
page, and web server on the Internet. Real-world examples illustrate all
the major techniques discussed.
* JBoss at Work: A Practical Guide <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jboss/>
This convenient guide from O'Reilly takes an in-depth look at JBoss,
the fastest growing open source tool on the market. Learn how to
integrate JBoss with other open source Java products such as Tomcat and
Hibernate, and much more. Written for Java programmers who want to use
JBoss on their projects.
* Linux Multimedia Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/linuxmmhks/>
This latest Hacks book gives you the technical chops to enjoy the
considerable multimedia options available on the Linux platform. Learn
step-by-step how to do cool things with images, audio, and video.
Included are tips and tricks for connecting to iPods, creating MP3s and
Oggs, watching and making DVDs, turning your Linux box into a Tivo ala
MythTV, and much more.
? Mac OS X Tiger in a Nutshell
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/mactigerian/>
The most popular and most complete desktop reference book on Mac OS X
now covers Tiger! For consumers, developers, and programmers alike, the
up-to-the-minute Mac OS X Tiger in a Nutshell provides the perfect
overview of Tiger, covers all the new and enhanced features, and
delivers all the nitty-gritty hints and how-tos you need to make it your
all-purpose, must-have Mac OS X guide.
? MAKE: Technology on Your Time Volume 04
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/makemag05v4/>
If you like to tweak, disassemble, re-create, and invent cool new uses
for technology, you'll love MAKE our quarterly publication for the
inquisitive do-it-yourselfer. Every issue is packed with projects to
help you make the most of all the technology in your life. Everything
from home entertainment systems, to laptops, to a host of PDAs is fair
game. If there's a way to hack it, tweak it, bend it, or remix it, you
will find out about it in MAKE.
* Open Sources 2.0 <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/opensources2/>
Open Sources 2.0 is a collection of insightful and thought-provoking
essays from today's technology leaders that continues painting the
evolutionary picture that developed in the 1999 book Open Sources:
Voices from the Revolution . These essays explore open source's impact
on the software industry and reveal how open source concepts are
infiltrating other areas of commerce and society. The essays appeal to a
broad audience: the software developer will find thoughtful reflections
on practices and methodology from leading open source developers like
Jeremy Allison and Ben Laurie, while the business executive will find
analyses of business strategies from the likes of Sleepycat co-founder
and CEO Michael Olson and Open Source Business Conference founder Matt
Asay.
* Oracle PL/SQL for DBAs
PL/SQL, Oracle's powerful procedural language, has been the cornerstone
of Oracle application development for nearly 15 years. Although
primarily a tool for developers, PL/SQL has also become an essential
tool for database administration. DBAs who have not yet discovered how
helpful PL/SQL can be will find this book a superb introduction to the
language and its special database administration features. Even if you
have used PL/SQL for years, you'll find the detailed coverage in this
book to be an invaluable resource.
* Palm and Treo Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/palmtreohks/>
Written for beginning to experienced Palm users, Palm and Treo Hacks is
full of practical, ingenious tips and tricks you can apply immediately.
Whether you're looking to master the built-in applications or you want
to trick out your Palm to its fullest
extent, this book will show you how.
* Photoshop Elements 4: The Missing Manual
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/phototmm4/>
With Photoshop Elements 4: The Missing Manual, author Barbara Brundage
has written the perfect digital photography guide that covers new
features and techniques--for the most common editing solutions to the
more advanced. In a clear, easy-to-read format, the author provides
step-by-step instruction so readers can learn the right editing
techniques for producing and sharing beautiful digital photography.
* PHP in a Nutshell <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/phpnut/>
PHP in a Nutshell is a complete reference to the core of the language
as well as the most popular PHP extensions. The topic grouping, tips,
and examples in this book make it an essential reference for every PHP
programmer. It covers the functions commonly used by a majority of
developers, so you can look up the information you need quickly. Whether
you're just getting started or have years of experience in PHP
development, PHP in a Nutshell is a valuable addition to your desk library.
* Podcasting Pocket Guide <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/podcastingpg/>
Whether you're a listener or an aspiring podcaster, Podcasting Pocket
Guide is a non-technical guide for the non-geek who wants in on this
revolutionary new medium. This handy guide shows you how to tune into
unique and interesting podcasts and download them to your favorite
portable device and contains an introduction to creating, recording,
publishing, and finding an audience for your own, professional-quality
podcasts.
* Producing Open Source Software
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/producingoss/>
This comprehensive guide offers several tried and true steps to help
you successfully manage the complex process of developing free software.
Topics include project management, developer motivation, technical
infrastructure to support collaboration, and project promotion.
Producing Open Source Software is ideal for developers starting their
own free software projects, or people who simply want to participate in
the process.
* Programming ASP.NET <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/progaspdotnet3/>
(Third Edition)
This updated bestseller has been completely refreshed to give you the
inside story on ASP.NET 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005. It features a
comprehensive tutorial on Web Forms and detailed explanations of all new
Web server, HTML, and custom controls. Ideal for web developers looking
to create dynamic, interactive web applications.
* Retro Gaming Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/retrogaminghks/>
Whether you're just discovering Tetris or you've been a Pong junkie
since puberty, Chris Kohler's Retro Gaming Hacks is your indispensable
new guide to classic games. Kohler has compiled the how-to information
that used to take weeks of web surfing to find and presents it in highly
readable Hacks style. Serving up 85 hard-nosed hacks for reviving the
classic games, including tips on hacking ancient hardware, home-brewing
classic software, and adapting today's equipment for retro games, Retro
Gaming Hacks hands you the joystick.
* Twisted Network Programming Essentials
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/twistedadn/>
Twisted Network Programming Essentials from O'Reilly is a task-oriented
look at Twisted, a Python-based network application framework. Twisted
is fast becoming indispensable to Python network programmers. It
supports common networking protocols such as TCP/IP, SSH, and SMTP.
Using Python and Twisted, you can develop web services applications,
email clients and servers, and just about any other type of networking
application that you can conceive.
* Understanding the Linux Kernel
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/understandlk/>
This new edition covers Version 2.6 of the Linux kernel, which has seen
significant changes to nearly every kernel subsystem, particularly in
the areas of memory management and block devices. Understanding the
Linux Kernel provides a guided tour of the code that forms the core of
all Linux operating systems. Beyond the functioning of the code, the
book explains the theoretical underpinnings for why Linux, and many
other operating systems, do things the way they do.
* Unix in a Nutshell <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/unixnut4/> (Fourth
Edition)
This quick reference has been reworked to present you with the current
state of Unix. Featuring chapter overviews, in-depth command coverage,
and specific examples, it's the perfect supplement for Unix users and
programmers. New topics include package management programs, source code
management systems, and the Solaris 10, GNU/Linux, and Mac OS X systems.
* Windows XP for Starters: The Missing Manual
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/winxprookiestmm/>
For anyone interested in zeroing in on just the information they need
without all the complicated jargon, Windows XP for Starters: The Missing
Manual provides just the solution. With easy-to-follow, step-by-step
instructions, and plenty of illustrations this book offers a
refreshingly simple approach to XP. Whether you're a first-time user who
just wants the basics, or an experienced user who simply needs a quick
overview, our new Windows XP For Starters: Missing Manual is designed to
deliver what you need to know.
* Yahoo! Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/yahoohks/>
Whether you want to become a power searcher, news monger, super
shopper, or innovative web developer, Yahoo! Hacks provides the tools to
take you further than you ever thought possible.
****Coming Soon
* Applied Software Project Management
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/appliedprojectmgmt/>
* C++ Cookbook <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/cplusplusckbk/>
* The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/dambk/>
* Designing Interfaces <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/designinterfaces/>
* Java Enterprise in a Nutshell
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/javaentnut3/> (Third Edition)
* Practical Perforce <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/practicalperforce/>
* Quicken 2006 for Starters: The Missing Manual
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/quickenfstmm/>
* Time Management for System Administrators
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/timemgmt/>
* Wireless Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/wirelesshks2/> (Second
Edition)
================================================
CONFERENCE NEWS
================================================
***ETel Registration Now Open Emerging telephony networks enable a new
generation of powerful communication applications, which threaten
established business models--but more importantly, open up new
opportunities and new markets. O'Reilly's Emerging Telephony Conference,
January 24-26 in San Francisco, aims to articulate this revolution,
provide a framework, and spark creative discussions among enterprise
managers, developers, hackers, and sponsors interested in telephony.
Join us as we explore this exciting new territory and investigate its
implications. <http://conferences.oreilly.com/etel/> Receive 20% off the
registration price when you use our special discount code. Please email
marsee at oreilly.com for details. To register for the conference, go to:
<http://conferences.oreillynet.com/cs/etel2006/create/ord_etel06>
***EuroOSCON has come and gone in Amsterdam It was a great experience
and attendee comments ranged from "wonderful" to "I'll be back again
next year!" OSCON will definitely be back in Europe next fall, as well
as in Portland in July. Check out the Convention Coverage Page for all
the latest session files pictures and news.
<http://conferences.oreillynet.com/eurooscon/coverage/>
====================================================
CONFERENCES/EXHIBITIONS TO BE ATTENDED BY O'REILLY UK
====================================================
***Perl Workshop, London, City University, 26 November -
<http://london.pm.org/lpw/>
***GufiCon 2005, Perugia, Italy, 3-4 December -
<http://www.gufi.org/guficon/>
Thought-leaders such as David Pogue, Deke McClelland and Andy Ihnatko
will throw the spotlight on cutting-edge developments in applications
such as Mac OS Tiger, Apple's iLife, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and
QuarkXPress. Discover the hidden tips and tricks utilized by the Mac's
top practitioners to dramatically enhance your skills and gain the
insights you need to get the most from your technology investment.
www.mac-expo.co.uk <http://www.mac-expo.co.uk>
================================================
YOUR BOOK REVIEWS
================================================
*** Edinburgh pm reviewed - Perl Best Practices
<http://edinburgh.pm.org/book-reviews/perl-best-practices.html>
*** JUG Trento reviewed - Prefactoring
<http://www.jugtrento.org/trewiki/index.php/recensioni/libri/Prefactoring>
*** Scottish Developers reviewed - Photoshop Elements 3 for Windows one
to one
<http://www.scottishdevelopers.com/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=23>
*** Java Hellenic User Group reviewed -
Eclipse
<http://www.jhug.gr/phpnuke/PHP-Nuke-6.5/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=448>
Hibernate
<http://www.jhug.gr/phpnuke/PHP-Nuke-6.5/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=448>
*** Perl IT reviewed - Advanced Perl Programming 2e
<http://www.perl.it/documenti/bibliografia/34.html>
That's all for now
Have a great weekend
Josette
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