Getting Started with Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress may be the most complex video game ever made, but all that detail makes for fascinating game play, as various elements collide in interesting and challenging ways. The trick is getting started. In this guide, Fortress geek Peter Tyson takes you through the basics of this menacing realm, and helps you overcome the formidable learning curve. The book's focus is the game's simulation mode, in which you're tasked with building a dwarf city. Once you learn how to establish and maintain your very first fortress, you can consult the more advanced chapters on resource management and training a dwarf military. You'll soon have stories to share from your interactions with the Dwarf Fortress universe. Create your own world, then locate a site for an underground fortress; Equip your party of dwarves and have them build workshops and rooms; Produce a healthy food supply so your dwarves won't starve (or go insane); Retain control over a fortress and dozens of dwarves, their chil ...
Dwarf Fortress may be the most complex video game ever made, but all that detail makes for fascinating game play, as various elements collide in interesting and challenging ways. The trick is getting started. In this guide, Fortress geek Peter Tyson takes you through the basics of this menacing realm, and helps you overcome the formidable learning curve. The book's focus is the game's simulation mode, in which you're tasked with building a dwarf city. Once you learn how to establish and maintain your very first fortress, you can consult the more advanced chapters on resource management and training a dwarf military. You'll soon have stories to share from your interactions with the Dwarf Fortress universe. Create your own world, then locate a site for an underground fortress; Equip your party of dwarves and have them build workshops and rooms; Produce a healthy food supply so your dwarves won't starve (or go insane); Retain control over a fortress and dozens of dwarves, their chil ...
Articulating Design Decisions
Talking to people about your designs might seem like a basic skill, but it can be difficult to do efficiently and well. And, in many cases, how you communicate about your work with stakeholders, clients, and other non-designers is more critical than the designs themselves - simply because the most articulate person usually wins. This practical guide focuses on principles, tactics, and actionable methods for presenting your designs. Whether you design UX, websites, or products, you'll learn how to win over anyone who has influence over the project - with the goal of creating the best experience for the end user. Walk through the process of preparing for and presenting your designs; Understand stakeholder perspectives, and learn how to empathize with them; Cultivate both implicit and explicit listening skills; Learn tactics and formulas for expressing the most effective response to feedback; Discover why the way you follow through is just as crucial as the meeting itself; Educate y ...
Talking to people about your designs might seem like a basic skill, but it can be difficult to do efficiently and well. And, in many cases, how you communicate about your work with stakeholders, clients, and other non-designers is more critical than the designs themselves - simply because the most articulate person usually wins. This practical guide focuses on principles, tactics, and actionable methods for presenting your designs. Whether you design UX, websites, or products, you'll learn how to win over anyone who has influence over the project - with the goal of creating the best experience for the end user. Walk through the process of preparing for and presenting your designs; Understand stakeholder perspectives, and learn how to empathize with them; Cultivate both implicit and explicit listening skills; Learn tactics and formulas for expressing the most effective response to feedback; Discover why the way you follow through is just as crucial as the meeting itself; Educate y ...
Head First Ruby
What's all the buzz about this Ruby language? Is it right for you? Well, ask yourself: are you tired of all those extra declarations, keywords, and compilation steps in your other language? Do you want to be a more productive programmer? Then you'll love Ruby. With this unique hands-on learning experience, you'll discover how Ruby takes care of all the details for you, so you can simply have fun and get more done with less code. Based on the latest research in cognitive science and learning theory, Head First Ruby uses a visually rich format to engage your mind, rather than a text-heavy approach to put you to sleep. Why waste your time struggling with new concepts? This multi-sensory learning experience is designed for the way your brain really works. ...
What's all the buzz about this Ruby language? Is it right for you? Well, ask yourself: are you tired of all those extra declarations, keywords, and compilation steps in your other language? Do you want to be a more productive programmer? Then you'll love Ruby. With this unique hands-on learning experience, you'll discover how Ruby takes care of all the details for you, so you can simply have fun and get more done with less code. Based on the latest research in cognitive science and learning theory, Head First Ruby uses a visually rich format to engage your mind, rather than a text-heavy approach to put you to sleep. Why waste your time struggling with new concepts? This multi-sensory learning experience is designed for the way your brain really works. ...
The DAM Book, 2nd Edition
One of the main concerns for digital photographers today is asset management: how to file, find, protect, and re-use their photos. The best solutions can be found in The DAM Book, our bestselling guide to managing digital images efficiently and effectively. Anyone who shoots, scans, or stores digital photographs is practicing digital asset management (DAM), but few people do it in a way that makes sense. In this second edition, photographer Peter Krogh - the leading expert on DAM - provides new tools and techniques to help professionals, amateurs, and students: Understand the image file lifecycle (from shooting to editing, output, and permanent storage); Learn new ways to use metadata and key words to track photo files; Create a digital archive and name files clearly; Determine a strategy for backing up and validating image data; Learn a catalog workflow strategy, using Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw, Adobe Lightroom, Microsoft Expression Media, and Photoshop CS4 together; Migrate images ...
One of the main concerns for digital photographers today is asset management: how to file, find, protect, and re-use their photos. The best solutions can be found in The DAM Book, our bestselling guide to managing digital images efficiently and effectively. Anyone who shoots, scans, or stores digital photographs is practicing digital asset management (DAM), but few people do it in a way that makes sense. In this second edition, photographer Peter Krogh - the leading expert on DAM - provides new tools and techniques to help professionals, amateurs, and students: Understand the image file lifecycle (from shooting to editing, output, and permanent storage); Learn new ways to use metadata and key words to track photo files; Create a digital archive and name files clearly; Determine a strategy for backing up and validating image data; Learn a catalog workflow strategy, using Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw, Adobe Lightroom, Microsoft Expression Media, and Photoshop CS4 together; Migrate images ...
Android Wireless Application Development, 2nd Edition
This book delivers all the up-to-date information, tested code, and best practices you need to create and market successful mobile apps with the latest versions of Android. Drawing on their extensive experience with mobile and wireless development, Lauren Darcey and Shane Conder cover every step: concept, design, coding, testing, packaging, and delivery. The authors introduce the Android platform, explain the principles of effective Android application design, and present today's best practices for crafting effective user interfaces. Next, they offer detailed coverage of each key Android API, including data storage, networking, telephony, location-based services, multimedia, 3D graphics, and hardware. Every chapter of this edition has been updated for the newest Android SDKs, tools, utilities, and hardware. All sample code has been overhauled and tested on leading devices from multiple companies, including HTC, Motorola, and ARCHOS. Many new examples have been added, including complet ...
This book delivers all the up-to-date information, tested code, and best practices you need to create and market successful mobile apps with the latest versions of Android. Drawing on their extensive experience with mobile and wireless development, Lauren Darcey and Shane Conder cover every step: concept, design, coding, testing, packaging, and delivery. The authors introduce the Android platform, explain the principles of effective Android application design, and present today's best practices for crafting effective user interfaces. Next, they offer detailed coverage of each key Android API, including data storage, networking, telephony, location-based services, multimedia, 3D graphics, and hardware. Every chapter of this edition has been updated for the newest Android SDKs, tools, utilities, and hardware. All sample code has been overhauled and tested on leading devices from multiple companies, including HTC, Motorola, and ARCHOS. Many new examples have been added, including complet ...
Android Wireless Application Development, 3rd Edition
Android Wireless Application Development has earned a reputation as the most useful real-world guide to building robust, commercial-grade Android apps. Now, authors Lauren Darcey and Shane Conder have systematically revised and updated this guide for the latest Android SDK and tools updates. To accommodate their extensive new coverage, they've split the book into two leaner, cleaner volumes. This Volume II focuses on advanced techniques for the entire app development cycle, including design, coding, testing, debugging, and distribution. Darcey and Conder cover hot topics ranging from tablet development to protecting against piracy and demonstrate advanced techniques for everything from data integration and UI development to in-app billing. ...
Android Wireless Application Development has earned a reputation as the most useful real-world guide to building robust, commercial-grade Android apps. Now, authors Lauren Darcey and Shane Conder have systematically revised and updated this guide for the latest Android SDK and tools updates. To accommodate their extensive new coverage, they've split the book into two leaner, cleaner volumes. This Volume II focuses on advanced techniques for the entire app development cycle, including design, coding, testing, debugging, and distribution. Darcey and Conder cover hot topics ranging from tablet development to protecting against piracy and demonstrate advanced techniques for everything from data integration and UI development to in-app billing. ...
Building Probabilistic Graphical Models with Python
With the increasing prominence in machine learning and data science applications, probabilistic graphical models are a new tool that machine learning users can use to discover and analyze structures in complex problems. The variety of tools and algorithms under the PGM framework extend to many domains such as natural language processing, speech processing, image processing, and disease diagnosis. You've probably heard of graphical models before, and you're keen to try out new landscapes in the machine learning area. This book gives you enough background information to get started on graphical models, while keeping the math to a minimum. ...
With the increasing prominence in machine learning and data science applications, probabilistic graphical models are a new tool that machine learning users can use to discover and analyze structures in complex problems. The variety of tools and algorithms under the PGM framework extend to many domains such as natural language processing, speech processing, image processing, and disease diagnosis. You've probably heard of graphical models before, and you're keen to try out new landscapes in the machine learning area. This book gives you enough background information to get started on graphical models, while keeping the math to a minimum. ...
BlackBerry Development Fundamentals
The BlackBerry smartphone is today's #1 mobile platform for the enterprise and also a huge hit with consumers. Until now, it's been difficult for programmers to find everything they need to begin developing new applications for BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry Development Fundamentals is the solution: the first single-source guide to all aspects of development for the BlackBerry platform. This book thoroughly reviews the BlackBerry's unique capabilities and limitations, helps you optimize your upfront design choices, and covers native rich-client applications and Web-based mobile applications for both business and consumer environments. ...
The BlackBerry smartphone is today's #1 mobile platform for the enterprise and also a huge hit with consumers. Until now, it's been difficult for programmers to find everything they need to begin developing new applications for BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry Development Fundamentals is the solution: the first single-source guide to all aspects of development for the BlackBerry platform. This book thoroughly reviews the BlackBerry's unique capabilities and limitations, helps you optimize your upfront design choices, and covers native rich-client applications and Web-based mobile applications for both business and consumer environments. ...
Embedded Linux Projects Using Yocto Project Cookbook
The embedded Linux world is standardizing around Yocto Project as the best integration framework to create reliable embedded Linux products. Yocto Project effectively shortens the time it takes to develop and maintain an embedded Linux product, and it increases its reliability and robustness by using proven and tested components. This book begins with the installation of a professional embedded Yocto setup, then advises you on best practices, and finally explains how to quickly get hands on with the Freescale ARM ecosystem and community layer, using the affordable and open source Wandboard embedded board. ...
The embedded Linux world is standardizing around Yocto Project as the best integration framework to create reliable embedded Linux products. Yocto Project effectively shortens the time it takes to develop and maintain an embedded Linux product, and it increases its reliability and robustness by using proven and tested components. This book begins with the installation of a professional embedded Yocto setup, then advises you on best practices, and finally explains how to quickly get hands on with the Freescale ARM ecosystem and community layer, using the affordable and open source Wandboard embedded board. ...
Mastering Probabilistic Graphical Models Using Python
Probabilistic graphical models is a technique in machine learning that uses the concepts of graph theory to concisely represent and optimally predict values in our data problems. Graphical models gives us techniques to find complex patterns in the data and are widely used in the field of speech recognition, information extraction, image segmentation, and modeling gene regulatory networks. This book starts with the basics of probability theory and graph theory, then goes on to discuss various models and inference algorithms. All the different types of models are discussed along with code examples to create and modify them, and also run different inference algorithms on them. There is an entire chapter that goes on to cover Naive Bayes model and Hidden Markov models. These models have been thoroughly discussed using real-world examples. ...
Probabilistic graphical models is a technique in machine learning that uses the concepts of graph theory to concisely represent and optimally predict values in our data problems. Graphical models gives us techniques to find complex patterns in the data and are widely used in the field of speech recognition, information extraction, image segmentation, and modeling gene regulatory networks. This book starts with the basics of probability theory and graph theory, then goes on to discuss various models and inference algorithms. All the different types of models are discussed along with code examples to create and modify them, and also run different inference algorithms on them. There is an entire chapter that goes on to cover Naive Bayes model and Hidden Markov models. These models have been thoroughly discussed using real-world examples. ...