Users love software that they don't have to pay for. But, some software professionals have to make a living creating and maintaining that software. Many companies today grapple with the question, "how to make money with Linux and Open Source?" Some software business leaders are worried about whether Linux and Open Source are impacting business viability of operating systems/environment business. Enterprise business and IT managers are quite happy to see the trend towards software they don't have to pay for. But, most often they do not understand what the implications are and what the fine prints way. Martin Fink has done an excellent job of compiling all the fundamental and essential information on the business aspects of Linux and Open Source software. He clarifies and removes many myths people carry in their minds. Probably this is a "one of its kind" book that brings together the various angles such as the overview of terms, understanding legal lingo, business model aspects, talent management aspects and so on. The book covers the essential technical aspects lucidly and adequately. If you are looking for a deep technical source for Linux and Open Source architectures, there are enough pointers in the book; but, this book is not meant for that purpose. I recommend this book for software engineers who have to understand the business aspects and Enterprise IT/Business Managers who are deploying/planning Linux and Open Source components in their business. The timing of the book is perfect. This book is a good candidate for bringing out update versions as the domain expands and matures. I don't know whether Martin Fink plans to upgrade the book year after year.

I have just finished reading the book "The Business and Economics of Linux and Open Source" and wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed it. I am currently passing the book up my chain of command at work...

Linux and Open source is not "just" for geeks anymore. Business is embracing it and needs the guidance this book has to offer. It is the first book I have seen which addresses Linux and open source from a business perspective.

The background on Linux and Open source brings the reader up-to-speed on the key players and culture of the open source community and why it would be considered - staying focussed on facts and data. From this, Martin goes on to discuss the different issues one must address in considering the implementation of this technology in the Enterprise including the real costs and benefits.

Martin lends credibility to this topic as he is currently the VP & CTO at Hewlett-Packard heading its Linux Systems Division. He has to grapple with these issues everyday...

At a conference where Martin was speaking at recently, a senior executive at IBM mentioned that he was giving this book (an HP executive's book) to IBM's customers. Having read the book, I now understand why.

The author is definitely speaking from experience, providing valuable insights and recommmendations. Coming from a person who's been heading the Linux Systems Division of HP for over three years, it's not surprising.

Part I brings the reader to a sufficient level of familiarity with Linux, open source, licensing, communities and celebrities. Unless you are fully in touch with the open source world, you will certainly learn useful information in this part.

Part II explains what it means to implement Linux in your operations. No attempt is made to review or benchmark available distributions, and no selection process is presented, only some guidance is provided. This is understandable: Linux can take many shapes and forms and you can even create your own distribution. Because of this diversity, a whole chapter is devoted to standards that make it possible to use multiple distributions. The subject of Total Cost of Ownership is also covered, not in terms of numbers, but in terms of items to consider for calculating a total cost. There is no magic formula here, only an indication of what you should consider and how open source can affect the bottom line. The author then discusses the activity of deploying Linux, considering the issues of migration, coexistence, hardware, support, and training. Here again the author provides essential guidance without covering all the details of such undertaking.

Part III is about how to integrate open source into your organization. This is probably where most of the added value of this book lies. It is really in this part that the author draws from his experience in managing open source in a large organization. He first attempts to provide a functional model for an organization developing software, focusing on enabling an open source process as opposed to a conventional development model. This model may assume a large set of developers and may come out of the blue (it is presented then discussed), but it clearly demonstrates how much of a cultural change it requires to fully reap the benefits from an open source process, and how much other corporate functions such as marketing and HR have to adapt accordingly. Most importantly, this model can boldly be used as a replacement for conventional closed-source development. The author then covers other valuable topics: gated communities, the time value of software and how open source changes the equation and can be used to your advantage, the business models around open source, when to participate or create open source software, and what should be considered when deciding to use open source.

A highly recommended reading for anybody who is considering leveraging the benefits of open source within their organization.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I have moved to the Boston area only a year ago, and this book has helped me learn a lot about the life in and around Cape Cod since 1621. The characters seem almost real with all the trials and tribulations they have had to suffer. I highly recommned it to any reader who enjoys historical novels (the best!).

You will forget about the outside world when you read this; nothing but sand, wind, and water. Plus some natural history, local folklore, a few shipwreck tales. Typical Thoreau; he finds beauty, interest, detail in the wilderness. The desolate landscape will help to clear your mind. Highly recommended.

Each year, in preparation for a week's retreat to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I go in search of a book that would be perfect for a sojourn on a desert island. Of course, the Outer Banks are hardly deserted--the locals have printed up Wege's infamous photograph of a packed stretch of Coney Island with the caption "Nags Head, circa 2000 A.D."--but there we are on an island for seven days, my husband experiencing near death in the waves while I read. Sometimes we stop these pursuits and prowl the beach. Mostly we live as if we're the last two people on earth (which is easier in the off-peak season). I've learned that not every book is right for this way of life. The perfect desert island book has to celebrate the place you are in, not transport you. It should offer a tinge of society, because, after all, a human is a social animal, but it should not make you yearn achingly for what has been left behind nor should you be so repelled by it that you will never fit in again when you leave the island (you always leave the island). It should have some narrative sweep to withstand the competition of the seascape. It should make you think, at least a little: you want the stress to wash out to sea, not the little grey cells. Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau is the benchmark by which I've chosen beach material for several years. it is the quintessential celebration of littoral life. If you are on the beach, you appreciate it all the more; if you are not, well, at least you know vividly what you are missing. There is drama, as in the specter of villagers racing to the shore at the news of a shipwreck. There is information, as in what part of the clam not to eat, how the Indians trapped gulls for food, how a lighthouse really works. There is Thoreau's contagious respect for solitude, his occasional crankiness, and that magic trick of his that can suck in high school sophomores and get them through his books without so much as a whimper. There is one flaw to Cape Cod: brevity. It lasts about a day and a half on the Robinson Crusoe plan. This is not to say that it does not withstand re-reading, it does, but at some point after you have committed it to memory, you may wish for the collected works of Shakespeare and move onto the Bard's beach play, The Tempest.

I own 200 cookbooks of which 30 on Italian cooking and this book comes second only to "CULINARIA ITALY" by KONEMANN.It is virtually packed with information about Italy and its food ,all accompanied by hundreds of full colour photographs of the land, the food ,the techniques and the people.Descriptions of the growing of certain vegetables,of the making of essential ingredients(e.g. pasta ,both in the home and in factories)and of the particular cuisine and tastes of every region ,make this book an immensely satisfying and enjoyable book to read. There is a plethora of recipes, authentic and tasty and explanations on the many preserved meats, salamis and cheeses of Italy.If you are interested in Italian cooking, or Italy as a land this book is essential.

i need help. i received this book as a gift and have been very pleased with the results of the many recipes i've tried, but today, i'm attempting to make CASSATA and the quantities for the sponge cake (page 294) must be in error. can anyone give me the correct quantities of the flours listed???
thanks.

THE AUTHOR:

Antonio Carluccio is one of the best chefs of all time. He was been featured on BBC and has a little restaurant in Co

I was skeptical that he'd like this book when he found it,
believing my 2 year old was a bit young for poetry beyond
Dr. Seuss. But he loves the sound and rhythm of the words
as well as the pictures in my old Golden Book edition,
and asks for it nearly every day now. For myself it's a
nice change from the usual kids books.

There is beauty in RLS's poetry, and the Provensons' illustrations are simply delightful. There are other versions of this book (or very similar), but no other combines the aforementioned elements so well.

Robert Lewis Stevenson has a way of making children smile, and adults follow right behind. The words so eloquently put together bring to life the thoughts of young children.

Focuses on the romance and idealism of the artist and his art rather than just functioning as a clinical review of his work... as of this review date, new hardcover copies are still available from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Online Store. I've purchased two.

This book is gorgeous--fabulous photography, lots of detailed shots (I love the way they concentrate on the dresses and don't feel obliged to get the manniquin's head in every shot)--glorious! Get this book now!

This is a portrait album of a sampling of Christian Dior's masterpieces shown in the 1996 New York Metropolitain Museum of Art's retrospective. Every garment is beautifully captured. The detail photographs are exceptional.
But this is more than just a picture book about the 11 years Dior designed under his own name. The text offers a balance of historical costume references that Dior used in his creations against the social and economic era he designed in. It is both interesting and informative--two words that usually don't co-exist in most fashion references.
As a coffee-table book, this is a must-have for fashion afficianados. For those who can visualize and appreciate the complexity of drape and construction in some of the garments, there is no excuse not to own this book

Not being Lutheran, I welcome the opportunity to study the man who came in third place in the "Person of the Millennium" poll.

This slim book contains his discourse on "Christian Liberty," that is, the relationship to faith and works. All the hearsay finally dies with this book, since you hear Luther's own words on the matter.

He asserts that Christian Liberty is paradoxical, that the Christian is a perfectly free lord to all, but also a perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all. This paradox comes because of man dual nature: spirit and element. His main point is that by the Atonement, we all become free, but because of the atonement, we have an obligation to serve other people in chaity.

I like this edition. The translation is actually a translation, and Mr. Grimm block the text into paragraphs for easier reading. Moreover, he provides the scriptural references that Luther merely alludes to. Thus, the book becomes lecture notes for our review and pondering.

The cover illustration is eye-catching. It shows Luther taking his stand before some potentate. It reflects the energy that you feel in the words, the drive that empowered a man to shake all of Europe. It shows the energy that drove this man to liberty.

Not being Lutheran, I welcome the opportunity to study the man who came in third place in the "Person of the Millennium" poll.

This slim book contains his discourse on "Christian Liberty," that is, the relationship to faith and works. All the hearsay finally dies with this book, since you hear Luther's own words on the matter.

He asserts that Christian Liberty is paradoxical, that the Christian is a perfectly free lord to all, but also a perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all. This paradox comes because of man dual nature: spirit and element. His main point is that by the Atonement, we all become free, but because of the atonement, we have an obligation to serve other people in chaity.

I like this edition. The translation is actually a translation, and Mr. Grimm block the text into paragraphs for easier reading. Moreover, he provides the scriptural references that Luther merely alludes to. Thus, the book becomes lecture notes for our review and pondering.

The cover illustration is eye-catching. It shows Luther taking his stand before some potentate. It reflects the energy that you feel in the words, the drive that empowered a man to shake all of Europe. It shows the energy that drove this man to liberty.

Concise and easy to read. This is one of Luther's best efforts at explaining the nature of the Christian life. I'm not Lutheran, but I enjoyed reading it.

This is a great resource book for students of the first centuries of Christianity. The selections come from sources with differing points of view (Christian, Jewish, Pagan and secular) and the author gives enough background that you understand the possibility of biases in the ancient authors. Most useful for lay persons who do not have ready access to a good library of religous sources.

Primary sources for the history of the first four centuries of Christianity within the context of the Roman world are difficult to find, widely scattered, and general unknown outside of a specialized cadre of scholarship. Now Ralph Novak interweaves these primary sources with a narrative text in Christianity And The Roman Empire: Background Texts that provides the reader with a single, continuous account of these crucial first centuries of Christianity's development. Through the use of primary sources, Novak shows how the government and people of Rome perceived the treatment of Christians within the empire, as well as the manner in which Christians established their political and religious dominae after Constantine the great came to power. Christianity And The Roman Empire is a superbly researched, written and presented contribution to the study of early Christian history during the first four centuries of the Common Era.

Christianity and the Roman Empire:Background Texts is designed for undergraduates,seminarians, and the general reader in early Christian history. The book contains approximately 250 selections from literary texts and archeological materials dating to the period of 27 B.C. to 416 A.D. These materials were selected to explore (i) the ways in which the early Christians were erceived and treated by the imperial government and the many peoples of the Roman Empire, (ii) the social and political interactions between Christians and the surrounding pagan culture, and (iii) the means the Christian emperors of the 4th century used to consolidate Christian dominance in the social and political life of the Roman Empire. Unlike most source books, however, which merely reproduce the sources or discuss only aspects of the individual sources, in Christianity and the Roman Empire: Background Texts the ancient texts are inserted at the appropriate places in a historical narrative of the history of the rise of Christianity in the Roman World during the first four centuries A.D. The narrative provides both an overall historical context for the sources and specific discussions of the relevance of the sources to the larger narrative history, while the primary sources allow the reader to examine the evidence used to reconstruct this history. The ancient materials presented in Christianity and the Roman Empire: Background Texts are generally reproduced at greater length than commonly found in most source books. A primary goal of the narrative text is to direct the reader along the path of the majority historical consensus without being so intrusive as to obscure the majesty and power of the ancient materials themselves. I have attempted to present the materials in such a way that this book could serve as both a useful adjunct to the work of other scholars in the field and as a stand-alone history for the non-specialist reader. Christianity and the Roman Empire: Background Texts consists of approximately 320pages of text, organized into six chapters and 5 appendices. Chapter One is a brief introduction to basic historical methodology for dealing with literary texts. Chapters Two through Five contain a chronologically organized historical narrative, with ancient sources,describing the rise of Christianity during first four centuries A.D. Chapter Six is a case study of the way in which Christians came to dominate the political life of Alexandria, Egypt during the period of approximately 350-416 A.D. The five appendices examine topics more appropriately examined on a topical rather than a chronological basis, and cover the subjects of Rome's relationship with Judaism during this same period, pagan accusations of Christian immorality, the worship of the Roman emperor, the formulation of the Nicene Creed, and the evidence concerning the dates for the birth and death of Jesus. The book has both primary source and subject indexes.

This book is extrodinary!!!!! I loved it. It took me 2 nights to read this book and on the first night I didn't put it down untill I was caught reading it at Midnight. I would definently recommend this book to others. Especially if you love mysterys, and stuff to do with camera's. Now, don't get me wrong the whole thing isn't about camera's, but you do learn a lot about camera's, since they find a lot of the clues in the pictures (okay, maybe it IS mostly about camera's, but not in a boring way). This book even got me interested in taking pictures.
This book is about a 13 year old girl named Claudia, who is a member of the BSC (baby-sitters club). She has to go to summer school, but her parents said that if she does well in math, she can take an extra fun subject. Claudia decides to take photagraphy class. She loves it soo much that her father makes her, her own darkroom in her and her sister's bathroom. Mary Anne is missing Dawn (her step-sister) and so are all the BSC member's and the kids,(she is in California for a while). So, they decide to make a book with photographs of Stonybrook, Conneticut (where they live) and then send it to Dawn, (hoping to make her miss StonyBrook and come back sooner). They make plans and one day set of with small groups all over StonyBrook snapping pictures. Claudia is fasinated by the bank and takes a whole roll and a half of just the bank. To be funny Mary-Ann takes pictures of Claudia taking pictures of the bank. Later on during a BSC meeting Claudia and the other members find out that the StonyBrook bank has been robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Knowing that she was at the bank and taking pictures Claudia developes her film, but finds nothing. But, even later on she finds out that the robbery took place on the same day at almost the same time she was taking those pictures. You will have to read the rest to find out if she catches the robber or if she fails.

Claudia And The Clue In The Photograph is a great book, it is about Claudia and she is taking pictures of the bank just because she likes the way it looks,then she finds out that the bank was being robbed the very same day she was taking pictures so she tries to find out who dit it. you will be pretty surprised when you found out who did it.

Claudia and the Clue in the Photograph is a good book. Claudia is taking photography lessons so she's become obsessed with taking pictures. She's taking pictures of the bank around the same time the bank was robbed. Claudia thinks her pictures contain some clues. They don't look like they do and the police sure don't think so, but Claudia won't give up til all the money is back in the bank!

I am a history lover, and my opinion is, that when portraing a historical event or time, the two things that are most important, are respect, and accurasie. All Cladua and her friends wanted to do, is create a play accuratly and respectfuly portraning the First Thanksgiving. I would have loved to have seen, or been a part of somthing like the production they put on. I thought it sounded grate. That's why I was so suppriesed and angered bythe parent's reaction to the play. How could they say THAT was unAmerican? JUst becase they where not willing to accsept the truth about an event in America's past, doesn't meen there is anything unAmerican about portraying things as close to what they realy where as possible! On the contrary, I would have said there version of the story was MORE Patriotic then most, becase it showed the Pilgrems for what they realy where: human beings, people, just like you and I. I'm glad that Cladua and her friends stood up for themselves, and didn't let the insdent ruien there holiday. I have alredy given away to much of the story as it is, so I will refrain from saying more. I will close with this final word,though: Try this book. You will appriceate and enjoy this read, for more than one reason.Even if you didn't read BSC's before, or if you stoped reading them, (like I did) you should try this one. Thnk you, Ann M. Marten, for giving me reniewed fath in your books!

This is a very interesting book because for some people it is a real eye opener. It tells the truth about women's rights in those days and alot of extra info on the pilgram life that many people didn't know. For some reason, the parents belived this was wrong. Perhaps they got so caught up in turney and stuffing, they forgot the real thankgiving meaning. Being thankful.

Claudia and the First Thanksgiving is a better book that what is sounds like. In it Claudia and her Short Takes Class are putting on a modern twist of the First Thanksgiving. They address many views and the parents get really mad. They refuse to let the kids put on the play. So Claudia, Abby, Stacey and the rest of her class have to find a way to get their play back. Also at the end of the book a really special vistor shows up! This is a good bookj and worth the money to buy it. P.S. This book brings back Betsy Sobak, remember from #19 Claudia and the bad joke???

i bought this book because of the mohawk, the faeries and the neon green puke colour. by the time i was done with it i decided that martin millar is like the guy who stands in he corner at shows smoking cigarettes while you're slamming to the music. he's the person that you're just dying, wishing that would notice you. he's the only writer who is capable of writing something we might remember when we're old and grey.

Quite simply the best book I've read. Although I wasn't convinced by the second story, 'Ruby', 'the good fairies' and 'lux the poet' had me in stitches. Hilarious, disgusting, brutal, tender. Martin Millar is a punk author with an incredibly twisted yet perfectly coherent mind. Borrow, buy or steel yourself a copy now!

Ok, so being a fan of Martin Millar I loved these books. But what is gonna make you want to read them? Well let me just say that these three novels are three very different stories which together and separately draw a picture of a wonderful world. Inhabited by a fascinating range of character who are at the same time self centered and hedonistic but incredibly kind and loyal. Ruby is a little depressing but the other two will place a smile on your face so wide it will probably hurt. Anyway I'm not getting paid here so that's it. In my opinion this book is very worth it!