There are so many books on designing websites available today that it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume. Among these it is rare to find one that really stands out from the crowd. Marcia Yudkin's "Website Marketing Makeover" is an exception to this rule. She avoids a lot of the fluff that tends to be in other books and gets right down to the nitty-gritty of website design. One of the things that I particularly liked about the book is that she not only provides advice but also provides the means to actually accomplish the goal. For example, most of the website design books discus the need to see what your website looks like using different browsers. Marcia's book also makes this very important point. However, she not only makes the point but also points the reader to software and websites that can help determine what your website looks like in different browsers. When other books are saying what to do without telling you how to do it, Marcia is showing you how.

From beginning to end, Marcia lucidly explains what works, what doesn't work, and why. Although it is predominantly focused on how to "turn visitors into buyers" and so is most appropriate for a site that sells something, there is a lot of information that is also appropriate for any site including purely informational ones. "Poor Richard's Website Marketing Makeover" is a highly recommended read for anyone looking to create or improve their website.

I don't normally do reviews or read work-related books, so this has been an interesting process. After all, I sweated through college, marketing qualifications and I've run an internet business for three years, so why do I need to read what some American who I've never heard of thinks - after all, its not really relevant to a UK-based business... Wrong!

What a great book - I had to keep putting it down to make notes on changes needed for my sites. Marcia thinks about this stuff all the time, whereas most of us don't, and she really takes apart the whole site and marketing process. It's all about the detail, about how the site visitor sees our offer, one that we are over-familiar with but so often fail to get over in a few seconds. It is when you realise how massively you could increase the return on your objectives by making simple changes (what are the objectives of your website, by the way?) that you realise the power of this book.

Marcia takes you though all the elements of your site, step by step - why you have one, what you want it to do, the copy, design, style and real nuts-and-bolts stuff. Throughout she illustrates her point with screen shots of hundreds of sites - and there are some very well known ones in there that still fail to fully exploit the opportunity. Plus, a selection of make-overs - some seem minor, but have documented results, for example, $24,000 of extra sales in one month. Her style is very open, non-technical and moves at a pace that doesn't make assumptions on acronyms, jargon and your physical location - so often US books seem irrelevant to overseas readers. There are also lots of references to further reading, for example, on copy-writing, too many sites just lift pre-approved copy from printed brochures that fails in a new medium.

So, who should read it? Me, again, for a start. With specialist sections or even whole chapters for professional practices, membership or charitable organisations, local small businesses like B&Bs, organisations selling single or multiple products, there really is something for everyone. If you're the owner of a business, or the person that's directly responsible for websites in a business, you'll find it a useful read. Why not buy it for a colleague to read and report back on if you can't spare the time yourself? And the key point is change will not cost big money, so you really can see a return on modest spending - a couple of hundred pounds will make a difference to most sites. Perhaps that's the acid test of the book: whether you actually do anything after reading it that in turn actually pays off. If you don't do anything at all, then I think you've missed the point.

One thing that may put you off is the legend 'Poor Richard's' across the top of the book and the cover style - I've no idea who Richard is, nor his pecuniary standing and the folksy cover may suggest the book's audience is low-budget, but this does it a disservice. Its also not expensive - ...

So, in summary, the chapters that make up 200 pages of readable and thought-provoking writing, are organised in two parts - site elements and then implementation. I make no apologies for including the chapter headings as they help illustrate the breadth and relevance of this book: Elements: the name plate; navigation/on-site searches; copy; who are we?; building trust; content as bait; gathering leads/members/subscribers; order forms/customer service and graphics/layout. Putting it all together: single product sales; multi-product sales; solo service provider; professional firm; advocacy organisation; event reservations; local businesses and internet services. This is followed by a makeover checklist and pages of further resources in print and online. Go on, read it, implement it and reap the rewards - and tell me if I'm wrong!

Mark Wibberley ...

My mind is spinning; this book is awesome! I have been successfully selling on the web for 2 years and have even paid some "big names" to critique my site, but I have found TONS of ideas and changes I need to implement as soon as possible. Ms. Yudkin writes in a specific, down-to-earth manner; her suggestions make SENSE and she includes many before-and-after examples. The advice in this book will undoubtedly save me time and increase my sales.

This book covers quality assurance of web systems beyond merely testing. It offers practical insight for designers, developers, project managers and quality assurance team members. A big bonus is the appendix which details and compares automated test tools.

This book is excellent for any web systems tester. It covers all areas of functional and non-functional testing related to the Web.
It covers how to most efficiently model a web application using a specific use case approach, in addition it covers how to test for security, performance, usability of a web site. The book has been very useful in our testing efforts.

This book was a joy to read. It gives a great overview of quality issues within "Web systems" - meaning Web applications and architectures. The book balances a too-specific look with a too-general look and succeeds quite well in a balanced treatment that will make the whole worth the attention of any quality assurance or quality tester professional in the Information Technology industry.

In particular, the second chapter, on the RSI Approach, is a nice addition as this is something that most practitioners of quality subjects will not find elsewhere and the general subject matter is generally that which is avoided in books of this type. Another topic often avoided in these books is that of usability and accessibility concerns and yet these are covered here in good detail chapter six.

In general, I think the book offered a great amount of detail just where it was needed and gave a lot of "mini best-practices" in each chapter with the use of bulleted lists to highlight specific points. The detail of the book extends to various topics, like performance, compatibility, usability, and security - all topics that are of high concern in the current world of making qualitly Web systems that customers and user respond to. The appendices in the book are also excellent. The "Test Tool Evaluations" section will be a welcome addition to those who wish there are more concise evaluation forms for automated tool solutions.

I highly recommend this book to quality assurance/testing professionals, quality assurance managers, and even those who work more in the project management and development spheres. Those latter will get benefit from the book because the book manages to highlight topics of concern to both groups and also gives them insight into the quality aspects of the projects and products that are developed within an organization.

This is a complete primer on intellectual property and its value to the enterprise. Key issues that are addressed include:

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)- this is probably the most important discussion in the book because it continues to be controversial.

Complete discussions of all aspects of intellectual property law as it pertains to cyberspace. The clarification of the protections afforded to patent holders that are not given to trademark holders is invaluable. In addition, I learned much about the value of patents and how a business model can be developed around patents alone. I particularly liked the discussion of patent ownership (employee inventor vs. company to which the patent was assigned). This alone makes the book worth reading.

Case studies - many of the case studies which are used throughout the book focused on pending court cases when the book was published. Many have now been resolved, the resolution of which open more questions and further cloud issues. I'd like to see an update or second edition that provides closure.

Excellent introduction to technical issues. The author has a knack for reducing the key elements into easy-to-understand chunks of information that teach non-technical readers quite a lot about technology.

If you buy one book on intellectual property law from a cyber-business perspective, this is the one to get.

As book titles go, CyberRegs: A Business Guide to Web Property, Privacy, and Patents sounds uninteresting. Fortunately, what the book lacks in flashy titles, it makes up in interesting content. CyberRegs is an engrossing and sometimes angry look at the perverse nature of patent law.

When many people think of the Internet and e-commerce, they think of a series of open and non-proprietary standards that enable computers to speak networking Esperanto. As the book shows, that does not necessarily jive with reality. Many companies have tried to homestead on pioneering technologies and use them to gain a lock on the market. Author Bill Zoellick cites numerous cases -- many still in litigation -- to illustrate this point.

The book starts with a brief background of the nature of copyright and patent law and doesn't assume any type of legal background or expertise. Zoellick's writing style is easy going but to the point, and he accomplishes his goal of examining the disruption and instability that the Web has introduced into the world of intellectual property.

Zoellick looks at the Web from many different perspectives, from business and legal to technological and political. While some may think they don't need a book about Internet law and regulations, the reality is that, for any organization doing business on the Internet, there exists the strong possibility that they may be infringing on someone else's intellectual property rights.

One of the most controversial issues that the book looks at is one-click patents issued to Amazon.com. The one-click patents preclude any Internet business that has not licensed the technology from Amazon.com from enabling their customer's to complete their purchasing experience with a single mouse click. The question of whether one-click is even patentable is a controversial one. Those who say it is, feel that Amazon.com is protecting a vital business asset. Those who don't support it say that it only serves to stifle productivity. Zoellick gives numerous other examples.

CyberRegs also goes into such issues as digital signature and privacy. Zoellick does not take sides, but provides a fair-minded look at the debate between greater and lesser control of privacy and the Internet. The book also tackles such controversial topics as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Napster and DeCSS.

In part 3, Zoellick provides an excellent overview of digital certificates. He goes into detail on the parameters around the groundbreaking E-SIGN (Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce) act. Many have complained that E-SIGN is extremely light on details and specifics, which it is.However, Zoellick says that with E-SIGN, Congress took the approach that we don't really understand how to do business on the Internet so issues surrounding authentication of electronic signatures are not necessarily easy problems to solve.With that, Congress restricted government action to the parts of the problem where they are directly involved and required.Congress recognized that for any effective solution, markets need time to develop and patience is required. Although this approach is hard when dealing with Internet time, it is nonetheless necessary.

You don't have to be a lawyer to appreciate CyberRegs. Anyone who wants to have a business presence on the Net should read this book so as not to get involved in a legal tussle. While John Grisham may own the legal fiction market, CyberRegs is as close to a non-fiction legal thriller as you can get.

Although CyberRegs has a much wider audience, my perspective of this book is that of a competitive intelligence specialist. The four topic areas covered, from a CI specialist's point of view are illuminating.

The first two topics, copyrights and patents, are the foundation of intellectual property and by extension, corporate and shareholder value. The author's discussion of both copyrights and patents expose loopholes that can work for or against you, depending on which side you are on. One theme the author repeatedly addresses is the fact that copyright and patent law is lagging behind the technology. He cites numerous case studies, all of which you will either applaud or condemn depending on which side of the issue you happen to be. As a CI specialist who engages in "white ops" (collection of competitive intelligence using legal methods), I was somewhat dismayed by aspects of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) because it draws legal boundaries that didn't previously exist. The CI community needs to be aware of this particular law because what was heretofore "white ops" may fall under black ops (illegal intelligence gathering) under the provisions of the DMCA.

The more technical topics, electronic signatures and privacy, are presented in the same balanced and thought-provoking way as copyrights and patents. Having recently read Bruce Schneier's SECRETS & LIES I had some insights into the technical aspects, but the nuances that Mr. Zoellick brings to these topics makes for compelling reading. He manages to raise thorny issues and provide answers from both sides of the issue.

Overall this is an invaluable book that should be read by anyone who seeks to understand the current state of intellectual property laws, the challenges imposed by the connected world, or how the laws and challenges combine to change the playing field. As stated above, the DMCA alone will have wide implications in my profession, and is certain to affect business operations and corporate policy in far ranging ways.

Mompreneurs Online is a great book for those who want to work from home but just don't know where to start and what to do. It is full of resources and success stories! A definite must-have if you want to join the Mompreneur industry!

Mompreneurs is a MUST HAVE resource for anyone wanting a home-based business. Everyone from start-ups to savvy entrepreneurs will benefit from their practical advice on working from home. It covers everything from discovering your passion, finding the right business, telecommuting, marketing, and work-from-home survival tips. Their "slice of life" interviews with real work at home moms offer valuable insight into conquering the challenges of working from home. Keep this one on your desktop for handy reference - you'll use it often!

Moms on the go need this book. As a syndicated family/parentng columnist and author of Mommy-CEO, Revised Edition, I am always online. I spend between 4 to 5 hours a day writing and submitting articles and columns online to various websites, newspapers and magazines. Needless to say, I needed valuable tips to help me plug into my daily plans. I get many copies of books and this one is a keeper.

I'd like to also recommend another new book called, The Entrepreneurial Parent, which similar to Mompreneurs, has doable and practical tips on making the most of working from home. Together, they make a great backup system to many unanswered questions.

I will admit to being prejudiced. I've known Del Coates for about four years now through Western Automotive Journalists.
He is a true gentleman who has always been willing to chat with me and help me to understand why I really liked a cetain car I was reviewing.

Del's book not only provides brief and clear analysis of why objects around us are made the way they are, but gave me a far more complete tool set with which to judge. What I learned will allow me to be a better writer who can now "make sense" out of what I am feeling.

I have not only told my friends about the book, I went out and purchased about a dozen and sent them to fellow writers and editors. And being the cheapskate that I am, this even surprised me.

This is simply a superb book and will be cherished by anyone who really wants to understand how Industrial Design developed
and grew into something that touches us every second of every day whether we recognize it or not.

A book that addresses what many know but fail to acknowledge. This book brings the importance of design, which is a result of the power of the human senses, to the mainstream without dumbing down the material. The decisions people make in regards to buying products are largely based on unarticulated(Subconscious) reasons. Studies report that 80% of human communication is non-verbal and that visual communication is one of the oldest and most important forms of communication. In todays marketplace where most products are commodities, possesing similar features and functions, design is one of the most powerful forms of differentiation. This book details the importance of design and the key attributes that make one design stand out from another. Take notice of the "irregular" or different size of this books binding. Do you think some thought went into that?

You will learn how humans react to a product - particularly great ones. I appreciate that the author has given me a new way to look at products and the effect of their designs.

The author describes from a neurological and pyschological point of view how you react to a new product the instant you see it. I am talking micro-seconds here. Then, he discusses how you come to like it or reject it (a few microseconds later). This was truly interesting. He relates it back to Information Theory -- yet the book was not about bits and bytes. He describes how various shapes communicate differing amounts of information. Too much results in an over load.

The author presents a simple model to analyze products. To help with this he discusses how he uses semantic difference surveys. I found this material very interesting although I wish that he had included samples of the survey documents. I didn't understand how the prospects visualized and then specified the ideal product to compare your product to.

This is truly a great book but it does requires you to slow down when you read. The author carefully defines his terms - which unfortunately have to deal with cultural abstractions (like 'zeitgeists', 'daimons'). To keep up with the author, you need to understand these terms, as the author defines them.

I will now go back a second time and try to make his framework more permanent in my brain.

The author sleeps and dreams about great design. He has been a great designer (cars) for some time and now teaches out in San Jose.

If you develop new products, or are a CEO of a company, or if you just like design... this is a required book.

I looked at the book at the book store several times and put it back because the abstract terminology turned me off. Later I went and sat down in the book store and read it more slowly. It was then that I realized what a jewell this book is. I'd love to sit in on one of his classes.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

As the cover of this book says: Liquidity! Accessibility! Transparency!

The authors take a European perspective to challenge the traditional way that financial markets have operated in the United States and elsewhere. They point out, correctly I think, that the revolution is here. Fully automated markets now do the bulk of the worldwide futures trading. For example the Chicago Board of Trade was overtaken in futures volume by the fully automated German-Swiss EUREX in Frankfurt in 1998. London was charging from behind to take a big piece of the automated futures business as well. Automated trading experiments are going on in a number of other places, as well.

The vision the authors have is captured by a quote from Ludwig von Mises: "Economic history is the story of the gradual extension of the economic community beyond its original limits of the single household to embrace the nation and the world."

This vision is essentially of convergence into one global market, with one clearinghouse, and one regulator to do everything. The need to get costs down will require that convergence as the ultimate solution. How imminent this vision is has to be a guess (the authors convey the vision in the form of a dream), but the stories in the book show how often the complacent, traditional view has been wrong. The authors are good at pointing out the speed bumps that will delay progress, and outline good ideas for better and faster implementation.

But they are definitely tolling the bell in the near future for face-to-face selling. "In the future there will only be electronic traders." They also see a rise of small traders, small banks (doing direct placements of IPOs over the Internet with traders without underwriting syndicates), and greatly squeezed paychecks for traditional investment banking and trading activities.

I found the book to be consistent with my own vision. I was still left with the question of why the transition has not been a faster one. Financial markets should be converging at a much faster rate, if one looks only at the technology and the use of the Internet. Which aspects of human stalls are the worst delayers? Probably the tradition and bureaucratic stalls, because the existing markets and regulators are very slow to see new opportunity. Consider how recently fixed trading commissions disappeared. Those should have been gone in the Roaring Twenties.

If you want good detailed information on the state of the electronic market revolution, this book is essential reading. If you own a seat on an exchange, your pocketbook requires immediate attention.

There is an excellent section on how to prepare for the transition, and another one on the dangers to be cautious of.

Good look in building your wealth faster through more efficient markets!

In reading the book, there are many things that would scare traditionalists in our business. The rules are changing, and unless we adapt as traders and exchanges, we will be doomed. As I have discussions with other board members, and other floor traders, some intuitively understand the coming electronic age. Others pass it off as a purely European phenomena. "It won't happpen here.", is a phrase I hear every day. Brokers and traders see that the computerized competitors are having a tough time gaining a foothold in the American futures market. They rest thinking that their future is secure, and that maybe their margins will be squeezed a little. The revolution has only begun. While some of the positions the book posits seem outlandish, Columbus was seen as outlandish in 1492 too. This is a must read for any person associated with floor trading or an exchange. This also makes good reading for anyone involved in government regulation. Barriers are being broken down. Borders set by politics are not relevant to the sea change taking place in the financial marketplace. The U.S. is the titan of investment capital today, but a government that shackles the growth of the marketplace due to over regulation, is doomed to see all that capital leave for less regulated environs. I am on the Board of Directors at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, so I speak from experience. The revolution has begun, and we are trying to embrace it.

Building on the monthly news and insight from Patrick Young's ADTrading.com newsletter, Patrick Young and Thomas Theys have put together a concise history of recent developments in capital markets, especially the futures markets, and the steady advance of electronic trading. As a longtime reader of the newsletter I have been exposed to most of these ideas on a monthly basis; as an industry executive I have watched the events unfold day by day. Nevertheless, this compilation provides fresh insight into Capital Markets trends.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in an overview of the recent history of the futures, equity and FX markets and a plausible view where the markets are heading.

I would also recommend Capital Markets Revolution to industry insiders who are well aware of the events and ideas discussed, as they can benefit from the framework and view of the future into which current events are placed.

Perhaps it's just in my nature, or simply just the way I was brought up (I'm always looking for a bargain)... but I didn't learn anything new from reading this book.

Having said that, Cheap Web Tricks! Build and Promote a Successful Web Site Without Spending a Dime is a book that covers a lot of ground making it a good point of reference for anyone wanting a site starting out from scratch. In fact, the first part of the book takes you through the process of getting a site online without dealing with all the unnecessary details that inevitably get in the way.

Needless to say, this was not what I was expecting when I first opened the book. I guess I was just blind to fact that the word "build" was in the title but I was hoping for a lot more pages on the promotion side of things, so that I could pick up a few new ideas on the way.

One nice surprise was the section on making money from your site as it wasn't something I was expecting. Not only does it give you an overview of the various different ways you can make money from a web site, but also realistic with describing the results you can expect.

This has to be the reason why I'd still recommend it for the complete beginner. Of course, the book simply isn't big enough to go into all the details, nor does it claim to, but it goes a long way to giving an overview of what's involved in owning a web site. For many beginners, this is exactly what they need to know before starting out!

An amazingly thorough examination of just about everything you need to know about websites. I feared the book would be boring and a rehash of things I knew; that was not the case. The information builds nicely and there are many great tips. Even if you don't utilize the "cheap" techniques(which are excellent I might add) there is a lot of useful information. Hats off to this author!

I thought I was a web genius until I read this book. It is absolutely amazing. The author Anne, even responded to a question I had within the hour by email. If you want to build a succesfull website you have to get this book.

Are you sick of the condescending tone of most Internet instruction books? Well, Jonathan Ezor has written the book for you. It focuses specifically on managing the risks involved in bringing your company online. Ezor uses Internet jargon, but he defines terms quickly and clearly. He doesn't sugarcoat the risks of the journey into cyberspace. Despite the risks, he shows that the effort is worthwhile because of the Internet's incredible potential for your company. We at getAbstract recommend this book to those who are bringing their companies online, and to those considering this step.

A good read, and a great addition to anyone's business book library.

If you are looking for a book that will actually provide you with know-how and help in the management and operation of your company, this is the book for you.

There are a handful of books out there that actually make sense for "real" companies trying to move online. This is one of them.

Unlike books full of goofy theories and breathless hype, this book is a clear, methodical exposition and explanation of the legal and structural issues related to becoming an eBusiness.

The author is an attorney, however, unlike the typical "legal department" issues that slow things down, his practical experience with the law will help you speed things up - all the while avoiding pitfalls that could trip you up down the line.

This one is staying in my "must-read" collection.

As a business owner, I found this book to be an eye-opener. In a clear and concise manner, the author pinpointed the both the areas to watch out for, and the areas of opportunity when venturing onto the Internet. My partner is now reading it!

This book introduced me to an area unknown to me as an individual investor-EXCHANGED TRADED FUNDS (ETF). It was very informative and exciting. I read it and then underlined it,immediately. Max, since I read your book,the world has exploded about i shares. Thank you for the introduction and stimulation to look further. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD.

I bought this book because of my confusion with index funds after reading different advertisements from newspapers and websites. The result of my learnings are three limit orders I just placed for different sector funds.

This book is written objectively without a slant towards a specific product. Also, written for the inexperienced as well as the professional trader. It provided some real insights as to how trading is accomplished (in plain English).

The bing "WOW" was seeing how I was being penalized as long term investor in mutual funds because of the annual tax distribution. Also, the majority of funds do not beat the S&P500 index!! Why invest in them when these new investment resources are available?

Highly recommend this book to all levels of investors.

The book introduced me to exchange shares. I bought it a few day ago.I read it with out putting it down. I have re-read and underlined it. This is a very exciting addition to the concept of "index investing". Exchange traded funds (ETF) are a part of my retirement education. Orthopedic Surgeon, Emeritus

I feel that Mr. Kozak-Holland's book is ideal for technical IT managers, and also for non-technical managers having to be involved with computing solutions.

A great analogy using the Titanic as an example of over-confidence in building, and running a ship. If you don't plan to avoid "IT Icebergs", then you will likely hit one....and then what happens?

A great read!

James.

Mark Kozak Holland has really put things into perspective in this book. I found it entertaining and insightful. I could not put this book down after I started reading it. It's a fun read, pragmatic and unique in it's reflection on the Titanic as a perfect example of lessons learned from the past. As a CIO, I can really understand the messages and guidance the author is providing. The tools and guidance on best practices and "questions to ask today" are great. Well done, I'm looking forward to Kozak-Hollands follow-on book.

Refreshing! Clear! This book is a breakthrough for non-techies who need to manage technology!!
This book does an excellent job helping CIOs and other 'C' level, P, VP, and Director executives understand some of the key issues in managing a technology project. From requirements, to project management, to build, to testing, to deployment; without a lot of tech-talk, Mark has captured the issues an executive needs to be aware of to help ensure their technology projects succeed.
As an architect, I am going to buy this for the executives that rule my life! It helps both sides of the organization (business, technology) understand more of each other's issues fostering a more educated communication between them.
I know this book would be of great value to many of those whom I have consulted. I am sending a copy to three of them!