AjaxLine Books

SOA in Practice: The Art of Distributed System Design

This book demonstrates service-oriented architecture (SOA) as a concrete discipline rather than a hopeful collection of cloud charts. Built upon the author’s firsthand experience rolling out a SOA at a major corporation, SOA in Practice explains how SOA can simplify the creation and maintenance of large-scale applications. Whether your project involves a large set of Web Services-based components, or connects legacy applications to modern business processes, this book clarifies how — and whether — SOA fits your needs.

SOA has been a vision for years. This book brings it down to earth by describing the real-world problems of implementing and running a SOA in practice. After defining SOA’s many facets, examining typical use patterns, and exploring how loose coupling helps build stronger applications, SOA in Practice presents a framework to help you determine when to take advantage of SOA. In this book you will:

* Focus squarely on real deployment and technology, not just standards maps
* Examine business problems to determine which ones fit a SOA approach before plastering a SOA solution on top of them
* Find clear paths for building solutions without getting trapped in the mire of changing web services details
* Gain the experience of a systems analyst intimately involved with SOA

“The principles and experiences described in this book played an important role in making SOA at T-Mobile a success story, with more than 10 million service calls per day.”
–Dr. Steffen Roehn, Member of the Executive Committee T-Mobile International (CIO)

“Nicolai Josuttis has produced something that is rare in the over-hyped world of SOA; a thoughtful work with deep insights based on hands-on experiences. This book is a significant milestone in promoting practical disciplines for all SOA practitioners.”
–John Schmidt, Chairman, Integration Consortium

“The book belongs in the hands of every CIO, IT Director and IT planning manager.”
–Dr. Richard Mark Soley, Chairman and CEO, Object Management Group; Executive Director, SOA Consortium

SOA Principles of Service Design

“This book could be described as an encyclopedia of service design–Erl leaves nothing to chance. Indispensable.”

–Steve Birkel, Chief IT Technical Architect, Intel Corp.

“An absolute pleasure to read…the best SOA book I’ve read.

A book I would recommend to all of my colleagues; it provides much insight to the topics often overlooked by most books in this genre…the visuals were fantastic.”

–Brandon Bohling, SOA Architecture and Strategy, Intel Corporation

“This book is a milestone in SOA literature. For the first time we are provided with a practical guide on defining service characteristics and service design principles for SOA from a vendor-agnostic viewpoint. It’s a great reference for SOA discovery, adoptions, and implementation projects.”

–Canyang Kevin Liu, Principal Enterprise Architect, SAP Americas, Inc.

“I liked this book. It contains extremely important material for those who need to design services.”

–Farzin Yashar, IBM SOA Advanced Technologies

“This book does a great job laying out benefits, key ideas and design principles behind successfully adopting service-oriented computing. At the same time, the book openly addresses challenges, risks and trade-offs that are in the way of adopting SOA in the real-world today. It moves away from ivory-tower views of service orientation, but still lays out a strong vision for SOA and outlines the changes necessary to realize the full potential.”

–Christoph Schittko, Senior Architect, Microsoft

“I recommend this book to any SOA practitioner who wishes to empower themselves in making service design real…gives readers the 360? view into service design [and] gives SOA practitioners the depth and understanding needed into the principles of SOA to assist in the design of a mature and successful SOA program.”

–Stephen G. Bennett, Americas SOA Practice Lead, BEA Systems

“SOA projects are most successful when they are based on a solid technical foundation. Well accepted and established design principles are part of this foundation. This book takes a very structured approach at defining the core design principles for SOA, thus allowing the reader to immediately applying them to a project. Each principle is formally introduced and explained, and examples are given for how to apply it to a real design problem. A ‘must read’ for any architect, designer or developer of service oriented solutions”.

–Andre Tost, Senior Technical Staff Member, IBM Software Group

“There are few references for SOA that give you the nuts and bolts and this one is at the top of the list. Well written and valuable as a reference book to any SOA practitioner.”

–Dr. Mohamad Afshar, Director of Product Management, Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle Corporation

“A thorough examination of the considerations of service design. Both seasoned SOA practitioners and those endeavoring to realize services can benefit from reading this book.”

–Bill Draven, Enterprise Architect, Intel Corporation

“There are very few who understand SOA like Thomas Erl does! The principle centric description of service orientation from Thomas canonizes the underpinnings of this important paradigm shift in creating agile and reusable software capabilities. The principles, so eloquently explained, leave little room for any ambiguity attached to the greater purpose of SOA. Most organizations today are creating services in a bottoms-up approach, realizing composition and reuse organically. The time is ripe for a book like this that prepares architects for a principle centric approach to SOA.”

–Hanu Kommalapati, Architect, Microsoft Corporation

“Outstanding SOA literature uniquely focused on the fundamental services design with thorough and in-depth study on all practical aspects from design principles to methodologies. This book provides a systematic approach for SOA adoption essential for both IT management and professionals.”

–Robin Chen, PhD, Google, Inc.

“Thomas Erl’s books are always densely filled with information that’s well structured. This book is especially insightful for Enterprise Architects because it provide s great context and practical examples. Part 1 of the book alone is worth getting the book for.”

–Markus Zirn, Senior Director, Product Management, Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle Corporation

“A very clear discussion of the subject matter. Provides a good structure that facilitates understanding and readily highlights key points.”

–Kareem Yusuf, Director of SOA Strategy and Planning, IBM Software Group

“I am very impressed. Comprehensive. Educative. This book helped me to step back and look at the SOA principles from broader perspective. I’d say this is a must-read book for SOA stakeholders.”

–Radovan Janecek, Director R&D, SOA Center, Hewlett-Packard

“Very valuable guidance for understanding and applying SOA service design principles with concrete examples. A must read for the practitioner of SOA service design.”

–Umit Yalcinalp, PhD, Standards Architect, SAP

“This book really does an excellent job of explaining the principles underpinning the value of SOA…Erl goes to great length to explain and give examples of each of the 8 principles that will significantly increase the readers ability to drive an SOA service design that benefits both business and IT.”

–Robert Laird, IT Architect, IBM EAI/SOA Advanced Technologies Group

“This book strikes a healthy balance between theory and practice. It is a perfect complement to the SOA series by the author.”

–Prakash Narayan, Sun Microsystems

“If you are going to be designing, developing, or implementing SOA, this is a must have book.”

–Jason “AJ” Comfort Sr., Booz Allen Hamilton

“An excellent book for anyone who wants to understand service-orientation and the principles involved in designing services…a clear, concise and articulate exploration of the eight design principles involved in analyzing, designing, implementing, and maintaining services…”

–Anish Karmarkar, Oracle Corporation

“Very well written, succinct, and easy to understand.”

–Raj Balasubramanian, IBM Software Group

“Acomprehensive exploration of the issues of service design which has the potential to become the definitive work in this area.”

–James Pasley, Chief Technology Officer, Cape Clear Software

“An excellent addition to any SOA library; it covers a wide range of issues in enough detail to be a valuable asset to anyone considering designing or using SOA based technologies.”

–Mark Little, Director of Standards, Red Hat

“This book communicates complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. Examples and illustrations are used very effectively.”

–Darryl Hogan, Senior Architect, Microsoft

“A work of genius…Offers the most comprehensive and thorough explanation on the principles of service design and what it means to be ‘service oriented.’

“Erl’s treatment of the complex world of service oriented architecture is pragmatic, inclusive of real world situations and offers readers ways to communicate these ideas through illustrations and well formulated processes.”

–David Michalowicz, MITRE Corporation

“This is the book for the large organization trying to rationalize its IT assets and establish an agile platform for the future. By highlighting risk and…

Everyday Scripting with Ruby: For Teams, Testers, and You

Are you a tester who spends more time manually creating complex test data than using it? A business analyst who seemingly went to college all those years so you can spend your days copying data from reports into spreadsheets? A programmer who can’t finish each day’s task without having to scan through version control system output, looking for the file you want?

If so, you’re wasting that computer on your desk. Offload the drudgery to where it belongs, and free yourself to do what you should be doing: thinking. All you need is a scripting language (free!), this book (cheap!), and the dedication to work through the examples and exercises.

Everyday Scripting with Ruby is divided into four parts. In the first, you’ll learn the basics of the Ruby scripting language. In the second, you’ll see how to create scripts in a steady, controlled way using test-driven design. The third part is about finding, understanding, and using the work of others–and about preparing your scripts for others to use. The fourth part, more advanced, is about saving even more time by using application frameworks.

Ruby for Rails: Ruby Techniques for Rails Developers

-The word is out: with Ruby on Rails you can build powerful Web applications easily and quickly! And just like the Rails framework itself, Rails applications are Ruby programs. That means you can’t tap into the full power of Rails unless you master the Ruby language.

Ruby for Rails, written by Ruby expert David Black (with a forward by David Heinemeier Hansson), helps Rails developers achieve Ruby mastery. Each chapter deepens your Ruby knowledge and shows you how it connects to Rails. You’ll gain confidence working with objects and classes and learn how to leverage Ruby’s elegant, expressive syntax for Rails application power. And you’ll become a better Rails developer through a deep understanding of the design of Rails itself and how to take advantage of it.

Newcomers to Ruby will find a Rails-oriented Ruby introduction that’s easy to read and that includes dynamic programming techniques, an exploration of Ruby objects, classes, and data structures, and many neat examples of Ruby and Rails code in action. Ruby for Rails: the Ruby guide for Rails developers!

What’s Inside
# Classes, modules, and objects
# Collection handling and filtering
# String and regular expression manipulation
# Exploration of the Rails source code
# Ruby dynamics
# Many more programming concepts and techniques!

The Ruby Way, Second Edition: Solutions and Techniques in Ruby Programming

Ruby is an agile object-oriented language, borrowing some of the best features
from LISP, Smalltalk, Perl, CLU, and other languages. Its popularity has grown tremendously in the five years since the first edition of this book.

The Ruby Way takes a “how-to” approach to Ruby programming with the bulk of the material consisting of more than 400 examples arranged by topic. Each example answers the question “How do I do this in Ruby?” Working along with the author, you are presented with the task description and a discussion of the technical constraints. This is followed by a step-by-step presentation of one good solution. Along the way, the author provides detailed commentary and explanations to aid your understanding.

Coverage includes

• An overview of Ruby, explaining terminology and basic principles

• Operations on low-level data types (numbers, strings, regular expressions, dates)

• The new regular expression engine (Oniguruma)

• Internationalization (I18N) and message catalogs in Ruby

• Operations on hashes, arrays, and other data structures such as stacks, trees, and graphs

• Working with general I/O, files, and persistent objects

• Database coverage including MySQL, SQLite, Oracle, DBI, and more

• Ruby-specific techniques in OOP and dynamic programming

• Graphical interfaces in Ruby (Tk, GTK+, Fox, and Qt)

• Working with Ruby threads for lightweight multitasking

• Everyday scripting and system administration in Ruby

• Working with image files, PDFs, YAML, XML, RSS, and Atom

• Testing, debugging, profiling, and packaging Ruby code

• Low-level network programming and client-server interaction

• Web development tools including Rails, Nitro, Wee, IOWA, and more

• Working with distributed Ruby, Rinda, and Ring

• Ruby development tools such as IDEs, documentation tools, and more

The source code for the book can be downloaded from www.rubyhacker.com

Hal Fulton has worked for over 15 years with variousforms of Unix, including AIX, Solaris, and Linux. He was first exposed to Ruby in 1999, and in 2001 he began work on the first edition of this book–the second Ruby book published in the English language. He has attendednumerous Ruby conferences and has given presentations at several of those, including the first European Ruby Conference.

He has two degrees in computer science from the University of Mississippi and taught computer science for four years before moving to Austin, Texas to work as a contractor for variouscompanies, including IBM Austin. Hal currently works at Broadwing Communications in Austin, Texas, maintaining a large data warehouse and related telecom applications, working daily with C++, Oracle, and, of course, Ruby.

Ruby Cookbook

Do you want to push Ruby to its limits? The Ruby Cookbook is the most comprehensive problem-solving guide to today’s hottest programming language. It gives you hundreds of solutions to real-world problems, with clear explanations and thousands of lines of code you can use in your own projects.

From data structures and algorithms, to integration with cutting-edge technologies, the Ruby Cookbook has something for every programmer. Beginners and advanced Rubyists alike will learn how to program with:

* Strings and numbers
* Arrays and hashes
* Classes, modules, and namespaces
* Reflection and metaprogramming
* XML and HTML processing
* Ruby on Rails (including Ajax integration)
* Databases
* Graphics
* Internet services like email, SSH, and BitTorrent
* Web services
* Multitasking
* Graphical and terminal interfaces

If you need to write a web application, this book shows you how to get started with Rails. If you’re a system administrator who needs to rename thousands of files, you’ll see how to use Ruby for this and other everyday tasks. You’ll learn how to read and write Excel spreadsheets, classify text with Bayesian filters, and create PDF files. We’ve even included a few silly tricks that were too cool to leave out, like how to blink the lights on your keyboard.

The Ruby Cookbook is the most useful book yet written about Ruby. When you need to solve a problem, don’t reinvent the wheel: look it up in the Cookbook.

Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional

Ruby is perhaps best known as the engine powering the hugely popular Ruby on Rails web framework. However, it is an extremely powerful and versatile programming language in its own right. It focuses on simplicity and offers a fully object-oriented environment.

Beginning Ruby is a thoroughly contemporary guide for every type of reader wanting to learn Ruby, from novice programmers to web developers to Ruby newcomers. It starts by explaining the principles behind object-oriented programming and within a few chapters builds toward creating a genuine Ruby application.

The book then explains key Ruby principles, such as classes and objects; projects, modules, and libraries; and other aspects of Ruby such as database access. In addition, Ruby on Rails is covered in depth, and the book’s appendixes provide essential reference information as well as a primer for experienced programmers.

About the Author
Peter Cooper is a highly experienced Ruby developer and trainer. He manages BigBold (www.bigbold.com), a Ruby training and development company, and has produced many commercial web sites using Ruby on Rails, the Ruby-based web framework. In addition, he created Code Snippets, one of the world’s largest public code repositories, and Congress, an online chat client utilizing Ajax and Ruby on Rails. He also created Feed Digest, a feed distribution service that was recently profiled by Business 2.0 magazine.

Special Edition Using Microsoft Expression Web

Special Edition Using Microsoft Expression Web

We crafted this book to grow with you, providing the reference material you need as you move toward Expression Web proficiency and use of more advanced features. If you buy only one book on Expression Web, Special Edition Using Microsoft Expression Web is the only book you need.

• Create standards-compliant websites with Expression Web that will work consistently in all browsers.
• Become proficient in the use of CSS by learning how to use the powerful CSS tools in Expression Web.
• Learn how to take advantage of ASP.NET without the need to write any code.
• Learn how to use Expression Web with the free Visual Web Developer Express Edition to develop robust ASP.NET applications.
• Add dynamic, interactive content with Behaviors and Layers.
• Design your website for accessibility using both Section 508 and WCAG compliance.

Category Web Development

Covers Microsoft Expression Web

User Level Intermediate—Advanced

“There’s definitely more to this book than just how to use Expression Web. The chapter on tag properties not only clearly explains Expression Web’s Tag Properties task pane, but it also alleviates some of the mystery behind the use of tags in HTML. This is a great book for all users of Expression Web!”

—Detra Newhouse, Readiness Lead,

Microsoft Corporation

Jim Cheshire is the owner of Jimco Software, the most well-known source of freeware add-ins for Microsoft FrontPage, and is the author of Special Edition Using Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003. Jim has been featured in numerous publications including MSDN Magazine and PC Magazine.

Jim previously worked on the FrontPage team at Microsoft and is currently an Escalation Engineer on the ASP.NET and IIS teams.

Microsoft Expression Web For Dummies

Expression Web is Microsoft’s newest tool for creating and maintaining dynamic Web sites. This FrontPage replacement offers all the simple “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” tools for creating a Web site along with some pumped up new features for working with Cascading Style Sheets and other design options. Microsoft Expression Web For Dummies arrives in time for early adopters to get a feel for how to build an attractive Web site. Author Linda Hefferman teams up with longtime FrontPage For Dummies author Asha Dornfest to show the easy way for first-time Web designers, FrontPage vets, or users of other Web design tools how to get results from Expression Web.

From the Back Cover
Covers tools for beginners and Web design pros

Create and maintain dynamic Web sites that express your personality!

Expression Web is Microsoft’s latest program for designing attractive, easy-to-navigate Web sites. Design beginners will love this book’s plain-English explanations on how to set up a new site and create Web pages. Design pros will benefit from shortcuts showing how Expression Web makes tasks like using style sheets and complying with Web standards a breeze.

• Work with text, hyperlinks, and graphics
• Use templates to streamline your site
• Tweak your pages with CSS and HTML
• Publish your site on the Internet
• Back up and move your site

Microsoft Expression Web On Demand

FOR THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER BE SHOWN HOW THAN TOLD HOW

SEE HOW TO

• Create Web sites using drag and drop controls

• Employ Cascading Style Sheets formatting and management

• Create Cascading Style Sheet layouts

• Create a page design using layout tables

• Create page transition effects and background sounds

• Add interactive buttons and create hyperlinks

• Create dynamic Web templates to reuse

• Create forms to gather online information

• Write, edit, and optimize code and scripts

• Use IntelliSense to help reduce coding errors

• Retrieve and present data from live RSS feeds

• Integrate data from databases or XML data

• Create dynamic Web content using ASP.NET technology

On the Web

This book uses real world examples to give you a context in which to use the task. This book also includes workshops to help you put together individual tasks into projects. The Expression Web example files that you need for project tasks are available at www.perspection.com

Perspection has written more than thirty-five books on a variety of computer software, including Microsoft Office 2007 and XP, Microsoft Windows Vista and XP, Apple Mac OS X Panther, Adobe Photoshop CS2, Macromedia Flash 8, Macromedia Director MX, and Macromedia Fireworks. In 1991, after working for Apple Computer and Microsoft, Steve Johnson founded Perspection, Inc. Perspection is committed to providing information and training to help people use software more effectively. Perspection has written more than 80 computer books, and sold more than 5 million copies.

Introduction

1 Getting Started with Expression Web

2 Creating a Web Site

3 Working with Web Pages

4 Working with Web Page Text

5 Working with Web Page Graphics

6 Adding Hyperlinks to Web Pages

7 Adding Interactive Behaviors

8 Adding Tables and Layout Tables

9 Adding Frames and Borders

10 Gathering User Input Using Forms

11 Creating Styles and Layouts with CSS

12 Publishing and Managing a Web Site

13 Customizing Expression Web

Index

About the Author

Steve Johnson has written more than 35 books on a variety of computer software, including Microsoft Office 2007 and 2003, Microsoft Windows Vista and XP, Apple Mac OS X Panther, Macromedia Flash MX 2004 and 8, Macromedia Director MX 2004, Macromedia Fireworks, and Adobe Photoshop CS and CS2. In 1991, after working for Apple Computer and Microsoft, Steve founded Perspection, Inc., which writes and produces software training. When he is not staying up late writing, he enjoys playing golf, gardening, and spending time with his wife, Holly, and three children, JP, Brett, and Hannah. When time permits, he likes to travel to such places as New Hampshire in October, and Hawaii. Steve and his family live in Pleasanton, California, but can also be found visiting family all over the western United States.