This ambitious book comes with a strong pedigree. Author John Battelle was a founder of The Industry Standard and then one of the original editors of Wired, two magazines which helped shape our early perceptions of the wild world of the Internet. Battelle clearly drew from his experience and contacts in writing The Search. In addition to the sure-handed historical perspective and easy familiarity with such dot-com stalwarts as AltaVista, Lycos, and Excite, he speckles his narrative with conversational asides from a cast of fascinating characters, such Google's founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin; Yahoo's, Jerry Yang and David Filo; key executives at microsoft and different VC firms on the famed Sandhill road; and numerous other insiders, particularly at the company which currently sits atop the search world, Google.

The Search is not exactly the corporate history of Google. At the book's outset, Battelle specifically indicates his desire to understand what he calls the cultural anthropology of search, and to analyze search engines' current role as the "database of our intentions"--the repository of humanity's curiosity, exploration, and expressed desires. Interesting though that beginning is, though, Battelle's story really picks up speed when he starts dishing inside scoop on the darling business story of the decade, Google. To Battelle's credit, though, he doesn't stop just with historical retrospective: the final part of his book focuses on the potential future directions of Google and its products' development. In what Battelle himself acknowledges might just be a "digital fantasy train", he describes the possibility that Google will become the centralizing platform for our entire lives and quotes one early employee on the weightiness of Google's potential impact: "Sometimes I feel like I am on a bridge, twenty thousand feet up in the air. If I look down I'm afraid I'll fall. I don't feel like I can think about all the implications."

Some will shrug at such words; after all, similar hype has accompanied other technologies and other companies before. Many others, though, will search Battelle's story for meaning--and fast. --Peter Han

From Publishers Weekly
Rather than write a book strictly about the rise of Google as a business, technology journalist Battelle targets his research on the concept of Internet search, beginning the book with a discussion of an abstract idea he terms the "Database of Intentions," defined as the sum total of all queries that pour into search engines daily, revealing the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of our culture. Though most of the book is devoted to the search engine giant (which Battelle reports corners 51 percent of the search engine market), the author also includes chapters on "Search, Before Google" and the "Who, What, Where, Why, When. And How (much)" of search. Battelle is at his best when describing the creation of Google, especially through the yin-yang personalities of its founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and in describing the company's culture. Though Battelle's descriptions of Internet search technology can get too technical for readers without a computer science background, the book is a deeply researched and nimbly reported look at how search has defined the Internet and how it will continue to be a tremendous reflection of culture.
Copyright © Reed business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Focusing on SQL Server 2005, this official study guide covers topics such as installing and configuring SQL Server, implementing database mirroring, managing database snapshots, working with XML and flat files, managing replication, backing up and restoring a database, monitoring and troubleshooting, and creating and implementing database objects.

Ace your exam preparation and ramp up quickly on SQL Server 2005 database administration by working at your own pace through the lessons, hands-on exercises, and practice tests. The flexible, best-of-class test engine on CD features 300 practice questions and pre-assessment and post-assessment capabilities. Choose timed or untimed testing mode, generate random tests, or focus on discrete objectives or chapters, and get detailed explanations for right and wrong answers—including pointers back to the book for further study. You also get a 180-day evaluation version of SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition and a 15 percent exam discount voucher—making this kit an exceptional value and a great career investment.

Publisher Description
Key Book Benefits: - Comprehensive study guide written by exam-certified authors - Deeper, more focused coverage of exam objectives and sub-objectives—plus instructive case studies and troubleshooting scenarios to enhance your performance on the job - 300 practice questions on CD, with a test engine that enables customized testing, pre-assessment and post-assessment, and automated scoring and feedback - Complete objective-by-objective Review section, plus a tear-out exam-mapping grid - Exam tips based on real-world test experience - 180-day evaluation version of SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition - 15 percent exam discount voucher from a leading authorized testing center (limited time offer) - microsoft encyclopedia of Networking, Second Edition, eBook - Practice files on CD - Entire study guide in searchable eBook format

Focusing on the .NET Framework version 2.0, this official study guide covers topics such as .NET Framework fundamentals, I/O, graphics, collections, serialization, application domains and services, application and user security, threading, instrumentation, reflection, and installing and configuring applications.

Ace your exam preparation and ramp up quickly on the .NET Framework by working at your own pace through the lessons, hands-on exercises, and practice tests. The flexible, best-of-class test engine on CD features 300 practice questions and pre-assessment and post-assessment capabilities. Choose timed or untimed testing mode, generate random tests, or focus on discrete objectives or chapters, and get detailed explanations for right and wrong answers—including pointers back to the book for further study. You also get a 90-day evaluation version of microsoft Visual Studio® 2005 and a 15 percent exam discount voucher—making this kit an exceptional value and a great career investment.

Publisher Description
Key Book Benefits: - Comprehensive study guide written by exam-certified authors - Deeper, more focused coverage of exam objectives and suobjectives—plus instructive case studies and troubleshooting scenarios to enhance your performance on the job - 300 practice questions on CD, wita test engine that enables customized testing, pre-assessment and post-assessment, and automated scoring and feedback - Complete objective-by-objective Review section, plus a tear-out exam-mapping grid - Exam tips based on real-world test experience - 90-day evaluation version of Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition - 15 percent exam discount voucher from a leading authorized testing center (limited time offer) - microsoft encyclopedia of Networking, Second Edition, eBook - Practice files on CD - Entire study guide in searchable eBook format

Key Book Benefits:

• Delves into the core, must-know topics for developers working with ASP.NET 2.0, and advances their mastery with essential skills

• Examines the new controls and infrastructure in ASP.NET 2.0 in depth, while also providing the latest information on classic ASP features such as controls

• Provides hands-on code examples to illustrate concepts and build skills mastery

Case in point: The ever-essential task of using PHP to open a connection to a MySQL database, submit a query to that database, receive a response, and format the returned rows, if any. The book addresses this problem with a straight code listing, followed by text that explains what's happening in five numbered steps. Similar care goes to the other popular applications of the PHP/MySQL duo: session management, shopping carts, and authentication of users. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to use the PHP server-side scripting language and the MySQL database engine to underlie dynamic Web sites (those that rely on database queries) and full-on Web applications, such as those that require session management and maintenance of user rosters. Tutorials in both subjects begin with the basics and proceed through moderately complicated stuff, though there's no absolutely comprehensive reference here. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description
There are many reasons for serving up dynamic content from a web site: to offer an online shopping site, create customized information pages for users, or just manage a large volume of content through a database. Anyone with a modest knowledge of HTML and web site management can learn to create dynamic content through the PHP programming language and the MySQL database. This book gives you the background and tools to do the job safely and reliably. Web Database Applications with PHP and MySQL, Second Edition thoroughly reflects the needs of real-world applications. It goes into detail on such practical issues as validating input (do you know what a proper credit card number looks like?), logging in users, and using templates to give your dynamic web pages a standard look. But this book goes even further. It shows how JavaScript and PHP can be used in tandem to make a user's experience faster and more pleasant. It shows the correct way to handle errors in user input so that a site looks professional. It introduces the vast collection of powerful tools available in the PEAR repository and shows how to use some of the most popular tools. Even while it serves as an introduction to new programmers, the book does not omit critical tasks that web sites require. For instance, every site that allows updates must handle the possibility of multiple users accessing data at the same time. This book explains how to solve the problem in detail with locking. Through a sophisticated sample application--Hugh and Dave's Wine Store--all the important techniques of dynamic content are introduced. Good design is emphasized, such as dividing logic from presentation. The book introduces PHP 5 and MySQL 4.1 features, while providing techniques that can be used on older versions of the software that are still in widespread use. This new edition has been redesigned around the rich offerings of PEAR. Several of these, including the Template package and the database-independent query API, are fully integrated into examples and thoroughly described in the text. topics include:

• Installation and configuration of Apache, MySQL, and PHP on Unix®, Windows®, and Mac OS® X systems
• Introductions to PHP, SQL, and MySQL administration
• Session management, including the use of a custom database for improved efficiency
• User input validation, security, and authentication
• The PEAR repository, plus details on the use of PEAR DB and Template classes
• Production of PDF reports

Key Book Benefits:

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• Supplements and extends the author’s programming microsoft ASP.NET 2.0 Core Reference book with additional, more-sophisticated techniques and examples.

Key Book Benefits:

• Covers advanced topics—including using ObjectSpaces, the DataView control, and security issues—not explored at length or in-depth in most other ADO.NET references

• Provides reference information as well as hands-on code explorations of complex ADO.NET topics

• Features extensive code examples on a companion Web site