Creating Data-Driven Documents
Rob's rating:
  4.0
On Aug 27, 2013 Rob Dawson wrote: Good place to get started with D3
I picked up a review copy of this book quite a while ago, being intrigued by D3, but not really knowing what it was. It was only more recently that I have been working on a codebase that uses D3, and so had a need to read the book. I’d been tinkering around the edges, but then had a strong need to do some d3 codeing, so picked up my copy of “Getting Started with D3″. Full Review >
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Designing Consistent RESTful Web Service Interfaces
Rob's rating:
3.0
On Aug 31, 2012 Rob Dawson wrote: REST + WRML
The book provides a decent set of information around REST, and had me either nodding my head or thinking at various stages. Its description and thoughts around REST were pretty good, but there is one area to be wary of. The book seems to do two things.
Describe ways of doing REST well.
Sell WRML, the authors own framework to help model REST Full Review >
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Rob's rating:
5.0
On Jul 1, 2012 Rob Dawson wrote: Patterns for mobile UI
Mobile Design Pattern Gallery does a good job of outlining user interface patterns for mobile, giving labels to the elements, and helping developers like me think about what is in a design. Full Review >
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A CIO's Handbook to the Changing Data Landscape
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Jun 27, 2012 Rob Dawson wrote: Good introduction to Big Data
Planning for Big Data presents a series of short articles on working with Big Data. Big Data being the large datasets that are available today. Full Review >
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Analytics for Improving Software Teams
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Dec 14, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Measure Software Development
Codermetrics provides an interesting idea, measuring software development with a goal of trying to find things to improve. I found it interesting having seen bad metrics used and talked about in past. Full Review >
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New Open Source Tools for Location Data
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Aug 11, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Does what the title says
I'm more and more enjoying the O'Reilly Getting Started guides. They provide a good introduction to cutting edge topics, and this one is no exception. Full Review >
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Practical Techniques for Fast Data Manipulation
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Aug 9, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Learn Redis by Example
I've been interested in redis having seen it recently in a couple of rails based systems, and heard it described as the magic caching data structure. I grabbed a copy of the Redis Cookbook in order to get a better understanding of Redis to use it with existing systems and to see how it might fit into new systems.
Full Review >
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Tools for Better Concurrency, Abstraction, and Agility
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Aug 7, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Get Started with FP
It was with eagerness and anticipation that I picked up a copy of fp for jd. I'd heard about it on twitter, and conversations with my resident functional guru (Tony Morris) got me excited about the potential for this book. Full Review >
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A Hands-On Guide for the Adventurous
Rob's rating:
3.0
On Aug 2, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Decent Ruby Book
The Book of Ruby constantly had me torn. I love the simple and clear examples. The explanation of the core of the ruby language is very solid and well done. It's a readable book.... Full Review >
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Big Picture of the Who, What, and Where of Virtualization
Rob's rating:
3.0
On Jul 17, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Simple Introduction to Virtualization
I picked up a copy of "Virtualization: A Manager's Guide" as a part of the O'Reilly blogger review program. It was little questionable as while I'm technically a manager, I am also still very technical, so am on the border of the books audience. Full Review >
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Rob's rating:
4.0
On Jul 15, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: art Doing Test-Driven Infrastructure
Test-Driven Infrastructure with Chef is a good little book. I grabbed a copy, having heard much about Chef http://www.opscode.com/chef/, and Puppet http://www.puppetlabs.com/, tools for automating machine and systems integration. Full Review >
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A Guide to Standards, Workflows, and Meaningful Use
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Jul 3, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Good book on Health IT
Getting to Meaningful Use and Beyond Is a book about the meaningful use standards for electronic health records in the united states. I grabbed a preview copy of this book having implemented a simple database for a patient record reporting for a small therapy group many moons ago. I was expecting a dry boring book, but was pleasantly surprised to find it engaging and well written. Full Review >
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A Developer's Guide to the Future of Web Design
Rob's rating:
5.0
On Jun 24, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Must read for Front-End Developers
As on of the contributors to TinyMCE, it's important for me to be well on top of CSS for two reasons, first to ensure that we support CSS well for our customers, and second to ensure that we leverage it well for the product.
The book of CSS3 presents the new features included in CSS3 in a readable, well written style. I found interesting and noteworthy points in almost every chapter
Full Review >
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Get the Most Out of Your Database
Rob's rating:
4.0
On May 17, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: MongoDB Food for Thought
The book 50 Tips and Tricks for MongoDB Developers, provides some good food for thought relating to the tradeoffs when working with document stores in general and MongoDB in particular. Full Review >
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Rob's rating:
4.0
On May 10, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: The Bible of JavaScript Development
JavaScript: The Definitive Guide has well been known as the bible of JavaScript Development. As a professional JavaScript Developer and leader of JavaScript Developers, I had to grab an updated copy (we've got various old editions around the office). It was great to get opportunity to review it as a part of the O'Reilly Blogger Review program. Full Review >
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Implementing Game Mechanics in Web and Mobile Apps
Rob's rating:
4.0
On May 2, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Good Introduction to Gamification for Technical people
Gamification by Design is well written and easy to understand. It does a good job of presenting the key ideas of Gamification. Full Review >
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A Case Study in Real-World Data Analysis
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Apr 19, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Good Programmers starting for R
The Book Data Mashups in R gives a short tutorial using R to pull data from the web and analyse it. The specific presentation is looking at foreclosure auctions in Philadelphia. I used this book to get some practical hands on exposure to R. Full Review >
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A Guide to Public Data
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Mar 21, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Data Source Handbook By Pete Warden
This is a short eye opening book on the data and apis that are freely available on the web.
Full Review >
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Solutions & Examples for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Apps
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Mar 16, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: iOS code examples and APIs
The iOS 4 Programming Cookbook is an interesting book. When reading it my emotions ranged excited, happy, pleasantly surprised to puzzled. Full Review >
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The Art and Science of Converting Prospects to Customers
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Feb 8, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Are the right people hearing your message?
Conversion Optimisation is an interesting book for me to review. I found it a good read, helping me to think about and understand some of the the ideas and concepts around helping people to give you money for a product or service on your website.
Full Review >
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Read Less, Learn More
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Feb 4, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: A Useful Overview of JQuery
jQuery Pocket Reference provides a very useful coverage of jQuery and the functionality it provides. It presents the key concepts and how to work with jQuery. This makes it sound like a book for beginners to jQuery (which to some extent it is), but it is also excellent for people with much more experience, who want to review what they know, and also have a good reference. Full Review >
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Scripted Graphics for HTML5
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Jan 29, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Good introduction to HTML canvas
The canvas pocket Terence is a short read, aimed at introducing the canvas DOM element, and the way that it can be used. Additionally it provides a reference to the APIs, useful for people actually using canvas in anger.
Full Review >
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Rob's rating:
5.0
On Jan 26, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: You Can Create Real Solutions to Real Problems
The Myths of Innovation is a great fun book for helping get yourself started or continue innovating. Full Review >
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Create Native Apps with Objective-C and Xcode
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Jan 23, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: Good book for most JavaScript Programmers
Learning the iOS 4 SDK for JavaScript Programmers: Create Native Apps with Objective-C and Xcode is a good getting started book for the right audience. I sit on the border of being in that audience, but did still manage to learn lots, and enjoy doing so. Full Review >
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Turning Ideas into iPad and iPhone Apps Customers Really Want
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Jan 14, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: App Savvy By Ken Yarmosh
App Savvy is a great book if you've got an idea for an iOS app or want to move into the space. It has a good introduction to the topics that you should be thinking about, presenting a strategy for how to produce a successful app. Full Review >
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Building the New Age of Participation
Rob's rating:
4.0
On Jan 5, 2011 Rob Dawson wrote: The Art of Community - Jono Bacon
The Art of Community provides good coverage of community, helping readers to think about building a community and the tasks and work involved in doing so. Full Review >
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