C Programming Language (2nd Edition)
by Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis Ritchie, Dennis M. Ritchie
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (22 March, 1988)
list price: $42.00 -- our price: $42.00
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Editorial Review

Just about every C programmer I respect learned C from this book. Unlike many of the 1,000 page doorstops stuffed with CD-ROMs that have become popular, this volume is concise and powerful (if somewhat dangerous) -- like C itself. And it was written by Kernighan himself. Need we say more? ... Read more

Reviews (211)

The So Called "ANSI C "
After I observed Appendix A in the reference section, I could only dissolve this information with a grain of salt. The authors only convey definitions and refinements to the language, which is not the standard. Some of the glaring errors in the book come as a shock. These are the two fellows that co-founded the language at Bell Laborites back in the late 60's. The main concern that surrounds me about ANSI C is that the institute only contributes to the development of an operating system, and any further implementation which falls outside the limited scope of system development is deemed void. For this reason, I still rely on Old Testament of "Microsoft C" which allows the user to enable or disable the ANSI C support. Other oberservations I discovered from the book, tell me that K&R had a hard time keeping up with all revisions the institute made back in 1983. I would only recommend this book to advanced users of C, because some the code examples are hard to follow, and many have syntax errors.

Simple, concise and Excellent
A MUST for beginners in programming. For those coming from C++ background and want to learn low level concepts in C, I recommend quick visit to Chapter 7-8 and Appendix. This is not a book for data structures or algorithms. So you will not find much on those topics though you will see simple concepts here and there. For people exposed to programming this is a simple one day reading material to revisit basic C.

Chapter 1 (Tutorial Introduction) - Get started approach for beginners!

Chapter 2 (Types, Operators and Expressions) - Bitwise operators in 2.9 are good to visit.

Chapter 3 (Control Flow) - Very simple chapter.

Chapter 4 (Functions and Program Structure) - Good information here. C preprocessor details in 4.11 are good.

Chapter 5 (Pointers and Arrays) - Especially good for pointers and address arithmetic.

Chapter 6 (Structures) - Good exposure to basic C structures. Limitations of C compared to object oriented approach from C++ become obvious in this chapter.

Chapter 7 and 8 (I/O and UNIX Sytem Interface) - Those who do not have an OS background should read this chapter. You could see how concepts like system calls are abstracted and exposed through standard C functions. Simple and elegant starting point for any low level programming.

Appendix A and B - Good details on C standards. Also lot of standard C library functions are explained in good detail here. Very good comprehensive reference point.

C is K&R!
When I started studying C programming this little book (compared to other "bibles") was the only reference I had. Well, if you really want to know how to program in C this IS the BOOK.
No "super-duper ANSI-POSIX-ISO standard lists of functions" (you can simply find them with the man pages or on the net, and believe me, it's a snap), just pure C programming problems and techniques: types, casting, pointers, memory management, character management, binary operators, macros, etc... just the real basics of what makes a good programmer. Later, if you're interested, you'll have the opportunity to use advanced super-ISO functions that do everything. But then, you'll know what you're doing and why.
The key point is: with K&R you are given the knowledge of C programming, not the recipe for doing some C programming. ... Read more

Isbn: 0131103628
Subjects:  1. C (Computer program language)    2. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming    3. Computer Books: Languages    4. Programming (Computers)    5. Programming Languages - C    6. Computers / Programming Languages / C   

Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C, Second Edition
by BruceSchneier
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (18 October, 1995)
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Editorial Review

Cryptographic techniques have applications far beyond the obvious uses of encoding and decoding information. For Internet developers who need to know about capabilities, such as digital signatures, that depend on cryptographic techniques, there's no better overview than Applied Cryptography, the definitive book on the subject. Bruce Schneier covers general classes of cryptographic protocols and then specific techniques, detailing the inner workings of real-world cryptographic algorithms including the Data Encryption Standard and RSA public-key cryptosystems. The book includes source-code listings and extensive advice on the practical aspects of cryptography implementation, such as the importance of generating truly random numbers and of keeping keys secure. ... Read more

Reviews (91)

The Bible of the Crypto-world
For anyone working or studying the crypto-world (IT Security, Cryptographer, Cryptologists, PKI/PGP/SecureID Technologists, etc.) this is a must read.

For the fascinating world of Cryptography (the practical application of Cryptology) this is an essential textbook that any graduate course of digital security and cryptology should include.It is inteded as a reference book as well as a practical book to have handy for the working professional.

It's no wonder the NSA had asked the author not to publish this book.It leaves the Crypto-world naked to the average viewer/reader.

Excellent Text - Not Too Mathematical
This book provides excellent coverage of the mayor cryptography algorithms.It is a must have (for academic study or implementation), if only for the completeness of coverage and the comprehensive references.The C code provided is adequate, but reasonable programming skills are assumed.The book is not overly mathematical (which many of the other cryptography texts are - this is great for me, as I am more intereseted in practice).There is also good information on assessing / comparing the merits of different algorithms.Great for the practictioner or student taking a first course (it's still not bedtime reading).Mathematicians will look for more ......

Essential reference for any programmer
Over the long term, this is the applied math book that I come back to most often.

The first quarter of the book may come as a surprise. It's not about encryption, it's about secure protocols. This is great stuff. It includes secure key exchange, where you and I can agree on an encryption key in a public conversation, but none of the other listeners know what we agreed on. It includes zero-knowledge proofs, ways of establishing authorization without releasing your identity. It includes lots more, as well. The next brief section discusses different modes for using encryption algorithms, key management, and other logistics.

The third section is what you might have expected: detailed descriptions of many encryption schemes, taking up at least half the book. That includes public key schemes, private key codes, secure hashing algorithms, and all the other details needed for implementing the algorithms. One of the most useful subsections here is a set of pseudorandom number generators. It's not exhaustive, by any means - it omits the Mersenne Twister, for example. Still, it gives a fair set of algorithms, some of which are "cryptographically secure". That means the generator's output strongly resists attempts to find regularities, just the way a truly random sequence would.

The last two chapters give a brief summary of the practice, legalities, and even culture around cryptography.

This won't make you into a crypto professional. Despite its600+ pages, it barely introduces the world of crypto and certainly doesn't release anything from the "closed" world of government agencies. It will, however, give you useful algorithms, a basic background, and an appreciation of just what real crypto is about. That last may be the most important part. Too many people think inventing a good code is like making love: anyone can do it, and they instinctively do it better than most people. Wrong! Real crypto is not for dabblers, and this book gives some sense of what is involved.

The first edition of "Applied Cryptography" was a landmark text, but the second edition is even better. It's so much better that, if you just have the first edition, you really should upgrade to the second, and I've never said that about any other book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0471117099
Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computer security    4. Cryptography    5. Discrete Mathematics    6. Programming Languages - General    7. Security    8. Security measures    9. Telecommunication    10. Computers / Security    11. Data security & data encryption   

Introduction to Algorithms (MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)
by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (18 June, 1990)
list price: $69.95
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Editorial Review

If you had to buy just one text on algorithms, Introduction to Algorithms is a magnificent choice. The book begins by considering the mathematical foundations of the analysis of algorithms and maintains this mathematical rigor throughout the work. The tools developed in these opening sections are then applied to sorting, data structures, graphs, and a variety of selected algorithms including computational geometry, string algorithms, parallel models of computation, fast Fourier transforms (FFTs), and more.

This book's strength lies in its encyclopedic range, clear exposition, and powerful analysis. Pseudo-code explanation of the algorithms coupled with proof of their accuracy makes this book is a great resource on the basic tools used to analyze the performance of algorithms. ... Read more

Reviews (122)

Too much coverage and few examples
I am a MS student, we used this book as Text Guide. Thank God I pass although I just got a B in part due to the poor coverage of exercises of this book. Despite of my willingness to try the examples and exercises it was really frustating not be able to check any of my answers.
First of all the book tries to cover all the possible topics related to Algorithms from sortingto NP-completeness problems. My recommendation, focus on what you know well and cover it thouroughly or at least split this book in 2 volumes.
Second, the anoying way to explain things by leaving them as exercises.
Third, the exercises were not in any way helpful to reinforce the material covered in the chapter, on the contrary are just the introduction of new concepts; and on top of that no answers available. In some cases the answers are not even related to the chapter you are reviewing, just an example, the solution for some of the problems in NP chapter are the application of Dynamic Programming which is a different chapter in the book.

If you have the unfortune of using this book, search on the net for answers that may guide you on your homework assignments.

Best of the luck.

Comprehensive and (almost) complete.
I am an EE PhD student in Princeton, with basic CS background. I bought this book about a week ago, and I just finished reading more than half of it. I am impressed by the organisation and dedication of the authors to write something understandable to a wide audience, without sacrificing in depth analysis. If you need a good and complete introductory book,that summarizes also the latest research in the field, I would recommend this one.

Drawbacks...Minor (+ I am a weird guy) and hardly mentionable, but I have the feeling that some proofs may have been presented more rigorously. I would also like to see more examples or SOLUTIONS to some of the problems.

Lots of stuff, but a little verbose
A good introductory text but that's about it. Any CS major worth his salt should chew his way through this level material pretty quickly, and there's the only rub... at points this could be a little bit more concise because it actually can aid understanding in an exact field. Sometimes less is more. The spared pages could be used to cover more material or to raise the bar a little. ... Read more

Isbn: 0262031418
Subjects:  1. Algorithms (Computer Programming)    2. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming    3. Computer Books: Operating Systems    4. Computer Science    5. Computer algorithms    6. Computer programming    7. Computers    8. Data Processing - General    9. Programming - Algorithms    10. Computers / Computer Science   

The Matrix
Director: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Average Customer Review:
DVD (21 September, 1999)
list price: $19.96 -- our price: $14.97
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Editorial Review

By following up their debut thriller Bound with the 1999 box-office smash The Matrix, the codirecting Wachowski brothers--Andy and Larry--annihilated any suggestion of a sophomore jinx, crafting one of the most exhilarating sci-fi/action movies of the 1990s. Set in the not too distant future in an insipid, characterless city, we find a young man named Neo (Keanu Reeves). A software techie by day and a computer hacker by night, he sits alone at home by his monitor, waiting for a sign, a signal--from what or whom he doesn't know--until one night, a mysterious woman named Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) seeks him out and introduces him to that faceless characterhe has been waiting for: Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). A messiah of sorts, Morpheus presents Neo with the truth about his world by shedding light on the dark secrets that have troubled him for so long: "You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad." Ultimately, Morpheus illustrates to Neo what the Matrix is--a reality beyond reality that controls all of their lives, in a way that Neo can barely comprehend.

Neo thus embarks on an adventure that is both terrifying and enthralling. Pitted against an enemy that transcends human concepts of evil, Morpheus and his team must train Neo to believe that he is the chosen champion of their fight. With mind-boggling, technically innovative special effects and a thought-provoking script that owes a debt of inspiration to the legacy of cyberpunk fiction, this is much more than an out-and-out action yarn; it's a thinking man's journey into the realm of futuristic fantasy, a dreamscape full of eye candy that will satisfy sci-fi, kung fu, action, and adventure fans alike. Although the film is headlined by Reeves andFishburne--who both turn in fine performances--much of the fun and excitement should be attributed to Moss, who flawlessly mixes vulnerability with immense strength, making other contemporary female heroines look timid by comparison. And if we were going to cast a vote for most dastardly movie villain of 1999, it would have to go to Hugo Weaving, who plays the feckless, semipsychotic Agent Smith with panache and edginess. As the film's box-office profits soared, the Wachowski brothers announced that The Matrix is merely the first chapter in a cinematically dazzling franchise--a chapter that is arguably superior to the other sci-fi smash of 1999 (you know... the one starring Jar Jar Binks).--Jeremy Storey ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• Widescreen

Reviews (2926)

great movie, but hard to understand
this movie had great special effects, and the actorsdid a fabulous job of acting.
BUT the plot is hard to understand. That's the only bad thing.

4.5 out of 5

Prepárense a dudar de todo


Chequeen su realidad, piensen lo inimaginable, atrévanse a creerlo.
Matrix responde esa pregunta que ha pasado por nuestra mente ¿Alguna vez no has estado seguro de haber despertado o seguir soñando?
Varias veces.
La premisa del filme vende la idea que este mundo no es lo que parece ser. La mayoría de la población mundial no se ha percatado que todo a su alrededor es una simulación virtual creada por la matriz.
¿Qué es la matriz?
Neo (Keanu Reeves) está a punto de enterarse. Hacker que trabaja en una empresa de software, Neo comenzará a recibir mensajes a través de su computadora anunciándole un peligro inminente. Un grupo de personas tratarán de ayudarlo a escapar de la matriz, guiados por la creencia que es "el elegido", un héroe quien una vez que ingrese al mundo real, desarrollará un poder único para combatir a sus enemigos.
Será cuando se desprenda de todo lo que una vez creyó verdadero y se enfrente a la naturaleza de la realidad que Neo descubrirá de cuánta libertad y poder goza.

"No me gusta la idea de que no controlo mi propia vida", comenta Neo en algún momento del filme.
¿Y es que hay alguien a quién le guste?
Las capas que componen esta densa historia, van acoplándose una tras otra mientras la acción toma lugar, creando una realidad plausiblemente aterradora. Las musas que parecen inspirarla varían -bíblicas, talmúdicas, filosofías orientales y del occidente-, pero todas dan su aporte a esta invención creada por las mentes de los hermanos Larry y Andy Wachowski.
Un despliegue visual espectacular, con efectos especiales y planos cinematográficos que exceden en originalidad producen en el espectador una sensación que baila entre asfixia, emoción, temor y expectativa a lo que pueda ocurrir en cualquier minuto.
Matrix es una gran obra de ciencia ficción. Un viaje que todos debemos tomar, pues ofrece una visión genuina del futuro y nos tendrá chequeando nuestra propia realidad para el momento que haya finalizado la cinta.

ENTER THE MATRIX...Perhaps the best Sci-Fi of the year!
The Matrix takes you on a journey of futuristic probablities while still adhering old fashioned cosmetics (trench coats etc.)
This movie has excellent casting, character development, plot, action, adventure, and the element of danger all rolled up into one.Just what you need for a TIMELESS Science Fiction movie that people will be talking about 30 years from now...

What if virtual reality wasn't just for fun, but was being used to imprison you? That's the dilemma that faces mild-mannered computer programmer Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) in The Matrix. It's the year 1999, and Anderson (who goes by the hacker alias of NEO) works in a cubicle, manning a computer and doing a little hacking on the side.

It's through this latter activity that Thomas makes the acquaintance of Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who has some interesting news for Mr. Anderson - none of what's going on around him is real. The year is actually closer to 2199, and it seems Thomas, like most people, is a victim of The Matrix, a massive artificial intelligence system that has tapped into people's minds and created the illusion of a real world, while using their brains and bodies for energy, tossing them away like spent batteries when they're through. Morpheus, however, is convinced Neo is "The One" who can crack open The Matrix and bring his people to both physical and psychological freedom. ... Read more

Asin: B00000K19E
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-action/Adventure   

Introduction to the Theory of Computation
by Michael Sipser
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (13 December, 1996)
list price: $103.95 -- our price: $103.95
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Editorial Review

"Intended as an upper-level undergraduate or introductory graduate text in computer science theory," this book lucidly covers the key concepts and theorems of the theory of computation. The presentation is remarkably clear; for example, the "proof idea," which offers the reader an intuitive feel for how the proof was constructed, accompanies many of the theorems and a proof. Introduction to the Theory of Computation covers the usual topics for this type of text plus it features a solid section on complexity theory--including an entire chapter on space complexity. The final chapter introduces more advanced topics, such as the discussion of complexity classes associated with probabilistic algorithms. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

An excellent one-semester intro to theory of computation
The theory of computation represents a fascinating landscape that intersects computer science and mathematics and can be roughly divided into three overlapping areas: automata and formal languages, computability theory, and computational complexity. And there is enough interesting knowledge about each area to fill three books, each twice the size of this one. And because of this I find it remarkable that the author has succeeded in filling a slim volume with the essential theory and results from each area, in a style that not only seems very accessible and intuitive, but also demonstrates important relationships between the three areas. For example, most books on computability theory do not discuss automata outside of Turing machines, but in his book Sipser elegantly proves that the equivalence problem is decidable for deterministic finite automata, but undecidable for pushdown automata.

Not only does the author have very good coverage of the three areas, but he also is able to strike a nice balance between mathematical rigor and intuitive understanding. His "proof idea" proof preambles greatly helped my students better understand the main ideas behind each result. In terms of coverage I found only a handful of introductory topics that were neglected: Greibach Normal Form, Rice and Rice-Shapiro Theorems, algebraic aspects of formal languages, Turing degrees, and perhaps context sensitive languages. With that said, remember that this book is just a semester-long introduction to a vast landscape. I recommend the following books for more depth: Peter Linz, "Introduction to Formal Languages and Automata"; Nigel Cutland, "Introduction to Computability Theory"; Christos Papadimitriou, "Computational Complexity".

Another strength of the book is how the author distinguishes exercises and problems: "exercises" are similar to the worked out examples, and can be solved by following one of the presented examples, algorithms or theorems, while "problems" require significant expository writing and deeper insight. Most undergraduates should be able to handle the exercises, but will find the problems very challenging if not impossible, due to the fact that students at this level are mostly familiar with problems that can be solved in a few steps by following some algorithm. So these problems have the capability of developing student intellect, but if assigned in too large a quantity can break the spirit of the developing student. Have care!

I congratulate Dr. Sipser on this fine book. May it inspire millions of readers to question the meaning of computation and explore its possibilities and limitations.

misleading
yeah, sure, Sipser manages to pack a lot of difficult stuff into a small book and makes it seem easy. think again, you'll find that's because he's not telling you the whole story! a lot of interesting materials are just skipped. For example, Greibach normal form of CFG is nowhere seen in the book, which makes Sipser's explaining of converting CFG to NPDA (lemma 2.13) very uninteresting. Compare with lecture 24 in Kozen's book, you'll see the difference. This book also lacks examples. Without seeing enough examples, you justwon't grasp the concepts firmly. That's mainly the reason why the exercises and problems seem so difficult.

I recommend Kozen's "Automata and Computability", Hopcroft and Ullman's "automata, languages, computation" and Papadimitriou's"computational complexity". but not this one.

readable and concise
Prof. Sipser gives a fabulous introduction to theoretical computer science.His clear and concise proofs are preceding by "Proof Ideas" that give a non-technical overview of the proof to follow.This makes the proofs far easier to follow.He strikes a perfect balance between concise mathematics and eloquent exposition, so the book neither intimidates the novice student nor bores the seasonsedmathematician.This is a model computer science/mathematics textbook! ... Read more

Isbn: 053494728X
Subjects:  1. Advanced    2. Computational complexity    3. Computer Bks - General Information    4. Discrete Mathematics    5. General    6. Logic    7. Machine Learning    8. Machine theory    9. Mathematics    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Systems Analysis    12. Computers / Information Theory