Adaptive Web Sites: A Knowledge Extraction from Web Data Approach
296 pages | IOS Press (January 15, 2008) | ISBN: 1586038311 | PDF | 1.6MB

This book can be presented in two different ways; introducing a particular methodology to build adaptive Web sites and; presenting the main concepts behind Web mining and then applying them to adaptive Web sites. In this case, adaptive Web sites is the case study to exemplify the tools introduced in the text. The authors start by introducing the Web and motivating the need for adaptive Web sites. The second chapter introduces the main concepts behind a Web site: its operation, its associated data and structure, user sessions, etc. Chapter three explains the Web mining process and the tools to analyze Web data, mainly focused in machine learning. The fourth chapter looks at how to store and manage data.

Chapter five looks at the three main and different mining tasks: content, links and usage. The following chapter covers Web personalization, a crucial topic if we want to adapt our site to specific groups of people. Chapter seven shows how to use information extraction techniques to find user behavior patterns. The subsequent chapter explains how to acquire and maintain knowledge extracted from the previous phase. Finally, chapter nine contains the case study where all the previous concepts are applied to present a framework to build adaptive Web sites. In other words, the authors have taken care of writing a self-contained book for people that want to learn and apply personalization and adaptation in Web sites. This is commendable considering the large and increasing bibliography in these and related topics. The writing is easy to follow and although the coverage is not exhaustive, the main concepts and topics are all covered.

Cyril M. Harris, “Dictionary of Architecture and Construction"
McGraw-Hill Professional | 2005-08-15 | ISBN: 0071452370 | 1040 pages | PDF | 22.1MB

Updated and expanded, this Fourth Edition of the most trusted reference in architecture offers the most comprehensive coverage of architectural and construction terms available. This classic dictionary now features nearly 25,000 definitions (including 2,800 new terms), 2,500 illustrations (including 200 new illustrations), and maintains its extraordinary visual appeal and easy-to-read page design. Prepared by a renowned architectural editor in association with expert contributors and incorporating the work of many standards groups, the book presents clear, concise definitions of terms in nearly 80 working areas.

The Fourth Edition covers new industry terms which have emerged due to changes in engineering and building technologies, organizations, materials, and legal developments, and has been expanded to include more historic architectural styles. New terms include: Legal Architectural Barriers Act Wheelchair Accessible Materials Fibrous Concrete Latex Mortar Polymer-Based Stucco Concrete Compliance Conformity Refractory Mortar Organizations Building Research Establishment (formerly Building Research Station) of Great Britain ASTM Historic Architectural Styles Anglo-Palladianism French Victorian Isabellino Mudajar Mozarabic Neo-Rococo

Tony Mullen, Erwin Coumans, "Blender Physical Effects .Bounce, Tumble, and Splash!"
Sybex | ISBN-10: 0470192801 | June 30, 2008 | 400 pages | PDF | 34MB

Bounce, Tumble, and Splash! is the only book to cover the advanced simulation features of Blender, the premier open source 3D software that is a must-have for your animation toolbox. Expert author Tony Mullen provides you with the real-world know-how to create dynamic, highly realistic images of flames, cloth, hair and other physical phenomena from the world around you. This unique guide will help you push the boundaries of 3D and take your Blender skills to the limit.

You'll discover the very latest Blender physics and dynamics tools, including simulations for soft body, fluid, rigid body, and rag doll dynamics. Hone the skills to create stormy seas, flowing hair, or fiery flames with the sophisticated coverage of advanced Blender features included in this beautiful, full-color guide.

* Set particle parameters, define systems, and discover new Blender particle functionality
* Explore the new cloth simulation, improved tools for soft bodies, and the Demolition Python script
* Style the latest look in hair with strand particles, new styling tools, and new features for hair and fur
* Make a splash with fluid simulations and modifiers
* Use the Blender Game Engine and the Bullet physics library to create rigid body physics simulations
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Build realistic trees and plants with Blender scripts and third-party tools

Create dynamic hair effects using hair styling and soft body simulation for particles

Use the improved soft bodies to create jiggling, bouncing objects

Steve Roberts, "Character Animation 2D Skills for Better 3D, 2nd Edition"
Focal Press | ISBN-10: 0240520548 | April 20, 2007 | 304 pages | PDF | 12.4MB

This book is the culmination of almost 10 years of teaching drawn animation techniques to 3D computer animators.
You may think, ‘why on earth does a 3D computer animator need to learn how to do drawn animation?’ The answer to this question is that the basics of animation are all the same and often you can get an idea of the movement far more quickly using pencil and paper. A computer can take a lot of the drudgery out of animating, but you can end up doing a piece of animation without quite understanding how it happened and whether it works or not. One of the most valuable things I have learnt over the past 25 years of animating is to keep things simple!

The main value of an animation teacher is somebody who can cut to the chase and tell you the fundamental things that you need to know. You can then elaborate on top of this in your own way.
I have kept the examples and the animation exercises in this book as simple as possible, so that you are able to build a firm foundation of skills on which you can develop your animation further.
The form of the book is as follows. In each chapter I will go through the fundamentals of a given topic. Then there will be a drawn animation exercise to complete. Then and only then can an identical animation exercise be attempted using the software package of your choice.