Reviews (6)

no contract software forms
Great book, bought it for my husband, but was very disappointed with the forms on the cd rom. They seem to be for beginner contractors as change orders and estimate checklists tend to be already used by seasoned contractors. The forms were nothing new to us. I was under the impression that the cd rom had sample contracts and was sadly mistaken. However, the book gives great advice. If one wants to purchase the authors' contract software system, be prepared to shell out $200.00 at his website. No wonder this book was inexpensive.

Residential -vs- Commercial
I am a general contractor in the commercial/public works market. This book is meant for the residential market. The author is well versed in that arena, but makes various references that these methods can be applied to the commercial market. That is best decided by the individual, but this is a residential construction book.

Five Stars! Really good profitability advise.
Written by a contractor for contractors, this book provides very sound business advise for many who are considering starting various types of small businesses. Contractors must charge appropriately for their services. This book will tell current and future contractors how-to establish job costs and an appropriate markup rate to increase the opportunity for long-term success. In addition, the author provides very sound advise on business/customer service best practices. The advise on properly communicating the value of services provided is very good. Lot's of other great information and the CD-ROM has some good forms to get you started. I highly recommend this book to all small general and specialty contractors, and especially to all contractors who are having problems making ends meet.

Best of show
This book is one of the best I have read on the subject. Plenty of good street smart advice that covers more than just the title subject. Mr. Stone has come up with a book that will help both those new to the industry, and those more experienced (see the section on the difference between new home construction and remodeling, and those who attempt to mix these business models.)
Should be required reading for those attempting to get into this business.

A Must Read For All Contractors
I found this book to be loaded with good facts and information that will help any new or existing contracting company! ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive machine design handbook for mechanical engineers, product designers, project engineers, design engineers, and manufacturing engineers covers every aspect of machine construction and operation. The 3rd edition of the Standard Handbook of Machine Design will be redesigned to meet the challenges of a new mechanical engineering age. In addition to adding chapters on structural plastics and adhesives, which are replacing the old nuts bolts and fasteners in design, the author will also update and streamline the remaining chapters. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Useful reference
Standard Handbook of Machine Design, 3rd Edition editedby Joseph Shigley, Charles Mischke, Thomas H. Brown (Standard Handbook of Machine Design: McGraw-Hill Professional) The definitive machine design handbook for mechanical engineers, product designers, project engineers, design engineers, and manufacturing engineers covers every aspect of machine construction and operation. The 3rd edition of the Standard Handbook of Machine Design will be redesigned to meet the challenges of a new mechanical engineering age. In addition to adding chapters on structural plastics and adhesives, which are replacing the old nuts bolts and fasteners in design, the author will also update and streamline the remaining chapters.
Excerpt: This Third Edition of the Standard Handbook of Machine Design has been completely reorganized as compared to its two previous editions. To bring into focus the needs of the machine design engineer, without the distractions of ancillary material, the number of chapters has been reduced from 50 in the Second Edition to 39. These 39 chapters have been carefully grouped into nine distinct sections, denoted as Parts 1 through 9. These chapter groupings were inspired primarily by a set of eight "Machine Design Workbooks," containing much of the material in the First Edition, and published between the First and Second Editions.
After a new introductory chapter, "Evolution of a Successful Design," the first of nine sections, Part 1, "Machine Elements in Motion," presents four chapters on the seemingly endless ways to achieve a desired motion. Kinematics, or the geometry of motion, is probably the most important step in the design process, as it sets the stage for many of the other decisions that will be made as a successful design evolves. Whether it's a self-locking latch you are looking for, a complex cam shape, or an entire gear assembly, the information you need is here in these chapters.
Part 2, "Machine Elements that Absorb and Store Energy," contains three chapters presenting the classic machine elements: springs, flywheels, clutches, and brakes. Not all designs will have a need for these energy-related devices, but, when appropriate, no other device will do the job.
Part 3, "Gearing," contains five chapters covering every possible gear type, from basic spur gears to complex hypoid bevel gears sets; the intricacies of worm gearing; and the very versatile and relatively modern power screw designs.
Part 4, "Power Transmission," contains four chapters directed at the requirements of transferring motion from one rotating axis to another, whether by time-honored belt or chain configurations, or the wide variety of couplings used to isolate and protect downstream machine elements. This is also where the design of shafts, from both a static and dynamic viewpoint, is included.
Part 5, "Bearings and Lubrication," pulls together in one place the design of many types of roller bearings as well as the design aspects of the classic journal bearing. Bearings could not do their job without lubrication, and lubrication would be lost from most bearings without the proper seals. Traditional and nontraditional designs are presented.
Part 6, "Fastening, Joining, and Connecting," covers every conceivable type of mechanical fastener. When disassembly is not required, or when maximum strength is needed, then the only solution is a welded connection. All aspects of a welded connection are presented. Many connections must prevent leakage or provide cushioning, so a discussion of seals and their effect on a bolted connection is provided. The mating of parts without prior preassembly can be an important design requirement; therefore, this is where a detailed discussion of fits and tolerances is included.
Part 7, "Load Capability Considerations," provides the designer with the rules for determining if a particular part will fail. This determination does not have to be a precise calculation, either under static or dynamic conditions, whether the part is acting as a beam or column, but to ignore these fundamental principles is to invite
disaster. This section seemed like the best place to discuss vibration and, just as important, its control.
Part 8, "Performance of Engineering Materials," brings to bear the science of material behavior, to include the changes that take place during the manufacturing process. Once in service, machine elements are subject to constant wear and the adverse effects of corrosion.
Lastly, Part 9, "Classical Stress and Deformation Analysis," provides the design engineer with the fundamental formulas for stress, deflection, and deformation, and includes special geometries such as curved elements and special loadings, which are found in cylinders under internal pressure when parts are press fitted.
One of the chapters included in the First and Second Editions, "Sections and Shapes-Tabular Data," has been provided in this Third Edition as an appendix.

thorough and outdated
I own both Shigley's books on Machine Design, Mechanical Engineering Design (which I would rate 5/5) and this handbook. I find this handbook is very extensive in the topics it covers, just about everything pertaining to Machine Design, but fails to elaborate in many of the key areas. Furthermore, many formulas are presented, but there are not enough examples on their use. My greatest complaint though, has to do with the print, it seems as if I had in my hand a book written out in the 60s. Drawing are dirty and unclear in many situations, tables seem as if they were cutout from another book and pasted here, then photocopied (the first drawing in the book, a man, seems as if it was photocopied on a lousy photocopier from an old newspaper), and the typeface in the graphs is plainly outdated. I understand late J. Shigley is no longer among us, but Mischke should modernize the quality of presentation when deciding to launch new editions. Overall, I recommend Rothbart's handbook over this one.

Excellent Reference for a Machine Designer
This text is an excellent reference for any design engineer working in the machinery field.It fills in where the Machinery's Handbook falls short.The text is basically (I am oversimplifying) an expanded version of theShigley McGraw-Hill Machine Design Textbook.My only complaint is that thediscussion on the strength of welded joints is missing. ... Read more

Book Description

Over the years, the National Electrical Code® has grown in volume and complexity. This updated edition utilizes visualization to present a complete, concise, and easy-to-understand exploration of the 2005 Edition of the NEC®. Each highly-detailed illustration offers insight into Code requirements and is enhanced by clearly written text blocks that read quickly and with little effort. Includes coverage of fundamental provisions, followed by Code requirements relevant to specific types of occupancies. Intended as an indispensable supplement to the NEC®, this book translates the sometimes vague and complex language of the Code into clearer, cleaner, and simpler terms. ... Read more

Book Description

The Fifth Edition of Hazardous Chemicals Desk Reference contains Safety Profiles, synonyms, physical properties, standards, and recommendations of government agencies for approximately 5,000 chemicals deemed both important and potentially hazardous by the international scientific community. Substances were chosen on the basis of meeting a variety of criteria, including:

• Having an OSHA standard
• Having an ACGIH TLV
• Listed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Groups

• Listed on the NTP Ninth Report on Carcinogens
• Having a German Research Society’s Mak or Bat listing
• Having especially dangerous toxic, reactive, or fire properties

Reviews (5)

Great Reference
Have been an apprentice electrician and worked in the field. When in a classroom, this book is great for refreshing your memory on a formula or to get the right formula for making the correct bend in a piece of conduit. No matter how experienced one is, it is always nice to have a small reference item such as this book. I know several Master Electricians that swear by this book.

NOT GOOD
If you really know your stuff this book will never come into play only for someone just getting started

Ugly's Electrical References
This is an extremely good reference book. It's small enough to carry and full of those little items that we need to refresh on regularly. I'm an electrical maintenance supervisor for an international company and everyone in my department has one. I also get them for our engineering staff.

The Professional Electricians Handbook
You will find this reference in tool box or locker of any electrician worth his salt. It contains a wealth of information on everything from conduit bending to trigonometry all in a pocket-sized booklet you can keep with you. Professionals have been relying on this book since it was first published.

Excellent reference of electrical information
This book is an up to date reference on most any electrical information you would need. Everything from electrical formulas to wiring diagrams for rewiring motors is found in this pocket sized reference guide. Wire impedence and size requirements as well as practical suggestions can be found there as well. ... Read more

Book Description

The New How Things Work updates the original with informative coverage of the objects and ideas that are changing our everyday lives, from DVDs and MP3 music files to plasma screen televisions and wireless internet technology.While most of us are curious about the inner workings of gadgets and machines, we often feel intimidated in our efforts to really understand them. The New How Things Work, a fascinating and clearly written and illustrated volume, uses anecdotal information to help readers understand the mechanisms and principalsbehind technological wonders, painlessly folding in the basic scientific principles that make each of them work.With chapters including Home, Buildings and Building, Power and Energy, Transportation, Entertainment, Manufacturing, and Tools of Medicine, the book covers every important technological category, focusing on familiar items such as clocks and locks, planes and trains, elevators and escalators, and the not-so-familiar-"smart" clothes and buildings, laser surgery, and DNA manipulation.Like David Macaulay's classic The Way Things Work and Bill Bryson's recent bestseller, A Short History of Nearly Everything, this eminently browsable book presents ideas and concepts in clear, concise language. The text, which is organized into stand-alone spreads, is lavishly illustrated with more than 400 photographs, technical drawings, diagrams, and sidebar concepts that visually reinforce the science explained in the text.National Geographic's The New How Things Work is a comprehensive reference that will satisfy the curious and educate the perplexed. If you are curious about everyday gadgets, machines, tools, even industrial and medical processes, you'll find the answers you've always wanted in The New How Things Work. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent book.
This book is excellent. It is technical but easy to understand, has illustrations, comprehensive, and very informative. Highly recommended.

Practical, Hands-on Manual for the Plastics Professional
This book reveals the basic background required by personnel in the plastics field in designing parts for injection molding. It has many examples and illustrations of real-life applications instead of endless derivations of equations. It is a very useful, well structured, easy to follow guide for assisting in your design and knowledge of polymer related products.

Plastic product design was never made so clear and pellucid
Dr.Malloy's book reflects the common problems an engineer would face while designing a plastic part. His book takes all the possible design problems that one might not even expect. He deserves 10,0000000**********'s. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique system for K-12 schools helps maintenance professionals identify, assess, and address equipment and material deficiencies before they lead to costly malfunctions and major repairs. The three-part system features:

The book, which includes more than 40 reproducible checklists, work orders, and expert maintenance guidance.

A reusable laminated wall chart to record and monitor progress.

Downloadable electronic checklists for customizing PM inspections.

The PM checklists cover all areas of schools, organized by building systems such as HVAC, roofing, and lighting, and by areas such as classrooms, cafeterias, auditoriums, and playing fields. Inspection frequencies are recommended--from biweekly to every five years. They include what to look for and what PM procedures are required to preserve the integrity of the school.

The book also provides expert guidance on: The special maintenance issues in K-12 schools Preserving building materials Ensuring student safety

Repairing deficiencies Budgeting and funding Staff training Record keeping

Users will learn how to implement a successful PM system. This includes conducting regular inspections and performing the PM tasks needed to sustain the life of the building and ward off equipment failure. ... Read more

Book Description

The most complete guide of its kind, this is the standard handbook for chemical and process engineers.All new material on fluid flow, long pipe, fractionators, separators and accumulators, cooling towers, gas treating, blending, troubleshooting field cases, gas solubility, and density of irregular solids.This substantial addition of material will also include conversion tables and a new appendix, "Shortcut Equipment Design Methods."

This convenient volume helps solve field engineering problems with its hundreds of common sense techniques, shortcuts, and calculations. Here, in a compact, easy-to-use format, are practical tips, handy formulas, correlations, curves, charts, tables, and shortcut methods that will save engineers valuable time and effort. Hundreds of common sense techniques and calculations help users quickly and accurately solve day-to-day design, operations, and equipment problems.

* The standard handbook for chemical and process engineers

* All new material on fluid flow, long pipe, fractionators, separators and accumulators, cooling towers, gas treating, blending, troubleshooting field cases, gas solubility, and density of irregular solids

* Hundreds of common sense techniques, shortcuts, and calculations ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A MUST HAVE books for Chemical Engineers
This is one of the few MUST HAVE books for Chemical Engineers doing process engineering. When I travel (for work) I always take "Transport Phenomena" (aka BSL), The GPA Databook and "Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers". Rules of Thumb... is a great reference for process design and trouble shooting field problems.

A Practical Tip: The best thing to do with "Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers" is to carefuly remove the binding and put it into a 3-hole notebook (e.g., the GPA databook) and then file all the classic process design articles with the appropriate chapters.

Outstanding compilation
This is a 400+ page perfect-bound book, 8-1/2 x 11 inch formt, packed with tips and short cuts for practicing chemical engineers. Branan has essentially scoured the popular press (e.g, Chemical Engineering Magazine, Hydrocarbon Processing, etc.) for articles and data. He's captured that data and organized it into his volume. In so doing, he omits most of the explanatory text and derivations. Instead, he prints the actual data, formulas, recommendations, and definitions (and, of course, references to the source material). This makes for a highly accessible book with tremendous practical value.

There are four main sections: 1) equipment design, 2) process design, 3) plant design, and 4) operations.

For example, one of the chapters within plant design is called "Safety." It contains the following parts: - Estimating LEL and Flash (provides method for estimating LEL given the stoichiometry of combustion and a vapor pressure curve) - Tank Blanketing (method for determining inert gas requirements for breathing losses and working losses; includes data maps of the US) - Equipment Purging (for dilution, pressure-cycle, and vacuum-cycle purging) - Static Charge from Fluid Flow (reprint of an article from Hydrocarbon Processing) - Mixture Flammability (method and examples for estimating) - Relief Manifolds (describes method adopted by API)

In short, if you are practicing process engineering for plant design or maintenance, you should have this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Newton's Telecom Dictionary helps technology and business professionals stay on top of the ever-changing network, telecom, and IT industry. The tech industry hype has cooled dramatically, but nonetheless new telecom and networking technology and services continue to be adopted at a rapid pace, and new terms and acronyms sprout just as quickly. Industry guru Harry Newton explains technical concepts in non-technical language that anyone in business can understand, making it an essential reference tool for anyone involved with telecom and IT systems and services. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Sine Qua Non
If you don't have the latest Newton's, you're not doing telecom.

A Must for People Dealing with Telecom
Harry Newton is now on the 18th Edition of his renowned dictionary. Having worked in the telecommunications industry for 4 years, I can vouch for how valuable this reference has been for me.

Newton covers all the acronyms, standard terms, slang, etc. that anyone would ever be exposed to in the telecommunications world. These are not just standard definitions. Newton goes in depth for those terms that require extensive explanation. The definition for "Frame Relay" is approximately a page and a half. Even more impressive, you come away with a solid, basic understanding of Frame Relay.

What separates Newton's from other efforts is the extensive nature of the work, and the humorous approach to writing many of the definitions. For example, Newton's definition for "Intelligent Phone" starts off with "When the Bell operating companies get bored they occasionally fantasize about applications for the networks they provide." Believe me, if you have ever had to work with a Bell operating company (Southwestern Bell, Bell South, etc.) you'll get a lot of laughs from this kind of stuff.

Simply The Best
I'm not sure what more can be said in praise of Harry Newton's Telecom Dictionary, but I'll try.

This oversized book is a whopping 859 pages. I don't want to even guess at what it weighs in at. It really is more of a telecom encyclopedia than a dictionary, and goes into extensive detail describing many words, phrases, acronyms and concepts. Many of the definitions take up an entire page, or more. It is absolutely crammed with useful information.

As if being the largest telecom dictionary isn't enough, Harry packs the book with his own style of telecom humor and wit. It's probably the only dictionary you will find that will make you laugh out loud. Harry is the premiere comedian of the telecom industry, and provides the only dictionary in the world that you will be tempted to read from cover to cover. Harry's writing style is uniquely his, and actually makes learning boring telecom definitions a fun experience.

Besides general telecom definitions, you will also find many terms relating to computers, computer telephony, the Internet, investing, electronics and more. An amazing accomplishment. You will not only understand what a word means when you read the definition, but will likely understand the concept behind it as well. This book goes well beyond the definitions provided in any other dictionary of its type. No other dictionary in the telecom, computing or electronics industries comes anywhere close to Harry Newton's Telecom Dictionary in either scope or depth.

The book is currently in its 18th edition, and is still going strong. It has three brand-new sections: 119 Best Money-Saving Tips: How to Save on Telecom, PC and Internet Expenses, Hot and New in Telecom: Best Ideas, Products and Industry Directions, and Disaster Planning: How to Maximize the Reliability of Your Telecom Network. This book truly belongs on the bookshelf of everyone in the telecom industry. It's worth every penny, and is pound-for-pound the best telecom book I have ever read.

Newton's Telecom Dictionary by Harry Newton
This book is perfect for computer enthusiasts, business owners who utilize computers and telecommunications, scientists, a wide
constituency of educators, computer programmers, web designers and just about anyone who may need to understand computerese in simple English. Important definitions are listed; such as, ADCU, back lobe, card cage, isochronous distortion, etc. There are strategies to minimize calling charges by utilizing prepaid cards for national and international calls. Important computer user groups may be accessed at:
o atmforum.com
o ectaportal.com
o ecma.ch
o gigabiethernet.org
o 10gea.org
o 3GPP.org
o aitp.org
o ansi.org
o apcointl.org

The book is a solid investment for any computer professional, teacher, computer user group or business person.

This is the one
I use this book all the time. This is the perfect reference book for every engineer working in the Telecomm field ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hang a curtain too close to a fireplace and you run the risk of setting your house ablaze. Drive a car on a pitch-black night without headlights, and you dramatically increase the odds of smacking into a tree.

These are matters of common sense, applied to simple questions of cause and effect. But what happens, asks systems-behavior expert Charles Perrow, when common sense runs up against the complex systems, electrical and mechanical, with which we have surrounded ourselves? Plenty of mayhem can ensue, he replies. The Chernobyl nuclear accident, to name one recent disaster, was partially brought about by the failure of a safety system that was being brought on line, a failure that touched off an unforeseeable and irreversible chain of disruptions; the less severe but still frightening accident at Three Mile Island, similarly, came about as the result of small errors that, taken by themselves, were insignificant, but that snowballed to near-catastrophic result.

Only through such failures, Perrow suggests, can designers improve the safety of complex systems. But, he adds, those improvements may introduce new opportunities for disaster. Looking at an array of real and potential technological mishaps--including the Bhopal chemical-plant accident of 1984, the Challenger explosion of 1986, and the possible disruptions of Y2K and genetic engineering--Perrow concludes that as our technologies become more complex, the odds of tragic results increase. His treatise makes for sobering and provocative reading. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Altogether a fascinating and informative book
Wow. This is an incredible book. I have to admit, though, that I had some difficulty getting into Normal Accidents. There seemed an overabundance of detail, particularly on the nuclear industry's case history of calamity. This lost me, since I'm not familiar with the particulars of equipment function and malfunction. The book was mentioned, however, by two others of a similar nature and mentioned with such reverence, that after I had finished both, I returned to Perrow's book, this time with more success.

Professor Perrow is a PhD in sociology (1960) who has taught at Yale University Department of Sociology since 1981 and whose research focus has been human/technology interactions and the effects of complexity in organizations. (His most recent publication is the The AIDS disaster : the Failure of Organizations in New York and the Nation, 1990.)

In Normal Accidents, he describes the failures that can arise "normally" in systems, ie. those problems that are expected to arise and can be planned for by engineers, but which by virtue of those planned fail-safe devices, immeasurably complicate and endanger the system they are designed to protect. He describes a variety of these interactions, clarifying his definitions by means of a table (p. 88), and a matrix illustration (p. 97). Examples include systems that are linear vs complex, and loosely vs tightly controlled. These generally arise through the interactive nature of the various components the system itself. According to the matrix, an illustration of a highly linear, tightly controlled system would be a dam. A complex, tightly controlled system would be a nuclear plant, etc.

The degree to which failures may occur varies with each type of organization, as does the degree to which a recovery from such a failure is possible. As illustrations, the author describes failures which have, or could have, arisen in a variety of settings: the nuclear industry, maritime activities, the petrochemical industry, space exploration, DNA research and so on.

The exciting character of the stories themselves are worth the reading; my favorite, and one I had heard before, is the loss of an entire lake into a salt mine. More important still is the knowledge that each imparts. Perrow makes abundantly apparent by his illustrations the ease with which complex systems involving humans can fail catastrophically. (And if Per Bak and others are correct, almost inevitably).

Probably the most significant part of the work is the last chapter. After discussing the fallibility of systems that have grown increasingly complex, he discusses living with high risk systems, particularly why we are and why it should change. In a significant statement he writes, "Above all, I will argue, sensible living with risky systems means keeping the controversies alive, listening to the public, and recognizing the essentially political nature of risk assessment. Unfortunately, the issue is not risk, but power; the power to impose risks on the many for the benefit of the few (p. 306)," and further on, "Risks from risky technologies are not borne equally by the different social classes [and I would add, countries]; risk assessments ignore the social class distribution of risk (p. 310)." How true. "Quo Bono?" as the murder mystery writers might say; "Who benefits?" More to the point, and again with that issue in mind, he writes "The risks that made our country great were not industrial risks such as unsafe coal mines or chemical pollution, but social and political risks associated with democratic institutions, decentralized political structures, religious freedom and plurality, and universal suffrage (p. 311)." Again, very true.

Professor Perrow examines the degrees of potential danger from different types of system and suggests ways of deciding which are worth it to society to support and which might not be. These include categorizing the degree and the extent of danger of a given system to society, defining the way these technologies conflict with the values of that society, determining the likelihood that changes can be made to effectively alter the dangerous factors through technology or training of operators, and the possibility of placing the burden of spill-over costs on the shoulders of the institutions responsible. The latter might conceivably lead to corrective changes, either by the institutions themselves in order to remain profitable or by consumers through purchasing decisions.

The bibliography for the book is quite extensive and includes a variety of sources. These include not only popular books and publications on the topics of individual disasters, but government documents, research journals, and industry reports as well. I did not find any reference to the Johnstown flood, my particular favorite dam burst story, but there are a wide variety of references to chose from should someone wish to do their own research on the topic.

Altogether a fascinating and informative book.

Cool water for hot-headed analysts of complex systems
I'm dismayed to discover that 'Normal Accidents' is so difficult to find.

Like all voters, I'm sometimes asked to make choices about the use of potentially devastating technology, despite having no training in engineering and only a sketchy idea of statistical risk analysis. 'Normal Accidents' doesn't reduce my reliance on experts, but it does provide a common language for us to discuss the issues.

Perrow's accident descriptions are masterly, and should disturb anyone who lightly dismisses accidents in complex systems as "simple human error", or assumes that all systems can be made safe by a technological fix. I've used Perrow's complexity / coupling matrix as a tool for thinking about and discussing the risks involved in decisions about many systems in addition to those Perrow actually discusses, not least software systems.

I think this book still has a lot to offer anyone interested in public debate about complex technological issues, and I hope it will be reprinted. A new edition would be even better.

Living With High-Risk Conclusions
I have been mulling over this review for a while now, and am still undecided on the correct rating to award this book. On the one hand Perrow offers some genuine insight into systems safety, but frequently does not understand the technicalities of the systems (or occasionally their operators) well enough to make informed decisions and recommendations. In more egregious cases he comes to conclusions that are guaranteed to reduce safety (as when he argues that supertankers should be run by committee, and the usefulness of the Captain is no more) or are merely the cherished liberal opinions of an Ivy League sociologist (he teaches at Yale) as when he argues for unilateral nuclear disarmament, government guaranteed income plans, and heroin maintenance (distribution) plans for addicts "to reduce crime." In the case of disarmament, remember this was written during the early 1980s while the Soviet Union was still a huge threat...complete nuclear disarmament would have resulted in fewer US nuclear accidents, but would NOT have made us safer as we would have been totally vulnerable to intentional nuclear attack. He has great personal animosity toward Ronald Reagan, and makes inflammatory statements in the mining section that mining safety regulations would surely be weakened by Reagan, causing many more accidents and deaths. Later in the same section, though, he concludes that mining is inherently dangerous, and no amount of regulation can make it safe. So which is it? Any of this is, at very best, folly, but regardless of political bent (he is a self avowed "leftist liberal") has absolutely no place in a book ostensibly on safety systems. As such I think portions of this book show what is so wrong in American academia today: even genuinely excellent research can be easily spoiled when the conclusions are known before the research is started. This is one of the many reasons that physical scientists scorn the social sciences, and it doesn't have to be this way.

Having said all that there IS a wealth of good information and insight in this book when Perrow sticks to systems and their interactions. The book contains the finest analysis commercially available of the Three Mile Island near-disaster, and his insight about how to improve safety in nuclear plants was timely when the book was written in 1984, though many improvements have been made since then.

Speaking as a commercial airline pilot, I feel his conclusions and observations about aircraft safety were generally true at the time of printing in 1984, but now are miserably out of date. (The same is true of the Air Traffic Control section.) I believe that he generally has a good layman's grasp of aviation, so I am willing to take it as a given that he has a knowledgeable layman's comprehension of the other systems discussed. As an aside, he never gets some of the technicalities quite right. For instance, he constantly uses the term 'coupling' incorrectly in the engineering sense; this is particularly objectionable in the aviation system where it has a very specific meaning to aeronautical engineers and pilots.

The section on maritime accidents and safety is superbly written. Here I am not an expert, but there seems to be a high degree of correlation with the aviation section. His section on "Non Collision Course Collisions" by itself makes this book a worthwhile read. He presents very compelling information and reasoning until the very end of the section, at which point he suggests that since ships are now so big, large ships (especially supertankers) essentially should have no Captain, but should be run by committee. This is an invalid conclusion, and he offers no evidence or substantial argument to support that idea. Clearly, it is an idea hatched in his office and not on a ship (or plane.) There always needs to be a person in a place of ultimate authority in fast moving, dynamic systems, or the potential exists to have crew members begin to work at direct odds with each other, making a marginal situation dangerous. Ironically, in the very same part of the discussion where he concludes that there should be no Captain, he has hit upon the key to the problem. He mentions that he was pleased to see that some European shippers were now training their crews together as a team, and that he expected this to lower accident rates. He is, in fact, exactly right about that. Airlines now have to train crews in Crew Resource Management (CRM) in which each member of the crew has the right and obligation to speak up if they notice anything awry in the operation of their aircraft, and the Captain makes it a priority to listen to the input of others, as everyone has a different set of concerns and knowledge. In this way, the Captain becomes much less dictatorial, and becomes more of a final decision maker after everyone has had their say. It IS critical, though, to maintain someone in command, as there is no time to assemble a staff meeting when a ship is about to run aground, or a mid-air collision is about to occur. Many other well documented studies and books have come to this conclusion, and in the airline industry since CRM was introduced the accident rate has decreased dramatically.

Overall, if you have a desire to understand high risk systems, this book has a lot of good information in it; however it is woefully out of date and for that reason among others, I can only recommend it with reservations. A better and much more contemporary introductory book on the subject is 'Inviting Disaster' by James R. Chiles. Remember, this book was written over twenty years ago, and much has changed since then. There is knowledge to be gleaned here, but you have to be prepared to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Good Sociologists Should Not Dabble in Engineering
Perrow regurgitated too many facts. Give us enlightenment. Give us a view of system safety we have not seen before. Give us substantial information by which we can make decisions. Present us with critical analysis about what engineering and operational safety processes work and what do not work. Don't regurgitate history to us. We can get it elsewhere. It is a good summary for historians on accidents, but its not good for those in positions who can make systems safer. If you want to know about accident prevention go to the System Safety Society.

Of Lasting Value, Relevant to Today's Technical Maze

I read this book when it was assigned in the 1980's as a mainstream text for graduate courses in public policy and public administration, and I still use it. It is relevant, for example, to the matter of whether we should try to use nuclear bombs on Iraq--most Americans do not realize that there has never (ever) been an operational test of a US nuclear missile from a working missle silo. Everything has been tested by the vendors or by operational test authorities that have a proven track record of falsifying test results or making the tests so unrealistic as to be meaningless.

This book is also relevant to the world of software. As the Y2K panic suggested, the "maze" of software upon which vital national life support systems depend--including financial, power, communications, and transportation software--has become very obscure as well as vulnerable. Had those creating these softwares been more conscious of the warnings and suggestions that the author provides in this book, America as well as other nations would be much less vulnerable to terrorism and other "acts of man" for which our insurance industry has not planned.

I agree with another review who notes that this book is long overdue for a reprint--it should be updated. I recommended it "as is," but believe an updated version would be 20% more valuable. ... Read more

Book Description

Thoroughly revised and updated version of the standard code book for the plumbing industry. The National Plumbing Codes Handbook covers the BOCA, UBC, and SPC codes, explaining the latest code specifications for procedures, installations, materials, and documentation. New features: eight new chapters and three new appendices...troubleshooting information...math calculations and business forms, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

HANDBOOK FOR STUDENTS
THIS HANDBOOK IS VERY USEFULL FOR STUDENTS TO BE AQUAINTED TO THEIR REAL LIFE AND TO IMPLEMNET THEIR THERORETICAL STUDIES TO REAL LIFE AND REQUIREMENTS ... Read more

Book Description

Handbook for Sound Engineers is the most comprehensive reference available for audio engineers. Written by many of the top professionals in the field, including Glen Ballou on interpretation systems, intercoms, assistive listening, and image projection; Ken Pohlmann on compact discs and DVDs; David Miles Huber on MIDI; Dr. Eugene Patronis on amplifier design and outdoor sound systems; Bill Whitlock on audio transformers and preamplifiers; Pat Brown on fundamentals and gain structures; Ray Rayburn on virtual systems and digital interfacing; and Dr. Wolfgang Ahnert on computer-aided sound system design and acoustics for concert halls.

The audio industry has seen many changes since the previous edition of the Handbook, particularly in the digital area, all of which are included in this edition. Key topics include: Acoustics * DSPs * DVDs * Modeling and auralization * Sound-system design * Application and installation techniques * Loudspeaker and enclosure building, testing and measuring * Sound recording and playback* Transmission Techniques * Audio circuits, amplifiers, filters, and consoles * Grounding

* The most comprehensive reference work on sound engineering on the market

* Contributors are the leading experts in their fields

* Explains MIDI, cinema sound, transformers, consoles, and more ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Simply the Best Book on Audio
This is the best book on audio I have seen. It covers a broad range of topics in great depth.

The book goes into great detail about the following areas:
a) human hearing and calculating the acoustic properties of rooms
b) PCB-level electronic components
c) system level components
d) storage media
e) bringing all of the above together into applications

The book assumes the reader has a good foundation in electronics but explains concepts in a very unpretentious way. It's nothing like reading a scholarly journal where you constantly have to look at other articles and review textbooks to understand. If you understand the basics of electronic circuits you will understand this book without consulting other textbooks.

Every audio topic I can think of is explored in this book. If you work on anything related to audio you absolutely should not be without this reference.

The most authorative work I have seen.
I have been playing around with amplifiers and recording equipment for a while now - never had formal education in audio engineering, but I do have some electronic background. This book has helped me a lot in refining my recording techniques, my audio system itself and furthered my understanding of audio systems from microphone placement to cabling, speaker placement, phono cartridge alignment to name but a few. Whatever subject I sought advice on, this book has so far provided me with the answers. I would go as far as saying that whatever this book does not cover is not relevant to audio systems. One word of caution though, this book is not like a "cookbook". You have to have an electronic background in order to make full use of the book - as the title rightly puts it, it is intended for engineers.

Handbook For Sound Engineers
You MUST buy this book! Pretend you did not see the price and order this book. It is the most comprehensive book on the subject that I have ever run across. It contains more than 1550 pages of information, diagrams, schematics, and just about anything else you could ever think to need. Covers everything from Accoustic Theory to Zener Diodes (I don't know what they are either...I haven't read that far yet!). I am planning to use this as a refresher for myself (that is what my schooling is in) and for training more sound techs at my church.

Note: This is a book for intermediate to advanced level sound engineers. It would be way over a beginners head. There are a number of excellent books for beginners available through Amazon, though. ... Read more

Book Description

Gain fast, easy access to the NEC® rules you need for residential work! Put the 2005 NEC into your pocket with this compact field guide providing select Code requirements for general residential work. Rules for 1- and 2-family dwellings are organized exactly the way they're encountered during an installation, with chapter introductions offering tips on NEC use.You'll have the latest requirements at your fingertips for:General installationBranch circuits, feeder, and service calcsOvercurrent protectionGroundingSwitches ... Read more

Book Description

A practical treatment of power system design within the oil, gas, petrochemical and offshore industries. These have significantly different characteristics to large-scale power generation and long distance public utility industries.
Developed from a series of lectures on electrical power systems given to oil company staff and university students, Sheldrake's work provides a careful balance between sufficient mathematical theory and comprehensive practical application knowledge.
Features of the text include:

• Comprehensive handbook detailing the application of electrical engineering to the oil, gas and petrochemical industries
• Practical guidance to the electrical systems equipment used on off-shore production platforms, drilling rigs, pipelines, refineries and chemical plants
• Summaries of the necessary theories behind the design together with practical guidance on selecting the correct electrical equipment and systems required
• Presents numerous 'rule of thumb' examples enabling quick and accurate estimates to be made
• Provides worked examples to demonstrate the topic with practical parameters and data
• Each chapter contains initial revision and reference sections prior to concentrating on the practical aspects of power engineering including the use of computer modelling
• Offers numerous references to other texts, published papers and international standards for guidance and as sources of further reading material
• Presents over 35 years of experience in one self-contained reference
• Comprehensive appendices include lists of abbreviations in common use, relevant international standards and conversion factors for units of measure

... Read more

Book Description

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" not only can help you break into the field of technical writing, it can help you learn what to do once you're there. It's not enough to discuss documentation in conceptual terms -- today's technical writer wants to know "What do I do first?" "How do I get the information?" and "What do I do with an empty computer screen, a product that's still being developed, and an engineer who's too busy to talk to me?" This book provides step-by-step instructions by people whohave "been there, done that," and know some ways to help.

Both new and experienced tech writers can benefit from tips on how to learn about technical topics, gather information, plan documentation sets, schedule milestones, and write clearly. For those of you who want to be technical writers but can't get your foot in the door, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" also gives help on what you need to do to give you an edge while you write your resume, hunt for a job, and interview. Once you're happily working, you can use the book for help on managing your career. An appendix contains a list of more than 50 Web sites devoted to technical writing and associated subjects. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Excellent guide for every aspiring technical writer
This book is compulsory reading for everyone planning a career as a technical writer. Written by authors who have both been working in the field since the 80s, it covers the whole subject area: from how to get started and marketing yourself, to what tech writers actually do and the various documents they produce, to working as a consultant and how to deal with the difficult bits of being a tech writer. The book contains an enormous amount of information and is very clearly arranged into appropriate sections: I personally was very impressed by the way the authors explain the whole process of producing a technical document from the concept stage to the finished guide and all the things that need to be taken into consideration. They also offer advice about the sort of personality and skills you need to be a successful technical writer, what technical tools you need to master and how you can best deal with all the various people you depend on to provide information for your documentation. All in all, I would say this book is a brilliant guide to its subject and also an entertaining read. It would be very hard to improve on this!

Not for idiots, complete or otherwise!
When I read "... Technical Writing" by Van Laan and Julian, I was glad I got past the title. I had to hire a tech writer to get some manuals done for our product. This book gave me the knowlege and confidence I needed to successfully get the job done.

Having read the book, I knew what to look for when interviewing candidates, and what to expect once I got someone on board. Highly recommended for anyone associated with Technical Writing, whether a seasoned writer, a tech writer wannabe, or a manager of writers (or manager wannabe, like I was).

A very thorough introduction to the field
I've always had a love for writing (fiction and nonfiction alike) but have always struggled a bit while creating technical documentation. I've been interested in technical writing and feel it would be a good addition to my repertoire of skills, which is why I wanted to find and read a good book on technical writing.

Based on many positive reviews here and on recommendations from others, I decided to start with this book and one other reference manual. I quickly read this book cover-to-cover and was very satisfied by its content. It was very thorough on covering every aspect of technical writing, even giving a glimpse of what a technical writer's daily life.

And the results? I've written two technical documents since which have both won high praise by co-workers. Even **I** am shocked at how well they look and how fluidly they read.

If you are interested in technical writing at all, don't hesitate to pick this book up. It is a great read and a fantastic reference manual for those who are just starting to get their feet wet. This book is highly recommended towards any technical writing beginner.

Easy to read, insightful, a great place to start
This book shoots straight and gives would be tech writers valuable insights. There are numerous practical tips and real-world advice on how to cope with technical publications work.

I particularly appreciate how the authors stressed the importance of content. Most technical writing books focus on processes, tools, and design issues - all of which are of marginal impact on the overall value of a document. The real value of technical docs is in the content, and this book encourages writers to learn and master the technologies and concepts they are documenting.

I highly recommend this book to anybody getting started in technical writing.

Don't Judge a Book by Its Title
Don't let the name fool you: "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" is anything but idiotic. The book offers a sensible, concise summary of the realities of tech-writing, and is peppered throughout with useful quotes from practicing technical writers.

I've given my copy to several people who have expressed an interest in technical writing, and all of them have found that the book answers their questions about what the profession is about. Probably no book can completely prepare anyone for a career, but, after reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing, wannabes will have a solid idea of what to expect.

The book might be especially useful to anyone teaching an introductory technical writing course.

I highly recommend The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing, will continue to do so. ... Read more

Book Description

After more than 85 years of continuous publication, Machinery's Handbook remains unchallenged as "The Bible" in its field, and the new 26th edition remains true to the Handbook's original design as an extraordinarily comprehensive yet practical and easy-to-use reference for mechanical and manufacturing engineers, designers, draftsmen, toolmakers, and machinists.Available in two versions-the toolbox edition and the larger-print edition-this valuable tool has been painstakingly updated and revised to reflect the needs of its users and changes in manufacturing. And just like in previous editions, existing material that is of proven worth is still included in order to provide for the needs of disciplines that are not as quick to develop. Both versions are thumb indexed for easy referencing. UNIQUE FEATURES * 80 pages of new content have been added and the entire text, including all tables and equations, has been reset and numerous figures have been redrawn. * Features significant format changes and major revisions, as well as new material on a variety of topics including: aerodynamic lubrication, high speed machining, grinding speeds and feeds, metalworking fluids, ISO surface texture, pipe welding, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, gearing, and EDM. * Provides a new and innovative presentation on the econometrics of machining and grinding which is designed to help lower unit manufacturing costs and/or maximize production output in the most cost-effective way. * Contains a larger mathematics section that features new discussions of coordinate systems and interpolations. * The number of contents pages has been increased for many of the larger sections, and the index has been expanded and reorganized to include most of the many standards referenced in the Handbook. * Material on logarithms, trigonometry, and other topics, as well as sine bar tables have been restored. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The Engineer's Bible
I bought my first copy of Machinery's Handbook as a drafter in 1968. In the thirty-one years since then, I've grown thru the designer-to-engineer curve and the editors have done much to augment and expand the content and scope of this book. The Handbook is still the single most important - nay, vital - text at my engineering workstation. Now that the text is available in electronic (CD-ROM) format, I impatiently await the arrival of my copy - I just love computers, don't you? Now I'll be able to grab all that information without even reaching for the shelf! Guess I'll have to find some other exercise for my pects, lats, triceps...

Frequently referred to as the Machinists Bible.
The Machinery's Handbook has been frequently referred to as the Machinists Bible for as long as I can remember. It contains an incredible wealth of information that everyone in the mechanical trades will immediately appreciate.

Detailed information about practically any mechanical problem, ranging from the basic lever and wheel, right through to rapid prototyping. At this point I can honestly say, that I have always found the information I needed in less than 4 minutes. Exact, detailed information.

The only area that I found the book lacking in, is the exclusion of European standards. For instance DIN reference numbers, but as the world is heading toward ISO9000 the old reference numbers are becoming obsolete in any case.

It's price of $80.00 may seem steep, but in comparison to the other works out there, it is reasonable. All in all, if you work in the mechanical trades, you cannot afford to pass up this book.

Great for School and Work....
I have been out of school now for 5+ years... I had to share only 3 Machinery's Handbooks with my class of 30 at LTI... Then when I got out on the job market, I found that most places will not supply you with one, and you almost always need one in the engineering feald, weather it is Mechanical or Arch... (I have worked with both!). So this November (2003), I saved up for one, since I am always borrowing one at work from coworkers... So now I have the newest one in our office at Firestone Industrial Products Co.. Makes me feel good that I have the most up to date one... And now everone is barrowing from me!

It is easy to find what you are looking for, and it is made to last! I have the hard cover 26th edition, and I LOVE it! It is a MUST for people planning on being an Engineer and or CAD Engineer. Since they don't have this built into any Drawing program as of yet. (i.e... CAD/Auto CAD)... Also good for Work or School! A Must! And Hint Hint, you can use it on your taxes as a School or Work Expense, So you get some money back on it! (About $25 back on taxes for it.) So well worth the money!

An Essential and Comprehensive Reference for Professionals
How many books do you want to buy that are $100. each? The answer is not too many and if you do buy you want something of value that will last. You do not want five books on all different aspects of the field.

Here is one book that is comprehensive covering most major subjects including machines, tools, strength of materials, fasteners, set ups, cutters, cutting speeds, measurement. introduction to CAD, etc but all at a professional level with many reference tables.

It is a well made book with a nice cover that stands up to a shop environment.

The book will probably have a 10-20 year shelf life. I run a small shop that includes Bridgeport type mills, lathes, boring machines, welding, etc. We have a typical small shop and we work with stainless steel and aluminum mainly as other shops but we also do exotic nickel alloys, ceramics, and copper, etc. I must consult this book weekly. It is proven itself to be useful. In almost every case in the past it has provided the needed guidance to run a machine or some critical design number such as a screw strength when needed.

Five stars, you cannot go wrong.

Quick Comment: For more basics on machining - see the two volume guide by K.H. Moltrecht "Machine Shop Practices" also at Amazon.com. The present book is more of a reference. The two volume set teaches you how to do it safely and effectively.

Jack in Toronto

Plan Ahead
Everything mentioned in previous reviews is true. I would only add or suggest to buy the large print edition. You will likely keep this book a long long time and technical data, formulas, tables, etc. will not change, but your vision might. ... Read more