Book Description

Today's distributed systems are characterized by interactions-often complex-between many different hardware and software components cooperating and exchanging information. To simplify development of interactive systems and facilitate communication and documentation, experts of varying disciplines employ descriptions, or specifications, of a given system's behavior and/or structure.Specification and Development of Interactive Systems offers a unique approach to program and software development suitable for large distributed systems, with an emphasis on modular system development and systems engineering. The authors build a basic method, called FOCUS, that enables interactive systems to be described by characterizing their histories of message interaction.The method covers functional requirements, timing, structure, and implementation issues of systems. In addition, the book describes how to connect the models and techniques to tables and diagram-based methods popular in practical systems engineering.Topics and features: * Specification of interface behavior and modular top-down system development * Specification of time and the modeling of hardware/software systems * Interface refinement and the modeling of development steps leading from one level of abstraction to the next * State transition diagrams and tables and the usage of common description techniques, such as found in UMLThis book provides a mathematical and logical foundation for the specification and development of interactive systems based on a model that describes systems in terms of their input/output behavior. The reader gains a comprehensive understanding of all fundamental models, techniques, and methods for interactive system design. The book is an essential resource for all researchers and professionals in computer science, software systems engineering and computer engineering. ... Read more

Book Description

In this important book, John H. Holland dramatically shows us that the "emergence" of order from chaos has much to teach us about life, mind, and organizations. Creative activities in both the arts and the sciences depend upon an ability to model the world. The most creative of those models exhibits emergent properties, so that "what comes out is more than what goes in." From the ingenious checkers-playing computer that started beating its creator in game after game, to the emotive creations of the poet, Emergence shows that Holland's theory successfully predicts many complex behaviors in art and science. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Above the General Interest and Disoganized
While the intended audience is the general interest reader, this book will be a bit complicated for most people who are unfamilar with Turning Machines, i.e., stack machines, etc.

Toss Up
Parts of this book were interesting, but overall it was much ado about not much, and what was done was often overdone (I agree with another reviewer on this point). I see that Amazon has coupled this book with Hidden Order. I can't see why. It would be like buying the same book twice. Anyway, so much of this has been warmed over so many times now that it's frankly a bit dry. I'd like to see a book that really breaks new ground in complexity without overusing buzz words or talking down to me, holding my hand through simple things. Here, the topic is more attractive than the content I'm afraid. Anyone really interested in complexity and emergence will need to go into technical details well beyond this book. Others, like me, will likely find the details that are here to be a bit tedious.

Science Fiction
The review says "Think of the food replicators in the imaginary future of Star Trek--with some basic chemical building blocks and simple rules, those machines can produce everything from Klingon delicacies to Earl Grey tea. If scientists can understand and apply the knowledge they gather from studying emergent systems, we may soon witness the development of artificial intelligence, nanotech, biological machines, and other creations heretofore confined to science fiction." -- What?? Like we are about to make food replicators because of the "deep understanding" that we now have of emergent systems??

I agree with the other reviewer who says the book is characteristically weak. The cover is prettier than Hidden Order. But so what.

There have to be better books on complexity than this for the average popular science reader.

A contribution for the understanding of the complexity
It is very important to the universal thinking the unsderstanding about complexity and its cognitive perception by humans. I read Dr. Holland's first book in London at 1993 and that time I follow his steps in order to reach a meaningfull knowledge to our lives and our existence in the universe. The title of the book is very difficult to develop but Dr. Holland has a special skill to clarify and transmmit the ideas breaking down our paradigm about the universe and the world and life complexity.

Holland does not have the gift of popularization
John Holland's "Emergence" just doesn't make it as a science popularization. The ideas Holland presents are fascinating, exciting, and indeed highly relevant for our globalized, interconnected world.

Unfortunately, none of this comes across. Like many scientists (I know... I *am* a scientist), Holland simply has no idea how a nonscientist would grasp the concept of emergence. He overexplains simple examples like the numbers and board games of the first two chapters, then underexplains the deeper ideas of later chapters. The final chapter is pretty good in terms of unifying the book's themes and providing a broader view of how emergence fits into science and human culture. However, the reader has not been adequately prepared for this broadening because the middle chapters were so poorly explained.

I fear that most readers will come away without sensing the truly revolutionary nature of this new branch of science. Holland lacks passion! The book is bland because Holland seems not to be able to present rigorous science in conjunction with thrill and emotion. He should take a lesson from the experts at popularization, such as Sagan and Gribbin, who succeed at presenting factually correct science in a way that engages and excites nonscientists. ... Read more

Book Description

System and Control Theory is one of the most exciting areas of contemporary engineering mathematics. From the analysis of Watt's steam engine governor - which enabled the Industrial Revolution - to the design of controllers for consumer items, chemical plants and modern aircraft, the area has always drawn from a broad range of tools. It has provided many challenges and possibilities for interaction between engineering and established areas of 'pure' and 'applied' mathematics. This impressive volume collects a discussion of more than fifty open problems which touch upon a variety of subfields, including: chaotic observers, nonlinear local controllability, discrete event and hybrid systems, neural network learning, matrix inequalities, Lyapunov exponents, and many other issues. Proposed and explained by leading researchers, they are offered with the intention of generating further work, as well as inspiration for many other similar problems which may naturally arise from them. With extensive references, this book will be a useful reference source - as well as an excellent addendum to the textbooks in the area. ... Read more

Book Description

This book explores the process of modeling complex systems in the widest sense of that term, drawing on examples from such diverse fields as ecology, epidemiology, sociology, seismology, as well as economics. It also provides the mathematical tools for studying the dynamics of these systems. Boccara takes a carefully inductive approach in defining what it means for a system to be 'complex' (and at the same time addresses the equally elusive concept of emergent properties). This is the first text on the subject to draw comprehensive conclusions from such a wide range of analogous phenomena. ... Read more

Book Description

Random Signals, Noise and Filtering develops the theory of random processes and its application to the study of systems and analysis of random data. The text covers three important areas: (1) fundamentals and examples of random process models, (2) applications of probabilistic models: signal detection, and filtering, and (3) statistical estimation--measurement and analysis of random data to determine the structure and parameter values of probabilistic models. This volume by Breipohl and Shanmugan offers the only one-volume treatment of the fundamentals of random process models, their applications, and data analysis. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Book !
This is one of the best books around for studying Random Processes ! The author has also provided a very good introduction to Detection, Estimation and Modelling of Stochastic Processes. I found this book very useful and I'd strongly suggest this book for an introductionary level graduate course. If you want to build a strong foundation in Random Signal Theory, this book is the way to go.. Other advanced texts like Simon Haykin's "Adaptive Filter Theory" will be a lot easier to understand once you study this book thoroughly and work out the exercise problems.

A crisp text on a vast expanse i.e. Random Processes
The authors have unleashed the subject of Stochastic Processes using a carefully paced and proven approach of introducing the material using a number of elegant examples where emphasis is to generalize specific results. This quality text will certainly not dissapoint readers who have come to expect high quality from K. Sam Shanmugam and Authur .M.Breipohl .It can be recommended for first course and also for gaduate level courses on the fascinating and challenging subject of Random Processes ... Read more

Book Description

"SSM offers an elegantly simple approach that is both powerful, yet non-threatening and one that forces organisations to confront questions essential to their very survival such as, "Are we doing the right thing?"
From the Foreword by Mike Duffy, Operations Director, The Smith Group

Since its inception more than thirty years ago, the benefits of using Soft Systems Methodology for problem solving has gained worldwide recognition. Yet, despite recognising the importance of SSM, students and practitioners still experience considerable difficulty with the intellectual process involved.

Based on a lifetime experience as an academic and consultant, Brian Wilson provides guidance on how to develop a range of conceptual models across a variety of business problems. Building on his earlier work in Systems: Concepts, Methodologies and Applications he takes a practical approach to the topic based on the premise that all organisations are unique. He develops concepts to articulate ways of thinking about complexity. These are an alternative to mathematically-based concepts, and they offer rigorous, and defensible ways of answering the question 'What do we take the organisation to be?' A model of the most appropriate and relevant concept for your own organisation can then be successfully developed and applied.

Of relevance to organisations of any type, or any size, this book shows how model building within SSM can be used to cope with real-life problems. It will be an invaluable resource for students and practitioners in both the public and private sectors.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Well written and informative introduction to SSM
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is an offshoot of systems thinking and has its roots in Peter Checkland's seminal 1981 book, "Systems Thinking, Systems Practice" (now out of print). This book shows how to apply SSM to the problem sets for which it was designed: the unpredictable behavior of human actions, which are often counter to the logic we apply to "hard" problems such as computer systems behavior and other systems that follow predictable laws of physics.

As a consultant who aligns information systems to business processes this book provided me with a streamlined approach to dealing with the human factor, especially organizational politics and resistance to change - both of which I routinely deal with. The approach is reasonably straightforward, and involves the following steps:

- Frame the problem and surrounding situation
- Use 'rich pictures' portray the situation. A 'rich picture' is an informal rendering, and should capture issues and thinking, systems and interactions.
- Develop a root definitions and perspectives from which to view the situation (Clients, Actors, Transformations, World-view and Environment). A 'root definition' is a process that transforms an input into an output - a typical process flow.
- Build a conceptual model of what the system to remedy the problem or situation needs to accomplish. The basis of the conceptual model is human activity.
- Compare the model to the ideal, examine alternatives and select the best option.
- Design and implement the system or solution.

The approach taken by the author is to provide the knowledge needed to employ SSM in a sequence of chapters that lead you through models and methodology, the principles of human activity modeling, system selection, business process reengineering issues, the consensus primary task model, the relationships to training and HR, and generic model building.

Consensus primary task model (CPTM) is a key element of the approach in this book and is crucial to successfully employing SSM, which, after all, is designed to deal with the ambiguities of people. The CPTM is an aggregation of the conceptual models, which results in a 'strawman' model that is used to build consensus. From this evolves into the agreed upon model and approach.

The key differences between the usual 'committee' approach and SSM are the structure and framework, ensuring that viewpoints are systematically examined, and the emphasis on consensus instead of compromise. While the book makes SSM appear to be easy, which is a function of the author's clear writing, employing it in the real world requires training and discipline. It's especially well suited to organizational change management projects as well as strategic planning. ... Read more

Book Description

Integrates the traditional approach to differential equations with the modern systems and control theoretic approach to dynamic systems, emphasizing theoretical principles and classic models in a wide variety of areas. Provides a particularly comprehensive theoretical development that includes chapters on positive dynamic systems and optimal control theory. Contains numerous problems. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent treatment of dynamic systems
This introduction to dynamic systems is presented with an algebraic formalism which makes things clear and concise. All concepts are explained intuitively as well as formally, having in mind the objective of making things clear. Few books exhibit such a good approach and other reviewers are right when they emphasize the highly pedagogical quality of Luenberger's books ! This is no overstatement.

The advantage of using this algebraic formulation lies in the simplicity as well as the understandability of the state-space approach, which is best explained in those terms. Most books assume that everyone knows what a state space is without explicitly showing what it is really about. This book just uses the reverse assumption, in that you're not asssumed to know everything before getting into it.

Only some basic knowledge in algebra (undergraduate-level) is required but even without experience in algebraic formalism, it is possible to go through the content thanks to the important number of examples and the intuitive explanations.

A must-read !

Excellent supplementary reading of Linear System Theory
The economic application examples are interesting for engineering students.

The best mathematical textbook ever written
I studied this book for two semesters as a doctoral student, and consider it the best mathematical textbook ever written. Luenberger writes concisely and with great clarity and elegance. His notation is crisp and easy to follow. The book begins with basic concepts of matrix algebra and dynamic equations, and then builds step-by-step to encompass an enormously broad set of applications. The examples are drawn from all over the map, and are great fun to explore. This is a truly mind-expanding text.

Thomas P. Lyon, Associate Professor, Business Economics and Public Policy, Indiana University ... Read more

Book Description

No scientific quest is as exciting and elusive as the search to understand the Universe.Falk's book places this search in its historical context, tracing the quest from its roots in ancient Greece to the twenty-first century, through the breakthroughs of Newton, Maxwell, and Einstein, up to the excitement of "string theory" and today's efforts to merge quantum theory with general relativity.With as much emphasis on history as on science, Falk's enlightening and entertaining book is aimed very much for the general reader.The search for a Unified Theory is full of quirky personalities, interesting tales, and moments of brilliance-high science and high drama. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

on science, simplicity, and the quest for truth...
Dan Falk's Universe on a T-Shirt is an informative and entertaining tour of mainstream science-from Democritus to string theory-guided by a single, reining principle: that science is the pursuit of an aesthetic of simplicity, and that the culmination of this pursuit, the theory of everything, will be simple enough to grace a t-shirt.

Written in clear, clever, friendly prose, the book is easy to understand yet thorough; it serves as an excellent introduction for novices in the topics of physics and cosmology, but is full of fun facts, amusing anecdotes, and intriguing insights for the more knowledgeable reader. History is brought to life through brief biographical portraits of each scientist and thinker who has played a key role in the ongoing search for the ultimate theory, and the reader emerges from Falk's journey with an exciting sense of not only what is going on in science, but of what science itself is all about.

Speckled with illuminating quotes from physicists working in the field, Universe on a T-shirt dares to ask not only where physics is headed, but whether or not it is headed down the right path. Should notions like beauty and simplicity necessarily pave the road to truth, Falk asks. And will the ultimate theory mark the end of physics? Falk doesn't cower from the philosophy that lurks at the heart of physics. Instead, he embraces it, and allows the reader to delve into some of the most fundamental questions about the nature of reality. The author sympathetically writes of the layman's sense of cosmic alienation-perhaps this book can help those afflicted feel at home in the universe, and a part of the inspiring quest to truly understand it.

Entertaining but lacking
First I'd like to point out that I am one of those readers who have read the popular books of many of the cosmologists and physicists mentioned in this book. And I agree with a previous reviewer that if you have read Martin Rees and John Barrow, this might not be a very interesting book.

But I had a good time reading it. It is short and concise. Lots of chapters (I think the longest is about 5 pages or so) which makes this a very easy book to read.

The main problem is that the task of crunching the search for a "theory of everything" through the ages into a book of about 200 pages is impossible. That is probably why this is a book with no mention of anything but "western" theories.

I also found the last chapter on where God is in everything rather confusing. It seems as if the book's editor wanted to cut it but it was left in as some sort of compromise. It provides an afterthought but takes the narrative off track.

Dan Falk has written a good book for lay people who find Stephen Hawking inaccessible and who don't feel at home with more theoretical books. But the entire concept of "putting theories on a t-shirt" which every section ends with, says a lot about this book: simplification is king. And that is why it only gets three stars from me.

If you would like to read a really good book about scientific history, read Mendeleyev's Dream by Paul Strathern. It is everything this book is not.

Good attempt by a journalist.
By my standard only three stars, but it does not mean book is bad. This is a brief history of science that led to creation of modern cosmology and our current knowledge of the Universe. Not for Scientific American readers though.
Book targets general population, people who read about Cosmos and science in daily newspapers.
Written nice and easy, but advanced reader who studied works of scientists like Brian Greene, Lee Smolin, John Barrow, Martin Rees or Steven Weinberg, should not bother.

For discussion about religion and science (do we have God-designer or not?) it is better to check Victor Stenger's "Has Science Found God".
Also, a good alternative is Timothy Ferris: "Coming of Age in the Milky Way" - same topics.

No jacket (or physics degree) required...
"Universe on a T-Shirt" is perfect for anyone who wants a concise, easy-to-read guide to one of the great quests of human civilization: the search for the ultimate laws of physics -- the "Theory of Everything." This quest ranges from the speculations of the Greek philosophers, through relativity, quantum mechanics and the latest developments in string theory. These are forbidding subjects for many physicists let alone the interested layperson, but science journalist Dan Falk has managed the difficult task of getting across their basic ideas, and wider significance, in an entertaining way. The science is leavened with just the right amount of human interest and historical detail. The book is well illustrated with black & white photos, diagrams and cartoons, and includes a recommended reading list for those who want to explore further. It would make a great gift for a high school student interested in science. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Complete Text for System Identification
This book is very through in presenting methods of system identification...mathematically.However as with most good mathematical oriented books there are not a lot of practical design type problems.One other mark aginst the book is that similar notation is used for different topics, which can sometimes be a bit confusing. One thing I might recommend, to a potential buyer is that you take a course in random process, and possess a through understanding of signals and transforms.All in all though if a little more meat in terms of practicality were added I'd rate this book a five.

excellent book
An excellent textbook for engineers, and a necessary reference for Matlab toolbox (System Identification). ... Read more

Book Description

At the heart of modern cryptographic algorithms lies computational number theory. Whether you're encrypting or decrypting ciphers, a solid background in number theory is essential for success. Written by a number theorist and practicing cryptographer, Cryptanalysis of Number Theoretic Ciphers takes you from basic number theory to the inner workings of ciphers and protocols.First, the book provides the mathematical background needed in cryptography as well as definitions and simple examples from cryptography. It includes summaries of elementary number theory and group theory, as well as common methods of finding or constructing large random primes, factoring large integers, and computing discrete logarithms. Next, it describes a selection of cryptographic algorithms, most of which use number theory. Finally the book presents methods of attack on the cryptographic algorithms and assesses their effectiveness. For each attack method the author lists the systems it applies to and tells how they may be broken with it.Computational number theorists are some of the most successful cryptanalysts against public key systems. Cryptanalysis of Number Theoretic Ciphers builds a solid foundation in number theory and shows you how to apply it not only when breaking ciphers, but also when designing ones that are difficult to break. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate course
I read the book and is almost self contained. No knowledge in Number Theory is assumed. Has a great combination of text and math. Last few chapters could have been better.

Assistant Researcher
An excellent book. I am a beginning cryptographer with some statistics, discrete math, user level crypto and programming under my belt - crossing over from another field. This book is an excellent read with proper amounts of examples and theorems. It is easy to follow and would make a good reference. ... Read more

Book Description

Semiotics, a well established discipline of signs and their use in human and computer communications, is increasingly recognized as important to understanding information systems and computing in general. This important new resource examines a set of semiotic methods for information systems development. Kecheng Liu offers well balanced coverage of recent theoretical investigations and practical applications. He introduces the MEASUR approach for requirements elicitation, analysis, and representation and illustrates the methods in three major case studies. In these cases he demonstrates how information systems can be developed to meet business requirements and to support business objectives. ... Read more

Book Description

A renowned mathematician shows how the "science of surprise" can help explain some of the most inexplicable phenomena in science, nature, the arts, the economy, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good intro to some complex ideas
I found this to be an easy to read introduction to current hot topics in science and math. Catastrophe theory, Complexity, Chaos, and emergence. There is also an excellent listing of resources with commentary in the back of the book, called, "to dig deeper". I am an engineer with an MBA, so found a number of the examples very interesting. For the curious, (or less technically adept), this is very well written. Mr. Casti goes quickly from theory to "real world" examples. His illustrations are also very helpful to understanding the basic principles. Most books on complexity contain way too much math for the average reader, or are very simplistic, "Ubiquity" as an example. I think you will find a nice balance here.

Crap. Total crap.
Forgive me for the inarticulate title, but that about sums it up. In this book, John Casti uses misleading chapter titles and open-ended explanations to new scientific theories to explain what he thinks should be the foundation of the "science of surprise".

Now, don't get me wrong: open-ended material is not always a bad thing. Especially with new theories on chaos and related subjects that have not yet been given a strong leg to stand on; it is great to give readers a little insight so they can come up with some of their own conclusions. But there is a difference between presenting an interesting question then suggestion some well-thoughtout solutions and presenting an interesting question and jotting down a quick answer by using unproven assumptions.

One example of this is when he explains the irrationality of common sense and bases almost his entire argument on the fact that many people will take $100 dollars today instead of $120 dollars next week and $1,300,000 in a year instead of $100 today. If you read that whole chapter, you will find little more than this explaining why common sense is a faulty way of thinking other than an accident made by an unattentive engineer. Granted, I agree (for my own reasons), but these two situations are not a very good explanation for why common sense in decision making is unwise.

And from what I read and skimmed through, basing solutions off of unstable assumptions and unique situations seems to be what Casti is best at. He uses many words to explain some of the simplest theories in this scientific genre and too few words for the most complex. His thoughts hold little order and several times chapters and paragraphs don't even finish the thoughts that he starts.

I am giving it two stars because eventually he does correctly rattle off some of the basic theories, and he includes a couple of interesting situations and questions.

If you want a good read from the area of unpredictable science, try Chaos : Making a New Science by James Gleick.

Some interesting points, but very uneven.
While parts of this book were very thought-provoking, too many details were either left out or skimmed over to allow this book to stand alone. For example, the formula the author supplies to calculate the eccentricity of a simplex couldn't possibly produce the results he gives in the adjoining table; some are infinite, and the formula as he states is specifically designed to avoid such results. If you're really interested in catastophe theory or chaos theory, make sure you read this book where you have other reference materials on hand. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (7)

Engagingly Written Science
Roger Lewin engagingly writes of his discussions with leaders in the field of complexity, the study of non-linear, dynamical systems in the life sciences. Studies in 'chaos' theory and related fields like cellular automata have led to new formulations of self-organization and non-vitalistic emergence in living systems. Although still considered a fringe element by some of their colleagues, people like Stuart Kauffman, Chris Langton, Norman Packard and others are exploring models of "...common dynamical patterns in the realms of physics, biology, and society..." (193) which may radically change our understandings of evolution and consciousness. A cheering trend toward non-aristotelian directions.

Why read complexity?
I am not a scientist. I am, however, interested in a wide variety of subjects and fascinated by complexity. I am not referring now to the book, or the subject but the expression in the real world of all that there is to know and understand. How can anyone live and not recognise at the deepest levels of their understanding that everything that exists does so in dependence on other things that exist and that this interdependence, because of the number of dynamic variables, cannot be described otherwise than a complex system. It is at this point that anyone who has read the book or who is a part of this book will protest that I have missed the point. I have not. This book isn't about a vague subjective comprehension of all things being related. It is much more scientific than that. I have started off this way because I am aware that in the hustle of everyday life-the place where most readers of books reside-the subject of the science of complexity is beyond even the periphery of what might occur to them as a topic to take an interest in, let alone find relevant. Having a general, non-expert appreciation for the immense complexity of which we are a part is an appropriate mindset to bring to any reading of the subject. The book is deserving of a wider appeal than for just new wave idea groupies.

I find Lewin strikes the right balance with his reader presenting difficult concepts with elegant clarity yet providing enough detail to challenge the reader. To make the material too simple would leave the concepts incoherent-to provide too much would leave the reader behind. He also presents a balanced view of the subject. There are detractors in the scientific community. They are heard from. Lewin develops various concepts directly related to complexity rather cleverly. We are given a piece of concept that is added onto later in a different context providing us with a kaleidoscopic way of thinking of the material. It is all connected but our focus shifts slightly giving us a new view of the subject. In the beginning there were Boolean Networks. Other concepts follow: edge of chaos; complex adaptive systems; emergence. If anyone has ever wondered even in passing why is it that discrete bits of biota or data that do not amount to much in themselves can produce not only something more complex when put together but something that is more than the sum of its parts then Complexity is of interest to you.

This book doesn't have to be the final authority or explain it all to be a very good read. And, in reference to other reviews, novel new ways of approaching scientific inquiry don't come from just anyone. Personalities matter. Putting the subject of complexity in the context of those who have been pursuing its secrets is not only acceptable but adds to our understanding. The implications for the opening up of new ways of seeing what we've heretofore been looking at 'through a glass darkly' are incredible. I can see why some of the leading scientists might find the subject worth their time and energy. So many things we wish to fix about how we operate within the system that supports us have proved intransigent to change. Perhaps this is because up to now we have been hampered by a too narrow view of what dynamics are relevant to a particular line of inquiry.

Lewin has presented complexity as a good mystery novel. It is a non-fiction mystery novel the ending of which has yet to be written.

A fine SECOND book on Complexity
The scope of complexity science is vast, encompassing many disciplines. This book focuses on how the new idea of complexity relates to biology by discussing the idea with many leading biologists of the day. Other reviewers were put off by the book's lack of definition of what complexity is, and the lack of resolution as to what terms such as "edge of chaos" mean. But that is exactly the point. These terms do not have clear definition today. Complexity is a very immature field, frequently pursued at the visceral level. It is hard to define what it *is*, but frequently easy to identify it where it exists. I can understand the other reviewers' concerns with the lack of definition, and can only suggest that because of the narrower focus (biology), this is an appropriate second book on complexity.

As a second book, narrowly focused on the question of complexity in biology, it is outstanding. Specifically, the question is one of how self-organization (complexity) relates to evolution and what this means for natural selection. Complexity is frequently talked up as the unifier of the sciences. Lewin takes a balanced approach, taking the time to talk to complexity theorists and understand their ideas, then talking to mainstream biologists to see how the ideas relate. His conclusion shows no inherent bias. Where other books on complexity show extreme (perhaps undue) enthusiasm, Roger Lewin's concusion is decidedly "wait and see". I found his insights to be on target and relevant.

I mentioned that this is a good second book. For an introduction to complexity, read John Holland's "Hidden Order". For a history of the Santa Fe Institute and some of the personalities there, read Mitchell Waldrop's "Complexity". Either or both of these would serve as an adequate introduction to this book.

Rock Star Drivel
I'm amazed that this book is still out there. This reads more like People magazine than Popular Science. The book is a poor introduction to the science of complexity, or to science itself, because it focuses on people not ideas, and (as another reviewer wrote) the ideas are not well defined. If you must read it, read it as a treatise for now not to report science and why the towers of academic institutions remain coated with ivory. Treat yourself to a bite of ice cream everytime a real complexity-related fact is offered. I don't think you'll be off your diet.

A big disappointment
Lewin fails to clearly define what complexity and chaos mean and the jocular, conversational style of this book never actually brings things in to focus. Much is made of "the edge of chaos" yet it is never actually defined or examplified. What examples exist are simplistic and only erode and hide what ever the point may be. ... Read more

Book Description

Jr/Sr/Grad course (one or two terms) in systems analysis and design. Core course(s) for IS majors. Most texts cover SAD using the "traditional" structured approach (Dennis: SAD). The Object-Oriented models have been growing in importance and the market itself is growing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Two Thumbs Up
Alan Dennis and Barbara Wixom make a difficult subject come alive with easy to understand language and real life case studies

Minimally Acceptable as a College Textbook
The authors take on a pretty broad topic, and give it just cursory overview. Their 16 chapters are divided into the broad areas of Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation. However, the individual chapters within the text are not well organized within those areas. For example, what are UML Class diagrams and structural modeling doing in the Analysis phase, when they more clearly belong in design? It seems like UML has been pasted into a systems book just so that a current buzzword can end up in the title. When was the last time any of you used CRC cards? Yet they end up in the same chapter with UML diagrams.

Chapter 10, System Architecture Design, is rather disappointing. Although the book mentions terrorist attacks, indicating its 2002 heritage, there is barely a mention of web-based deployment or eCommerce paradigms in this section.

Many of the anecdotes collected as side bars in the book are entertaining, but they don't always make a point relevant to the discussion at hand.

If this is your textbook for a class, pay close attention to the prof. You will get much better insights into System Analysis and Design from a real person with real-world experience, than this cobbled-together book. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a complete stand alone coverage with which someone conversant with computers could build and analyse the output from a discrete event simulation model. The implementation of models concentrates on the use of general purpose procedure oriented languages, as opposed to special purpose simulation languages, and on the use of C in particular. By concentrating on a widely available language and providing the source code of a simulation library on disk, simulation is made accessible and cost effective in both a teaching and industrial context. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

very good book on simple and practical simulation
Some comparisons with similar in scope book by Myron McDougall are requiried, as Myron's book seems to be much more popular.

Watkins gives very solid yet accessible treatment of all standard simulation areas:methodology, programming implementation issues, random numbers, entitiesand resources, scheduling, queues, gathering results, data analysis, basicstatistical knowledge required, experimental design - and some case studies[ethernet one of them].

The treatment level is eminently suitable forundergrads, similar to McDougall's book.

The package in standard ANSI Cthat comes with this book is much better in functionality than smpl. Thereis more functionality in entities, queues, scheduling, better random numberimplementation.

The lower popularity of Watkins' book is probably causedby the title - no 'computer' in the title (unlike McDougall). It may bealso caused by slightly narrower scope - concentrating more on theprogramming side of simulation than giving slighly broader overview of thetopic.

Still, it's a pity that this book didn't get more popular. ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition accommodates recent advances in GPS technology and considers its full operational capability. Updated or new information has been included although the overall structure conforms to the former editions. The textbook explains in comprehensive manner the concepts of GPS as well as the latest applications in surveying, navigation, and attitude determination. Special emphasis is put on the mitigation of Selective Availability effects by applying differential techniques (DGPS) or by using precise orbit and satellite clock information from various services. Description of project planning, observation, and data processing is provided for novice GPS users. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A resource for more than just GPS
This is an excellent book for anyone that works with spacecraft geometry and/or timekeeping. It contains concise descriptions of coordinate systems, orbital elements and timekeeping. I've been using it as an algorithm 'cookbook'. This is not a book for a casual GPS user, or someone who is sqeamish about math. It's much easier to use than the Astronomical Almanac for basic algorithms. Like a fool, I lent it out. Now I need to buy another one.

More theory than practice!
As a commercial GPS user, I was looking for a book that would offer a fairly basic overview of GPS, but that would still go into significant detail. This book does exactly that, but it also covers a lot of the mathematical theory behind GPS. This book certainly isn't introductory and I think would be more suited to a surveyor with a good knowledge of surveying techniques who was interested in GPS. The mathematics gets a bit heavy for a non-mathematician but Chapter 7 (Surveying with GPS) is an excellent introduction/review of the practical uses of GPS in the field. A good intermediate-advanced level book, probably very suited to students. ... Read more

Book Description

IEEE Press Series in Biomedical Engineering
Metin Akay, Series Editor

A valuable synthesis of system theory and real-world applications for biomedical instrumentation.

System theory is becoming increasingly important to medical applications. Yet, biomedical and digital signal processing researchers rarely have expertise in practical medical applications, and medical instrumentation designers usually are unfamiliar with system theory. System Theory and Practical Applications for Biomedical Signals bridges those gaps in a practical manner, showing how various aspects of system theory are put into practice by industry.

The chapters are intentionally organized in groups of two chapters, withthe first chapter describing a system theory technology, and the second chapter describing an industrial application of this technology. Each theory chapter contains a general overview of a system theory technology, which is intended as background material for the application chapter. Each application chapter contains a history of a highlighted medical instrument, summary of appropriate physiology, discussion of the problem of interest and previous empirical solutions, and review of a solution that utilizes the theory in the previous chapter.

Written from the perspective of an industry insider who actually made useful products based on the theory, this pragmatic guide combines traditional DSP and compartmental modeling, as well as pairing in-depth discussions of practical medical instrumentation applications and system theory.

Biomedical and DSP academic researchers pursuing grants and industry funding will find its real-world approach extremely valuable. Its in-depth discussion of the theoretical issues will clarify for medical instrumentation managers how system theory can compensate for less-than-ideal sensors. With application MATLAB® exercises and suggestions for system theory course work included, the text also fills the need for detailed information for students or practicing engineers interested in instrument design. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

ECG compression by using integer to integer wavelets
I am a graduated student in the faculty of electrical and communication engineering.
I want informations and documents about the ECG compression by using the integer to integer wavelet transform as a lossless transform

Thank you very much for your consideration ... Read more

Book Description

This textbook presents a systematic study of the qualitative and geometric theory of nonlinear differential equations and dynamical systems. Although the main topic of the book is the local and global behavior of nonlinear systems and their bifurcations, a thorough treatment of linear systems is given at the beginning of the text. All the material necessary for a clear understanding of the qualitative behavior of dynamical systems is contained in this textbook, including an outline of the proof and examples illustrating the proof of the Hartman-Grobman theorem, the use of the Poincare map in the theory of limit cycles, the theory of rotated vector fields and its use in the study of limit cycles and homoclinic loops, and a description of the behavior and termination of one-parameter families of limit cycles. In addition to minor corrections and updates throughout, this new edition includes materials on higher order Melnikov theory and the bifurcation of limit cycles for planar systems of differential equations, including new sections on Francoise's algorithm for higher order Melnikov functions and on the finite codimension bifurcations that occur in the class of bounded quadratic systems. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very good graduate ODEs text, with some flaws
Perko's book is one of the best books that gives an advanced introduction to dynamical systems from the point of differential equations. Many other good books tread the same ground, without emphasizing the connection to ODEs. Perko's text is particularly strong in several respects. First, the dynamical systems it considers are almost always expressed in terms of underlying differential equations. Second, it gives proofs or outlines of proofs of most major theorems used in this field. Third, it covers the most important topics, including: local theory of hyperbolic equilibria, invariant manifolds, Hamiltonian systems, flows on R^2, stability theory, and elementary bifurcations. Also reviewed are the results from linear systems theory, in a particularly well-written and easy to follow introductory chapter. Another great feature of this book is its solid coverage of center manifold theory, which is an important and somewhat difficult topic.

There are a couple of problems with this book. The proofs to some of the major theorems are occasionally abstruse or poorly derived. Perko seems to bend over backwards to give analytical proofs, when algebraic or topological proofs might be easier. Many of the problems reuse the same elementary example equations. This is OK insofar as it allows the reader to see how different techniques can be used to analyze the same systems, but it limits the reader's exposure to the full variety of interesting dynamical systems that can arise in practice. The author also tends to emphasize polynomial vector fields, which is a potential limitation. Occasionally the problems are significantly more difficult than the examples worked in the text.

Overall, Perko's text is a very solid introduction to advanced ODEs and continuous dynamics. It is especially well-suited for scientists and engineers who want a readable introduction to the qualitative theory of ODEs.

A Book on Advanced Dynamical Systems
This book is a useful textbook for advanced courses on differential equations and dynamical systems for senior undergraduate students or first year graduate students.

The book presents a systematic study of the qualitative and geometric theory of nonlinear differential equations and dynamical systems.

The book has a sketch of the proof of the Hartman-Grobman Theorem which was useful for my second undergraduate course on dynamical systems and nonlinear differential equations.

I liked the book and I am quite sure it will become a classic textbook on this very useful branch of Math that has so many old and new applications in Physics, Economics and Finance. ... Read more

Book Description

In Aircraft Stories noted sociologist of technoscience John Law tells "stories" about a British attempt to build a military aircraft—the TSR2. The intertwining of these stories demonstrates the ways in which particular technological projects can be understood in a world of complex contexts.

Law works to upset the binary between the modernist concept of knowledge, subjects, and objects as having centered and concrete essences and the postmodernist notion that all is fragmented and centerless. The structure and content of Aircraft Stories reflect Law’s contention that knowledge, subjects, and—particularly— objects are "fractionally coherent": that is, they are drawn together without necessarily being centered. In studying the process of this particular aircraft’s design, construction, and eventual cancellation, Law develops a range of metaphors to describe both its fractional character and the ways its various aspects interact with each other. Offering numerous insights into the way we theorize the working of systems, he explores the overlaps between singularity and multiplicity and reveals rich new meaning in such concepts as oscillation, interference, fractionality, and rhizomatic networks.

The methodology and insights of Aircraft Stories will be invaluable to students in science and technology studies and will engage others who are interested in the ways that contemporary paradigms have limited our ability to see objects in their true complexity. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Sublime stories on things in their making
While at no point downspeaking to its reader, this book poses a large number of essential questions on technology, science and design. Based on the case of the TSR-2 aircraft, it keeps on asking stubbornly like a detective investigating a crime, uncovering bit by bit how objects are not singular, homogeneous entities, but just as heterogene and active in the formation of society and things as the subjects. It makes very clear that the 'interpellation' between human and nonhuman actors is crucial to investigate, and is itself a paradigmatic example on how to conduct such studies. Its points on the relevance of oscillating between modernity and postmodernity are lucid, imaginative and very informing.

I still hate this book
I had to rate this a second time because my one star rating only reduced the overall rating (it's been reviewed by one other reader) to a two and a half and that's two and a half too many.

I feel like a chump for buying it, but I'm happy admitting my mistake to the world if it could save one helpless soul from having to read paragraphs like...:

"The book as a whole, then, is not treelike in structure. It is not an arborescence. Instead it takes the form of a rhizomatic network. It makes overlaps and juxtapositions, and it makes interference effects as a result of making these overlaps. So that is the fourth way of introducing the book. It is about writing fractionally." - p. 9 John Law, Aircraft Stories.

You really don't want to know about other three ways of introducing the book. I was struggling during the first two, the third had me gasping for air and number four was kinda it for me.

I was dubious at first
Unless you are very used to post-modern theory, you will not find Law's idea lucid at first. I believe that I shook my head in disbelief. His explanation of a fractal reality fell on death ears, but then I read more. Once I finished the book and discussed it in class, I realized that Law had altered how I viewed technoscience. This book is highly recommended and Law should be commended for his approach to a reconciliation of the modern and post-modern. ... Read more