No comments about Steel Structures: Controlling Behavior Through Design.

1 comments about Engineering Graphics with AutoCAD 2007.

1. As new as I'm new in the word of AutoCad, I can say that this book is not as complex as the software is. It tries to help the student to understand the structure of objects (2D or 3D) but it is not enough. I've seen my classmates struggle because there is not order of importance in the requirements of a drawing; there are not recommendations for the most efficient tools in the making of a drawing. It has worked for me but I don't think it is the ideal text for the new student, bare in mind AutoCad is a huge program and there are tools not even mentioned in this book.
   P.D.: Be careful, as always there are typos in the exercises, you may notice them.

4 comments about Regenerative Design Techniques: Practical Applications in Landscape Design.

1. If you want to get a broad basic understanding of 1 - the basic models of todays systems of how we as humans are affecting the basic ecologoical systems we have on earth (without trying to go into any detail) and then 2 - how as a design consultant/architect/a home owner wishing to create a 'greener' home then this is definately the book for you. The author gives you the base of why you are to do something and then some basic design element on how you can effectively perform a desired system.
   
   The book is easy to read and follow and has very good illitrations throughout.



2. For more detail, see my forthcoming book review in Landscape & Urban Planning, or the recent review (not by me) in Landscape Architecture Magazine.
   As an author whose main focus is on sustainability in landscape architectural practice, I go out of my way to encourage anyone with similar expertise. However, Regenerative Design Techniques (RDT) will disappoint anyone whose focus is landscape-specific. More than 2/3 of the book concerns buildings exclusively, on topics such as solar water and space heating or indoor air quality. It is not a bad book on green architecture, and contains much useful (although already widely published) information, but is definitely NOT primarily about landscape architecture as claimed by its title. Of its landscape-specific information, some is actively misleading, such as the claim that automatic-control irrigation uses 75% MORE water than a handheld hose (true only if the controller is maladjusted and the hose-holder is exquisitely attentive). The single review on Amazon that praises the book so highly is written by someone from the same university as the authors.
   If there were no solid landscape-specific information available, this book might have been a first step. However, that information is available from a wide range of sources including (but by no means limited to) my own books and articles for Landscape Architecture Magazine. Again, as a book on green BUILDINGS, RDT is not bad; as a title on landscape architecture it is extremely limited.



3. The book Regenerative Design Techniques by Melby and Cathcart is a welcomed contribution to the field of sustainable design. The book has everything needed for a textbook except problems, yet is so smoothly constructed that it can be read straight through from cover to cover. For most of us in the field, it will be one of the first general reference books available.
   The book begins by painting a broad view of the need for highly integrated sustainable design, not limited to only water or energy. The chapters then work their way through the general areas ? water, energy, shelter, waste, and landscapes. The approach used for each specific topic is highly effective. The concept is introduced, with general concepts and drawings. Then specific information for construction is offered and engineering tables for actual designs. Most importantly, sample calculations, drawings, and photographs of actual cases are incorporated.
   In a field that has been strong on ideals and short on details, this is a rich addition. It makes one realize how much we have been missing up until now.



4. The book Regenerative Design Techniques by Melby and Cathcart is a welcome contribution to the field of sustainable design. The book has everything needed for a textbook except problems, yet is so smoothly constructed that it can be read straight through from cover to cover. For most of us in the field, it will be one of the first general reference books available.
   The book begins by painting a broad view of the need for highly integrated sustainable design, not limited to only water or energy. The chapters then work their way through the general areas ? water, energy, shelter, waste, and landscapes. The approach used for each specific topic is highly effective. The concept is introduced, with general concepts and drawings. Then specific information and for construction is offered and engineering tables for actual designs. Most importantly, they then walk through sample calculations, drawings, and photographs of actual cases. The reader is left knowing why this is important, when to use it and how to build one.
   In a field that has been strong on ideals and short on details, this is a rich addition. It makes one realize how much we have been missing up until now.

5 comments about Great Sound Stereo Speaker Manual (Tab Electronics).

1. If you are only interested in "spoonfed" recipe loudspeaker designs, this book will be great for you. It does cover some important theory initially and has some very clear and succinct illustrations, but I felt that it was a let down of my expectations, especially if you pay too much attention to things like the cover illustration (way too "hi-end" and complex for this book!).

   Speaker building can easily become an addictive and engaging hobbie, and if you think at all that you may want more than a "casual glance" I'd strongly recommend "LOUDSPEAKER DESIGN COOKBOOK" by Vance Dickason instead. It may seem to be a more technical book but it has "staying power" and is a longer term reference text that the Weems/Koonce book.

   On the positive side, if you do lack the time, inclination or confidence to get into the "nitty gritty", this book does have projects that feature relatively simple enclosure construction, require readily available (and not too expensive) speaker drivers and components and it has choice in terms of scale, complexity (to an extent) etc in the projects.




2. Great introduction to loudspeaker design theory. Very good, in-depth discussion of crossovers with usable equations.

   However, the projects and suggested projects aren't worth the paper they're written on. After studying the theories on cabinet and crossover design, and researching available drivers, I don't think many people are going to be interested in using the cheapest crap available for drivers. The projects all use Audax, Peerless, Seas, and Vifa drivers - the worst junk available. The authors themselves state that these drivers deteriorate quickly, and that all the drivers for one particular project can be purchased for seven dollars each! Are you interested in investing all the time required to learn, design and build a set of speakers and then invest $28 in four drivers? I'm certainly not.

   The included software Crossover Modeling Program certainly has potential, and are useful for building the low-buck projects in this book. It includes treatment for virtually all the variables available for manipulation by the designer/builder. However, it's DOS based, almost impossible to navigate, only has data files available for the trash drivers used in the project, and, in fact, doesn't even have all the data files for all of those drivers. If they've got data files for good drivers like Focal, Eton, or even Dynaudio available on a web site or something, the program would be VERY USEFULL. And it is still usefull for modeling the crossover, but without linking in the driver specs, it's guesswork as to how the response curves are going to come out, let alone the actual speaker performance.

   It's amazing to me that the authors give such a good treatment to everything, go to all the trouble of developing a good modeling program, and then build garbage. You're going to have more invested in this book than you will in the speaker projects themselves. They even go into buying and/or building fairly sophisticated test equipment - for what? To test your $15 driver? After discussing all the advanced considerations, the projects use surface-mounted drivers with defractions rings instead of routing out the cabintes to flush-mount the drivers. Are you going to put the hundreds of hours into a project and then forego the extra few minutes to properly rout out the driver openings? I'm not!!

   Another serious shortcoming is that all the test data only goes down to 200 hertz, and almost all the response curves show a 3+ decibel rise in the 200-500 hz range. Well hey, bass response is where the going gets tough! But it makes the low-dollar, two- way, 5-6" 'woofer' projects look acceptable. The three-way projects are also a joke since the 'woofers' are still only 6.5". Believe me, there is going to be NO appreciable bass response at any significant volume level with ANY of these projects, and who wants to be crossing over to a subwoofer at 200 hz. I like 60-80 hz much better. And I'm not interested in having a system where a 5-6" driver is resonsible for handling everything from 3000 Hz on down - approximately seven octaves!

   I DO RECOMMEND buying this book - and then tearing out everything after page 165 .




3. This book covers the basic aspects of loudspeaker design in an easy to understand language and includes useful software on the CD-ROM. If you want to build your own speaker system, this is the book for you. Don't expect it, however, to go further in mathematical or theoretical contents.



4. Basically I experienced an expectatives problem. I was looking for a general coverage book and this came out to be a small cabinets one. If this is what you're looking for this is an excelent book, covering from A to Z. If you're looking for folded horns or large subwoofers, keep on trying.



5. A good beginner's book for those interested in building their own speakers without getting into heavy mathematics, passive electronics, complex woodworking, or folded horns. The book explains some the rudiments of speaker theory, and barely enough to design your own simple crossover network. The book has several economical projects which the author already debugged and are ready to build, including: the make and model of the speakers, list of passive components, schematic - which usually include extras like a Zobel network, and the cabinet dimensions. Their are several two-way projects and one three-way with a ten-inch woofer. Most designs use a soft-dome tweeter, if that's what you like. There is a list of raw component vendors in the back of the book. The designs for the ported boxes use the Thiel method, and I am finding that this may be conservatively sized toward the large side with respect to a flat bass response. The prose is a bit wordy, but still easy to read. Overall, I have learned a few things from this book.

No comments about Graphic Communications in Architecture.

No comments about Design for Aging Review: The American Institute of Architects (Design for Aging Review).

No comments about Handbook of Design, Manufacturing and Automation.

No comments about Passive and Active Environmental Controls: Informing the Schematic Designing of Buildings.

No comments about Almanac of Architecture & Design 2005, Sixth Edition (Almanac of Architecture and Design).

1 comments about Learning and Applying SolidWorks 2007-2008.

1. As a Technology Instructor and a relatively new user, I'm always investigating new text books and support materials which I can use for my students and myself. By far this SolidWorks book is the most basic book that I have encountered and provides the least amount of informative information about the 3D features, control area, featuremanager, commands, toolbars, etc. in SolidWorks.
   
   The book moves very slowly and does not provide detail information in any form on any subject that would support the 500 pages. The book states that it is a 2007-2008 book, but only supports the 2007 SolidWorks User Interface. The illustrations are large, some a full page. The author states, "Unlike other books of its kind, it begins at a very basic level and ends at a fairly advanced level." I do agree with the very basic level!