1 comments about Building Codes Illustrated for Healthcare Facilities: A Guide to Understanding the 2006 International Building Code (Building Codes Illustrated).

1. This book contains very little healthcare specific code information. During my first round flipping through the book, I did not manage to notice any information on healthcare code issues. Upon further inspection, I did manage to find a few healthcare related items... but nothing even close to being useful - or worth the price of the book, for that matter.
   
   This book seems to be simply a repackaging of the book "Building Codes Illustrated," by some of the same authors - which I own as well. The table of contents for both books are nearly identical. Non of the chapters have anything healthcare related in their titles. Most of the graphics appear to be straight out of "Building Codes Illustrated" as well. The index contains more references to subjects such as "brick expansion joints," "cripple studs," and "concrete piles" than it does to anything healthcare specific. Disappointing, to say the least.
   
   If you are looking for industry specific code information, this is NOT your book. This is an unfortunate mislabeling/retitling.

2 comments about Mastering AutoCAD 2000 for Mechanical Engineers.

1. The book does a good job showing you how to use AutoCad 2000 in a mechanical environment. However the book did not deal with the menu and commands found in AutoCad Mechanical 2000 that I will be using to do mechanical drafting.



2. I am a novice, self-taught autocad user. This book bridged the gap between me, a mechanical engineer, and my autocad drafters. After completing each chapter, including the exercises, I am now a fully capable and independent drafter. The mechanical engineer version is perfectly tailored to everyday designs for the M.E. I highly recommend this book for those new to autocad and for those who want to greatly improve their autocad efficiency.

1 comments about Computer-Aided Manufacturing (3rd Edition) (Prentice Hall International Series on Industrial and Systems Engineering).

1. This thorough book will help anyone concerned with CAD/CAM related technology stay in touch with a fast changing world. It covers a wide range of topics from product design to manufacturing control. All of the major CAD/CAM topics are included as well as chapters on automation, numerical control and robotics. This is a serious tool for the dedicated engineering professional.

1 comments about One-Story Homes: 450 Exceptional Home Plans from 810 to 5400 Square Feet.

1. There are lots of plans in here with ridiculously high pitched roof-lines, tiny, barely functional rooms, and for a book that was supposed to feature ONE STORY homes, a surprising number of TWO STORY plans. No matter how small the total square footage of the house, these designers (surely not architects) worked in three bedrooms and sometimes a "media room", leaving some of the bedrooms as small as 9 x 9, and hardly any that were larger than 12 x 15. Nobody could live in such cramped spaces, and you'd never find furniture to fit the rooms.

   There are elaborate Master Bath plans, tacked carelessly onto medium sized bedrooms, and throughout the book, you'll see dozens of upper floor "loft" spaces and "bonus" rooms, that people who are seeking single level homes would never need or want.

   As for the claim that there are 450 floor plans, I guess it would be about half of that, if you eliminated all of the "mirror image" plans, and multiple plans that are identical, except for some minor variation.

   This book is a waste of time and trees.

No comments about AutoCAD LT 2006: The Definitive Guide (Wordware Applications Library).

1 comments about Great Spaces: Cabins.

1. Perfect for anyone interested in alternative housing on a human scale. This nicely designed volume contains wonderful examples os cabin style housingfrom differing countries and environments. When you view these clever design solutions it makes you wonder what on earth is going on with the plague-like Macmansion development that seems to have overtaken this country.

4 comments about The Architect's Studio Companion, 3rd Edition.

1. Well written, easy to read and comprehend. Great for a student to begin development of a project.



2. This book offers a great way for architecture students to get a handle on some of the issues related to building design. It deals with basic issues of construction including structural systems, mechanical systems, and code considerations. It gives "rules of thumb" and basic descriptions which are great for preliminary design. For example, if you need to roughly size a truss or floor system during schematic design, go the appropriate section for the system you are using, and you'll find handy charts for basic sizing. This is a great book for students who need rough "guestimates" for studio projects.



3. Having this book is like having a half-dozen of the best engineering consultants at your elbow-ready to answer any question that may come up during design. It reduces all the complex technical issues in building design to simple formal elements of know size that are easily merged into the architectural design process. A must-have for professionals and students alike!



4. As an Architecture Student this book has come in very hand. It gives many details of design guidelines and is a wonderful resource book to own.

3 comments about High Speed CMOS Design Styles.

1. The IBM authors wrote a concise reference manual on circuit
   design, process variation effects on circuits, and time borrowing. What is missing? Sections on sequential circuit design, transistor sizing techniques, or modeling circuits through mathematics, spice and verilog. However, this is among the most lucid texts written on circuit structures to date.



2. The book is very nicely written and has lots of practical tips, rule of thumbs which a practicing high speed CMOS circuit design engineer needs. Its conscise and works as good referance.



3. It's concise but deals the topics in depth. It's much better and practical than usual vlsi text books.

No comments about Architectural Delineation: Presentation Techniques and Projects.

3 comments about Mastering Autodesk VIZ 2007.

1. This book has many options on how to model and render, good for class.



2. Simply a must have for any reference library or self study. Very complete, easy to understand examples coupled with project files on the included CD ROM. The included exercises focus on the user interface/operation to modeling and rendering in the architectural discipline. Again, a very worthwhile publication...



3. Its simply great ! I am a beginner and by reading this book I feel like I am a guru of VIZ. Whatever you are looking for, nurbs, materials, everything, its an amazing great book! Everyone should have it and make it as the main door to 3D !
   Thank you Mr Omura !!!