3 comments about Engineering with the Spreadsheet: Structural Engineering Templates Using Excel.

1. I was heartbroken when I saw this book for sale. Why? Because I wanted to write this book. Twenty minutes after I received and opened the book I realized that the opportunity is still out there. If an LED flashlight is considered an advanced and high-tech tool for light, think of this book as a flaming, wooden torch. In fact, the book itself would be most useful in starting a fire.
   
   Seriously, this book would only be useful for engineers over the age of ~40. If you're still new to spreadsheets it may be helpful. If you've been in college in the last ten years this book is a worthless waste of paper and ink.



2. This book is ok for engineers who are not yet familiar with excel, but one would be better of with a excel manual and a structures text book. This book pretty much gives you the basics of how to set up a spreadsheet but, with a little time spent playing around with excel someone could figure them out on there own. The provided spreadsheet, although well thought out and planed, are nothing special and don't provide the proper detail to be used in a design office. The author does not go into any of the uses or advantages of macros and other automated features of excel which allow for greater variability in the use of spread sheets. I would recommend this book for engineers have no experience with excel and want a quick crash course in the basic features of the program, reminding them not to expect too much from it.



3. The book (the spreadsheets) illustrates nicely that Excel works for a structural engineer, but thats about it.
   It starts explaining Excel from scratch focusing on features that might be important for the engineer and applying examples common to an engineer, which makes it a good reference book for beginners. Afterwards, most of the book presents examples of calculations applying the functions learned in the earlier chapters of the book. There are examples from biaxial concrete column design to storage tank design.
   The entire book was written using Excel and the accompanying CD includes all spreadsheets, giving the user the opportunity to revise formulas and offering a couple of handy spreadsheets.
   However, the emphasis of the book lies on presenting a lot of examples elaborated by the author for some projects (mainly storage tanks). It leaves the impression that the book serves mostly to present those specific sheets and the authors work.
   The layout of the sheets is awkward and the book itself proves that creating a book in Excel itself is not the best idea since the formatting of pages is a little bit difficult.
   The examples are elaborated based on various codes, where the author expresses repetitively his nonconformism with LRFD. This aversion to LRFD leads to my personal favorite statement, which seems to be a little bit misplaced in a book about spreadsheets for civil engineers:
   "And is Europe laughing at us because we still use old fashioned methods? Let them laugh. The way we do things has created a nation powerful enough to provide a defense umbrella and relative stability to Europe that has lasted 60+ years. Many Europeans can take a five week vacation because of our resourcefulness."
   Personally, I would prefer to use an Excel manual and a good book on structural engineering.

No comments about Emerald Architecture: Case Studies in Green Building (GreenSource Books).

4 comments about The Ecological Design Handbook.

1. Excellent collection of essays from different authors/sources covering the ecological design in many aspects. Each chapter is concise and to the point. Both general and practical information is provided. Chapters on the future of eco-design are included. It is also a pleasure to read.



2. This is a good book but readers would be better off getting Permaculture a Designers Manual, by Bill Mollison first, and then use this book as an additional reference for more ideas. as the editorial reveiw says it is an A-Z reference. Permaculture a Designers Manual is a how-to reference which I beleive makes any book more valuable than an A-Z reference and this is the only reason why I am giving this book 3 stars.



3. contents too good to be described



4. contents too good to be described

1 comments about Mastering Math for The Building Trades.

1. This OK for a partimer or as a guide for someone just learning. there is too much missing to complete a job.

5 comments about Ceramic Tile Setting.

1. I've never done any tile work and wanted to find out more about it. After reading this book, I feel like I can get started without a lot of confusion. For anyone wanting to learn more about tilework, even if your going to hire it done, this book is a must.



2. I am planning a mud-set ceramic tile project and it was suggested that I buy this book. I did and it is a GREAT book; sure wish I had known about it several years ago when I did my first tile project! I recommend it to anyone starting a tile project. It's written in a way that most anyone can understand and the small cost is worth the time and potential mistakes that will be saved.



3. If you are just starting out, or are wanting to learn more about the tiling do's and don'ts, then this book is for you.

   As a DIY person, I found the book covered all those little details that other books didn't. And when it comes to tiling, it is all about detail.

   It is written in a fun informative manner, and is easy to read and follow. If you buy one book only on tiling, this is the one to get.




4. I purchased this book hoping to get valueable information on the understanding of tile work.In addition to aquire ideas that would benefit me in achieving such goals.This book I found to be poorly written, the examples (pictures)provided were outdated and poorly presented to say the least.
   Save your hard earned money, this to me was Not worth the price !!



5. I can't believe this book! I have learned more about tiling in the 3-4 hours it took me to read the book, than in the previous tile projects I have done. Mr. Bridge covers it all. I found the section on laying out a project worth the entire price of the book. By following his layout method, I have saved considerable time. Mr. Bridge uses humor, simple explanations, and a great knowledge of tiling to make a do-it-yourselfer feel comfortable about taking on a large project.

   I am a Maintenance Superintendent for the largest publicly owned utility in the Nation. I have read way more manuals than I care to think about. Very seldom do I actually learn anything. This book covers not only the very basics, but also some of the more complex projects of tiling. It not only tells you what to do; it also explains why you want to do it. An excellent book I highly recommend to anyone. Just don't ask to borrow my book, BUY your own!

No comments about Residential Design, Drafting, And Detailing (Drafting and Design).

1 comments about The Pantheon: Design, Meaning, and Progeny.

1. William L. MacDonald presents an unpretentious and sound survey of Rome's most famous yet least understood architectural icon. For those with a keen but novitiate interest in the Pantheon, or casual readers of Roman history, this book is ideal; it's not overwhelmingly fact-laden and it's as assimilable as an afternoon snack. For those interested in the engineering, logistics and constitution of the Pantheon I would suggest some of the recent work by the Engineer David Moore. Historically MacDonald's ideas are consistent with previous analyses and include an interesting metaphysical supposition for the Pantheon's ambitious dimensions ("to unify unities...is the Pantheons ultimate meaning" - pg. 88). The final chapter offers an insightful survey of similar designs from ancient Mycenae to Neoclassical American, showing how influencing, and influenced, Hadrian's rebuilt Pantheon was as a western idiom and architectural paragon.
   
   All-in-all I enjoyed reading this book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it!

3 comments about Houston Then and Now (Then & Now).

1. ive looked at several of these books on different cities, and frankly they are very mediocre..the old pics are very interesting, but the new pics are amaturish by comparison and the area's covered in this book on houston and the one on dallas..two cities I am very familiar with, were a bit of a disappointment, the one of houston being only slightly better than the one on dallas..that book seemed to be confined only to downtown dallas, the authors should have not focused so much on one area, that being downtown, they should have looked harder for archieval images of other parts of the city, i mean houston is huge..what about the galleria area..or nasa? These books look quickly put together and the text is basic at best...but if all ur looking for is a relatively inexpensive novalty gift or whatever it may suffice..it's your call.



2. Although the book is full of great old photos from the Houston Public Library's collection, the new photography is below par and the text often contains errors -- for example, it gives two different death dates for philanthropist George Hermann and misidentifies the founder of Foley's department store.

   It's a disappointment that this book could have been a solid, if brief, historic resource, but instead it's just mediocre. And it's especially disappointing to learn that the author is a Houston-based writer who could have verified facts with just a big of legwork.

   Buy it for the old photos, but don't quote any of the information.




3. Wondering what to give your friends for the holidays? I plan on giving it to both friends and customers! This coffe table quality book is beautiful and full of interesting stories and photos of Houston as it was long ago compared to how you can observe it today. You will find a combination of humor and nostalgia, beauty and reality: a heart-warming depiction of the Bayou City. I'll read it again and again.

No comments about Simplified Design of HVAC Systems.

2 comments about A Sense of Mission: Historic Churches of the Southwest.

1. This book features superb photography of the historic Catholic missions built in the southwest states and California. The beautiful photographs, many of them full-page, are of exterior and interior views of the missions, as well as closeups of architectural and artistic details. A short written history accompanies each featured mission, and although there are some mentions of the historical personages and events connected with the missions, most of the histories refer to the physical aspects of the missions such as their construction, remodeling, etc. This is a great coffee-table or armchair traveler book, but one will need to look elsewhere for a serious study about mission history.



2. I purchased this book after a recent visit to the Santuario de Chimayo near Taos, New Mexico, which is one of the churches it features. The photos are absolutely gorgeous and provide an excellent feel for the incredible beauty of these wonderful, historical buildings. The book covers everything from each church's unique architecture to the fascinating folk art that can be found within.