Books on Amit Bahree's (useless?) insight! /categories/books/ Recent content in Books on Amit Bahree's (useless?) insight! Hugo -- 0.165.0 en-us Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 📘 Announcing My New Book: LLM Customization and Fine-Tuning 🎉 /post/2026/07/book-release-llm-customization-and-fine-tuning/ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2026/07/book-release-llm-customization-and-fine-tuning/ A hands-on, reproducible playbook for adapting open-weights LLMs to your domain: fine-tuning, distillation, alignment, and the operations that keep them reliable in production, all on a single GPU. I am excited to announce that my new book, LLM Customization and Fine-Tuning: Adaptation, Distillation, and Alignment, written with Weehyong Tok , is now available in Early Access (MEAP) from Manning Publications . 📚

Cover of LLM Customization and Fine-Tuning: Adaptation, Distillation, and Alignment (Manning, MEAP)

A general-purpose model API is a fine place to start. Sooner or later, though, most teams need something an API cannot provide: a model that speaks their house terminology and calls their internal tools, that keeps sensitive data within their own boundaries, that meets a latency budget, and that behaves predictably after launch. That means adapting a model you own and run yourself. This book is a practical, end-to-end guide to doing exactly that and to keeping the result reliable in production.

Special launch offer

The book is 50% off sitewide at manning.com through July 23. After that, you can still get 50% off through August 6 with my code MLLLMFT, valid for all formats.

👉 Get your copy here .

Why we wrote it

Weehyong and I kept answering the same question. A team has a real use case and a hardware budget, and they ask: which adaptation technique should we use, and how? The answers were scattered across papers and disconnected tutorials, and too many were toy demos that did not survive contact with a real dataset or a production requirement. We wanted one reproducible, honest reference that runs the whole way, from the first prompt to a monitored deployment.

What makes it different

A single assistant you build end to end. The goal is not a generic chatbot; it is a system that answers in your house format, names the right internal tools, and gets your domain right, on data that never has to leave your control. One model, one dataset, and one running example anchor the whole book: every chapter adapts Qwen3-4B-Instruct-2507 on a real IT-support dataset built from Stack Exchange communities (Super User, Ask Ubuntu, and Server Fault, with a small general-knowledge slice mixed in), and you carry a single enterprise IT help-desk assistant from few-shot prompting to a LoRA adapter, a fully fine-tuned model, a distilled student, a preference-aligned model, and finally a monitored production deployment. Along the way, you also learn to build the data itself, including generating synthetic, teacher-produced training examples for the cases where real labeled data runs short. Because the model, the data, and the task stay fixed, you can compare techniques fairly and watch the same problem solved at every rung of the spectrum.

The whole-book arc: a base model (Qwen3-4B) moves through the adaptation spectrum, from few-shot and RAG through LoRA/QLoRA, full fine-tuning, distillation, and DPO alignment, into a focused, private, monitored domain assistant. The spectrum sits on a data foundation (quality, attribution, splits) and under an operations layer (monitor, drift, rollback, retrain), with every step reproducible on a single GPU.
The whole-book arc, from base model to a monitored domain assistant

The full spectrum, and a framework to choose. The book covers prompting and RAG, parameter-efficient fine-tuning (LoRA/QLoRA), full supervised fine-tuning, knowledge distillation, and preference-based alignment (DPO). Just as important, it gives you an explicit framework to decide between them, weighing cost, latency, privacy, and return on investment, so you are choosing on evidence rather than guessing or defaulting to whatever you used last time.

Your own hardware, at any scale. Every hands-on example runs on a single GPU you can actually get hold of, and much of it on a laptop. We use a small open-weights model on purpose, so you can run everything yourself and learn by doing. The techniques are model-size-agnostic: LoRA, QLoRA, SFT, distillation, and DPO apply unchanged to the far larger models most enterprises deploy, where scaling up is a matter of more memory and compute, not different methods. These are the same techniques now used in managed enterprise tuning services; this book is the vendor-neutral, do-it-yourself counterpart that teaches them and the operational layer that those services abstract away.

The operational layer most books skip. Training a model is only half the job. The book devotes a full chapter to what decides whether a model survives past launch: model and data versioning, drift detection with canary prompts, rollback procedures, and continuous safety monitoring.

Reproducible and honest. Two commitments run through every chapter: everything is reproducible on hardware you can actually get, and we are honest about the trade-offs, including when a technique does not win. It is all in the open in the companion repository: the code, the trained models on Hugging Face, and the training and evaluation logs, including the experiments that fell flat. The book reproduces its published numbers on a single GPU. It is validated end-to-end across accelerators, from a 24 GB NVIDIA A30 up to an H200, on AMD (MI300X via ROCm) and on Apple Silicon, so you can reproduce every result and learn as much from what failed as from what worked.

What’s inside

The book builds in the order you would actually work, one chapter at a time:

  1. Why model adaptation? When adapting a model earns its keep, and when an API is the right answer.
  2. How to do model adaptation. The full spectrum and the decision framework, end to end.
  3. What data do I need for model adaptation? Sourcing, quality-gating, splitting, and generating the data that makes or breaks the result.
  4. In-context learning, few-shot, and RAG. Get real results with prompting and retrieval before you train anything.
  5. Parameter-efficient fine-tuning: LoRA and QLoRA. Fine-tune on a single, modest GPU.
  6. Supervised fine-tuning: maximum expressiveness. Full fine-tuning, and how to tell when it is worth it.
  7. Knowledge distillation: capturing frontier model intelligence. Move a stronger teacher’s behavior into a smaller, faster student.
  8. Preference optimization: teaching your model to judge. Align the model with DPO, and test safety after alignment.
  9. Managing model evolution, drift, and versioning. Versioning, drift detection, rollback, and safety monitoring in production.

What you will learn

  • Choose the right adaptation technique (prompting/RAG vs LoRA/QLoRA vs full SFT vs distillation vs DPO) using an explicit cost, latency, privacy, and ROI framework.
  • Fine-tune an LLM end-to-end on a single GPU with LoRA and QLoRA, including data prep, training, evaluation, and inference.
  • Build a real training-data pipeline: curate and quality-gate data, generate teacher-model data, and track lineage and versioning.
  • Distill a smaller, faster student from a stronger teacher, and align a model with DPO, with safety-regression testing at each step.
  • Operate models in production: a model and data registry, drift detection, rollback, a red-team safety monitor, and an outcome-based retraining cadence.
  • Reason honestly about results and economics: when a technique helps, when it does not, and what it really takes to run.

Who is it for

If you are an ML or applied-AI engineer, a data scientist moving from notebooks to deployed models, a platform or MLOps engineer, or a technical lead making build-versus-buy and technique-selection calls, this book is written for you. You need working Python and comfort at the command line; we teach the LLM-specific parts from the ground up and assume no prior fine-tuning experience.

Explore the code

The book has a companion GitHub repository containing runnable code for every chapter, prepared datasets, and cross-accelerator logs. Explore it at github.com/bahree/ModelAdaptationBook , and pull the trained models from Hugging Face if you would rather run inference than train.

It is a MEAP, so your feedback shapes it

Because this is a Manning Early Access Program title, you are reading the book as we write it. Your questions and suggestions in the liveBook forum genuinely change what goes into the final book, so please tell us what works, what does not, and where you get stuck.

Get your copy

Order LLM Customization and Fine-Tuning while the launch discount lasts: 50% off sitewide through July 23, then 50% off with code MLLLMFT through August 6.

We cannot wait to see what you build.

With gratitude 💚

Amit Bahree

A general model, broad but unsure, Off your data, and hard to secure; So adapt what you own, On one GPU, well-honed, From prompt to production, mature.

]]> AI generated Podcast for my book: Generative AI in Action 🎧 /post/2024/10/ai-generated-book-podcast/ Sun, 13 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2024/10/ai-generated-book-podcast/ <p>The one thing I wanted to do after my book <a href = "https://blog.desigeek.com/post/2024/16/book-release-genai-in-action/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Generative AI in Action </span> </a> was complete was to create a summary in natural speech and possibly use TTS (Text-to-speech) to create an audio summary—think of it as a podcast that is easier for people to consume and get a quick sense of what the book is about.</p> <h3 id="tts-text-to-speech-or-not-to-tts">TTS (Text to Speech) or not to TTS?</h3> <p>Initially, I was inclined towards using TTS (Text to Speech) for the audio summary. This technology, I thought, would be a convenient way to create a podcast-like summary that would be easier for people to consume and get a quick sense of what the book is about. My journey began with TTS - using GPT 4o to create a summary after ingesting the book and then using that as into the <a href = "https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/ai-services/ai-speech" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Azure AI Speech stack </span> </a>. However, I stumbled across something intriguing. Instead of TTS, I opted for <a href = "https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-google-ai/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> NotebookLM </span> </a> from Google Labs to generate the audio overview - the podcast. This decision marked a significant shift in my approach, and I created two podcasts using the content from the book - one from multiple sources and another from a single source (the book).</p> The one thing I wanted to do after my book Generative AI in Action was complete was to create a summary in natural speech and possibly use TTS (Text-to-speech) to create an audio summary—think of it as a podcast that is easier for people to consume and get a quick sense of what the book is about.

TTS (Text to Speech) or not to TTS?

Initially, I was inclined towards using TTS (Text to Speech) for the audio summary. This technology, I thought, would be a convenient way to create a podcast-like summary that would be easier for people to consume and get a quick sense of what the book is about. My journey began with TTS - using GPT 4o to create a summary after ingesting the book and then using that as into the Azure AI Speech stack . However, I stumbled across something intriguing. Instead of TTS, I opted for NotebookLM from Google Labs to generate the audio overview - the podcast. This decision marked a significant shift in my approach, and I created two podcasts using the content from the book - one from multiple sources and another from a single source (the book).

NotebookLM is an experimental AI-first notebook from Google Labs designed to help users gain insights faster by grounding the language model in their documents. It aims to assist with synthesizing facts and ideas from multiple sources, making connections quicker and easier. It can help users understand, summarize, and generate new ideas based on their content. What is fascinating is that it can generate audio, which is a natural dialog between two people - with wit, humor, and a natural flow. It is like conversing with someone who has read the book and is summarizing it for you. And if I hadn’t told you that this was AI-generated, it would be hard to tell that it was not a real conversation.

The “Podcasts”

For the first audio generation, the multiple sources I used were:

For the second audio generation I only used a single source - the book.

The results of the AI-generated audio are truly impressive. In each instance, the audio was produced in a natural voice, simulating a genuine conversation between two people. The quality of the audio, the conversation, and the flow are nothing short of mind-blowing. Even in the second audio, where some acronyms were not pronounced correctly, it’s a minor issue, considering the audio was generated in just a few minutes with the press of a button. I was genuinely surprised at the level of realism and natural flow in the conversation. 🤯

Have a listen and let me know what you think.

Podcast Summary 1 - using multiple sources

The sources provide a comprehensive overview of generative AI and its application within enterprises. The first source, a YouTube video transcript, features an interview with Amit Bahree, a technical program manager at Microsoft, who discusses the rise of large language models (LLMs) and their potential impact on society. The second source, a book excerpt, delves into the technical aspects of generative AI, covering foundational models, large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, and the architectural principles for building generative AI applications. The book also explores various use cases, including image generation, code generation, and the ethical considerations surrounding the use of generative AI.

Book Podcast - using multiple sources

Podcast Summary 2 - using single source (the book)

This book is a comprehensive guide to Generative AI, focusing on how this transformative technology can be leveraged within an enterprise. It explains core concepts like foundational models and large language models (LLMs) as well as practical applications for generating various content, including text, images, code, audio, and video. The book also explores responsible AI practices, highlighting the importance of prompt engineering, ethical considerations, and security measures for implementing these technologies. The author emphasizes the need for careful evaluation, monitoring, and scalability when deploying Generative AI models in a production environment.

Book Podcast - using single source

Conclusion

AI-generated podcasts showcase the potential of AI to revolutionize content creation. Generating natural-sounding audio summaries from text is a game-changer for authors, creators, and educators. As AI continues to advance, we anticipate more opportunities to improve how we access information. I am excited to explore the new possibilities in AI-generated content.

]]> 🎉Announcing My New Book: Generative AI in Action📚 /post/2024/10/book-release-genai-in-action/ Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2024/10/book-release-genai-in-action/ A practical guide to unlocking the power of Generative AI In today’s rapidly evolving tech world, mastering Generative AI isn’t just an advantage—it’s a necessity. Are you ready to harness its power to transform your business and solve real-world challenges? I’m excited to announce that my new book, Generative AI in Action, is now available in print and ebook formats from Manning Publications . 📖

Special Launch Offer 🌟

As a thank-you to my early supporters, I’m offering an exclusive discount. Use the code pbbahree at checkout to receive 45% off your purchase of Generative AI in Action in all formats (valid through Sept. 30, 2024)!

Get your discounted copy 👉 » here « .

Cover of Generative AI in Action
Cover of Generative AI in Action

Why You Should Read Generative AI in Action ✨

Comprehensive Coverage

This book offers an in-depth introduction to Generative AI, covering foundation models, large language models (#LLMs), small language models (#SLMs), and practical applications. From the basics to advanced topics like prompt engineering, Generative AI in Action provides everything you need to start building and scaling AI solutions. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, you’ll find valuable insights to accelerate your AI journey.

Real-World Examples

Discover how enterprises across industries are leveraging Generative AI to innovate and solve complex problems. Whether it’s improving customer engagement or optimizing operations, the practical examples provided can be directly applied to your projects for immediate impact.

Hands-On Techniques

Dive into step-by-step guides and hands-on examples for integrating AI models into your workflows. Learn techniques such as:

  • Prompt Engineering: Craft effective prompts to unlock the full potential of AI models like GPT-4.
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Enhance your AI models with real-time data for improved accuracy.
  • Model Adaptation: Fine-tune AI models to meet your organization’s specific needs.

Ethical AI and Best Practices

As AI becomes more critical in decision-making, understanding its ethical implications is crucial. Generative AI in Action covers topics like privacy, security, and bias mitigation—ensuring your AI deployments are fair, transparent, and aligned with your organizational values.

Expert Insights

Drawing from my experience helping build the Azure AI platform, I share insider knowledge on leveraging the latest advancements in AI for your projects. This book provides you with the tools to make the most of cutting-edge technologies like large language models (LLMs) and small language models (SLMs).

Advanced Techniques Covered in the Book 🔥

Beyond the basics, Generative AI in Action delves into advanced techniques essential for mastering Generative AI in modern enterprise environments:

  • Prompt Engineering: Strategies like zero-shot, few-shot, and many-shot learning, along with chain-of-thought reasoning, to optimize AI outputs.
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Combine retrieval-based methods with generative models for real-time, relevant data integration.
  • Model Adaptation and Fine-Tuning: Customize generative models to specific tasks using techniques such as low-rank adaptation and reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF).
  • Chatting with Your Data: Build AI-powered chat systems that interact with enterprise data using vector databases and retrieval techniques.
  • Scaling and Production Deployment: Strategies for scaling AI solutions while ensuring performance, reliability, and compliance with enterprise standards.
  • Evaluations and Benchmarks: Learn to evaluate and benchmark AI models using traditional metrics and cutting-edge frameworks.

Explore the GitHub Repository 💾

For those eager to dive into the code, the book has a companion GitHub repository filled with examples and projects to get you started. Check it out at bit.ly/GenAIBook . Explore the code, experiment, and start building your AI-powered solutions today.

Get Your Copy Today! 🛒

Don’t miss this opportunity to lead the AI revolution within your organization. Order your copy of Generative AI in Action and use the code pbbahree to receive 45% off (valid through Sept. 30, 2024). Transform your organization’s AI capabilities today!

With gratitude 💚

Amit Bahree.

In the world of AI, there’s a thrill,
With “Generative AI in Action,” you’ll skill.
From prompts to fine-tuning,
Your projects are blooming,
Grab your copy, and master the drill!

]]> 📚 My new book "Generative AI in Action" /post/2023/11/announcing-gen-ai-book/ Tue, 14 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2023/11/announcing-gen-ai-book/ 🚀 Early access to my new book covering real-world practical guidance for enterprises now available on MEAP 📚 🌐 As software continues to revolutionize the world, the advent of Generative AI is transforming the very fabric of software itself. My latest book, Generative AI in Action delves into this transformative journey.

I am thrilled to announce the early release of my latest book, Generative AI in Action now available through Manning Early Access Program (MEAP) . This publication is a deep dive into the cutting-edge world of #GenerativeAI, #LLMs, #OpenAI, and #Azure #OpenAI, tailored specifically for enterprises. 🤘

This practical, in-action, hands-on book allows one to explore the cutting-edge world of Generative AI, including LLMs, and covers both OpenAI and Azure OpenAI, allowing companies to understand basic concepts and scale to production.📘

I have the privilege of having a front-row seat as we build this tech out and work with key Fortune 500 customers who are incorporating this. A lot of this is learnings captured from this. 😇

📖 Inside the Book

  • A comprehensive introduction to Generative AI, including foundational models like GPT, Codex, DALLE, and ChatGPT.
  • Insightful discussions on Large Language Models (LLMs) and their applications in various sectors.
  • Practical guides on generating text through APIs, focusing on OpenAI and Azure OpenAI.
  • Exploration of image generation techniques, including Stable Diffusion and DALLE.
  • Deep dive into Prompt Engineering, RAG, Bring your own Data, and model adaptation techniques.
  • And finally, best practices to allow enterprises to scale to production.

🎯 Why This Book is a Must-Read? It is specially crafted for businesses leveraging AI for innovation and competitive advantage. Combining technical depth with practical applications makes it a valuable asset for decision-makers, architects, data scientists, developers, and AI enthusiasts.

🌟 Highlights:

  • Real-world case studies and applications.
  • Expert guidance on model adaptation and the art of prompt engineering.
  • Comprehensive insights into the challenges and best practices for deploying AI in enterprise settings.
  • An essential discussion on AI’s ethical dimensions, safety, and security concerns.
  • Generative AI in Action" is more than just a book; it’s a roadmap for harnessing the potential of AI to redefine the business landscape.

Ready to get hands-on and deeper into Generative AI? You can use the code “mlbahree” to get 45% off – valid until Nov 28th! 😍

🔗 You can get the book and the discount from here –> http://mng.bz/D9By 🐼

💽 The GitHub repo with the code from the book can be found at –> https://bit.ly/GenAIBook . 💾

Generative AI in Action - MEAP
Generative AI in Action - MEAP

Thank you in advance, and I would love to hear your feedback.

With gratitude, 💚

Amit.

#GenerativeAI #LLMs #Azure #OpenAI #Microsoft #LearnwithManning #ManningBooks

]]> Large collection of Free eBooks from MS /post/2012/08/large-collection-of-free-ebooks-from-ms/ Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2012/08/large-collection-of-free-ebooks-from-ms/ <p>Microsoft folks have released a large collection of free eBooks including Visual Studio, WP, Win 8, Office 365, SQL, Azure, CRM, etc. You can get more details from the following two posts where not only you can browse the catalogue but also download them.</p> <ul> <li><a href = "http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mssmallbiz/archive/2012/07/27/large-collection-of-free-microsoft-ebooks-for-you-including-sharepoint-visual-studio-windows-phone-windows-8-office-365-office-2010-sql-server-2012-azure-and-more.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> First post </span> </a> with free books</li> <li><a href = "http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mssmallbiz/archive/2012/07/30/another-large-collection-of-free-microsoft-ebooks-and-resource-kits-for-you-including-sharepoint-2013-office-2013-office-365-duet-2-0-azure-cloud-windows-phone-lync-dynamics-crm-and-more.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Second post </span> </a> with free books</li> </ul> <p>Happy Leeching!</p> Microsoft folks have released a large collection of free eBooks including Visual Studio, WP, Win 8, Office 365, SQL, Azure, CRM, etc. You can get more details from the following two posts where not only you can browse the catalogue but also download them.

Happy Leeching!

]]> Just the two of us /post/2011/04/just-the-two-of-us/ Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2011/04/just-the-two-of-us/ <p>Read <a href = "http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/02/matt-logelin-single-father" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> this story in the Guardian </span> </a> about a guy called <a href = "http://www.mattlogelin.com/about/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Matt </span> </a>, who blogged about bringing up his daughter all alone, as his wife died soon after giving birth. This was such a heart stopping story, which is highly recommended. Interesting shift on the tone of the blog which first helped Matt with the bereavement and later gave him strength to cope with this to finally the blog providing support for others in a similar boat and looking for help.</p> Read this story in the Guardian about a guy called Matt , who blogged about bringing up his daughter all alone, as his wife died soon after giving birth. This was such a heart stopping story, which is highly recommended. Interesting shift on the tone of the blog which first helped Matt with the bereavement and later gave him strength to cope with this to finally the blog providing support for others in a similar boat and looking for help.

If you get teary-eyed then you probably don’t want to read this, but I would recommend the article. Matt has just released a book called Two Kisses for Maddy as well.

]]> Free eBook on SQL Server 2008 R2 /post/2010/04/free-ebook-on-sql-server-2008-r2/ Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2010/04/free-ebook-on-sql-server-2008-r2/ <p>Microsoft is giving away a free eBook on SQL Server 2008 R2 for free. It gives you insight into exciting new implementations in the DB such as <a href = "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_event_processing" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> complex event processing (CEP) </span> </a> and StreamInsight. You can check out the <a href = "http://blogs.msdn.com/microsoft_press/archive/2010/04/14/free-ebook-introducing-microsoft-sql-server-2008-r2.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Table of Contents here </span> </a> and download the book in either <a href = "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=189147" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> pdf format </span> </a> or <a href = "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=189148" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> xps format </span> </a>.</p> Microsoft is giving away a free eBook on SQL Server 2008 R2 for free. It gives you insight into exciting new implementations in the DB such as complex event processing (CEP) and StreamInsight. You can check out the Table of Contents here and download the book in either pdf format or xps format .

]]> My Book on Google Books /post/2008/04/my-book-on-google-books/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2008/04/my-book-on-google-books/ <p><a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/view/1590597028" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> My Book on WCF </span> </a> is now available on <a href = "http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&amp;id=fDykmoWpjzEC&amp;d&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;source=web&amp;ots=XW-U-x68xr&amp;sig=4nSkE2xFV4YrYFaMUCJrZKCbvZs#PPP21,M1" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Google Books </span> </a> - perfect for those of you who don&rsquo;t want to <a href = "http://www.amazon.com/Pro-WCF-Practical-Microsoft-Implementation/dp/1590597028/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1208891113&amp;sr=8-1" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> buy the book </span> </a> to support a few starving authors 😜.</p> My Book on WCF is now available on Google Books - perfect for those of you who don’t want to buy the book to support a few starving authors 😜.

]]> P2P Programming with WCF and .NET v3.5 /post/2008/03/p2p-programming-with-wcf-and-net-v3-5/ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2008/03/p2p-programming-with-wcf-and-net-v3-5/ <p>My article on <a href = "http://tinyurl.com/ypqaer" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> P2P programming with WCF and .NET v3.5 </span> </a> was finally published on <a href = "http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc268289.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> MSDN </span> </a>. This was written a few months ago and has been going through the internal process at MS to get published- finally it is up there - better late than never I guess. 😄</p> My article on P2P programming with WCF and .NET v3.5 was finally published on MSDN . This was written a few months ago and has been going through the internal process at MS to get published- finally it is up there - better late than never I guess. 😄

I discuss the new features for P2P programming in WCF and .NET 3.5 and how things have moved up the stack in being a first class managed citizen now as opposed to you. Although the code was build and run on Vista you can run most of it on XP; however some elements such as PNM, Contacts and Collaboration are Vista specific.

Interestingly, you cannot download the source code for the samples and the small app that I had written - you can see the screen shots and the code snipped. If you need the complete solution let me know.

]]> My book available on Books24x7 /post/2007/09/my-book-available-on-books24x7/ Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2007/09/my-book-available-on-books24x7/ <p>I was pleasantly surprised to see the appearance of my book, <a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/view/1590597028" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Pro WCF </span> </a> on <a href = "http://www.books24x7.com/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Books24x7 </span> </a> today. Below is the screen shot from the email 😄</p> <p><a href = "http://www.bahree.com/amit/blog_images/MybookavailableonBooks24x7_9D58/image.png" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> <p> <img src="images/image_thumb.png" alt="image"/> </p> </span> </a></p> I was pleasantly surprised to see the appearance of my book, Pro WCF on Books24x7 today. Below is the screen shot from the email 😄

image

]]> Introduction to DSL - free chapter /post/2007/06/introduction-to-dsl-free-chapter/ Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2007/06/introduction-to-dsl-free-chapter/ <p>You can download the <a href = "http://www.theserverside.net/tt/articles/showarticle.tss?id=VisualStudioDSLTools_Chapter" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> first chapter for free </span> </a> from Addison-Wesley&rsquo;s <a href = "http://www.awprofessional.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=0321398203&amp;rl=1" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> intro book on DSL </span> </a>. If you are new to DSL&rsquo;s (Domain Specific Language) this this is a good read. Here is a abstract from the publisher:</p> <blockquote> <p>Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs)&ndash;languages geared to specific vertical or horizontal areas of interest&ndash;are generating growing excitement from software engineers and architects. DSLs bring new agility to the creation and evolution of software, allowing selected design aspects to be expressed in terms much closer to the system requirements than standard program code, significantly reducing development costs in large-scale projects and product lines. In this breakthrough book, four leading experts reveal exactly how DSLs work, and how you can make the most of them in your environment.</p> You can download the first chapter for free from Addison-Wesley’s intro book on DSL . If you are new to DSL’s (Domain Specific Language) this this is a good read. Here is a abstract from the publisher:

Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs)–languages geared to specific vertical or horizontal areas of interest–are generating growing excitement from software engineers and architects. DSLs bring new agility to the creation and evolution of software, allowing selected design aspects to be expressed in terms much closer to the system requirements than standard program code, significantly reducing development costs in large-scale projects and product lines. In this breakthrough book, four leading experts reveal exactly how DSLs work, and how you can make the most of them in your environment.

With Domain-Specific Development with Visual Studio DSL Tools, you’ll begin by mastering DSL concepts and techniques that apply to all platforms. Next, you’ll discover how to create and use DSLs with the powerful new Microsoft DSL Tools–a toolset designed by this book’s authors. Learn how the DSL Tools integrate into Visual Studio–and how to define DSLs and generate Visual Designers using Visual Studio’s built-in modeling technology.

]]> MSDN Webcast: Hosting Options, COM+ Integration & Peer to Peer model /post/2007/04/msdn-webcast-hosting-options-com-integration-peer-to-peer-model/ Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2007/04/msdn-webcast-hosting-options-com-integration-peer-to-peer-model/ <p>One of the MSDN Webcasts that I along with Shawn, Dennis, and Chris did on the following topics with some samples from the WCF Pro book. This is a Level 300 Webcast, and there is a lot of material to cover! If you would like us to do a Webcast on any specific topic from WCF let us know - we will see what we can do.</p> <ol> <li>Hosting Options</li> <li>COM+ Integration</li> <li>Peer to Peer Model</li> </ol> <p>If you are interested you can <a href = "https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/msevents/view?id=1032334953&amp;role=attend" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> see the recording </span> </a> for this session.</p> One of the MSDN Webcasts that I along with Shawn, Dennis, and Chris did on the following topics with some samples from the WCF Pro book. This is a Level 300 Webcast, and there is a lot of material to cover! If you would like us to do a Webcast on any specific topic from WCF let us know - we will see what we can do.

  1. Hosting Options
  2. COM+ Integration
  3. Peer to Peer Model

If you are interested you can see the recording for this session.

]]> MSDN Webcasts /post/2007/03/msdn-webcasts/ Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2007/03/msdn-webcasts/ <p>I alongwith some of my co-authors are going to be hosting a couple of MSDN Webcasts next month - the details for both are listed below.</p> <ol> <li><a href = "http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6440184" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Webcast 1 </span> </a> - “How to build an SOA application with WCF”</li> <li><a href = "http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6455035" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Webcast 2 </span> </a> - &ldquo;How WCF impacts on Enterprise scale applications&rdquo;</li> </ol> <p><p> <img src="http://desigeek.com/weblog/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3655" alt=""/> </p> I alongwith some of my co-authors are going to be hosting a couple of MSDN Webcasts next month - the details for both are listed below.

  1. Webcast 1 - “How to build an SOA application with WCF”
  2. Webcast 2 - “How WCF impacts on Enterprise scale applications”

]]> MSDN Article - Hosting and Consuming WCF Services /post/2007/03/msdn-article-hosting-and-consuming-wcf-services/ Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2007/03/msdn-article-hosting-and-consuming-wcf-services/ <p>The first of three articles entitled &ldquo;<em>Hosting and Consuming WCF Services&rdquo;</em> which is essentially one of the chapters from <a href = "http://desigeek.com/weblog/amit/archive/2007/02/19/sample-chapter-from-the-book-for-free.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> the book </span> </a> is now published on MSDN at the .<a href = "http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/netframework/default.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> NET home page </span> </a>. The article directly can be found <a href = "http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb332338.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> via this link </span> </a>. The other two should follow soon. Excellent job guys! <p> <img src="images/emotion-2.gif" alt="Big Smile"/> </p> The first of three articles entitled “Hosting and Consuming WCF Services” which is essentially one of the chapters from  the book  is now published on MSDN at the . NET home page . The article directly can be found via this link . The other two should follow soon. Excellent job guys!

Big Smile

]]> Sample Chapter from the Book for Free /post/2007/02/sample-chapter-from-the-book-for-free/ Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2007/02/sample-chapter-from-the-book-for-free/ <p>APress, the publisher of <a href = "http://desigeek.com/weblog/amit/archive/2006/11/29/Book-Finished.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> my book entitled &ldquo;Pro WCF: Practical Microsoft SOA Implementation&rdquo; </span> </a> is giving away the first Chapter for free - you can <a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/supplementDownload.html?bID=10185&amp;sID=4096" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> get it from here </span> </a>. The table of contents is also published and can be <a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/supplementDownload.html?bID=10185&amp;sID=4050" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> downloaded from here </span> </a>.</p> APress, the publisher of my book entitled “Pro WCF: Practical Microsoft SOA Implementation” is giving away the first Chapter for free - you can get it from here . The table of contents is also published and can be downloaded from here .

]]> Book Source-code online /post/2007/01/book-source-code-online/ Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2007/01/book-source-code-online/ <p><p> <img src="images/bcm.gif" alt=""/> </p><a href = "http://dennismulder.net/cs/blogs/dennism/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Dennis </span> </a> earlier was responsible for collating the code from us for the book, and he just informed us it is available online! Sweet! You can <a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/supplementDownload.html?bID=10185&amp;sID=4032" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> get the code from here </span> </a> and have a play. You will of course need .NET 3.0 RTM and preferably Visual Studio 2005.</p>

Dennis earlier was responsible for collating the code from us for the book, and he just informed us it is available online! Sweet! You can get the code from here and have a play. You will of course need .NET 3.0 RTM and preferably Visual Studio 2005.

It is good to see some reviews starting to come along, if you have any questions feel free to ping any of us and also let us know if you find any issues with the code - or the book if you need some help.

Don’t forget you can submit the errata here  and see the  Table of Contents here . 😄

]]> Book might be out sooner /post/2006/12/book-might-be-out-sooner/ Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/12/book-might-be-out-sooner/ <p>I think the <a href = "http://desigeek.com/weblog/amit/archive/2006/12/08/table-of-contents.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> WCF Book </span> </a> that I recently finished is out earlier than a week and should be available on Jan 15th instead of the 22nd, however <a href = "http://www.amazon.com/Pro-WCF-Practical-Microsoft-Implementation/dp/1590597028/sr=8-1/qid=1166656310/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8284609-9482551?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Amazon still shows </span> </a> the availability of Jan 22nd. <p> <img src="images/emotion-2.gif" alt="Big Smile"/> </p></p> <p><p> <img src="http://desigeek.com/weblog/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3598" alt=""/> </p></p> I think the WCF Book that I recently finished is out earlier than a week and should be available on Jan 15th instead of the 22nd, however Amazon still shows the availability of Jan 22nd.

Big Smile

]]> Table of Contents /post/2006/12/table-of-contents/ Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/12/table-of-contents/ <p>A number of you have pinged me asking the Table of Contents (TOC) for the <a href = "http://desigeek.com/weblog/amit/archive/2006/11/29/Book-Finished.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Book that I recently finished </span> </a>. I don&rsquo;t know why it does not show up on <a href = "http://www.amazon.com/Pro-WCF-Practical-Microsoft-Implementation/dp/1590597028/sr=8-1/qid=1165588337/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6207632-4912805?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Amazon </span> </a> or even on the <a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=10185" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> publishers site </span> </a>, but here are a high level TOC. If you want the detailed TOC&rsquo;s then let me know and I can dig those out as well.</p> A number of you have pinged me asking the Table of Contents (TOC) for the Book that I recently finished . I don’t know why it does not show up on Amazon or even on the publishers site , but here are a high level TOC. If you want the detailed TOC’s then let me know and I can dig those out as well.

PART 1 Introducing Windows Communication Foundation
CHAPTER 1 Introducing Service-Oriented Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CHAPTER 2 Introducing WCF Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
CHAPTER 3 Exploring the WCF Programming Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

PART 2 Programming with WCF
CHAPTER 4 Installing and Creating WCF Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
CHAPTER 5 Hosting and Consuming WCF Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
CHAPTER 6 Managing WCF Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

PART 3 Advanced Topics in WCF
CHAPTER 7 Implementing WCF Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
CHAPTER 8 Implementing Reliable Messaging and Queue-Based Communications . . . . . . . 249
CHAPTER 9 Using Transactions in WCF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
CHAPTER 10 Integrating with COM+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
CHAPTER 11 Working with Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
CHAPTER 12 Developing Peer-to-Peer Applications with WCF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
CHAPTER 13 Implementing SOA Interoperability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401

PART 4 Appendixes
APPENDIX A QuickReturns Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
APPENDIX B History of Microsoft Web Service Implementations . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
APPENDIX C WCF and .NET Framework Installation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441

]]> Book Finished /post/2006/11/book-finished/ Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/11/book-finished/ <p>As some of you are aware <a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=10185" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> the book </span> </a> I was writing titled <p> <img src="images/bcm1.gif" alt=""/> </p><a href = "http://www.amazon.com/Pro-WCF-Practical-Microsoft-Implementation/dp/1590597028/sr=8-1/qid=1164760108/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-0920059-3644666?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Pro WCF: Practical Microsoft SOA Implementation </span> </a> is finally finished - w00t! It is right now being set and indexed and it will be off to the press in about three weeks or so. This is published by APress and it should be available by January 22nd - a little longer than usual because of the holiday season.</p> As some of you are aware the book I was writing titled

Pro WCF: Practical Microsoft SOA Implementation is finally finished - w00t! It is right now being set and indexed and it will be off to the press in about three weeks or so. This is published by APress and it should be available by January 22nd - a little longer than usual because of the holiday season.

It sure has been a very interesting experience for me. Hopefully it would be as useful for you. I hopefully will be able to take out some time to talk a little more about it here in the near future - all depends on how much time I can take out.

Big Smile

]]> .NET 3.0 RTM? /post/2006/08/net-3-0-rtm/ Tue, 08 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/08/net-3-0-rtm/ <p><a href = "http://neosmart.net/blog/archives/233" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> NeoSmart highlights </span> </a> about the fact that there is a possibility that .NET 3.0 might RTM in a couple of months. What would this mean? Well a couple of things. One, hopefully MS has gotten their act together and stop making huge breaking changes in every public drop. While I understand that every CTP is still early in beta and with the nature of these things there will be changes, but you should see the number of breaking changes that are being made so late in the game. And the changes are not small, but classes, methods, parameters, etc. being changed, moved, renamed, etc. Which makes all this quite irritating – and it seems quite similar to experiences shared with a few other colleagues of mine had with VSTS and Team Foundation Server. And two, hopefully there would be documentation! Currently, one of the chapters for the <a href = "http://desigeek.com/weblog/amit/archive/2006/06/25/My-Book.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> WCF book I am writing </span> </a> is on Peer-2–Peer networking and there is almost no information publicly available! Which as you can imagine makes life a bit interesting, though reflector is your friend in such situations. <p> <img src="images/emotion-5.gif" alt="Wink"/> </p> NeoSmart highlights about the fact that there is a possibility that .NET 3.0 might RTM in a couple of months. What would this mean? Well a couple of things. One, hopefully MS has gotten their act together and stop making huge breaking changes in every public drop. While I understand that every CTP is still early in beta and with the nature of these things there will be changes, but you should see the number of breaking changes that are being made so late in the game. And the changes are not small, but classes, methods, parameters, etc. being changed, moved, renamed, etc. Which makes all this quite irritating – and it seems quite similar to experiences shared with a few other colleagues of mine had with VSTS and Team Foundation Server. And two, hopefully there would be documentation! Currently, one of the chapters for the WCF book I am writing is on Peer-2–Peer networking and there is almost no information publicly available! Which as you can imagine makes life a bit interesting, though reflector is your friend in such situations.

Wink

So, lets ignore the .NET 3.0 naming stupidity, and keep our fingers crossed that they get this right – though I am very skeptical.

]]> Introducing the Indigo Amigos! /post/2006/08/introducing-the-indigo-amigos/ Tue, 01 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/08/introducing-the-indigo-amigos/ <p>You probably know that I am <a href = "http://www.apress.com/author/authorDisplay.html?aID=913" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> co-authoring a book </span> </a> along with a few other fellow Avanader’s and ex-Avanader’s who I call the Indigo Amigos. Who are these crazy people you ask? Brave enough to hang out with me. In addition to reading their names on <a href = "http://www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=10185" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> APress </span> </a> or <a href = "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590597028/ref=sr_11_1/102-9513739-6661735?%5Fencoding=UTF8" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Amazon </span> </a>, but here are the links to their blogs/sites in ascending order:</p> You probably know that I am co-authoring a book along with a few other fellow Avanader’s and ex-Avanader’s who I call the Indigo Amigos. Who are these crazy people you ask? Brave enough to hang out with me. In addition to reading their names on APress or Amazon , but here are the links to their blogs/sites in ascending order:

]]> Book Feedback - The Connection Machine /post/2006/07/book-feedback-the-connection-machine/ Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/07/book-feedback-the-connection-machine/ <p>I wanted to find out if anyone out there has read <a href = "http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0262580977/026-7451927-0927643?v=glance&amp;n=266239" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> The Connection Machine </span> </a> - which essentially is a PhD thesis of the author&rsquo;s (W. Danny Hillis) and seems to be something I would be interested in. The question I have is, has anyone read it and if so what do they think of it? And if you have it, can I borrow it to read it?<p> <img src="http://desigeek.com/weblog/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3259" alt=""/> </p> I wanted to find out if anyone out there has read The Connection Machine - which essentially is a PhD thesis of the author’s (W. Danny Hillis) and seems to be something I would be interested in. The question I have is, has anyone read it and if so what do they think of it? And if you have it, can I borrow it to read it?

]]> My Book - Pro WCF /post/2006/06/my-book/ Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/06/my-book/ <p>Well I suppose I can talk a little about it now - after all it seems like happening. For the last few months I and a few other colleagues of mine are writing a book on Indigo, now called WCF (Windows Communication Framework). I personally am quite fascinated by communication and all the challenges that brings to the table. The book is titled &ldquo;Pro WCF: Practical Microsoft SOA Implementation&rdquo; and will be released later this year. You can get <a href = "http://www.apress.com/author/authorDisplay.html?aID=913" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> more details on it here </span> </a>. As and when I get more time, look out for more details on Indigo from me here including details of the other authors - who I have nicknames as the Indigo Amigos. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions on Indigo and I&rsquo;ll try my best to get back to you, however between fighting fires at work and trying to finish the chapters, I don&rsquo;t have too much bandwidth left. :)<p> <img src="http://desigeek.com/weblog/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3097" alt=""/> </p> Well I suppose I can talk a little about it now - after all it seems like happening. For the last few months I and a few other colleagues of mine are writing a book on Indigo, now called WCF (Windows Communication Framework). I personally am quite fascinated by communication and all the challenges that brings to the table. The book is titled “Pro WCF: Practical Microsoft SOA Implementation” and will be released later this year. You can get more details on it here . As and when I get more time, look out for more details on Indigo from me here including details of the other authors - who I have nicknames as the Indigo Amigos. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions on Indigo and I’ll try my best to get back to you, however between fighting fires at work and trying to finish the chapters, I don’t have too much bandwidth left. :)

]]> Book Feedback? /post/2006/01/book-feedback/ Tue, 17 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2006/01/book-feedback/ <p>I have been eyeing the <a href = "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735621632/103-1085944-5828610?n=283155" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> CLR via C#, Second Edition </span> </a>, I don&rsquo;t have the first edition, can anyone comment on how good/bad would it be? Of course it will be published next month, and I suppose I can get more reviews then.<p> <img src="http://desigeek.com/weblog/aggbug.aspx?PostID=1851" alt=""/> </p></p> I have been eyeing the CLR via C#, Second Edition , I don’t have the first edition, can anyone comment on how good/bad would it be? Of course it will be published next month, and I suppose I can get more reviews then.

]]> Feedback on Books? /post/2005/04/feedback-on-books/ Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2005/04/feedback-on-books/ <p>I have been thinking of a couple of books and would like to know if anyone actually have bought them and what their perspective on those are? Thanks to Murty for pointing out the CLR one&hellip;.</p> <ul> <li><a href = "http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1597490059/ref=wl_it_dp/103-5813461-8155828?%5Fencoding=UTF8&amp;coliid=I3CDE7ED5PXKTP&amp;v=glance&amp;colid=1CCGNCX0SY2C5" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Sockets, Shellcode, Porting, &amp; Coding: Reverse Engineering Exploits And Tool Coding For Security Professionals </span> </a></li> <li><a href = "http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0735619883/ref=wl_it_dp/103-5813461-8155828?%5Fencoding=UTF8&amp;coliid=I3LGETMCO5YEG0&amp;v=glance&amp;colid=1CCGNCX0SY2C5" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> Customizing the Microsoft .NET Framework Common Language Runtime </span> </a></li> </ul> <p>Has anyone used these? If so, what was your take on them?</p> I have been thinking of a couple of books and would like to know if anyone actually have bought them and what their perspective on those are? Thanks to Murty for pointing out the CLR one….

Has anyone used these? If so, what was your take on them?

]]> Debugging Indian Computer Programmers /post/2004/12/debugging-indian-computer-programmers/ Tue, 21 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2004/12/debugging-indian-computer-programmers/ <p>Picked <a href = "http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/16/2319240&amp;from=rss" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> this story </span> </a> up on <a href = "http://www.slashdot.org/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> slashdot </span> </a>, so you might have already seen it there. Well I can speak of this first hand, though the write-up is intriguing, this is something I would get and read up and only then provide my perspective. Have any of you read this, if so what are your thoughts?</p> Picked this story up on slashdot , so you might have already seen it there. Well I can speak of this first hand, though the write-up is intriguing, this is something I would get and read up and only then provide my perspective. Have any of you read this, if so what are your thoughts?

The H1-B visa program allows many thousands of non-American technical workers (about half a million at the moment) to hold jobs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere in the U.S. - jobs which are seemingly difficult to fill from the American labor pool for a variety of reasons, and which are eagerly filled by employers who find that qualified, talented people come from countries all over the world. N. Sivakumar’s first-person account of being an Indian programmer working for companies in several U.S. states over the past decade illustrates a side of the H1-B system that doesn’t get talked about much: the experience of skilled, highly educated workers taking jobs in an environment that offers, besides welcome employment, various levels of hostility and resentment. Read on for my review of his book, Debugging Indian Computer Programmers: Dude, Did I Steal Your Job?

[Listening to: MMM MMM MMM MMM - Crash Test Dummies - Pure Driving Moods [UK] (03:55)]

]]> Essential XML Quick Reference: A Programmer's Reference to XML, XPath, XSLT, XML Schema, SOAP, and More - FREE Download /post/2004/11/essential-xml-quick-reference-a-programmers-reference-to-xml-xpath-xslt-xml-schema-soap-and-more-free-download/ Tue, 23 Nov 2004 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2004/11/essential-xml-quick-reference-a-programmers-reference-to-xml-xpath-xslt-xml-schema-soap-and-more-free-download/ <p>Addison-Wesley and Developmentor have provided TheServerSide.NET with the entire book of Essential XML Quick Reference for free download. Essential XML Quick Reference is for anyone working with today&rsquo;s mainstream XML technologies. It was specifically designed to serve as a handy but thorough quick reference that answers the most common XML-related technical questions.It goes beyond the traditional pocket reference design by providing complete coverage of each topic along with plenty of meaningful examples. Each chapter provides a brief introduction, which is followed by the detailed reference information. You can get it <a href = "http://www.theserverside.net/books/addisonwesley/EssentialXML/downloads/EssentialXML.zip" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> from here </span> </a>.</p> Addison-Wesley and Developmentor have provided TheServerSide.NET with the entire book of Essential XML Quick Reference for free download. Essential XML Quick Reference is for anyone working with today’s mainstream XML technologies. It was specifically designed to serve as a handy but thorough quick reference that answers the most common XML-related technical questions.It goes beyond the traditional pocket reference design by providing complete coverage of each topic along with plenty of meaningful examples. Each chapter provides a brief introduction, which is followed by the detailed reference information. You can get it from here .

]]> What is All Consuming? /post/2004/06/what-is-all-consuming/ Wed, 09 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2004/06/what-is-all-consuming/ <p>This morning with nothing better to do I was browsing (as usual) and came across an interesting site called <a href = "http://www.allconsuming.net/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> <strong>All Consuming</strong> </span> </a>. What are they? Well I asked the same question. Turns out that they watch all weblogs for books that are being discussed and displays the popular ones on an hourly basis. I was surprised to find that they had <a href = "http://www.allconsuming.net/weblog.cgi?url=http://www.desigeek.com/weblog/amit/" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> <strong>these</strong> </span> </a> entries about this blog. Its interesting to see a pattern on what books are being discussed. e.g. Today the <a href = "http://desigeek.com/weblog/amit/archive/2004/05/17/249.aspx" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> <strong>DaVinci Code</strong> </span> </a> is discussed one of the most discussed books along with Bill Clinton&rsquo;s “My Life”.<p> <img src="http://desigeek.com/weblog/aggbug.aspx?PostID=267" alt=""/> </p> This morning with nothing better to do I was browsing (as usual) and came across an interesting site called All Consuming . What are they? Well I asked the same question. Turns out that they watch all weblogs for books that are being discussed and displays the popular ones on an hourly basis. I was surprised to find that they had these entries about this blog. Its interesting to see a pattern on what books are being discussed. e.g. Today the DaVinci Code is discussed one of the most discussed books along with Bill Clinton’s “My Life”.

]]> Cracking the Da Vinci Code /post/2004/05/cracking-the-da-vinci-code/ Tue, 18 May 2004 00:00:00 +0000 /post/2004/05/cracking-the-da-vinci-code/ <p>First of all, if you don&rsquo;t know what the hell am I talking about, jeez, where have you been buddy? If you do but have not read the book, then please do yourself a favour and do so. You can buy it from <a href = "http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385504209/104-4255080-4915127?v=glance" target = "_blank" rel = "nofollow noopener noreferrer" > <span> <strong>here</strong> </span> </a>. Once you do finish reading the book, then come back here and we can talk about it.</p> First of all, if you don’t know what the hell am I talking about, jeez, where have you been buddy? If you do but have not read the book, then please do yourself a favour and do so. You can buy it from here . Once you do finish reading the book, then come back here and we can talk about it.

The crux of the book relies on the golden ratio also known as the divine proportion which has a value of 1.61803399 (per the book). The book, claims an eerie prevalence of divine proportion  in life and nature, which if you think is just fiction might be surprised to find out it really is not!! Whaaaaaat? Dammit, and all this time I thought I was reading just a novel!! Err.. I guess I should stop trying to be a “writer“ and get on with it.

I think some of the truth is a bit stretched in the novel, but nonetheless based on truth (of course IMHO).The Divine Proportion (represented by the Greek letter f - phi). In reality the value of phi is:

f = (1 + v5) / 2

If you actually try and solve the above, you will figure out that it is an irrational number i.e. the decimal expansion of an neither terminates or repeats.

The whole thing goes back to the Greeks, who believed the most pleasing and aesthetic and purest form is the triangle, specifically the golden triangle, which the Greeks incorporated in their architecture. The Italian mathematician Leonardo Pisano’s book called Liber Abaci brings to the west a  method of writing numbers and arithmetic (that we use today) which was completed in India 500 years earlier. These new numbers eventually provided the basis for modern science and engineering. One of the many exercises in Liber Abaci leads to the Fibonacci series (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, …). I won’t go into the examples here but you can find the link in the bottom of this post. The Fibonacci series essentially is every one number after 1 is the sum of the previous two (so, 1+1 = 2, 1+2 = 3, 2+3 = 5, etc.). As you solve more problems (the rabbit problem, bees, etc. - again see the link at the end) with the Fibonacci series you will notice that this series occurs pretty frequently in nature. Some examples (also mentioned in the book) are:

  • If you count the number of petals in most flowers you will find the total to be a Fibonacci series. E.g. an iris has 3 petals, a buttercup has 5, a delphinium 8, daisy 13, 21 or 34, etc.

  • A sunflower has two beautiful spiral patterns - one clockwise and the other anti-clockwise. If you count those spirals, you will find there are 21 or 34 running clockwise and 34 or 55 running anti-clockwise.

  • Similarly, other flowers exhibit the same characteristics including Pine-cones and Cauliflowers

  • Leaves on trees (and stems) are arranged in a spiral pattern that is wound around the stem. If p is the number of turns you make (of the spiral) till you reach the next leaf directly above the first, and q is the number of leaves (excluding the first one), then the ratio p/q gives us the divergence of the plant. If you calculate the divergence for various plant species you will find that both the numerator and denominators represent Fibonacci series - 1/2, 1/3, 2/5, 3/8, 5/13, 8/21, etc.

Here is where things get more interesting. If you take the Fibonacci series and divide each number into the one that follows it you would get: 1/1 = 1; 2/1 = 2; 3/2 = 1.5; 5/3 = 1.666; 8/5 = 1.6; 13/8 = 1.625; 21/13 = 1.615; 34/21 = 1.619; 55/34 = 1.6176; 89/55 = 1.6181…. Hmmmm, notice anything? The 1, 1.6, 1.61, 1.618, etc. looks like the golden ratio.

Mathematic ans have proved that the Fibonacci series gets slowly closer to f and finally equate at infinity.

What does this mean? Well I cannot say for all the stuff laid out in the book regarding the golden ratio versus the human body (e.g. measuring the distance from the tip of your head to the floor and then dividing the distance from your belly button to the floor - did you get a f or something around that number?), but the facts for plants is there in front of us and such frequent appearances cannot be accidental.

So what do you make of all this? Well we found out quite recently that it is a matter of efficiency. To achieve maximum efficiency, flower heads and plant leaves grow in a spiral fashion governed by the golden ratio and rounded off to the nearest whole number (since f is a irrational number) - because of this it will be a Fibonacci series.

Why spirals and the golden ratio? Well as new leaves are added, they need to be the least obstructive to the old leaves and the new ones (that would come later) above it. To do so, the leaves come in a spiral pattern. In the case of seeds, a spiral “packs“ the most possible - and the most efficient way to do is via spirals. We now understand that f is the ratio that gives the optimal solution to growth equations. The mathematical explanation is that of all the irrational numbers, f is in a very precise (and technical sense) farthest from being representable as a fraction.

So, as a good novel should, this one brings the plot to an end satisfactorily and also leaves one wondering about life. Also makes one wonder how much of todays religions teachings are fact and why are people so willing to accept things at so much face value? Why are we so eager to believe in everything we are told?

To conclude as it is in the book, the “Phi (f) is one H cooler than Pi (p)”.

Check out the links here and here which formed the basis of this post.

Update: I am not sure but the symbol for Phi shows up as a “f” and the Pi shows up as a “p”. I will see if I can fix that, but till then, whenever you see just a “f” or a “p”, just read it as Phi and Pi respectively.

]]>