Books & eBooks

"Can girls code? Is 'computer geek' synonymous with 'white male'? Why do men greatly outnumber women at places like Google? Is the best way to deal with gender discrimination to 'lean in?' Much has been written about the tech industry's difficulties in addressing gender and racial concerns about bias and discrimination, yet rarely have we gotten a look inside this industry. In Geek Girls, France Winddance Twine focuses on first-hand accounts of these issues in the tech world. The book draws on over 100 interviews with male and female tech workers of diverse racial, ethnic, and educational backgrounds who are currently employed at tech firms such as Apple, Google, 4Square, and Twitter or at various start-ups in the San Francisco Bay area. Twine finds that many potential tech employees from privileged backgrounds have social networks--friendship ties, former classmates, neighbors, relatives--that they rely on to get priority in hiring and in gaining access to jobs in the tech industry. As a consequence of these practices, she argues, those who do not share either racial, cultural, or class backgrounds as well as educational affiliations of current tech company employees are not given the opportunity to compete. While there may not be overt racism or sexism in the tech industry it is clear that there are forms of residential and educational segregation at work as well as recruitment and cultural practices that marginalize women and non-Asian minorities. Importantly, virtually all tech firms espouse opposition to discrimination in the workplace, yet the author argues that workers describe routine practices that embrace just that kind of supposedly 'outlawed' thinking. In this way, the culture of gender-blindness and color-blindness makes it difficult for individuals to name the forms of discrimination and or micro-aggressions that they are experiencing. Ultimately, the author suggests that these patterns can be changed and offers concrete insight into how the tech industry might go about putting these policies into place"-- Provided by publisher.

Spying has never been more ubiquitous--or less understood. The world is drowning in spy movies, TV shows, and novels, but universities offer more courses on rock and roll than on the CIA and there are more congressional experts on powdered milk than espionage. This crisis in intelligence education is distorting public opinion, fueling conspiracy theories, and hurting intelligence policy. Amy Zegart separates fact from fiction as she offers an engaging and enlightening account of the past, present, and future of American espionage as it faces a revolution driven by digital technology. Drawing on decades of research and hundreds of interviews with intelligence officials, Zegart provides a history of U.S. espionage, from George Washington's Revolutionary War spies to today's spy satellites; examines how fictional spies are influencing real officials; gives an overview of intelligence basics and life inside America's intelligence agencies; explains the deadly cognitive biases that can mislead analysts; and explores the vexed issues of traitors, covert action, and congressional oversight. Most of all, Zegart describes how technology is empowering new enemies and opportunities, and creating powerful new players, such as private citizens who are successfully tracking nuclear threats using little more than Google Earth. And she shows why cyberspace is, in many ways, the ultimate cloak-and-dagger battleground, where nefarious actors employ deception, subterfuge, and advanced technology for theft, espionage, and information warfare. A fascinating and revealing account of espionage for the digital age, Spies, Lies, and Algorithms is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the reality of spying today.

Self-learning machines called AIs are popping up all around us. They're real, and really important. They're affecting our lives--as workers, consumers, investors, citizens, patients and students. AIs bring huge promise, but also existential risk. The biggest risk isn't killer robots--it's the renegade leaders, despots, and unrestrained hackers everywhere we should worry about. Charles Jennings' insightful new book, Artificial Intelligence: The Rise of the Lightspeed Learners presents sides of AI most people have never even considered before. That surprises are a main product of AIs. That AI cybersecurity is much more critical than traditional IT security. That, as Vladimir Putin put it, "the country that leads in AI will control the world." Jennings blends insights into Silicon Valley, Washington D.C., and Beijing with insider AI stories, irreverent humor and strong opinions. He explores the global AI ecosystem from Cambridge to Beijing; and provides a stark assessment of AI activity in China--where he lived for two years working with senior government officials. He claims that the U.S. and China are in an AI horserace that will be the most important technology contest ever, with the outcome still very much in doubt. Consisting of stories, musings, interviews, and more, it provides a timely and accessible explanation of AI and its key issues to the general reading public. -- Provided by publisher

Generative AI is creating revolutionary change at a head-spinning pace that will touch nearly every aspect of our lives. It has already triggered a tidal wave of technological innovation that holds the potential to disrupt industries and organizations while creating new unforeseen opportunities for everyone.
Are you intrigued by the power of AI and want to explore its creative possibilities? Or are you new to this world and feeling a bit overwhelmed by this technology and how it could impact you? Either way, this book will tell you everything you need to know in simple, easy-to-understand language with lots of examples of actual content produced by Generative AI.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are reshaping our world. Police forces use them to decide where to send police officers, judges to decide whom to release on bail, welfare agencies to decide which children are at risk of abuse, and Facebook and Google to rank content and distribute ads. In these spheres, and many others, powerful prediction tools are changing how decisions are made, narrowing opportunities for the exercise of judgment, empathy, and creativity. In this volume, Simons flips the narrative about how we govern these technologies. Instead of examining the impact of technology on democracy, he explores how to put democracy at the heart of AI governance. He gets under the hood of predictive technologies, offering an accessible account of how they work, why they matter, and how to regulate the institutions that build and use them. The author argues that prediction is political: human choices about how to design and use predictive tools shape their effects. Approaching predictive technologies through the lens of political theory casts new light on how democracies should govern political choices made outside the sphere of representative politics. Showing the connection between technology regulation and democratic reform, Simons argues that we must go beyond conventional theorizing of AI ethics to wrestle with fundamental moral and political questions about how the governance of technology can support the flourishing of democracy. -- Provided by publisher.

Adobe Acrobat DC Classroom in a Book, Third Edition, is the most thorough and comprehensive way for you to learn how to reliably create, edit, share, and sign PDF documents and forms with Adobe Acrobat DC. Each of the 13 lessons in this step-by-step, project-based guide contains a project that builds on your growing knowledge of the program, while end-of-chapter review questions reinforce each lesson. This cross-platform (Mac and Windows) book shows you how to collaborate effectively through electronic reviews, easily work with PDFs across multiple platforms and devices (including via the Adobe Document Cloud service), and speed up your production and business task workflows with Acrobat DC.

You will learn how to easily convert files from any application to PDF and how to directly edit text and images in PDF documents. You’ll also learn how to build PDF forms, and to speed up business workflow by gathering feedback and approval using new shared document review features. And you’ll learn how to create interactive forms and track responses within Acrobat, add signatures and security to PDF files, work with companion Acrobat apps, and much more.

"It's axiomatic to state that people fear what they do not understand--this is especially true when it comes to technology. However, despite their prevalence, computers remain shrouded in an air of mystery, and many users feel apprehensive when interacting with them. Smartphones have only exacerbated the issue. Indeed, most users of these devices leverage only a small fraction of the power they hold in their hands. How Things Work: The Computer Science Edition will serve as a roadmap for readers who want to overcome their technophobia and harness the full power of everyday technology. Beginning with the basics, it will demystify the mysterious world of computer science, explain its fundamental concepts in simple terms, and answer the questions many users feel too intimidated to ask. After finishing the book, readers will understand how computers and smart devices function and, more importantly, how they can make these devices work for them. To complete the picture, it will also introduce readers to the darker side of modern technology: security and privacy concerns, identity theft, and threats from the Dark Web"-- Provided by publisher.

Many computer organization/architecture textbooks provide a wealth of general information, but little or no hands-on experience with a specific computer architecture. Essentials of 80x86 Assembly Language is designed as a supplemental text for the instructor who wants to provide students hands-on experience with the Intel 80x86 architecture. It can also be used as a stand-alone text for an assembly language course. Essentials of 80x86 Assembly Language emphasizes basic 80x86 integer instructions, but both 64-bit instructions and floating point architecture are also introduced. Students assemble 32- or 64-bit flat memory model programs and execute them under control of a debugger, "seeing inside" the computer as they step through program instructions, viewing contents of registers and memory.

Only MICROSOFT VISUAL BASIC 2015: RELOADED pairs fundamental programming concepts with both business applications and fun, engaging game applications. This fully revised 6th Edition provides a solid foundation in programming principles while clearly demonstrating how to most effectively use those principles. The book begins by covering the basics, from creating user interfaces to understanding variables, constants, and calculations. Building on this knowledge, coverage progresses to more advanced topics, such as manipulating and querying a Microsoft Access database, creating Web applications, and creating classes and objects. This new edition combines powerful, proven learning features from previous editions with the latest content. Clear explanations detail the new features of Visual Basic 2015 while new examples and applications illustrate how those features can work for you.

This book is about cyber security, but it's also about so much more; it's about giving you the skills to think creatively about your role in the cyber security industry. In Part 1, the author discusses his thoughts on the cyber security industry and how those that operate within it should approach their role with the mindset of an artist. Part 2 explores the work of Sun Tzu's The Art of War. The author analyses key sections and reviews them through the lens of cyber security and data protection to derive how his teachings can be used within the cyber security industry. Although Tzu's book on military strategy, tactics and operations was written more than 2,000 years ago, The Art of Cyber Security – A practical guide to winning the war on cyber crime reflects on how relevant Tzu's words are for today's technological era. This book celebrates the individuals who are striving to protect us in an ever-expanding technological era. Data and technology are so important to our lives, that protecting people who use technology is incredibly important. The professionals working to protect children, adults and corporations have a tough job, and this book celebrates their work while advocating ways for improving cyber security services and fighting cyber crime. This book will challenge your thinking and force you to approach cyber security and data protection from theoretical, philosophical, strategic, tactical and operational perspectives.

This book provides new and seasoned users with step-by-step procedures on creating and modifying 3D models, working with cameras and lights, assigning materials to objects, rendering, and printing. Unlike many AutoCAD competitors, it uses both metric and imperial units to illustrate the myriad tools for this popular application. Use the companion CD to set up drawing exercises and projects and see all of the book's figures including color. AutoCAD 2022 3D Modeling includes 50 “mini-workshops,” that complete small projects from concept through actual plotting. Solving all of the workshops will simulate the creation of full projects (architectural and mechanical) from beginning to end, without overlooking any of the basic commands and functions in AutoCAD 2022. FEATURES: Provides new and seasoned users with step-by-step procedures on creating and modifying 3D models in both metric and imperial units Companion files can be used to set up in-text drawing exercises and projects and to see the book's figures in color

Cyber security has never been more essential than it is today, it's not a case of if an attack will happen, but when. This brand new edition covers the various types of cyber threats and explains what you can do to mitigate these risks and keep your data secure. Cyber Security explains the fundamentals of information security, how to shape good organisational security practice, and how to recover effectively should the worst happen. Written in an accessible manner, Cyber Security provides practical guidance and actionable steps to better prepare your workplace and your home alike. This second edition has been updated to reflect the latest threats and vulnerabilities in the IT security landscape, and updates to standards, good practice guides and legislation. • A valuable guide to both current professionals at all levels and those wishing to embark on a cyber security profession • Offers practical guidance and actionable steps for individuals and businesses to protect themselves • Highly accessible and terminology is clearly explained and supported with current, real-world examples

Data analytics is creeping into the lexicon of our daily language. This book gives the reader a perspective as to the overall data analytics skill set, starting with a primer on statistics, and works toward the application of those methods. There are a variety of formulas and algorithms used in the data analytics process. These formulas can be plugged into whatever software application the reader uses to obtain the answer they need. There are several demonstrations of this process to provide straightforward instruction as to how to bring data analytics skills to your critical thinking. This book presents a variety of methods and techniques, as well as case studies, to enrich the knowledge of data analytics for project managers, systems engineers, and cybersecurity professionals. It separates the case studies so that each profession can practice some straightforward data analytics specific to their fields. The main purpose of this text is to refresh the statistical knowledge necessary to build models for data analytics. Along with that, this book encompasses the analytics thinking that is essential to all three professions.FEATURES:Provides straightforward instruction on data analytics methodsIncludes methods, techniques, and case studies for project managers, systems engineers, and cybersecurity professionalsRefreshes the statistical knowledge needed to bring data analytics into your skillset and decision-makingFocuses on getting readers up to speed quickly and efficiently to be able to see the impact of data analytics and analytical thinking

Step into the world of animation and go beyond the fundamentals of Adobe Animate to bring experiences to life through expert-led contentKey FeaturesProduce rich motion graphics and interactive animations for multiple platforms and discover different ways to use AnimateExplore the key features and enhancements in the latest Adobe Animate releaseTake your Adobe Animate projects to the next level by delving into creative workflowsBook DescriptionAdobe Animate is platform-agnostic asset creation, motion design, animation, and interactivity software. Complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts, practical examples, and hands-on walkthroughs, this book shows you how to use Adobe Animate to create immersive experiences by breaking through creative limitations across every medium.You will begin by getting up to speed with what you need to know about Adobe Animate quickly. Next, you will learn how to get started with Animate as a creative platform and explore the features introduced in the most recent version of the software. Moving on, you'll consume and produce media assets for multiple platforms through both the publish and export workflows. Following this, you'll delve into advanced rigging techniques and discover how to create more dynamic animation with advanced depth and movement techniques. You'll also find out how to build projects such as games, virtual reality experiences, and apps for various platforms. The book concludes with an examination of different methods used to extend the software for various needs.By the end of this book, you'll be able to produce a variety of media assets, motion design materials and animated artifacts, and interactive content pieces - all while targeting a variety of platforms including HTML5 Canvas, WebGL, and mobile devices.What you will learnGain a solid understanding of Adobe Animate foundations and new featuresUnderstand the nuances associated with publishing and exporting rich media content for various platformsMake use of advanced layering and rigging techniques to create engaging motion contentCreate dynamic motion by using the camera and variable layer depth techniquesDevelop web-based games, virtual reality experiences, and multiplatform mobile applicationsExtend Animate with extensions, application-level scripting, and the creation of custom integrated tutorialsWho this book is forThis book is for web, graphic, and motion design professionals with basic experience in animation who want to take their existing skills to the next level. A clear understanding of basic animation concepts will help you to get the most out of this book and produce impressive results.

Harness the power of Linux to create versatile and robust embedded solutionsKey FeaturesLearn how to develop and configure robust embedded Linux devicesExplore the new features of Linux 5.4 and the Yocto Project 3.1 (Dunfell)Discover different ways to debug and profile your code in both user space and the Linux kernelBook DescriptionIf you're looking for a book that will demystify embedded Linux, then you've come to the right place. Mastering Embedded Linux Programming is a fully comprehensive guide that can serve both as means to learn new things or as a handy reference. The first few chapters of this book will break down the fundamental elements that underpin all embedded Linux projects: the toolchain, the bootloader, the kernel, and the root filesystem. After that, you will learn how to create each of these elements from scratch and automate the process using Buildroot and the Yocto Project. As you progress, the book will show you how to implement an effective storage strategy for flash memory chips and install updates to a device remotely once it's deployed. You'll also learn about the key aspects of writing code for embedded Linux, such as how to access hardware from apps, the implications of writing multi-threaded code, and techniques to manage memory in an efficient way. The final chapters demonstrate how to debug your code, whether it resides in apps or in the Linux kernel itself. You'll also cover the different tracers and profilers that are available for Linux so that you can quickly pinpoint any performance bottlenecks in your system. By the end of this Linux book, you'll be able to create efficient and secure embedded devices using Linux.What you will learnUse Buildroot and the Yocto Project to create embedded Linux systemsTroubleshoot BitBake build failures and streamline your Yocto development workflowUpdate IoT devices securely in the field using Mender or balenaPrototype peripheral additions by reading schematics, modifying device trees, soldering breakout boards, and probing pins with a logic analyzerInteract with hardware without having to write kernel device driversDivide your system up into services supervised by BusyBox runitDebug devices remotely using GDB and measure the performance of systems using tools such as perf, ftrace, eBPF, and CallgrindWho this book is forIf you're a systems software engineer or system administrator who wants to learn how to implement Linux on embedded devices, then this book is for you. It's also aimed at embedded systems engineers accustomed to programming for low-power microcontrollers, who can use this book to help make the leap to high-speed systems on chips that can run Linux. Anyone who develops hardware that needs to run Linux will find something useful in this book – but before you get started, you'll need a solid grasp on POSIX standard, C programming, and shell scripting.