Enterprise Books

If you are a digital media focused contractor/consultant/freelancer, an entrepreneur across any industry, or above the director-level within your organization's IT/IS group, this book needs to be on your desk!

Since the mid-90s I have been working within the digital world. I currently head the digital practice for an advertising agency with regional, national, and global clients.

Since I picked this book up over a month ago, I have referenced it at least 3-5 times per week.

I have used it for:
- guidance (web and mobile deal making)
- reference (open source licensing and usage)
- direction (~40 sample agreements and a critical section around beta-testing agreements)
- education/learning (clearing content for applications and legal rules for mashups)
- curiosity (the entire video game deals chapter)
- enlightenment ("clickwrap" verse "browserwrap" agreements)

If you have ever:
- googled for example legal agreements
- reused someone elses website T&C, privacy statement, etc.
- thought about creating a site/app that utilizes user generated content, scraping, mash ups, syndication, social media distribution, etc.
- engaged with a company as a vendor or used technology vendors
- worked with global-focused businesses, trademarks, or digital properties
- looked into patenting an idea/invention
- started your own digital-based company
- (and I could go on and on and on)

... then get this book!! It is a companion. It is a reference. It is a critical resource to have in your office.

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Random learning: It is legal to use a competitors trademarked brand names within the meta-tags of your site.

As an IT/Digital French to English legal translator I found this book to be very clear, practical and complete.

The first half of the book consists of explanations of concepts (with lots of clear examples), while the second part is comprised of 20 varied relevant (and downloadable -- on their site) legal documents.

Ken Fagan
www.droit-ntic-traduit.com

The law is the law, and you are far better off knowing the laws as it applies to IT about copyright, trademarks, domain names, software patents, trade secrets, NDA's, NCA's, open source licenses, consulting agreements, SLA's, beta test agreements, EULA's, SaaS TOS, commercial distribution agreements, privacy, digital content agreements, videogame publishing agreements, foreign distribution agreements, and what happens if you try to sell your encryption software to a Denied Person.

Oh my aching head!

Fortunately, Gene Landy has summarized all the above and more into language understandable by people not attorney's, added 38 juicy contracts and forms and authored a book you need, now: "The IT / Digital Legal Companion: A Comprehensive Business Guide to Software, IT, Internet, Media and IP Law".

I've been reading up on Software as a Service, chapter 13, and in 24 pages Gene did an excellent job of summarizing what you need to know about SaaS from a legal point of view. This book, published in June, is very up to date, logically organized and includes the seasoned judgment of a practicing IT attorney.

If you are in the IT industry, you have no excuse for not owning this book.

This legal overview is absolutely what every sw marketer needs: if (s)he is new, it's a great initiation, and for a more war-worn guy like me (20+ years...) it's a great recapitulation of all you thought you knew, but had forgot, plus all the stuff you just never knew. One can use it as a reference, as a do-it-yourself, or as a backgrounder to prepare for working with a lawyer. The latter is the most probable scenario, but the book will save you tons of money for your lawyer's not having to spend time educating you and your team first.

Criticism of this book is tempered by keeping one important fact in mind; I found all that I needed to begin developing and customizing WorldSoftware applications without the need for formal J.D. Edwards education. So, the author did a thorough job while sometimes wasting words on overblown praise for the product, overemphasizing the value of the report writers, and repeating his confusing practice of picking topics up in the middle, only to provide the necessary information later. I don't have a similar book to compare it to but I must admit that this one is all that I have needed thus far.

One of the problems I have with World is understanding how to work with the reporting facilities. This book does a good job describing the dreamwriter and how to create new versions, and how to work with the dreamwriter controls.

Having worked with World software for a number of years, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of JD Edwards. I was somewhat surprised when I started reading the book. It gave me a far better appreciation for the product than I had before, and gave me some real insight into how the system fits together. In the past, whenever I tried to sharpen my skills, I have had to plod through the standard documentation that JD Edwards provides. This book cuts right to the chase. It describes how to work with the software, what to do, and how to do it. If your working with World, get this book!

This is a well rounded and well thought out book on world software. The book begins with an overview of JDE and its products, starting with world software (the subject of the book) and then oneworld software, (the newer JDE software product). The book describes at a high level how to begin, manage, and execute projects, such as modifying applications or creating interfaces to applications outside of JDE.

It then describes in detail how to work with the software, make changes, optimize an AS/400, and other maintenance issues. Finally, the book discusses what you need to know if you intend to upgrade your system to oneworld.

A number of things in the book were particularly helpful to me. For example, working with JDE batch processes, and the troubleshooting section were helpful. The authors, Panza and Edelstein seem to know the product inside out and communicate information effectively.

From a deceptively slow start, this book weans the reader through the basics fundamentals of lean and leaves one adequately armed with sufficient knowledge of said concepts at the pulsating end. It serves as an excellent introduction for the lean novice and a great refresher for the self-proclaimed lean expert. The most amazing part of this book is the excellence in simplicity. This is a book truly for all levels within any given organization. Brian Leonard has shown his quality in this publication. Such an easy and precise lean read is a must for your collection.

I think people are able to learn a topic much faster if they can either see the topic in action or at least envision it clearly. This is only the third book I have read on lean and the two other books I read also used examples but they were both from auto manufacturing. I work in a hospital and had trouble envisioning lean in the other two books because I have no clue what goes on in car manufacturing! Because this book used examples that do not require me to be a veteran in manufacturing I was able to make a connection between lean and what it means in at least a basic sense. I was not swamped with language that only further confuses me. I did notice a couple of minor flaws in the print on 2 pages. Nothing major and I'm assuming that is a printing company screw up. But even so, it was a very good book and I do recommend it. I'm now passing it around the office and so far we all seemed to learn something from it. This reminded me a little of the book Who Moved my Cheese about change in the work place but not quite as simply written. There was more to the story and more information but it was simple enough to understand. I wish the author had explained smed more though. He touched on it briefly, the basics I guess, but I'm still not entirely clear on smed. If anyone can suggest a book on smed and how it can be used in a hospital let me know.

Finally a book on lean manufacturing written for someone without a Phd! Well, not exactly lean manufacturing but lean anyway. I read the book over the course of 2 days and feel I have a good idea of what lean actually is. This book will not leave you an expert but if you have no clue what lean is and want to understand the bare bones of it I do recommend it. We were just told after our company was sold that we are going lean. The new management gave us copies of this book and suggested that we read it through a couple of times just to get us ready for what they said was a big change in culture and a new way of doing our jobs. They first gave us another book but honestly it was too complicated. I read 2 or 3 pages then put it down. They then gave us copies of this book. I thought it was all going to be about layoffs. That's the only thing I had really heard about lean so at first I was a little fearful. As it turns out only a few people, poor performers, were let go and the rest of us I think will have a better chance of fitting into the new lean company thanks in part to this book. The author did a good job of explaining things in a way that myself and my coworkers were able to follow.

Most of the books I have "tried" to read on this topic are a bit tough to get through and are not written with the employees in mind. This will prove a great tool for preparing employees and managers alike for improving productivity and quality. Another great quality is the readability. It reads like a short story, still delivers the information effectively, and is even quite entertaining. I like the fact that this book is written in story form, in a simple setting, and is not written specifically for manufacturing. It follows a lemonade stand run by two children and their parents which ends in a chain of stores as a result of thier lean approach. Despite the simple setting and story I must admit that I do now have a better grasp on what lean manufacturing is about. It proved to be an interesting perspective on lean. Much of the information is really eye opening. Other points in the book made me think "Why didn't I think of that?" After reading this book I have decided to pick up copies for my employees. It is a one-day read and described lean in a way that will make sense to the hourly employees. We are planning to go lean and this should give our employees an idea of what to expect. I do not recommend this book for "advanced" lean training though, but do give it a thumbs up for learning the basics. If you are looking for complex terms and definitions this is not the book for you. I am now kind of wondering if using the lemonade stand idea might be a good idea for an offsite lean training idea. Worth considering I suppose.

I have never had a bartending book that is so well organized and fun and easy to use! I especially love the lamination. Are these guys single? Ryan and Robby, you ROCK!

I found this giant little bar tenders guide an easy to navigate book and a must have for bartenders and consumers alike. I have spent years looking high and low for a quick and concise bartenders tool which addresses the high demand and trendy cocktails and now I can say that it has been written. And well written too. The coauthors are no doubt very knowledgeable about their craft. They have written a fun and important cocktail book. The construction and page coating will no doubt make it a standard in the industry for many years. I strongly recommend that every bar in the english speaking world have a copy on hand for employees to reference and several additional copies for customers to order from and purchase to take home! I have enjoyed over thirty years on both sides of the counter. I know that the customer could use this important book as a menu of sorts and by the same token the house could standardize their drinks and presentation by deferring to "Keep it Simple Baby: Guide to Mixology". I look forward to the next book by Misters Jonsson and Waddell or even a television show on the same topic!

Got turned on to this book after receiving a "Transfusion" (see shot section) at a private club in the west end. I then had the privilege to sample a "Chuckie",- delicious- and an "Irish Fog" (or was it a Snow Cap?) I nearly bribed the bartender into getting his "original" recipies- finally he showed me the truth. I've since used this book to enhance the entertainment at my own parties. Very enjoyable results!

Wow!!! What a fantastic book, an absolute classic. I have many bartending and cocktail books on my shelf but nothing compares to this. Buy it now and forever hold your peace, baby!

This is a great book. Recepies are simple but delicious. I've tried every single one and all were wondeful. If you like to cook Asian Cuisine this is a winner. GET IT!

This book is the book of books. It includes recipes in the "East meets West" style. It includes some delicious recipes by Neil Perry of Sydney's Rockpool and Wokpool restaurants. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, fast food.

So okay, you go out and buy yourself a wok, you turn up the heat, you get out the oil - and then what? Ken Hom (one of the greatest Chinese chefs - and a terrific TV personality) will tell you. Right from the very basics, like how to prepare your new wok before putting any food in it.

Hom's absolute passion for Asian food, and in particular for Wok-cooked Asian food, shines through as you find page after page (bless me, 224 of them, I see!) of amazing recipes (over 150 for the punk accountants amongst you). But Ken Hom offers more than just a recipe and a photo. He strategically places notes on ingredient choice, preparation, and even cultural explanations based on his childhood in China. Added to this is information gleaned from his travels in Asia, and his exploration of Asian cuisine.

Ken Hom is truly international. Born of Chinese parents, raised in USA and now living in France, he travels frequently to Asia to learn more about his art. I saw him recently on a French television program, sharing the secrets of French cuisine with a top chef. Talk about depth of knowledge - Ken Hom knew almost as much as the other guy!

Get this book, try out the simple recipes first, then move on to some of the slightly more difficult ones. Believe me, wok cooking can me rewarding, not just for it's simplicity, but for its superb variety of flavors and aromas. Learn from the true master, and let Ken Hom into your kitchen. I promise you, you'll not regret the experience.

This book is the book of books. It includes recipes in the "East meets West" style. It includes some delicious recipes by Neil Perry of Sydney's Rockpool and Wokpool restaurants. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, fast food.

This book is incredibly good. Many chess writers recycle old (and often inaccurate) information from other books, but that is definitely not Winter's way. This book is remarkably accurate and is written in sparkling English. The research and editing are superb. The book contains hundreds of unknown games and positions, thousands of unknown or forgotten facts (many of them historical but also with plenty of topical comment) and all in all it is simply terrific. Winter doesn't pull his punches and can be hilarious when panning sloppy or dishonest hack-writing. Five stars hardly do justice to this wonderful book!

You gotta get this one. For the money you can't beat it! Read the description, it's got everything you need. Great buy!

This book is best summarized as a series of short articles. Some of the articles are interesting and some are not.

Different aspects of chess are covered: miniatures, trivia, puzzles, theory etc. Most of the individual groupings are fun... and most are well written. However, some are not.

The worst parts of this book bore us with the history of misspellings of famous players names; their obituaries and such.

Some of the best parts (the puzzles and miniatures) are troubled by poor editing of the chess lines(see below). This is somewhat resolved by the general good quality of the puzzles themselves(...)Overall I would give this book 3 and a half stars. The binding is nice (and better than -say- an Everyman chess binding) but the poor editorship really is taxing.

Edward Winter again presents us with a collection of historical essays, book reviews, forgotten positions, biographical details, quotes, and photographs from his long-running "Chess Notes" column. Winter's goal, as he says elsewhere, is to find out new (or rediscovered) true information about chess history, and to point out false statements and tall tales that are copied from one lousy chess book to another as "history".

The book therefore contains--among much else--many interesting but forgotten games and compositions, biographical material about unjustly forgotten players, and, to this reader the most interesting part of the book, historical investigations into alleged incidents in the lives of famous players. Very often, Winter shows that the sensational tales, both positive and negative, told about many chess masters (either praising their "genius" or blaiming the "crazy" or "immoral" chess master) are based on no facts at all.

This doesn't mean Winter covers up the unpleasant truth. For example, Winter's detailed investigation does not cover up the evidence pointing towards the conclusion that Alekhine did write of his free will the anti-Jewish articles signed by him which he later claimed he was forced to do against his will. But he also allows Alekhine's defenders (including Alekhine himself) in this matter a fair hearing, and wisely comments that the full story will probably have to wait until Alekhine's personal archives are made available to the public. What Winter objects to isn't criticism, even severe criticism, but libel--such as Fine's notorious remark that Alekhine was was "the sadist of the chessboard", for no good reason.

I suspect the book's most often-read section is, alas, the one dealing with book reviews. To many people, reading scathing book reviews that show how bad a book is is a guilty pleasure, and indeed many of Winter's reviews are scathing. Perhaps, in retrospect, Winter might have avoided much of the controversy surrounding KCK, leaving its historical and research value intact, by cutting out the 10% (or so) of KCK devoted to reviews of books and leaving only the purely historical material. Indeed, in the last decade, Winter had practically ceased to write book reviews, presumably deciding such reviews produce far more heat than light.

That said, Winter's scathing criticism is invariably (so far as I can tell) well-justified and always well-documented with numerous examples. The 'Knaves' of the chess world--those who write meretricious "ooks" (Martin Gardner's term to describe worthless potboilers that do not deserve to be called "books")--get what's coming to them from Winter's pen.

The one "criticism" I have of this book is that not all the material in it interested me--but only about 90% of it. This, of course, is not real criticism: tastes vary, and any book of chess history that is 100% interesting to one reader is sure to be of 0% interest to another. Winter, however, has done such a good job of selection that I strongly suspect this book will be 90% interesting to just about *anybody* with interest in chess history; and that is a great achievement indeed.

Although I had already made the decision to leave my corporate job before reading this book, I found it to be a great source of motivation for what lies ahead of me as I take a more personal stake in my career and life. While the book won't go much in-depth about starting your own business (other start-up books are better for that), and is a very quick read, the book lays a good foundation for building up the entrepreneurial psyche. Tired of the corporate world? Have no idea how to get the courage to resign? Don't know the first thing about setting off on your own? Read this book first!

This is a book about the nuts and bolts of how to "Kiss Off Corporate America" and be your own boss. Ms. Kivirist writes from a first-person point of view and incorporates the stories of others as she encourages you to follow your dreams and work for yourself. If you are curious as to how it is done or what to do in steps, this is your book. She covers the tax issues, the financial issues but most importantly, the personal issues of dealing with the people in your life. Sometimes, those we love most can hold us back more than our own reservations. Kiss Off Corporate America is more than a business book, it is a change-your-life book.

I purchased Lisa Kivirist's book in the " Stage 2: Toes on the Line" stage of my life. I have a very good job in " Corporate America" doing what I like, but I absolutely hate it. I am not new to the industry in which I work, but I have reached a level at which I must weed through, for lack of better word, tons of bull in a never-ending combination of house-of-cards and shell-game trying to accommodate several bosses at different levels with conflicting ideas, huge egos and , in my opinion, often unethical business practices. The final straw was a salary review in which I scored well, but was near the top of my range, so could only earn an additional $165. per year; and a promotion which received no monetary increase because I already make more than the other guys in my department and it wouldn't be fair to them. I was so angry, I quit on the spot, but was encouraged to think about it over the weekend and talk about it on Monday. Needless to say, my mind was made up, but I reconsidered and have decided to stay to the end of the calendar year (gives me time to formulate a great plan and execute it, allowing me to position myself more favorably financially).I spent the first 25 years of my career as a manager with little supervision and did very well. I know that I will be very good at working for myself. I am not 30 something, I am a 51 year old woman with a daughter in college, but I found Miss Kivirist's book to be truly inspirational and uplifting. She has helped me to take that much needed step toward financial freedom and "Life Outside the Corporate Track". Thank you, Lisa, for writing a very supportive book.

an essential resource for anyone unhappily stuck at a job or company, this book supports the realization that many young people are coming to: that getting the "right" job, leading a safe and secure life, and gathering heaps of material goods isn't the answer for everyone. if you seek a job that actually makes you happy and that you feel good about--not just a job that pays the bills--you will find the tips in this book useful.

the difference between "kiss off" and other career books is that the author discusses the emotional nature--and the roadblocks--of following your dreams. this book isn't about finding another job, it's about achieving an alternative lifestyle--where you control your time and seek to maintain a balance between work activities, relationships, and interests. since this lifestyle flies in the face of how our parents were raised, it often results in parents, friends, and co-workers saying, "you left your high-paying job with great benefits for WHAT?" the author offers advice about dealing with these as well as other pressures you will face when you kiss off.

also provided is a framework for getting in touch with where you are now, where you want to go, and how to get there. i found the idea of a personal non-business business plan excellent for gathering my thoughts in a constructive and tangible way. as well, the idea of an "experiential sabbatical"--a period during which you try out a variety of potential ideas before committing to a final decision--is a creative way for people to transition out of the cubicle.

stories of folks who have actually "kissed off," how they did it, and how they have fared, are sprinkled throughout the book. kivirist also uses humor and sniglet-like terms to describe the life of a "cookie cutter corporate clone," and coins appropro phrases that describe the plight of many corporate genx'ers.

Lana's Magic Garden: Myths and Potions is well worth the money. Lana's life stories are better than fiction and the information is invaluable. If your looking for a good read or need to know ANYTHING about magic, this is the book for you.

This book was easy to read, understand, and follow. Lana is a true good soul and she just wants to help people achieve the most glorious life they can.

THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC!!!
I LEARNED SO MANY THINGS THAT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT MAGIC, BEFORE READING LANAS BOOK.
I THINK SHE IS VERY STIMULATING AS A WRITTER AND I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT SHE COMES OUT WITH NEXT!!!

ASHLEY
02/27/04

This book is a page turner. I absolutely loved every minute of it!! I'd recommend it to anyone.

I was born during the depression, and though I don't have direct personal memories of soup lines....great migrations, etc., I was touched by it, through my parents.
I see my parents in this book, and with but a little imagination, I can see myself. Lee Parmeter has not only written a very good read, he has done a great service. He has given the young people of today, a very vivid, real, and poignant look at the world of their grandparents.
Bravo, Parmeter.....a job very well done.
Robert Vaughan

Reading the pages of Lee Parmeter's book actually put me back in that era. I felt that I was actually experiencing hardships and circumstances that I never knew existed. I couldn't put it down. The Last Tear Drop has some of the tone and tint of "The Big Rock Candy Mountain" by Stegner and "The Grapes of Wrath" by Steinbeck. It deals with the plight of families trying to cope with the lean years of the great depression. It truly brings to life the struggles encountered during the same era, and, the true plight of the vagabonds who chose the open road as a way of live with no ultimate destination. Parmeter's book completes the trilogy of the most important books ever written about that era of our history. It is a "must read" for young and old alike.

The book provides insight into a period of regional American history as experienced by the author and his family. The story depicts the life, times, struggles and accomplishments during a difficult period (years) that should not be forgotten but learned from.

When one thinks of the Great Depression it is easy to envision the soup kitchens and the hundreds of people out of work. The hopelessness of the people crowded in the cities with nowhere to turn. This book opens a window not thought of by many people who did not live through those desperate years. It is a story of a man, a woman and a child who traveled the back roads of our Nation in search of a way to make ends meet. It is well worth your time to take a look through this window to see their daily struggle and strife.

I read this book when starting my business four years ago and have found myself thinking of it often since then. The experiences I have had growing my company matched what Mr. Sutton talks about and his advice has worked for me so far. A quick read that I highly recommend.

Walt Sutton captures the essence of the entrepreneur CEO.If you are one, you will enjoy finding yourself in these pages.If you want to be one, read this book and then read it again and again....

Mr. Sutton's book rang so true for me. The three parts: experience, critical tasks, and valuable tools all gave tremendous insights into starting and maintaining a successful business from the CEOs personal perspective. This is one of the few books that I have ever seen that told the "secrets" of the thinking of successful entrepreneurs. I used all the tools such as conducting yearly strategic planing, assessing the core team, having a disaster plan, and many others. I know I will read it more than once.

Walt Sutton brings a real world perspective and down to earth practical advise to the reader. Many business books seem to try to make starting a business sound so easy. He makes it clear it is one of the most difficult things a human being can attempt. I wish every government offical would read it before they vote to regulate businesses even more. The most valuable advice that stuck with me was his pitch to stay debt free, or as debt free as possible in running a business. If you are a business owner or contemplating starting one, do not start without first reading this book, and then every six months thereafter.