Modeling

I read a couple of books on game theory. This is one of the better books... but it also has one small advantage... it's small. I carry it almost everywhere and read its short chapters (another advantage) without getting too tired. It's also quite difficult to get tired reading the book as the author keeps his explanations fairly simple, lively, and to the point.

A good spread of topics and examples too!

I found this book accessible when I first read it in 9th grade, and I still find it fascinating today as a soon-to-be grad student in math.

I planned to do a talk on the subject of the mathematics of a particular game, called Snood, and I had to learn Game Theory quickly to do so. This book explains things well, and the exercises, while easy enough to do in my head, still cement everything very well so that I can honestly say that I have a solid understanding of the subject even though I just picked up a single book.

Very good.

I love this book! It's great! For those people who ran out of clay, try White Rose or Michaels for Sculpey III, or any well-stocked craft store would have it. BYE!

I received this book 3 years ago as a Christmas gift, and it sparked such an interest, that I began making gifts for every occasion, and then branched into selling my creations. There's plenty in this book to keep an adult interested! By the way, to the reviewer who expressed dismay at the difficulty of finding replacement clay, look for Sculpey III at your local craft store - that is the type of clay used in the book.

I really like the activities in this book but I think that most of them are to hard for anyone below the age of ten. I still have trouble with the details even though I am thirteen. you also need to find a different red color. It stained my clothes and all I did was drop it on them. Other than those complaints though, you did a good job. You need to make another book of things to do with the clay. Sincerely, Alicia LeCroy

This book is a concise, effective introduction to dynamic systems modeling
and how it can be used to provide insight to biological problems. The use
of dynamic modeling is demonstrated through example models, a new model
each chapter. The authors walk the reader/student through each model and
then make suggestions as to how it can be further exploited for greater
understanding of the problem. The greatest aspect of this book lies in
its demystification of computer modeling in general and shows that any
person, no matter their quantitative skills, can effectively model a
system by adhering to certain fundamentals. The models that are provided
range from ecosystems to individual cells, espousing a 'systems' approach
to every level of biology. Overall, this book is easy to understand; providing a mental tool by which one can bring greater clarity to complex, dynamic problems.

The increasing interconnectedness and complexity of ecological and biological systems is undoubtedly increasing the potential environmental consequences of our decisions. Thus the growing importance of improving our understanding of the characteristics and internal relationships that govern the system's behavior. Hannon and Ruth clearly illustrate how we can think about problems from a 'dynamic systems' perspective, and how we can use technical programs to apply this new way of thinking as a tool to model biological systems. They present the means to build a greater understanding of the phenomena we see, the context of the problems that confront us, and the potential and expected effects of any interventions we may make.

Like the book's theoretical foundations, the modeling software used is both user-friendly for easy up-take by beginners, and sufficiently powerful for those at a more advanced level needing a robust software package. The reader is actively guided through the model development, simulation and interpretation process. This learning by participation and experience increases the readers understanding of the wide variety of contexts in which modeling techniques can be applied, and how to apply them.

Those interested in biological issues will find this valuable from the practical biological examples that are used, and the novel approach in which these issues are addressed. These range from spatial and population dynamics, to models of organisms, genetic movements and physical systems.

Further, the clarity of writing, and the familiarity of the examples and problems addressed, makes this an enjoyable educational experience for all people interested in developing a new perspective of the environment in which they live and work.

Perhaps most importantly, the analogical strength of the techniques used and models developed is such that researchers in all fields of academia, from economics to sociology, will benefit from it. It challenges us to re-examine how we define the problems we seek to solve, and to discipline our existing conceptualization of systems. It presents us with tools that challenge, yet compliment and strengthen traditional scientific approaches.

Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems is a wonderful book for students and researchers interested in learning about dynamic modeling. I used this book in the first class I took dealing with dynamic modeling and found it very easy to understand and follow. The basic design of the book is to introduce the basic concepts of dynamic modeling and how to get started designing models in STELLA. Descriptions for designing models and the example models are based on STELLA modeling software, an intuitive iconographic program that allows even non-technical readers to begin modeling quickly. After the introduction to dynamic modeling the book is divided up into parts based on different areas of biology: Physical and Biochemical Models, Genetics Models, Models of Organisms, Single Population Models, Multiple Population Models, and Catastrophe and Self-Organization. In each of these parts there are a number of models dealing with different issues. The models are clearly explained and both the iconographic diagram and the equations are given so users can create the example models from the book or check their own work.

This book is a great resource for both novice and experienced modelers. Biologists from all areas will find this useful if they are interested in learning about dynamic modeling. Even if one's area of interest is not exactly one of the areas focused on in the book, the skills and basic method of dynamic modeling will be learned and the reader can then apply these to their area of interest. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in dynamic modeling, even non-biologists. With its great examples and clear explanations this makes a great resource for learning about dynamic modeling.

The book teaches the process to get from "I have a nebulous idea," to turn into "I have a set of steps to build my idea."
Buy it. Read it. Practice it.

Mr Lewis makes understanding modelling easy. Explains with amazing clarity similarity between seemingly different fields of engineering. Though you may have encountered all the material before his method of presenting gives you a better understanding of the subject.

The simplicity, the clarity and the deep understanding of the subject are the main description for this book. Thank you Mr. Lewis for this great book and I hope you write more books in applied engineering.

Very good book, very neat and clean description, easy to understand, very informative and technical yet easy to understand.

I am a graduate student with main area of interest in Mixed mode design,testing and device modelling.This book was suggested to me by my proffessor.It is the book for MOSFET.I have read many books on this topic like Tyagi,Foty,massobrio etc but this books stands apart.It is a very well written book.Its progress is very logical going from two terminal device to four terminal device with very good explanation of the physics.More importantly the emphasis on the approximations made makes things clearer.....

For a person working with Mosfets it is a must......

I don't usually write reviews unless the book is either very poor or very good. This is one of the best books on my shelf. If you want to know the MOS transistor this is the book. Well researched, excellent explanations, excellent appendices. Other authors of technical books should use this as an example of how to write a good technical book.

As a 3D AutoCAD instructor, I am delighted with this book and as a textbook! My students are successfully able to 3-D model most objects, independently, without emphasis on step-by-step directions. Althrough this book provides step-by-step instructions as Chapter exercises; primarily, each Chapter explains the variety of modelling usages for surfacing and creating solids. This book guides the student with alternatives to solving 3-D modelling techniques.

I find that anyone wishing to learn 3D and solid modeling should read,"3D Modeling in AutoCAD" by John E. Wilson. The book takes one from UCS positioning and rotation, to isometric projected drawings in no time. Watching your solid model drawing evolve after reading several chapters, gives one a sense of confidence. Not to mention, a better change of landing that autoCAD job.

This book by John E.Wilson provides answers for a reader at any level of expertise. It gives you clear examples of useful problems instead of dwelling on obscure ones. All options of a command are shown and explained so you really learn to use the software to full advantage. I really like the detail because I can now pick up the other areas I never understood. I especially like the chapter on rendering and applying textures. I tried some of the examples and the rendered parts look real, especially the transparent ones.

Believe the summary...this book is for 2nd and 3rd year post-secondary students. I am an experienced C++ programmer, but Grade 12 math isn't enough to cut through the explanations to get to the code, which I can understand perfectly well.

Who should buy this book? Students with a good grasp of basic calculus, who want a thoroughly academic treatment of algorithms in C++ in order to pass Computer Science.

Who should not? A C++ programmer that wants clear, effectively presented information on implementing standard algorithms and data structures in order to get their project done.

I'm of the Keep It Simple school of thought, and the practical theory and implementations in this book could have been presented much more effectively without the adademic bafflegab.

I am currently working on my calculus skills in my spare time, and as my familiarity with the mathematical notation grows, I may be able to put this book to good use. Untill then I wish I'd bought something else, programming doesn't need to be as dense as this book makes it.

I used the source code in this book when I implemented buddy system in my OS.
Bruno's code is very effective and the design is excellent too.
I've learned a lot of things in this book.
So, I'd like to recommend this book absolutely!

This is a great book for one who has had a formal study of undergraduate Calculus/Algebra and a very good understanding of the C++ language. The book starts off with explaining the fundamentals that will be applied to measure the effectiveness of a piece of code, and is very helpful for those who wants to understand the basic theory applied in the later chapters. This books treats almost all the basic data structures and have been presented in a very simple non-profounding way, like keeping the class design and hiearchy the same throughout. All the data structures have been explained using the (easy to use) arrays as well as link-lists. This makes it easier for a novice to grasp the fundamentals and go on to implement more complex and effective data structures using link lists. Overall, I found this book extremely helpful in getting a sound footing on this topic.

This is a must have book for anyone interested at all in rigging in Maya. Its very useful for the person who knows how to rig but wants to take their rigging skills to the next level. Detailed enough to pull the info you need and discard what you don't, plus there's plenty of pictures. I gave this a fifth star because it includes some great scripting to create usable shelf controls. Which is very hard to come by in an easy to follow book.

Outside of the patch modeling and other preparation to animation, the rigging in this book is AWESOME!! I love this book and use it as a resource often. The advanced MEL scripting you will learn will allow you to create a graphical user interface for selection of the character and sliders for the controls as well as advanced facial animation setup and great skeletal hierarchy with nice driven and cluster based motion. The author has emailed me back with the question i asked him quickly and efficiently, very nice guy. I don't care who you are and what you do but if you use Maya definitely buy this book.

This is my first time to order online, but the scarcity of books related to Maya here in Manila prompted me to take matters into my own hands. Hehe.

Anyway, when I first opened the package, which arrived in an impressive 6-day wait, (wow! Amazon rules!) I eagerly browsed the contents and was not the least bit disappointed. This book helpfully deals with the one area (among many others) I am having most difficulty with, rigging Characters effectively using MEL. I've learned things could be done differently apart from traditional methods regarding drawing of skeletons and grouping them to maximize your rig's functionality and naturalize your character's movement.. and that's just from 10 pages. I've yet to go through the MEL side of creating my own custom control windows, but it's great. Really great.

Though the book is for intermediate to advance users, because of the lengthy reading and lack of illustrations, the author still manages to get the idea across and is easy to understand. If you're having the same difficulty, this book will make surely help you. Can't wait to stick each page into my head.

Ten toes Up!

This book have a bad title, must be "Theory of Modeling and Simulation with DEVS".

There are not a real Integration about Discrete Event and Continuous Complex Dynamic Systems. Only a Discret Event Systems Specification (DEVS), nothing more that DEVS. The book is anything but no visual simulation, no numerics management, no probabilities, no DAE-equations, no research operations, no object simulation, no ...

The DEVS concept born with the promise of join different formalism in the 70's (join discreet and continuous simulation), but yet the concept actually in the book is very primitive and not consider real numerical methods in only one layer (remember that many real commercial simulation software is not based in DEVS concepts. Why?, -Maybe, the DEVS concept have a rigorous and innecesary strictness in the framework concepts in modeling and simulation.)

For other hand, this book have bad thigs and good things.

Bad things:

- The algorithms presented are only fragments of pseudocode like C++ (or Java?). Where is all framework code?.
- The concepts are not in a today systemic/cibernetic vision. This is bad, because the definitions and concepts are yet of 70's. (the book is a second edition, where is the change?).
- Actually the DEVS is considered the corner stone of basic theory of discreet simulations according to autor and others, but in a book there are not real simulations for probe the theory.
- Where is THE continuous complex dynamic systems?.
- Lack of code production of real numerical and computacional methods.

The good things:

- If you don't know what is a DEVS this book is your resp.
- Is a source of excellent ideas, in special the study of Quantization and the Systems Design and Environments of M&S (IV Cap.).

Finally, the best of book is not the DEVS concepts (the book is 80% about DEVS), is the math-way how the Autor try define a basic Simulation Framework independent of the model.

Because the above, is a must have in a simulations books.

I am a professional model/actor so I picked this book up to become a better model/actor. Boy was I surprised! After reading this book my knowledge of computer systems has increased 10 fold. It has also expanded my range as an actor. I have gone on several sci-fi type acting auditions and guess what? I landed every single part (there were only two actually). Because I have read this book I now have a pretty solid background in electrical engineering or at least enough to fake an acting audition, HA!! But seriously this was a great book with lots of neat-o pictures that look pretty even when they are upside down. So if you are interested in science stuff or want to learn how to sound like you know what you are talking about read this book. By the way those two acting jobs I got were for the Chicago plays - "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" and "OW! Those are Vice Grips".

This book looks somewhat difficult but I think that it is the best book for whom researchs modelling and simulation methodology. Based on mathematics, most contents of it were explained rigorously. From the origin of its 1976 version, now in the 2'nd book, DEVS(discrete event system specification) formalism has been extended to cover the continuous state system as well. In addition to, the various extended versions of DEVS, such as Parallel DEVS, Real-time DEVS, Fuzzy DEVS, has been aloso dealt in it.

If you are familiar with the set-theory and the system theory (dealing with inputs and outputs) and looking for the simulation methodology from any IO system view, the book must be the best book to you.

Now here is a book that really DOES live up to its title! Even for those of us who have built databases before, it contains surprises and would hold a worthy place on your shelf for review purposes if nothing else. As another review said, the additional info on the use of Visio is a nice touch. I personally had a few problems using it, but I was using Visio 2002 and Access 2002, and not version 2000, as the book used. This could have been the source of my problems, (that or an inability for me to follow instructions!) Either way though, the book really does have good, usable information under its covers, and is a worthy read for neophytes as well as the more experienced database mechanics and architects.

I had no experience with databases before I read this book. I didn't even understand the basic concepts. This book includes basic definitions, detailed database design, SQL statements, how to use Microsoft Access (creating tables, relationships, queries, forms and reports). If you have little or no experience with databases, you will definitely take advantage of this book. It's very easy to read.

I have been looking for a basic, easy to understand book on database analysis and design. It seems like any of the design tools on the market cost 000's of dollars. I had no idea Visio had the abilities Mr. Petersen discussed and illustrated in his book.

The one chapter that discussed how to use Visio as a database design tool is enough to convince me this book is a must have for anybody wishing to learn how datbases work!