Knoppix Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips and Tools

Book Description

Knoppix is a portable Linux distribution with a collection of hundreds of programs and utilities--a veritable Swiss Army knife in CD form. This practical and flexible Linux distribution runs on the fly from a single CD with no need to install anything to your hard drive. Knoppix's excellent hardware detection, collection of programs, and ease of use help explain why Knoppix is radically changing the face of Linux. Though Knoppix is the most popular live CD Linux distribution available, until now there have been no books on the topic. A weighty theoretical tome or a book for dummies won't do--the perfect Knoppix book, like Knoppix itself, must be as useful and clever as a Swiss Army knife. Clearly, Knoppix calls for an O'Reilly Hacks book. Knoppix Hacks is a collection of one hundred industrial-strength hacks for new Linux users, power users, and system administers using--or considering using--the Knoppix Live CD. These tips and tools show how to use the enormous amount of software on this CD to troubleshoot, repair, upgrade, disinfect, and generally be productive without Windows. With Knoppix you can:

Test drive a Linux desktop without the need to install Linux
Troubleshoot and repair Linux and Windows systems
Create a thin client network with just one CD
Replace a web server or firewall in an emergency
Perform a security audit on your entire network
Virus scan a Windows computer from the safety of Linux
Customize Knoppix for personal or business use
Easily install the popular Debian GNU/Linux distribution with all of your hardware detected and configured

Knoppix Hacks provides ingenious fixes, clever customizations, and time and resource-saving tips. If you want more than the average Knoppix user, this invaluable book is a must-have.

Customer Reviews:

Non Fiction.......2007-09-03

Firstly, Knoppix is very cool, and this takes the usefulness and niftyness of that live distribution on a disc and throws a bunch of ideas at you that you can consider using it for.

Some are of the fun stunt variety, but that is what you want in a book like this.

a useful reference.......2006-08-09

I bought this book to give me a quick boost on Linux and Knoppix as a whole. As with a number of these "Hack" books there is usually a good pearl or Hack to make the book worth while.

This book certainly does that and for someone who need quick tips this book certainly helps. I would consider this a key book for any sys admin's tool kit as it is very useful in support MS OS systems.

FINALLY, Answers to all my Knoppix/Linux questions.......2006-02-24

First, I have been trying to accomplish several things in the Linux environment that I knew could be made much easier:
- Make "kiosks" for a trade show environment
- Loading Knoppix on the hard drive
- Set up an all Thin Client network for use in public library or k-12 environments

I did all of those things (And many more) the same day I got my Knoppix Hacks book.

Knoppix has proven itself to be an excellent vehicle for promoting the "Usability" of Linux to those who still feel it is beyond the grasp of non-geeks.

The Knoppix Hacks book has proven that advanced knoppix functions are not beyond the geek.

I highly recommend this book to anyone exploring the Linux world and specifically the Knoppix distro. I still have more hacks to try, so I'll be back in a bit ;-)

Robert K. Ruby II
Founder NWSIG
www.aprinciple.org
groups.yahoo.com/group/aprinciple

Great book for data recovery and fixing MBR.......2006-01-02

I work in data recovery and this book has some great tips. It shows you how recover files from a bad disk. This book also teaches you how to repair the MBR which saved me from reinstalling Windows. Well worth the price.

Great book, - dogeared already.......2005-12-12

When it comes to Live CDs Knoppix is by far one of the most popular. So much so that many of the other Live CDs are remasters of the basic Knoppix system. This book contains a lot of hacks that can better be described as how to do all the things you were wonder if Knoppix could do. This includes booting Knoppix with cheat codes, working with the Knoppix desktop, installing Knoppix onto your desktop computer, repairing a Linux installation, repairing a Windows installation, creating your own remastered Live CD, copying the system to RAM so the CD player becomes available, using it as an emergency router, file server, or web server, using it for forensics, and scanning a Windows file system for viruses. An excellent resource and useful guide for the person who wants to go beyond the basics, Knoppix Hacks is highly recommended.

Knoppix Hacks: Tips and Tools for Hacking, Repairing, and Enjoying Your PC (Make Books)

Average customer rating:

Knoppix Hacks: Tips and Tools for Hacking, Repairing, and Enjoying Your PC (Make Books)
Kyle Rankin
Manufacturer: Make Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hacking | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Operating Systems | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 059651493X

Book Description

If you think Knoppix is just a Linux demo disk, think again. Klaus Knopper created an entire Linux distribution on a bootable CD (and now a DVD) so he could use his favorite open source tools on any computer. This book includes a collection of tips and techniques for using the enormous amount of software Knoppix offers-not just to work and play, but also to troubleshoot, repair, upgrade, and disinfect your system without having to install a thing.

Knoppix Hacks is just like the distribution it covers: a veritable Swiss Army knife packed full of tools. Scores of industrial-strength hacks-many of them new to this second edition-cover both the standard Knoppix CD and the feature-rich DVD "Maxi" distribution, which is included with this book. Discover how to use Knoppix to its full potential as your desktop, rescue CD, or as a launching point for your own live CD.

With Knoppix Hacks, you can:

Investigate features of the KDE desktop and its Internet applications

Save your settings and data between reboots with persistent storage

Employ Knoppix as a system administration multitool to replace failed servers and more

Use the CD/DVD as a rescue disc to repair filesystems or a system that won't boot

Rescue Windows systems with Knoppix to back up files and settings, hack the registry, and more

Explore other live CDs based on Knoppix that could augment your system

Easily install the popular Debian GNU/Linux distribution with all of your hardware detected and configured

Remaster Knoppix to include your favorite software and custom branding

Whether you're a new Linux user, power user, or system administer, this book helps you take advantage of Knoppix and customize it to your needs. You may just find ways to use Knoppix that you never considered.

Book Description

Hyclak examines the changes in the structure of wages paid for some 40 different jobs found in four different occupational groups in a sample of 20 urban labor markets.

Rising Wage Inequality: The 1980s Experience in Urban Labor Markets.(Review) (book review): An article from: Southern Economic Journal

Average customer rating:

Rising Wage Inequality: The 1980s Experience in Urban Labor Markets.(Review) (book review): An article from: Southern Economic Journal
Frederic L. Pryor
Manufacturer: Southern Economic Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008HW1ZC
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Southern Economic Journal, published by Southern Economic Association on April 1, 2001. The length of the article is 1023 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Rising Wage Inequality: The 1980s Experience in Urban Labor Markets.(Review) (book review)
Author: Frederic L. Pryor
Publication: Southern Economic Journal (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2001
Publisher: Southern Economic Association
Volume: 67 Issue: 4 Page: 1024

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

slap-upside-the-head

Holy mackerel -- what a work of genius!

Oxygenated Morons
Louis Dvoretzky
Manufacturer: Louis Dvoretzky
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0976689006

Book Description

Random nonsense in the form of unrelated one-to-eight-liners. Some items do make sense. Full of mental challenges,quirky thoughts,"whizdumbs", "cleverisms", "stupidisms", oxymora and puns.

Customer Reviews:

slap-upside-the-head.......2007-05-04

"Oxygenated Morons" is labeled as a book of random nonsense, and I heartily agree. Though there are a number of bits that do make sense, this book is so punny it is not funny. Full of mental challenges, quirky thoughts and slap-upside-the-head one-liners, this book would make for good bathroom reading. No offense to the author, but it is not a cuddle up on the couch sort of book.

A good gift for the pun thrower in your family (and we all have one) "Oxygenated Morons" is an interesting read. At times I felt that I was trapped in Alice's Wonderland and was reminded of this being said, "If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?" And also, the Mock Turtle in that works, saying this, "We called him Tortoise because he taught us."

I was also reminded of my father-in-law, who is the pun thrower in our clan, and found myself smiling and nodding when coming across a bit of "wisdom" that was something I know he would say.

Louis Dvoretzky has compiled an interesting bit of reading that, taken in small doses, could possibly make one think, laugh, groan, smirk, acknowledge his wisdom or even slam the book shut. Well done!

Holy mackerel -- what a work of genius!.......2005-08-25

The author obviously skipped his Distemper shot again THIS month, because this compilation is a masterpiece. Read it through like a book, or open to pages at random -- you'll grin, chortle, guffaw, cackle out loud, and involuntarily send beverages shooting from your nose. This is perfect material for Masters of Ceremonies, humorists, stand-up or sit-down comics, and anyone who enjoys laughing. It's great for coffeetables and bathroom-reading, too. Get it now or risk being cheated in the humor department!

Average customer rating:

Enhanced with more than 1,700 verified entries

Fascinating book

Ground-breaking, useful and fun to read

Infinite Elvis: An Annotated Bibliography
Mary Hancock Hinds , and Mary Hancock Hinds
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1556524102

Book Description

Here, for the first time anywhere, is a precise measurement of a celebrity's impact on American culture. This annotated, highly readable listing details the verified book titles, magazines, dissertations, and significant articles about Elvis Presley. The entries show that Elvis was more than just a popular-culture phenomenon. Besides documentation of his concerts, the food he ate, and posthumous Elvis sightings, here is the proof of Elvis's impact on every aspect of American life: his invention of rock 'n' roll; his spurring of the sexual revolution; his influence on the civil rights movement; how his death changed the media's treatment of celebrities; and how a new religion devoted to Elvis has become part of the mainstream.

Customer Reviews:

Enhanced with more than 1,700 verified entries.......2001-05-23

Mary Hinds' Infinite Elvis: An Annotated Bibliography offers her readers a precise measurement of the impact Elvis Presley has had on the American popular culture both as a performer and as an icon. The informative, reader friendly text is enhanced with more than 1,700 verified entries ranging from biographies to discographies, fiction to travel guides, poetry to comic books, major articles to dissertations. Here documented are his concerts, his eating habits, posthumous Elvis sightings, how his death changed the media's treatment of celebrities, even how a new religion devoted to Elvis emerged to become part of mainstream America. Infinite Elvis is essential reading and a very highly recommended reference for all personal, academic, and community library popular culture, music history, and Elvis Presley reference collections.

Fascinating book.......2001-01-15

If you could buy only one Elvis book, this is the one. Far more than just a listing of the books on Elvis, it is a great study of American culture and how we reacted to Elvis.

Ground-breaking, useful and fun to read.......2000-12-26

One of the most intelligent and well-written books about Elvis Presley. Hinds proves her theory - that Elvis is one of the most impactful individuals in the last half of the 20th century - in a thorough, effective manner that is entertaining as well. Her writing is a delight to read! She covers every aspect of Elvis' impact through almost everything that has ever been written about him. Very useful, as well as fun to read.

Book Description

An interdisciplinary evaluation of conflict scholarship

Customer Reviews:

"Good, but the writers a bit iffy..........2003-02-26

A really interesting book with some great information. The main problem is the writers begin to think that their 'opinion' of the show really matters. The factual stuff is great but when their opinion of some of the seasons begins to cloud the judgement of some of these facts it becomes a problem- example being their description of why some seasons rated beter than others. Despite this it is better than a lot of DW related stuff. Long live the 5th Doctor!

Absolutely full of great information!.......2002-09-17

This is a wonderful book which is complete with just about everything you could ask about Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor. The reason it got 4 stars instead of 5? No photos. To be truly complete it needed photos of the Doctor himself and also of his companions.

Nevertheless, this is a fantastic book which is well worth buying if you can get your hands on one. Add it to your collection.

Great resource for behind the scenes information.......2001-05-25

When the hugely popular Tom Baker announced that he was leaving the role and show "Doctor Who", the producers of that show knew that they had a big problem. Both Baker's long tenure and strong personality had resulted in most fans thinking of him as the only Doctor, rather than the 4th. The producers, taking a rather risky move, decided to cast an actor that was the exact opposite of Baker's interpretation. Years later, many are still debating whether or not this was a good idea.

The "Handbook" series provide a detailed behind the scenes view of the Doctor Who show, including many insights into the development of the characters, and the difficulties faced. My favorite section is the scene by scene disectiion of an episode by the show's creative team.

A must for the serious Who fan.

Average customer rating:
Doctor Who the Handbook: The Fifth Doctor
David J.; Walker, Stephen James Howe
Manufacturer: London Bridge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000RPZ4JU

Book Description

Introduction to QuickBooks Pro, 2004 is for instructors who teach QuickBooks at most community colleges, proprietary schools and in continuing education programs. A widely-known and well-respected QuickBooks seminar presenter, Douglas Sleeter has created a text that provides easy-to-understand step-by-step instructions to using QuickBooks.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent textbook.......2005-04-07

I use this text for a self-paced class for accounting students at a technical college where I teach. It is an excellent text that is easy to follow for someone with accounting training. It is not for non-accountants! (There are other excellent texts for the many people who want to learn QuickBooks but have no accounting training.) After one semester of college accounting, however, students can understand this book without difficulty. My students do very well with it and enjoy the practical tone and advice that the book gives. I have run more than 100 students through this course with this edition and the editions before this one without any complaints at all. If you understand accounting and computers at all, this is a great text.

Falls Short.......2005-02-04

I am using this book and CD in a self paced class. The text and examples are very difficult to follow if you are a person who needs detailed visual examples as well as easy to follow explanations. I am usually a quick study at these types of courses but found this one a dud. Even my instructor at the computer learning center which is currently using this book in it's self paced program admits it was very hard for her to follow. She has years of experience and creates web pages for businesses as well as accounting in addition to her teaching job. I would recommend seeking out an professional opinion before taking on this pricey textbook.

Average customer rating:

Introduction to QuickBooks® Pro 2004
Douglas Sleeter Douglas Sleeter
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

A scholarly study - not for the casual reader.......2006-09-04

Although the book could be praised for its excrutiatingly thorough detail, I was personally disappointed. The book is more suited to a "credit class" scholarly group than the casual reader, such as I, searching simply for an entertaining understanding of the event. Despite the fact that the author includes minute detail such as pay records, important illustrations such as maps relating to the campaign and battles are not included in the text at point of discussion and lack clarity when found in the Appendix. Adding to my personal confusion was the omission of a glossary defining a multitude of terms which would be familiar only to those with a background in medieval warfare.

Splendid effort from Anne Curry, Agincourt explained .......2005-12-17

This book is evidently the product of extensive and painstaking research over what must have been a very long time. I, like many others, know about Agincourt mainly from Henry V as portrayed by Shakespeare. Anne Curry has been to extraordinary lengths to get right into the detail of events and extrapolate from the available information quite a different story. Fascinating insight into the period. Sometimes a little heavy eyelidded to keep going through some of the details but on the whole an intriguing read and well worth the effort. If accurate history is what you are looking for, told with authority, then this is a 'must have' book. Anne Curry I salute you, the hours that went into this and the efforts you have gone to are obvious, well done. Loved it, thankyou.

Average customer rating:
The Human Venture, Vols. 1 and 2: From Prehistory to Present, Fifth Edition
Anthony Esler
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Prentice Hall Atlas of World History

Hammond Historical World Atlas

The Global Experience: Readings in World History to 1550, Volume 1 (5th Edition) (Global Experience)

Reaching a Generation for Christ: A Comprehensive Guide to Youth Ministry

In Conflict and Order: Understanding Society (11th Edition) (MySocKit Series)

ASIN: 0131834819

Book Description

B> An understanding of the history of the world—and understanding why this knowledge is important—has become essential for the citizens of the world's sole remaining superpower. Benefiting from the unifying viewpoint of a single author, this narrative tells the story of human events on the move—the exciting event history of wars and politics, booms and busts, the rise and fall of empires, and more. Traces the broader development of human institutions and ideas as they evolve through time. Covers both events and broader trends as part of major global movements, through the lives of the people who lived them, and as succinctly and vividly as possible. Includes new "Glance Ahead" chapter openers that help readers focus on the main points to be discussed. Features many new "Voices from the Past" boxes that bring to life people who have long since passed on. Includes new time lines, maps, and pictures. An interesting reference for anyone who wants to learn more about world history.

Average customer rating:

Road To Welth

The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money

Not really worth what I paid for it

Good overview

Suze is awesome

The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money--Everything You Need to Know in Good and Bad Times
Suze Orman
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Accounting | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Accounting | Accounting & Finance | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Finance | Accounting & Finance | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

9 Steps to Financial Freedom: Practical and Spiritual Steps So You Can Stop Worrying; Revised and Updated Version

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke

You've Earned It, Don't Lose It : Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make When You Retire

Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook: Put the 9 Steps to Work

Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny

ASIN: 1573221813
Release Date: 2001-07-23

Amazon.com

Suze Orman's face and name are more prominent on the cover of her new money guide than its title, The Road to Wealth. And why not? Orman has parlayed her popular renown as both a New York Times bestselling author and video-age financial guru into an undeniable position of respect and trust when it comes to matters of dollars and sense. This time she presents an encyclopedic guide to the various components of one's overall financial life--from managing debt and owning a home to making investments and preparing to pass it all along--and she does so in the clear and confident style to which her fans have become accustomed. "Here is what you need to know," she writes at the outset. "Answers to the questions you have been asking, as well as the questions you should have been asking, delivered in the most complete, straightforward way I know." While the concise text moves logically from "creating a strong financial foundation to amassing assets and protecting them from common mistakes and periods of economic downturn," this is not meant to be read from cover to cover. Rather, it is a ready bookshelf reference for planning and sorting out common finance concerns, like how to calculate the mortgage payment you can best afford, determine what Medicare will pay toward nursing care, decide between retirement plan options, and similar matters of personal importance. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

With her new book, Suze Orman delivers a message that once again is right on time. A book designed to help us take action and overcome the obstacle of confusion, The Road to Wealth provides us with the practical answers to the questions we have been asking - or should have been asking: sound, straightforward, fiercely honest, and easy-to-understand advice on the financial topics that most affect our lives. Here is information that points us in the right direction and erases the uncertainty that can often cost us precious time...and money.

From creating a strong, debt-free foundation to amassing assets and protecting them in periods of economic downturn; from buying a home to providing for loved ones; from investing with confidence and navigating the markets in good times and bad to securing reliable income for our later years, The Road to Wealth offers invaluable insight and information whenever we are in our lives, whatever our needs, whatever the economic climate.

Customer Reviews:

Road To Welth.......2007-09-14

This a book for those who have money problems as well as those in the know. Suze always has new information to offer. A most have book for those interested in money.

The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money.......2007-08-24

What an amazing book !!!! At 40, I know nothing of financing. Religiously living paycheck to paycheck and raising young children, life gets to be overwhelming. This book has empowered me to look at my finances, my life in a whole new light. There is a way to help my children. I wish Suze Orman could be my financial planner. I have learned so much and yet I have so much more to learn thanks to her advice, insight and experience. This book is an incredible beginning for my journey. If only I had known earlier.

Not really worth what I paid for it.......2007-06-20

But it did include some information that's nice to know. My investment strategy is a bit more aggressive and this audio-book leaned conservative. Then again, I wasn't familiar with Suze Orman before purchasing this book. So all in all, I'd say it's a decent read for most people, though I would have probably benefited more from her "Young and Broke."

Good overview.......2007-05-13

Book is giving a good overview on many different options for investing money. Writing is fluent and easily to understand also for newcomers in this field. There is no difficult language. Reading this will improve any discussion you might have with a so called financial advisor.

Suze is awesome.......2007-02-24

Suze really knows how to explain finances in a easy way for anybody to understand. I liked it so much I told my boss about it who bought it and also I bought the book for my father who is close to retirement.
Thanks,
Suze

Average customer rating:

Nice Book
This is good for you too
Great Suggestions, Lack of Evidence makes this a teaser
very good read as long as you understand what his point is and isn't
Science without Morality

Everything Bad is Good for You
Steven Johnson
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Media Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1594481946

Amazon.com

In his fourth book, Everything Bad Is Good for You, iconoclastic science writer Steven Johnson (who used himself as a test subject for the latest neurological technology in his last book, Mind Wide Open) takes on one of the most widely held preconceptions of the postmodern world--the belief that video games, television shows, and other forms of popular entertainment are detrimental to Americans' cognitive and moral development. Everything Good builds a case to the contrary that is engaging, thorough, and ultimately convincing.

The heart of Johnson's argument is something called the Sleeper Curve--a universe of popular entertainment that trends, intellectually speaking, ever upward, so that today's pop-culture consumer has to do more "cognitive work"--making snap decisions and coming up with long-term strategies in role-playing video games, for example, or mastering new virtual environments on the Internet-- than ever before. Johnson makes a compelling case that even today's least nutritional TV junk food-the Joe Millionaires and Survivors so commonly derided as evidence of America's cultural decline--is more complex and stimulating, in terms of plot complexity and the amount of external information viewers need to understand them, than the Love Boats and I Love Lucys that preceded it. When it comes to television, even (perhaps especially) crappy television, Johnson argues, "the content is less interesting than the cognitive work the show elicits from your mind."
Johnson's work has been controversial, as befits a writer willing to challenge wisdom so conventional it has ossified into accepted truth. But even the most skeptical readers should be captivated by the intriguing questions Johnson raises, whether or not they choose to accept his answers. --Erica C. Barnett

Book Description

Forget everything you've read about the age of dumbed-down, instant-gratification culture. In this provocative, intelligent, and convincing endorsement of today's mass entertainment, national bestselling author Steven Johnson argues that the pop culture we soak in every day-from The Lord of the Rings to Grand Theft Auto to The Simpsons-has been growing more and more sophisticated and, far from rotting our brains, is actually posing new cognitive challenges that are making our minds measurably sharper. You will never regard the glow of the video game or television screen the same way again.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Book.......2007-09-22

It was a pretty good book, but I feel the author missed a number of opportunities to argue important points. While I share the opinion of the author, I don't think the book was particularly convincing.

This is good for you too.......2007-09-22

The writer's style feels like a a conversation, where he tells about his ideas and some supportive research made by other persons. The lack of references in the text is compensated by a last chapter with comments about hte origin of the data he used to support his claims.
This informal text is what makes the book an easy and enjoyable reading. However, as a scientific result, the book is not completely sound, since his conclusions are based only on what he think is happening and the supportive that is not necessarily correlated with his findings.
Parents, researchers and educators will find the book provocative. Actually, it defends that beyond content, form is also important, and maybe more important when we are talking about the new media (basically TV and games).
As a general reader, it is a very good book. As a position book, it really makes the author's point of view. However, scientific oriented readers will feel something is missing.

Great Suggestions, Lack of Evidence makes this a teaser.......2007-09-05

I felt that this book kept dangling a carrot out in front of me, providing a soft supposition without the follow-up of hard evidence in most cases. I was intrigued enough to jot down some of the primary sources to investigate further, But i feel that a book of this sort should really advance the subject. However, the author admits in the text that his intention was to spark the interest of those willing and able to do research in the field.

The suggestions that the author makes are certainly concieveable, and worth your time to read. Howver, i believe that the author may lend too much credit to the problem-solving nature of a handful of strategy games and complex drama/competition reality shows, without acknowledging the out and out mindless imitations and competitors of most examples. for every Episode of the apprentice, there is an equally mind numbing "fear Factor" produced.

The author successfully pulls us away from the counter argument of morality's downward Spiral, but again, focuses on a few high minded video games and televison shows.

I was suprised that there was not more focus on the internet, and how society is not only technically inclined, but more social than ever. we are certainly sharing more and reading more information on computers than ever before. but it seems that the author skims this subject in favor of television ands video games, where he clearly has more information.

good read, but you will be left wanting more information than what is provided.

very good read as long as you understand what his point is and isn't.......2007-08-05

As one reads some of the other reviews, I've noticed a tendancy to say "but the author doesn't say this or that" and I think they are missing the point. There is a generally accepted rule that video games and tv are mindless. That they have gotten "worse", that they corrupt moral values and are "bad" for you. His position is that these arguments are false.

He makes the cases (quite convincingly) that the complexity of tv and video games nowdays vs 20 or 30 years ago helps children to think in complex ways that children of the 60's and 70's did not. He thinks this is beneficial. He is not saying that playing them all day every day is better, in fact he says that children should be given a love for reading because reading books is important.

I think where people go awry is when they talk about the other stuff he didn't mention. How society itself may be more complex, how spending that much time in front of a tv screen or computer screen takes time away from other things. That may all well be true, but that's irelevant to the issue at hand. There is a generally acepted negative view of tv and video games and he makes a counter argument. Period. I notice that most of the negative reviews do not dispute anything he says.

Science without Morality.......2007-08-02

Just because you think more or concentrate on more negative aspect than in the past doesn't make you a better person, only a little smarter. Intelligence is not the end all and be all of being human. Basically the author proclaims that today's media makes us more like computers. Yesterday's scientists understood there are far more aspects to human existence than the ability to calculate. I completely agree that today's tv makes you think more. But that's where the author ends his point. In reality, there are so many more parts to human existence that the author doesn't even touch upon... perhaps he doesn't even know. What about morality? In the past, men of science understood that their work had moral and ethical implications. Today it's a "that's for them to figure out, i'm just doing my job". This attitude has permeated other fields, especially MEDIA. Now it's a matter of the bottom line, regarless of how it affects the psyche. So watching the worst humans act their worst today is better than 30 years ago? Cluttering your mind with thoughts of selfishness and depravity today is better than watching Lucy try to get on Ricky's show yesterday? But the author doesnt even CONSIDER this point. He simply stops at "we think more now", not "We think more now so we are better or worse people", simply "we think more now". There is very little point to this book.

Everything Bad Is Good For You - How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter

Average customer rating:

Everything Bad Is Good For You - How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter
Steven Johnson
Manufacturer: Riverhead Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VY211G

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Everything Bad is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter
Steven Johnson
Manufacturer: Riverhead Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0739462075

The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money Everything You Need to Know in Good and Bad Times

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The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money Everything You Need to Know in Good and Bad Times
Suze Orman
Manufacturer: Riverhead Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JJTKPI

Dumb & dumber.(Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter)(Book Review): An article from: New Criterion

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Dumb & dumber.(Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter)(Book Review): An article from: New Criterion
Mark Bauerlein
Manufacturer: Foundation for Cultural Review
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from New Criterion, published by Foundation for Cultural Review on June 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1081 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Dumb & dumber.(Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter)(Book Review)
Author: Mark Bauerlein
Publication: New Criterion (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2005
Publisher: Foundation for Cultural Review
Volume: 23 Issue: 10 Page: 91(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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The joy of gaming: how to get smart without really trying.(Book review) : An article from: Education Next

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The joy of gaming: how to get smart without really trying.(Book review) : An article from: Education Next
Nathan Glazer
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Education Next, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2006. The length of the article is 1585 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The joy of gaming: how to get smart without really trying.(Book review)
Author: Nathan Glazer
Publication: Education Next (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Page: 84(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Endangered Species Update, published by University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources on July 1, 2002. The length of the article is 3860 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Conserving biodiversity in the real world: professional practice using a policy orientation. (applications).
Author: Tim W. Clark
Publication: Endangered Species Update (Newsletter)
Date: July 1, 2002
Publisher: University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources
Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Page: 156(5)

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