Manning News

Posted by Helen Trimes at 08:53 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Manning Publications Releases Ajax in Action

Noted Ajax developers team up to write authoritative book on Ajax

Greenwich, CT. October 19, 2005 -- Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, known as Ajax, has exploded on the Web development scene, introducing a new breed of applications, such innovations as Google Maps, imbued with the rich expressiveness of desktop applications. Up to now, there has been no authoritative guide to this complex set of technologies. Manning Publications has today released the most comprehensive book to date, Ajax in Action.

Ajax in Action re-orients the reader’s conceptual framework away from traditional Web app development to richer, more useable interactions. The authors, noted Ajax developers Dave Crane, Eric Pascarello, and Darren James, use their extensive experience to cover core techniques, demonstrate how to manage the Ajax code base and teach design patterns and best practices. Their techniques emphasize optimal security and performance.  A highlight of the book is the collection of five real-world examples that provide readers with ready-to-use Ajax components for use in their own Web applications.

"Ajax in Action will open the minds of programmers to the many advantages gained by using Ajax,” said Manning publisher Marjan Bace.

Ajax in Action is written for developers who have prior experience with Web technologies but who approach from such diverse paths as software development, graphic design, Web design, or desktop application development. Server-side code is presented in a mixture of languages including PHP, Java, C#, and Visual Basic .NET. Three appendices cover Ajax tools and tricks, a JavaScript primer, and a roundup of Ajax frameworks and toolkits.

About the Authors

Dave Crane has pushed the boundaries of DHTML, and latterly Ajax, on digital TV set-top boxes, in home automation and banking and financial systems. He lives in Stroud, Gloucester, UK. Eric Pascarello is an ASP.NET developer and a moderator of the HTML and JavaScript forum at JavaRanch. He lives in Laurel, MD. Darren James is the architect of the open source Rico project and lives in Sunnyvale, CA.

About Manning Publications

Manning Publications Co. is an independent publisher of high quality technical books for software developers and managers and is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Review copies are available in print or ebook from Helen Trimes, hetr@manning.com.

Posted by Marjan Bace at 10:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Helen Trimes at 09:03 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Helen Trimes at 09:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SCWCD Exam Study Kit Second Edition is Released

Greenwich, CT, May 19, 2005 -- The most popular book to cover the Sun Certified Web Component Developer exam is now updated in a second edition. This book covers the newest version of the exam, holding closely to its predecessor which set the standard for clarity and precise technical understanding. A reviewer of the first edition at JavaRanch.com noted it was "chock full of excellent resources" and would "definitely use this book even after the exam."

SCWCD Exam Study Kit Second Edition is for Java programmers who want to prepare for this exam which focuses on the Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies. While the exam is geared for those who have a certain amount of related experience, those who do not will quickly get up to speed with the book's three introductory chapters. The bulk of the book's chapters are then built around the objectives that Sun has published for the updated exam. With its in-depth explanations, the book thoroughly covers Sun's new features for simplifying web development including the Expression Language, the JSP Standard Tag Library, and SimpleTag development. Review questions and quizlets throughout ensure that the reader has understood the concepts. The publisher's website offers owners of the book additional features to help them succeed on the exam: source code for all the programming examples and an abbreviated version of the JWebPlus exam simulator containing a practice exam.

With the tremendous penetration of J2EE in the enterprise, passing the SCWCD exam has become an important qualification for Java and J2EE developers. TheSCWCD Exam Study Kit Second Edition has one purpose, to help programmers get certified. Its in-depth coverage will do that and more, proving this book to be a reliable desk reference after the exam as well.

About Manning Publications

Manning Publications Co. is an independent publisher of high quality technical books for software developers and managers. The company is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. Review copies are available in print or electronic edition by request to Helen Trimes, hetr@manning.com.

Posted by Marjan Bace at 10:10 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

=======================
MANNING PRESS RELEASE
=======================
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Manning releases Jakarta Commons Online Bookshelf
Fourteen Modules on the Most Popular Components

Greenwich, CT, March 17, 2005 -- Jakarta Commons is a collection of open-source Java components broadly ranging from logging, validation, bean utilities and XML parsing. Jakarta Commons provides re-usable solutions to everyday development tasks and is extremely popular.

Written for developers and architects, the Jakarta Commons Online Bookshelf is an electronic collection of fourteen modules covering the most popular Commons components.With it at their fingertips, readers have instant access to the in-depth coverage of the Jakarta Commons components they need to get the job done. They will quickly and easily learn to incorporate the right components into their existing Java applications, avoiding countless hours writing thousands of lines of code.

The author, an experienced Jakarta Commons pro, points out the rationale behind each component and then provides his expert explanation and hands-on examples of its use. Each module goes deep into detail on the technology behind the components. An early reader called this book, "The ultimate missing manual to Jakarta Commons."

Jakarta Commons Online Bookshelf covers these highly popular components:

• Chain - recently released and on its way to replace Struts' RequestProcessor!
• Learn how to integrate it with Struts.
• HttpClient - needed by anyone who is building embedded web clients or browsers.
• FileUpload - popular with Struts users.
• Validator - how to use it from the ground up, with Struts and non-Struts applications as well.
• Collections, BeanUtils and Lang - popular enhancements to the core Java libraries.
• Digester - very popular with developers who need to learn how to parse XML configuration files.
• Plus, Utilities such as Pool, DBCP, and the only credible information on Codec, and Modeler.

And more!

The Jakarta Commons Online Bookshelf is a new concept in Manning's product line. It is availableas a complete bundled guide to Jakarta Commons or as individual modules for those who need to solve specific problems with particular components. To learn more and check out module samples, visit http://www.manning.com/goyal

About the Author -- Vikram Goyal's series of articles on Jakarta Commons was the first such effort to make sense out of Jakarta Commons components. It remains the only online coverage and is referenced on the Jakarta Commons website. The author regularly writes how-to articles on other open source projects. Vikram is a Sun Certified Programmer for the Java 2 Platform and is the author of Beginning JSP 2.0 and Professional JSP Site Design.

About Manning Publications -- Manning Publications Co. is an independent publisher of high quality technical books for software developers and managers. The company is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. Manning is an innovator in electronic publishing. Electronic review copies are available by request to Helen Trimes hetr@manning.com.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jakarta Commons Online Bookshelf
ISBN 1932394-524
By Vikram Goyal
PDF Ebook (402 pages), $39.95
Individual Modules, $4.00 to $7.00 each.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Posted by Marjan Bace at 10:08 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

=======================
MANNING PRESS RELEASE
=======================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Manning releases Spring in Action

Greenwich, CT, February 21, 2005 - Spring is a fresh breeze blowing over the Java landscape. Based on a design principle called Inversion of Control, Spring is a powerful but lightweight J2EE framework that does not require the use of EJBs. Spring greatly reduces the complexity of using interfaces, and speeds and simplifies application development. Developers get the power and robust features of EJB and get to keep the simplicity of the non-enterprise JavaBean.

Spring in Action introduces readers to the ideas behind Spring and then quickly launches into a hands-on exploration of the framework. Combining short code snippets and an ongoing example developed throughout the book, the authors demonstrate how to build simple and efficient J2EE applications. They teach readers how to solve persistence problems using the leading open-source tools and how to integrate their application with the most popular web frameworks. Craig Walls is a software developer with over 10 years' experience and co-author of XDoclet in Action [Manning]. He has sucessfully implemented a number of Spring applications. An avid supporter of open source Java technologies, Ryan Breidenbach has been developing Java web applications for the past five years.

Written for enterprise Java developers who have become disillusioned with the complexity and bulk involved with EJB development, Spring in Action demonstrates how the Spring framework can make coupled code easy to manage, understand, reuse, and unit-test. Read sample chapters at http://www.manning.com/walls2

"Truly a great resource." -- javalobby.org

About Manning Publications:

Manning Publications Co. is an independent publisher of high quality technical books for softwaredevelopers and managers. The company is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Spring in Action
ISBN 1932394-35-4
by Craig Walls and Ryan Breidenbach
Softbound, 472 pages, $44.95
Ebook $22.50

For Review Copy Contact:
Helen Trimes, Marketing Director
hetr@manning.com

Posted by Marjan Bace at 10:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

================
MANNING PRESS RELEASE
================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Manning Publications announces adoption of new electronic book format

Greenwich, CT, February 1, 2005 - Manning Publications today announced it will begin to offer electronic books in an open source format, ThoutReader™. Through a recent agreement between Manning and OSoft, creator of the software, OSoft will start to convert Manning's PDF ebooks into the ThoutReader format. Manning, which has sold ebooks in Adobe PDF since 2000, plans to offer ebooks in the new format for sale by Spring 2005.

During a transition period, Manning will offer both PDF and ThoutReader formats. "We believe that once our customers have used it, they will gravitate toward the ThoutReader," said Manning's publisher, Marjan Bace. "The ThoutReader option appeals to me because it is open source and pure Java. It opens the door for the development of new and exciting features previously unavailable in Adobe's product." From a business standpoint, what appeals to Manning's publisher about OSoft is dealing with a company that is actively exploring and experimenting in this technology and is eager to learn what works and what doesn't. This will ensure Manning's ability to continually enhance their customers' experiences with this new format.

The ThoutReader adds convenience and value to new and existing content by allowing users to browse, bookmark, search, and append their entire open source documentation and reference books - from one program, at the same time - even off-line. That makes it extremely portable, especially when a web connection is unavailable. ThoutReader users have the added liberty to install content on any of their computers, without any additional licensing or any fees whatsoever. The ThoutReader also offers users the ability to add plug-ins to change functionality, including video and audio. Best of all, it is freely available from the OSoft website and is supported by the open source community.

"Unlike other ebook systems," states Mark Carey, OSoft President, "ThoutReader registration is simple and convenient and does not require the user to log-in or be online every time they wish to use the content. There are no limitations on the number of computers on which a user may view their purchased content. Just load and go."

About OSoft

OSoft.com is headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. OSoft's vision is to train, educate, and help the open source community by providing a standardized platform through which open source documentation, training content, and tutorials can be delivered. OSoft.com provides the marketplace, and the ThoutReader provides the conduit for publishers, authors, and developers.www.osoft.com

About Manning Publications

Manning Publications Co. is an independent publisher of high quality technical books for software developers and managers. The company is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. Manning has been an innovator in electronic publishing, co-publishing its new titles in both electronic and paper editions since early 2000. www.manning.com

Contact

Helen Trimes
Marketing Director
Manning Publications
hetr@manning.com

Posted by Marjan Bace at 10:05 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

=======================
MANNING PRESS RELEASE
=======================

STRUTS RECIPES
Strategies for building solid business applications

Greenwich, CT, December 31, 2004 -- Introductory books on Struts will cover the latest Struts features, but Struts Recipes does much more. It is intended for advanced developers who need to transcend out-of-the-box Struts features and get things done.

Struts Recipes is a collection of algorithms and techniques which show how to accomplish tasks not addressed by any Struts feature. Many of the recipes describe how to integrate Struts with other third party libraries -- an entire chapter is devoted to the Struts-Layout library, never before described in this level of detail.

Each recipe discusses the practical implications of adopting the solution and is complete with detailed code listings that will save time and money. Many point out little-known "gotchas" to help create applications that are secure, robust, and maintainable.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

George Franciscus is a J2EE consultant, Struts authority, and co-author of Struts in Action. Danilo Gurovich is a Manager of Web Engineering at an eCommerce Company. He has designed eCommerce and ERP/EAI Struts applications, and led teams who built them.

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

Manning Publications is a publisher of high-quality technology books for software developers and managers. Manning is based in Greenwich, CT.
For a review copy, please contact Helen Trimes at hetr@manning.com.

Struts Recipes
By George Franciscus and Danilo Gurovich
ISBN: 1932394-24-9
Softbound, 520 pages, $44.95
Ebook: $22.50

Posted by Marjan Bace at 10:03 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

=======================
MANNING PRESS RELEASE
=======================

Lucene in Action
A guide to the Java search engine

Greenwich, CT, December 31, 2004 -- Lucene is a gem in the open-source world -- a highly scalable, fast search engine that delivers performance and is easy to use. Lucene powers search in diverse places: in discussion groups at Fortune 100 companies, in commercial issue trackers, in email search from Microsoft, and in the Nutch web search engine (that scales to billions of pages). It is used by businesses such as Akamai, Overture, Technorati, HotJobs, Epiphany, FedEx, Mayo Clinic, MIT, and many others.

Lucene in Action is the authoritative guide to Lucene written by experts. The book describes how to index data, including types that developers need to know such as MS Word, PDF, HTML, and XML. It introduces searching, sorting, filtering, and highlighting search results. With many reusable examples and good advice on best practices, "Lucene in Action" demonstrates how to easily add search to applications.
It is written for developers who need powerful search capabilities in their applications or those who are curious about Lucene or indexing and search technicques. Sample chapters are available at the publisher's website www.manning.com/hatcher2

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

A committer on the Ant, Lucene, and Tapestry open-source projects, Erik Hatcher is coauthor of Manning's award-winning "Java Development with Ant." Otis Gospodnetic is a Lucene committer, a member of Apache Jakarta Project Management Committee, and maintainer of the jGuru's Lucene FAQ. Both authors have published numerous technical articles including several on Lucene.

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

Manning Publications is a publisher of high-quality technology books for software developers and managers. Manning is based in Greenwich, CT.
For a review copy, please contact Helen Trimes at hetr@manning.com.

Lucene In Action
By Otis Gospodnetic and Erik Hatcher
with a Foreword by Doug Cutting, creator of Lucene
ISBN: 1932394-28-1
Softbound, 456 pages, $44.95
Ebook: $22.50

Posted by Marjan Bace at 10:01 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)