Programming Collective Intelligence: Building Smart Web 2.0 Applications
Toby Segaran - 2002
With the sophisticated algorithms in this book, you can write smart programs to access interesting datasets from other web sites, collect data from users of your own applications, and analyze and understand the data once you've found it.Programming Collective Intelligence takes you into the world of machine learning and statistics, and explains how to draw conclusions about user experience, marketing, personal tastes, and human behavior in general -- all from information that you and others collect every day. Each algorithm is described clearly and concisely with code that can immediately be used on your web site, blog, Wiki, or specialized application. This book explains:Collaborative filtering techniques that enable online retailers to recommend products or media Methods of clustering to detect groups of similar items in a large dataset Search engine features -- crawlers, indexers, query engines, and the PageRank algorithm Optimization algorithms that search millions of possible solutions to a problem and choose the best one Bayesian filtering, used in spam filters for classifying documents based on word types and other features Using decision trees not only to make predictions, but to model the way decisions are made Predicting numerical values rather than classifications to build price models Support vector machines to match people in online dating sites Non-negative matrix factorization to find the independent features in a dataset Evolving intelligence for problem solving -- how a computer develops its skill by improving its own code the more it plays a game Each chapter includes exercises for extending the algorithms to make them more powerful. Go beyond simple database-backed applications and put the wealth of Internet data to work for you. "Bravo! I cannot think of a better way for a developer to first learn these algorithms and methods, nor can I think of a better way for me (an old AI dog) to reinvigorate my knowledge of the details."-- Dan Russell, Google "Toby's book does a great job of breaking down the complex subject matter of machine-learning algorithms into practical, easy-to-understand examples that can be directly applied to analysis of social interaction across the Web today. If I had this book two years ago, it would have saved precious time going down some fruitless paths."-- Tim Wolters, CTO, Collective Intellect
Lizzie Crenshaw Mysteries - Box set of 3
Teresa Watson - 2013
The sheriff wonders if it has something to do with the lawsuit Amos filed against his own granddaughter, Lizzie Crenshaw. When someone tries to kill Amos' wife, she points the finger at Lizzie, who must work with the new deputy to figure out what is going on before she is either thrown in jail...or becomes a victim herself.Death Makes the Front Page - Lizzie Crenshaw, who is now working at the local newspaper, sees someone assaulting her boss, Dale Gordon. Hours later, Dale's assailant ends up dead. As Lizzie helps Sheriff Owen Greene investigate, details about Dale's past come back to haunt him when they learn he has a past connection to the dead man. Did Dale exact a dish of cold revenge, or is someone setting him up to take the fall? It's up to Lizzie and her friends to discover the truth, before she ends up a blurb on the obit page in the newspaper.Death Stalks the Law - Debra Cosgrove, has come back to town, and Lizzie's life begins to fall apart. It seems people who are close to Lizzie are keeping secrets, and Aunt Debra knows what those secrets are. Adding to the confusion is an old college boyfriend of Lizzie's who seems to have ulterior motives. When an explosion seriously injures an FBI agent as well as Lizzie, all bets are off. Secrets are exposed, and Lizzie has to try to pick up the pieces while trying to keep Aunt Debra from killing someone she loves.
Taken
Jolie Day
A shark like me.She doesn't remember me. It's been a long time but I never forgot her. Hello to curvy, sexy Melanie, fresh out of College. She's got talent but she needs my help. Sure, I can help her. I can teach her a thing or two about the world of high finance. But, who am I kidding? I want her in my bed... under me and screaming my name. I'm crossing every boundary getting involved with her. There's billions of dollars at stake but I won't stop until she's mine. Shark is a 180 page romantic suspense novel. No cliffhanger. No cheating. HEA. WARNING: 18+ Only. Contains mature themes and language.
Machine Learning: An Algorithmic Perspective
Stephen Marsland - 2009
The field is ready for a text that not only demonstrates how to use the algorithms that make up machine learning methods, but also provides the background needed to understand how and why these algorithms work. Machine Learning: An Algorithmic Perspective is that text.Theory Backed up by Practical ExamplesThe book covers neural networks, graphical models, reinforcement learning, evolutionary algorithms, dimensionality reduction methods, and the important area of optimization. It treads the fine line between adequate academic rigor and overwhelming students with equations and mathematical concepts. The author addresses the topics in a practical way while providing complete information and references where other expositions can be found. He includes examples based on widely available datasets and practical and theoretical problems to test understanding and application of the material. The book describes algorithms with code examples backed up by a website that provides working implementations in Python. The author uses data from a variety of applications to demonstrate the methods and includes practical problems for students to solve.Highlights a Range of Disciplines and ApplicationsDrawing from computer science, statistics, mathematics, and engineering, the multidisciplinary nature of machine learning is underscored by its applicability to areas ranging from finance to biology and medicine to physics and chemistry. Written in an easily accessible style, this book bridges the gaps between disciplines, providing the ideal blend of theory and practical, applicable knowledge."
Understanding the Digital World: What You Need to Know about Computers, the Internet, Privacy, and Security
Brian W. Kernighan - 2017
Some of them are highly visible, in laptops, tablets, cell phones, and smart watches. But most are invisible, like those in appliances, cars, medical equipment, transportation systems, power grids, and weapons. We never see the myriad computers that quietly collect, share, and sometimes leak vast amounts of personal data about us. Through computers, governments and companies increasingly monitor what we do. Social networks and advertisers know far more about us than we should be comfortable with, using information we freely give them. Criminals have all-too-easy access to our data. Do we truly understand the power of computers in our world?Understanding the Digital World explains how computer hardware, software, networks, and systems work. Topics include how computers are built and how they compute; what programming is and why it is difficult; how the Internet and the web operate; and how all of these affect our security, privacy, property, and other important social, political, and economic issues. This book also touches on fundamental ideas from computer science and some of the inherent limitations of computers. It includes numerous color illustrations, notes on sources for further exploration, and a glossary to explain technical terms and buzzwords.Understanding the Digital World is a must-read for all who want to know more about computers and communications. It explains, precisely and carefully, not only how they operate but also how they influence our daily lives, in terms anyone can understand, no matter what their experience and knowledge of technology.
Hiding from the Internet: Eliminating Personal Online Information
Michael Bazzell - 2012
Author Michael Bazzell has been well known in government circles for his ability to locate personal information about anyone through the internet. In Hiding from the Internet: Eliminating Personal Online Information, he exposes the resources that broadcast your personal details to public view. He has researched each source and identified the best method to have your private details removed from the databases that store profiles on all of us. This book will serve as a reference guide for anyone that values privacy. Each technique is explained in simple steps. It is written in a hands-on style that encourages the reader to execute the tutorials as they go. The author provides personal experiences from his journey to disappear from public view. Much of the content of this book has never been discussed in any publication. Always thinking like a hacker, the author has identified new ways to force companies to remove you from their data collection systems. This book exposes loopholes that create unique opportunities for privacy seekers. Among other techniques, you will learn to: Remove your personal information from public databases and people search sites Create free anonymous mail addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers Control your privacy settings on social networks and remove sensitive data Provide disinformation to conceal true private details Force data brokers to stop sharing your information with both private and public organizations Prevent marketing companies from monitoring your browsing, searching, and shopping habits Remove your landline and cellular telephone numbers from online websites Use a credit freeze to eliminate the worry of financial identity theft and fraud Change your future habits to promote complete privacy and anonymity Conduct a complete background check to verify proper information removalConfigure a home firewall with VPN Kill-SwitchPurchase a completely invisible home or vehicle
The Art and Science of Java
Eric S. Roberts - 2007
By following the recommendations of the Association of Computing Machinery's Java Task Force, this first edition text adopts a modern objects-first approach that introduces readers to useful hierarchies from the very beginning.KEY TOPICS: Introduction; Programming by Example; Expressions; Statement Forms; Methods; Objects and Classes; Objects and Memory; Strings and Characters; Object-Oriented Graphics; Event-Driven Programs; Arrays and ArrayLists; Searching and Sorting; Collection Classes; Looking Ahead.MARKET: A modern objects-first approach to the Java programming language that introduces readers to useful class hierarchies from the very beginning.
CSS: The Definitive Guide
Eric A. Meyer - 2000
Updated to cover Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft's vastly improved browser, this new edition includes content on positioning, lists and generated content, table layout, user interface, paged media, and more.Simply put, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a way to separate a document's structure from its presentation. The benefits of this can be quite profound: CSS allows a much richer document appearance than HTML and also saves time -- you can create or change the appearance of an entire document in just one place; and its compact file size makes web pages load quickly.CSS: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition, provides you with a comprehensive guide to CSS implementation, along with a thorough review of all aspects of CSS 2.1. Updated to cover Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft's vastly improved browser, this new edition includes content on positioning, lists and generated content, table layout, user interface, paged media, and more. Author Eric Meyer tackles the subject with passion, exploring in detail each individual CSS property and how it interacts with other properties. You'll not only learn how to avoid common mistakes in interpretation, you also will benefit from the depth and breadth of his experience and his clear and honest style. This is the complete sourcebook on CSS.The 3rd edition contains:Updates to reflect changes in the latest draft version of CSS 2.1Browser notes updated to reflect changes between IE6 and IE7Advanced selectors supported in IE7 and other major browsers includedA new round of technical edits by a fresh set of editorsClarifications and corrected errata, including updated URLs ofreferenced online resources
Configuring Windows 7: Self-Paced Training Kit (MCTS Exam 70-680)
Ian L. McLean - 2009
This Self-Paced Training Kit is designed to help maximize your performance on 70-680, the required exam for the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS): Windows 7, Configuration certification.This 2-in-1 kit includes the official Microsoft study guide, plus practice tests on CD to help you assess your skills. It comes packed with the tools and features exam candidates want most—including in-depth, self-paced training based on final exam content; rigorous, objective-by-objective review; exam tips from expert, exam-certified authors; and customizable testing options. It also provides real-world scenarios, case study examples, and troubleshooting labs to give you the skills and expertise you can use on the job.Work at your own pace through the lessons and lab exercises. This official study guide covers installing, upgrading, and migrating to Windows 7; configuring network connectivity, applications, and devices; implementing backup and recovery; configuring User Account Control (UAC), mobility options, and new features such as DirectAccess and BranchCache; and managing system updates.Then assess yourself using the 200 practice questions on CD, featuring multiple customizable testing options to meet your specific needs. Choose timed or untimed testing mode, generate random tests, or focus on discrete objectives. You get detailed explanations for right and wrong answers—including pointers back to the book for further study. You also get an exam discount voucher—making this kit an exceptional value and a great career investment.
Gray Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Reverse Engineers
Justin Seitz - 2008
But until now, there has been no real manual on how to use Python for a variety of hacking tasks. You had to dig through forum posts and man pages, endlessly tweaking your own code to get everything working. Not anymore.Gray Hat Python explains the concepts behind hacking tools and techniques like debuggers, trojans, fuzzers, and emulators. But author Justin Seitz goes beyond theory, showing you how to harness existing Python-based security tools - and how to build your own when the pre-built ones won't cut it.You'll learn how to:Automate tedious reversing and security tasks Design and program your own debugger Learn how to fuzz Windows drivers and create powerful fuzzers from scratch Have fun with code and library injection, soft and hard hooking techniques, and other software trickery Sniff secure traffic out of an encrypted web browser session Use PyDBG, Immunity Debugger, Sulley, IDAPython, PyEMU, and more The world's best hackers are using Python to do their handiwork. Shouldn't you?
Learn Windows PowerShell 3 in a Month of Lunches
Don Jones - 2011
Just set aside one hour a day—lunchtime would be perfect—for a month, and you'll be automating Windows tasks faster than you ever thought possible. You'll start with the basics—what is PowerShell and what can you do with it. Then, you'll move systematically through the techniques and features you'll use to make your job easier and your day shorter. This totally revised second edition covers new PowerShell 3 features designed for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.Purchase of the print book comes with an offer of a free PDF, ePub, and Kindle eBook from Manning. Also available is all code from the book.What's InsideLearn PowerShell from the beginning—no experience required! Covers PowerShell 3, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012 Each lesson should take you one hour or lessAbout the TechnologyPowerShell is both a language and an administrative shell with which you can control and automate nearly every aspect of Windows. It accepts and executes commands immediately, and you can write scripts to manage most Windows servers like Exchange, IIS, and SharePoint.Experience with Windows administration is helpful. No programming experience is assumed.Table of ContentsBefore you begin Meet PowerShell Using the help system Running commands Working with providers The pipeline: connecting commands Adding commands Objects: data by another name The pipeline, deeper Formatting—and why it's done on the right Filtering and comparisons A practical interlude Remote control: one to one, and one to many Using Windows Management Instrumentation Multitasking with background jobs Working with many objects, one at a time Security alert! Variables: a place to store your stuff Input and output Sessions: remote control with less work You call this scripting? Improving your parameterized script Advanced remoting configuration Using regular expressions to parse text files Additional random tips, tricks, and techniques Using someone else's script Never the end PowerShell cheat sheet
The Web Application Hacker's Handbook: Discovering and Exploiting Security Flaws
Dafydd Stuttard - 2007
The authors explain each category of vulnerability using real-world examples, screen shots and code extracts. The book is extremely practical in focus, and describes in detail the steps involved in detecting and exploiting each kind of security weakness found within a variety of applications such as online banking, e-commerce and other web applications. The topics covered include bypassing login mechanisms, injecting code, exploiting logic flaws and compromising other users. Because every web application is different, attacking them entails bringing to bear various general principles, techniques and experience in an imaginative way. The most successful hackers go beyond this, and find ways to automate their bespoke attacks. This handbook describes a proven methodology that combines the virtues of human intelligence and computerized brute force, often with devastating results.The authors are professional penetration testers who have been involved in web application security for nearly a decade. They have presented training courses at the Black Hat security conferences throughout the world. Under the alias "PortSwigger," Dafydd developed the popular Burp Suite of web application hack tools.
Practical Cryptography
Niels Ferguson - 2003
The gold standard for attaining security is cryptography because it provides the most reliable tools for storing or transmitting digital information. Written by Niels Ferguson, lead cryptographer for Counterpane, Bruce Schneier's security company, and Bruce Schneier himself, this is the much anticipated follow-up book to Schneier's seminal encyclopedic reference, Applied Cryptography, Second Edition (0-471-11709-9), which has sold more than 150,000 copies. Niels Ferguson (Amsterdam, Netherlands) is a cryptographic engineer and consultant at Counterpane Internet Security. He has extensive experience in the creation and design of security algorithms, protocols, and multinational security infrastructures. Previously, Ferguson was a cryptographer for DigiCash and CWI. At CWI he developed the first generation of off-line payment protocols. He has published numerous scientific papers. Bruce Schneier (Minneapolis, MN) is Founder and Chief Technical Officer at Counterpane Internet Security, a managed-security monitoring company. He is also the author of Secrets and Lies: Digital Security in a Networked World (0-471-25311-1).
CoffeeScript
Trevor Burnham - 2011
It provides all of JavaScript's functionality wrapped in a cleaner, more succinct syntax. In the first book on this exciting new language, CoffeeScript guru Trevor Burnham shows you how to hold onto all the power and flexibility of JavaScript while writing clearer, cleaner, and safer code.CoffeeScript: Accelerated JavaScript Development offers a thorough introduction to this new language, starting from the basics. You'll learn to use time-saving features like list comprehensions and splats, organize your code into modules with extensible classes, and deploy your work to multiple environments. Each chapter is example-driven and includes challenging exercises to push your CoffeeScript know-how further. Through the course of the book, you'll build a fast-paced multiplayer word game-writing both the client (with jQuery) and server (with Node.js) in CoffeeScript. And because the two languages are so deeply intertwined, you'll deepen your understanding of JavaScript along the way. CoffeeScript makes it easier than ever to write powerful, standards-compliant JavaScript code. CoffeeScript: Accelerated JavaScript Development lets you start doing it today.
A Bug Hunter's Diary: A Guided Tour Through the Wilds of Software Security
Tobias Klein - 2011
In this one-of-a-kind account, you'll see how the developers responsible for these flaws patched the bugs—or failed to respond at all. As you follow Klein on his journey, you'll gain deep technical knowledge and insight into how hackers approach difficult problems and experience the true joys (and frustrations) of bug hunting.Along the way you'll learn how to:Use field-tested techniques to find bugs, like identifying and tracing user input data and reverse engineering Exploit vulnerabilities like NULL pointer dereferences, buffer overflows, and type conversion flaws Develop proof of concept code that verifies the security flaw Report bugs to vendors or third party brokersA Bug Hunter's Diary is packed with real-world examples of vulnerable code and the custom programs used to find and test bugs. Whether you're hunting bugs for fun, for profit, or to make the world a safer place, you'll learn valuable new skills by looking over the shoulder of a professional bug hunter in action.