Heretics by G. K. Chesterton
Some of the discussions in this book are outdated, but other ones are still very current.
The final chapter is the best, if you endure through the book.
The writing style of Chesterton is impressive in the entire piece. How can someone transmit such intelligence and intensity with just written words? :)
Project Gutenberg ebook
Also available for Kindle and Nook.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
2011-12-07
2010-11-16
Founded on a Rock
Founded on a Rock by Louis de Wohl
The story of the Catholic Church written by a catholic author.
You don't have to be catholic, you just have to love history! :)
Recommended.
The story of the Catholic Church written by a catholic author.
You don't have to be catholic, you just have to love history! :)
Recommended.
2010-02-10
The Little Prince
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.
What is essential is invisible to the eye."
2010-01-08
Perelandra
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
Could you prevent the Original Sin if you had the chance? Eden revisited, in the unmistakable style of C.S. Lewis.
Not a sci-fi gem (the sci part is weak), but a very good and thought provoking book.
Could you prevent the Original Sin if you had the chance? Eden revisited, in the unmistakable style of C.S. Lewis.
Not a sci-fi gem (the sci part is weak), but a very good and thought provoking book.
2009-12-17
Steps for a performance evaluation study
1. State the goals of the study and define the system boundaries
2. List system services and possible outcomes
3. Select performance metrics
4. List system and workload parameters
5. Select factors and their values
6. Select evaluation techniques
7. Select the workload
8. Design the experiments
9. Analyze and interpret the data
10. Present the results. Start over, if necessary.
Read more about this in the book The Art of Computer Systems Performance by Raj Jain
2009-12-10
Common mistakes in performance evaluation
1. No goals
2. Biased goals
3. Unsystematic approach
4. Analysis without understanding the problem
5. Incorrect performance metrics
6. Unrepresentative workload
7. Wrong evaluation technique (measurement / simulation / analytical modeling)
8. Overlooking important parameters
9. Ignoring significant factors
10. Inappropriate experimental design
11. Inappropriate level of detail
12. No analysis (only measurements)
13. Erroneous analysis
14. No sensitivity analysis (to find the relative importance of various parameters)
15. Ignoring errors in input
16. Improper treatment of outliers
17. Assuming no change in the future
18. Ignoring variability
19. Too complex analysis (start simple!)
20. Improper presentation of results
21. Ignoring social aspects
22. Omitting assumptions and limitations
Read more about this in the book The Art of Computer Systems Performance by Raj Jain
2009-12-03
Computer performance definitions
Cost-performance trade-off
Select:
- the right measures of performance
- the right measurement environment
- the right techniques
Metrics - criteria used to evaluate the performance of the system (examples: response time, transactions per second)
Workloads - requests made by the users of the system
Factors - system parameters that are varied in the study. Other parameters should fixed or typical values.
2 tools are required to measure the performance of a computer system:
- load generator - to load the system;
- monitor - to measure the results.
Read more about this in the book The Art of Computer Systems Performance by Raj Jain
2009-11-29
A life with Karol
A life with Karol by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz
A first person account of the life and papacy of John Paul II. Inspiring. Indeed a great Pope, and a book that does him justice.
A first person account of the life and papacy of John Paul II. Inspiring. Indeed a great Pope, and a book that does him justice.
2009-11-28
The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones
The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones
I got this great gift in my birthday and I absolutely loved it! It is a reproduction of Indiana Jones' personal journal seen on the Young Indiana Jones TV show. It is so good it almost makes you believe Indiana Jones is an historical figure (OK, it's not *that* good, but is a nice collector's item).
You can read more about it in the Indiana Jones wiki.
I got this great gift in my birthday and I absolutely loved it! It is a reproduction of Indiana Jones' personal journal seen on the Young Indiana Jones TV show. It is so good it almost makes you believe Indiana Jones is an historical figure (OK, it's not *that* good, but is a nice collector's item).
You can read more about it in the Indiana Jones wiki.
2009-11-23
The Science of Indiana Jones
Why Did It Have To Be Snakes: From Science to the Supernatural, The Many Mysteries of Indiana Jones by Lois H. Gresh and Robert Weinberg
It is interesting to look a little more seriously to one of the most successful movie franchises of all times: Indiana Jones. It is a good read and doesn't take the fun out of the movies.
There are also many other books from the same authors.
It is interesting to look a little more seriously to one of the most successful movie franchises of all times: Indiana Jones. It is a good read and doesn't take the fun out of the movies.
There are also many other books from the same authors.
2009-10-23
Blackboard systems
Blackboards are a problem solving framework. A blackboard is not used to "search for a solution" but to "assemble knowledge".
A blackboard framework provides:
- reasoning flexibility (backward-chaining, forward-chaining, etc);
- participation of varied sources of knowledge;
- opportunistic contributions;
- incremental solutions;
- interleaving of different forms of reasoning.
Problem Solving:
- divide the problem into loosely coupled subtasks (areas of specialization);
- the solution space is divided in regions (levels) containing partial or intermediate solutions;
- the information in each region is globally accessible on the blackboard, making it a medium of interaction between the knowledge sources;
- the decision to employ a particular knowledge source is made dynamically using the current solution state;
- caveat: the problem partitioning in subproblems makes a great difference in clarity, speed, resources, and the ability to find a solution!
Read more about this subject in Blackboard Systems by Englemore and Morgan.
A blackboard framework provides:
- reasoning flexibility (backward-chaining, forward-chaining, etc);
- participation of varied sources of knowledge;
- opportunistic contributions;
- incremental solutions;
- interleaving of different forms of reasoning.
Problem Solving:
- divide the problem into loosely coupled subtasks (areas of specialization);
- the solution space is divided in regions (levels) containing partial or intermediate solutions;
- the information in each region is globally accessible on the blackboard, making it a medium of interaction between the knowledge sources;
- the decision to employ a particular knowledge source is made dynamically using the current solution state;
- caveat: the problem partitioning in subproblems makes a great difference in clarity, speed, resources, and the ability to find a solution!
Read more about this subject in Blackboard Systems by Englemore and Morgan.
2009-10-12
2009-09-26
O Sétimo Selo / The Seventh Seal
O Sétimo Selo de José Rodrigues dos Santos

O primeiro livro de José Rodrigues dos Santos que li sobre o aquecimento global e a indústria petrolífera. Apesar da importância e actualidade do tema, não gostei do livro. Teria sido preferível ao autor escrever um livro-documentário ao estilo de Friedman, do que encaixar os factos no meio de uma história mal contada, onde estranhamente as personagens sabem tudo o que têm que saber e conversam longa e detalhadamente sobre o tema, com grande pormenor. O resultado é uma colagem: acção, informação, acção, informação, ..., fim. Resumindo: o livro não é um documentário, nem um empolgante Dan Brown.
As personagens femininas são muito mal tratadas. Os problemas da terceira idade são abordados de forma superficial e simplista. Em alguns pontos até de forma claramente rude.
Não recomendo.
/ This post is bilingual: Portuguese (Portugal) and English (U.S.) /
A book by José Rodrigues dos Santos about global warming and the oil industry. Despite the very important subject I didn't like the book. In my opinion, the author should have opted for a Friedman-style book instead of fitting the facts in the middle of a very weak story, where the characters know everything they need to know and talk about it in great detail. The end result is: action, information, action, information, ..., end. The book is not a documentary and not a Dan Brown-thriller.
The female characters are very poorly handled. The problems of old people are handled very superficially and in a simplistic faction. In some parts, the author is even rude.
Not recommended.

O primeiro livro de José Rodrigues dos Santos que li sobre o aquecimento global e a indústria petrolífera. Apesar da importância e actualidade do tema, não gostei do livro. Teria sido preferível ao autor escrever um livro-documentário ao estilo de Friedman, do que encaixar os factos no meio de uma história mal contada, onde estranhamente as personagens sabem tudo o que têm que saber e conversam longa e detalhadamente sobre o tema, com grande pormenor. O resultado é uma colagem: acção, informação, acção, informação, ..., fim. Resumindo: o livro não é um documentário, nem um empolgante Dan Brown.
As personagens femininas são muito mal tratadas. Os problemas da terceira idade são abordados de forma superficial e simplista. Em alguns pontos até de forma claramente rude.
Não recomendo.
/ This post is bilingual: Portuguese (Portugal) and English (U.S.) /
A book by José Rodrigues dos Santos about global warming and the oil industry. Despite the very important subject I didn't like the book. In my opinion, the author should have opted for a Friedman-style book instead of fitting the facts in the middle of a very weak story, where the characters know everything they need to know and talk about it in great detail. The end result is: action, information, action, information, ..., end. The book is not a documentary and not a Dan Brown-thriller.
The female characters are very poorly handled. The problems of old people are handled very superficially and in a simplistic faction. In some parts, the author is even rude.
Not recommended.
2009-09-12
Spe Salvi
Spe Salvi
SPE SALVI facti sumus - in hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the Romans, and likewise to us (Rom 8:24)Benedict XVI
2009-08-26
The Day Without Yesterday
The Day Without Yesterday by John Farrell

Have you ever heard of Georges Lemaître? No. And if I tell you he is the inventor of the Big Bang theory?
This book is a good read and can help you get into the early developments of Einstein's relativity theory.
You can also watch a short author interview.

Have you ever heard of Georges Lemaître? No. And if I tell you he is the inventor of the Big Bang theory?
This book is a good read and can help you get into the early developments of Einstein's relativity theory.
You can also watch a short author interview.
2009-06-17
Computer Networks
Computer Networks (4th edition) by Andrew S. Tanenbaum

This is my favorite computer networks book. It's very good for learning networks in-depth, layer by layer. Very accessible and easy to read. Recommended for anyone who wants to know more about how the Internet works and not only for computer scientists!

This is my favorite computer networks book. It's very good for learning networks in-depth, layer by layer. Very accessible and easy to read. Recommended for anyone who wants to know more about how the Internet works and not only for computer scientists!
2009-06-12
The Legend of the Holy Drinker / A Lenda do Santo Bebedor
The Legend of the Holy Drinker by Joseph Roth
A small tale, with delicate writing, about how small gestures can change the way we look at our lives.
/ This post is bilingual: English (U.S.) and Portuguese (Portugal) /

A Lenda do Santo Bebedor de Joseph Roth
Um pequeno conto, com escrita delicada, sobre a forma como pequenos gestos podem a forma de olhar a vida.
A small tale, with delicate writing, about how small gestures can change the way we look at our lives.
/ This post is bilingual: English (U.S.) and Portuguese (Portugal) /

A Lenda do Santo Bebedor de Joseph Roth
Um pequeno conto, com escrita delicada, sobre a forma como pequenos gestos podem a forma de olhar a vida.
2009-06-03
Nun'Álvares - Condestável e Santo
"Nun'Álvares - Condestável e Santo" by António dos Reis Rodrigues

Another telling of the great story of Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira. This book focuses on a different aspect of his life in each chapter.
This post is bilingual: English (U.S.) and Portuguese (Portugal) /
Outra forma de contar a grande história de Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira. Este livro foca um aspecto diferente da sua vida por capítulo.

Another telling of the great story of Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira. This book focuses on a different aspect of his life in each chapter.
This post is bilingual: English (U.S.) and Portuguese (Portugal) /
Outra forma de contar a grande história de Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira. Este livro foca um aspecto diferente da sua vida por capítulo.
2009-05-24
Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira
Vida do Santo Condestável Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira, de Henrique Barrilaro Ruas


Mas ai do mundo! ai dos homens!, se só houvesse Justiça... A Justiça divina, que é perfeita, é completada pela Misericórdia... A Justiça humana, que é imperfeita, há-de ficar sozinha, há-de bastar-se a si própria?!...
2009-05-16
MIT, The Idea Factory
The Idea Factory, Learning to think at MIT

A nice account of a student's life at MIT in the 1980s. In some ways it was similar to my own experience at "Técnico". Proof that "no pain, no gain"!
I'll post a series of weekly posts with quotes from this book.

A nice account of a student's life at MIT in the 1980s. In some ways it was similar to my own experience at "Técnico". Proof that "no pain, no gain"!
I'll post a series of weekly posts with quotes from this book.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)





