Mastering OpenStack. Design, deploy, and manage a scalable OpenStack infrastructure

Omar Khedher

Getting Started with SpriteKit

Jorge Jordán

SpriteKit is Apple’s game engine to develop native iOS games. Strongly boosted by the Apple Inc., Cupertino, it has increased in popularity since its first release. This book shows you the solutions provided by SpriteKit to help you create any 2D game you can imagine and apply them to create animations that will highlight your existing apps.This book will give you the knowledge you need to apply SpriteKit to your existing apps or create your own games from scratch.Throughout the book, you will develop a complete game. The beautiful designs implemented in the game in this book will easily lead you to learn the basis of 2D game development, including creating and moving sprites, and adding them to a game scene. You will also discover how to apply advanced techniques such as collision detection, action execution, playing music, or running animations to give a more professional aspect to the game. You will finish your first game by learning how to add a main menu and a tutorial, as well as saving and loading data from and to the player’s device. Finally, you will find out how to apply some mobile games techniques such as accelerometer use or touch detection.

A Tinkerer's Guide to CNC Basics. Master the fundamentals of CNC machining, G-Code, 2D Laser machining and fabrication techniques

Samer Najia

Until recently, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines belonged to the realm of heavy industry, but as technology becomes cheaper and smaller, these machines now can be used in home workshops. It’s not easy to get started, though, but thanks to this guide, you’ll be ready to take on a variety of projects in no time.A Tinkerer’s Guide to CNC Basics contains everything you need to get set up at home with computer-controlled machining and fabrication. Sparing you the theory, this project-laden guide helps you learn by doing.Once you’ve got to grips with the principles of CNC and installed the 3018 Pro CNC machine, you’ll gradually move from simple projects such as basic engraving to more complex milling and machining techniques. You’ll even learn how to upgrade your machine to accomplish more sophisticated designs. The plethora of projects in this book will keep you busy and give you the practice you need to get started with your computerized workshop.By the end of the book, your computerized home workshop will be one step closer to realization, and your machining skills will be taken to the next level.

ChatGPT and AI for Accountants. A practitioner's guide to harnessing the power of GenAI to revolutionize your accounting practice

Dr. Scott Dell, Dr. Mfon Akpan

In the fast-paced AI world, accounting professionals are increasingly challenged by the complexities of AI. Many struggle to integrate these advanced tools into their workflows, leading to a sense of overwhelm. ChatGPT for Accounting bridges this gap by not only simplifying AI concepts but also offering practical insights for its application in various accounting domains.This book takes you from the foundational principles of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) to its practical applications in audits, tax planning, practice management, fraud examination, financial analysis, and beyond. Each chapter equips you with essential skills, showing you how AI can revolutionize internal control systems, enhance recruitment processes, streamline marketing plans, optimize tax strategies, and boost efficiency in audits. You’ll then advance to exploring the role of AI in forensic accounting, financial analysis, managerial accounting, and corporate governance, while also addressing ethical and security implications.Concluding with a reflective outlook on the promises and challenges of AI, you’ll gain a holistic view of the future of accounting. By the end of this book, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to harness the power of AI effectively and ethically, transforming your accounting practice and staying ahead in the ever-evolving landscape.

JavaScript from Frontend to Backend. Learn full stack JavaScript development using the MEVN stack with quick and easy steps

Eric Sarrion

JavaScript, the most widely used programming language in the world, has numerous libraries and modules and a dizzying array of need-to-know topics. Picking a starting point can be difficult. Enter JavaScript from Frontend to Backend. This concise, practical guide will get you up to speed in next to no time.This book begins with the basics of variables and objects in JavaScript and then moves quickly on to building components on the client-side with Vue.js and a simple list management application. After that, the focus shifts to the server-side and Node.js, where you’ll examine the MVC model and explore the Express module. Once you've got to grips with the server-side and the client-side, the only thing that remains is the database. You’ll discover MongoDB and the Mongoose module. In the final chapter of this fast-paced guide, you'll combine all these pieces to integrate a Vue.js application into a Node.js server, using Express to structure the server code and MongoDB to store the information.By the end of this book, you will have the skills and confidence to successfully implement JavaScript concepts in your own projects and begin your career as a JavaScript developer.

Scala for Java Developers. Build reactive, scalable applications and integrate Java code with the power of Scala

Thomas Alexandre

System Design Guide for Software Professionals. Build scalable solutions – from fundamental concepts to cracking top tech company interviews

Dhirendra Sinha, Tejas Chopra

Building scalable software systems is more critical than ever. Yet, many software professionals struggle to navigate the complexities of system design, especially when aiming for positions at top tech companies. Written by Dhirendra Sinha, a seasoned Engineering Leader at Google with a blend of experience working at large companies such as Cisco, Oracle, and Yahoo, and Tejas Chopra, a Senior Software Engineer at Netflix, a TEDx speaker, and a Co-Founder of GoEB1, this comprehensive and authoritative resource on system design offers invaluable insights and strategies to help you excel in interviews with all major tech companies. This guide covers the basics of system design, including the principles and techniques of distributed systems, and delves into core building blocks such as distributed system theorems, attributes, and the design and implementation of system components. Following examples of popular applications such as Uber, Twitter, Instagram, Google Docs, and Netflix, you’ll learn how to apply concepts to real-world scenarios. The book offers expert advice and strategies for preparing and acing system design interviews, along with a mind map/cheat sheet summarizing the key takeaways. By the end of this book, you’ll be equipped with unique techniques and the confidence to solve any coding interview question.

ADempiere 3.6 Cookbook. Over 100 recipes for extending and customizing ADempiere beyond its standard capabilities

Redhaun Redhaun, Ajit Kumar

Building Games with Flutter. The ultimate guide to creating multiplatform games using the Flame engine in Flutter 3

Paul Teale

With its powerful tools and quick implementation capabilities, Flutter provides a new way to build scalable cross-platform apps. In this book, you'll learn how to build on your knowledge and use Flutter as the foundation for creating games.This game development book takes a hands-on approach to building a complete game from scratch. You'll see how to get started with the Flame library and build a simple animated example to test Flame. You'll then discover how to organize and load images and audio in your Flutter game. As you advance, you'll gain insights into the game loop and set it up for fast and efficient processing. The book also guides you in using Tiled to create maps, add sprites to the maps that the player can interact with, and see how to use tilemap collision to create paths for a player to walk on. Finally, you'll learn how to make enemies more intelligent with artificial intelligence (AI).By the end of the book, you'll have gained the confidence to build fun multiplatform games with Flutter.

Moodle for Mobile Learning. Mobile devices are ideal for go-anywhere interactive learning, and using Moodle you can give your students the opportunity to receive your courses on their phone or tablet in a format that's tailor-made for mobile learning

Mark Aberdour

Mobile devices have become ubiquitous and offer many new possibilities for learning. Moodle, when combined with a mobile device, opens up a new world of possibilities to teachers, instructors, and training professionals to develop their courses. The learning experience can be hugely improved by playing to the strengths of mobile devices, and Moodle for Mobile Learning helps you do just that.Moodle for Mobile Learning is a practical, hands-on guide that provides you with ideas and step-by-step exercises that will help you leverage the features of mobile devices in your Moodle course designs. It also aims at providing you with hands-on knowledge in creating mlearning courses so that you can create your own effective mobile learning interactions.Looking at the underlying theory of mobile learning, Moodle for Mobile Learning aims to enable you to apply this to course design using Moodle. Organized into key sectors including schools, further and higher education, and workplace learning, this book will take you through a number of clear, practical recipes that will help you to take advantage of mobile technology in your Moodle course design.You will learn how to develop your mobile learning strategy and whether to use a mobile friendly Moodle theme or a Moodle mobile app to deliver your strategy. There are certain types of learning activities that are perfectly suited to mobile delivery. We look at delivering podcasts, engaging with social media, setting up photo, video and audio assignments, setting up eBook and App libraries, uploading audio assignment feedback, submitting reflective logs, using chat and messaging tools, using web conferencing and much more.Mobile devices already form the backbone of your learners' daily lives. If you want to use Moodle to bring those devices into the learning process, then this is the book for you.

IBM Cognos Business Intelligence. Discover the practical approach to BI with IBM Cognos Business Intelligence

Dustin Adkison, Dustin Adkison

IBM Cognos is Business Intelligence software that enables businesses to fully utilize their maximum potential. It connects people with information from virtually any data source whenever and wherever they need it so that they can make better decisions, faster.Take the practical, hands-on approach to managing your reporting environment with IBM Cognos Business Intelligence - packed with coverage of all the latest features to truly help you maximize your potential.With this in-depth practical guide you will learn how to fully utilize IBM Cognos 10 so that your business can make smarter decisions, achieve better results and gain a deeper understanding of your company's data. You will learn about critical topics like Report Studio, Query Studio, Analysis Studio, Security and Administration as well as in-depth coverage of other features like Business Insight, Business Insight Advanced, and Active Reports, which were introduced with IBM Cognos 10.

Learning Highcharts. Whether you’re a novice or an advanced web developer, this practical tutorial will enable you to produce stunning interactive charts using Highcharts. With a foreword by the creator, it’s the only guide you’ll need to get started

Highsoft Solutions AS, Joe Kuan

Highcharts is a popular web charting software that produces stunning and smooth animated JavaScript and HTML5 SVG graphs. It is among the leading web charting software in the market and has been used in many different sectors ó from financial to social websites. Although it is built on top of jQuery, it is so simple to construct that you need little programming skill to create a simple web chart. Highcharts works on all modern browsers and is solely based on native browser technologies and doesn't require client side plugins like Flash or Java.Learning Highcharts is a comprehensive tutorial with clear and practical examples. This book follows a step by step approach towards making artistic, presentable, or professional style charts and other types of charts that you won't find elsewhere. It also shows you how to integrate Highcharts with other popular frameworks, such as jQuery, jQuery Mobile, and ExtJS and even how to run it on the server side.The book starts off with an introduction to Highcharts and demonstrates usage of its rich set of options. This is followed by an introduction to each type of basic chart, beginning with simple illustrations and ending with more artistic and productive additions to the charts. The book then guides you how to use the Highcharts API and events handling which are important to build interactive applications. It then goes on to show you how to apply Highcharts onto a popular AJAX Framework or even jQuery, jQuery Mobile and Ext JS. Finally the book shows readers how to set up Highcharts running on server side. Learning Highcharts aims to teach you everything you need to know about Highcharts, and take the advanced leap from Flash to JavaScript, with this extremely productive and effective Charting software available, thus helping you build basic charts and even multiple series and axes charts. The book also shows you the flexibility of Highcharts and how to create other special charts. The programming side of APIs and event handling will benefit the readers in building advanced web applications with Highcharts. The book also guides readers on how to integrate Highcharts with popular frameworks such as jQuery Mobile and Ext JS. By the end of the book, you should be able to use Highcharts to suit your web page or application needs.

Microservices with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud. Build resilient and scalable microservices using Spring Cloud, Istio, and Kubernetes - Second Edition

Magnus Larsson

Want to build and deploy microservices, but don’t know where to start? Welcome to Microservices with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud.This edition features the most recent versions of Spring, Java, Kubernetes, and Istio, demonstrating faster and simpler handling of Spring Boot, local Kubernetes clusters, and Istio installation. The expanded scope includes native compilation of Spring-based microservices, support for Mac and Windows with WSL2, and an introduction to Helm 3 for packaging and deployment. A revamped security chapter now follows the OAuth 2.1 specification and makes use of the newly launched Spring Authorization Server from the Spring team.You’ll start with a set of simple cooperating microservices, then add persistence and resilience, make your microservices reactive, and document their APIs using OpenAPI.Next, you’ll learn how fundamental design patterns are applied to add important functionality, such as service discovery with Netflix Eureka and edge servers with Spring Cloud Gateway. You’ll deploy your microservices using Kubernetes and adopt Istio, then explore centralized log management using the Elasticsearch, Fluentd, and Kibana (EFK) stack, and then monitor microservices using Prometheus and Grafana.By the end of this book, you'll be building scalable and robust microservices using Spring Boot and Spring Cloud.

Information Theory. A Tutorial Introduction to the Principles and Applications of Information Theory

James V Stone

This book offers a comprehensive journey through the fascinating world of information theory, beginning with the fundamental question: what is information? Early chapters introduce key concepts like entropy, binary representation, and data compression, providing a clear and accessible foundation. Readers explore Shannon's source coding theorem and practical tools like Huffman coding to understand how information is quantified and optimized.Building on these basics, the book delves into advanced topics such as the noisy channel coding theorem, mutual information, and error correction techniques. It examines entropy in continuous systems, channel capacity, and rate-distortion theory, making complex ideas accessible through real-world examples. Connections between information and thermodynamics are also explored, including Maxwell’s Demon, the Landauer Limit, and the second law of thermodynamics.The final chapters tie information theory to biology and artificial intelligence, investigating its role in evolution, the human genome, and brain computation. With practical examples throughout, this book balances theoretical depth with hands-on learning, making it an essential resource for mastering information theory. A basic mathematical foundation will be beneficial but is not required to engage with the material.

Mastering Eclipse Plug-in Development. Build modular applications on Eclipse by defining custom extension points and using OSGi services

Bandlem Limited

ArcGIS Pro 3.x Cookbook. Create, manage, analyze, maintain, and visualize geospatial data using ArcGIS Pro - Second Edition

Tripp Corbin, GISP, Kirk Larson

ArcGIS Pro, Esri's newest desktop GIS application, offers powerful tools for visualizing, maintaining, and analyzing data. This cookbook will help existing ArcMap users transition to ArcGIS Pro and teach new users how to utilize its GIS tools effectively. You’ll learn how to create geodatabases, convert data formats, link tables from outside sources, edit 2D and 3D data, ensure data integrity with topology, and enable advanced geodatabase behavior. By the end, you'll be able to effectively use ArcGIS Pro as your primary desktop GIS application, maintaining, analyzing, and displaying data using common methods and tools.