Author: Larry Battle

I love to program, and discover new tech. Check out my stackoverflow and github accounts.

Book Review: Beginning SQL Queries


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Here’s my Amazon.com review for Beginning SQL Queries by Clare Churcher

This is an excellent book to turn you into a SQL professional but not an expert. This isn’t a book for complete beginners but for a person with some experience with databases. In other words, someone around the beginning to intermediate level because this book is all about SQL Queries and not how to setup, maintain and configure your database system.

Anyhow, this book focuses on SQL and not a specific Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). So check out another book if you’re primarily focused on Oracle, MySQL or any other RDBMS. However, she does go over a few differences between vendors when it comes to SQL queries.

I bought this book to review SQL and clarify a few concepts. Now after finishing this book, I feel that my goals has been reached. I really enjoyed this reading this book, because Clare is an effective writer who provides clear and concise examples with helpful explanations. For example, she provides annotations on screen captures of tables from Access and MS Server instead of only writing a description of a query. Even though the chapters were short and fast-paced, I was never stretching my head too long to understand what was going on.

The only negative thing about this book is the queries don’t have any semi-colons at the end.

I recommend this book for anyone taking a database course or anyone who wants a simple overview of SQL.

Tip:
All the table example data is listed after chapter 11. I suggested that you store that in your database before reading this book and so you can follow along easily.

Larry Battle

Larry Battle

I love to program, and discover new tech. Check out my <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/users/527776/larry-battle">stackoverflow</a> and <a href="https://github.com/LarryBattle">github</a> accounts.

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OpenCL Demo


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OpenCL is a standards-based programming language that allows the CPU and GPU to work together for faster and more efficient processing. OpenCL gives any application access to the graphics processing unit for non-graphical computing. Thus, OpenCL extends the power of the Graphics Processing Unit beyond graphics.

Check out this demo comparing OpenCL to C and a multi-threaded program.

Larry Battle

Larry Battle

I love to program, and discover new tech. Check out my <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/users/527776/larry-battle">stackoverflow</a> and <a href="https://github.com/LarryBattle">github</a> accounts.

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Subscription Review: New Scientist


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Throughout 2011 I have been loyal subscription holder to the scientific magazine New Scientist.
I love it how each week I’m presented with the latest scientific discoveries that blow my mind.

So, what is New Scientist?

New Scientist reports on the very latest science and technology news, putting discoveries and advances in the context of everyday life. New Scientist relates the advancements of human knowledge to the broader impacts on society and culture, making it essential reading for people who ask why. – From: Amazon.com

Here are my top 5 hottest stories from 2011

  1. Fallible DNA evidence can mean prison or freedom

    New Scientist reveals that much of the DNA analysis now conducted in crime labs can suffer from worrying subjectivity and bias.

  2. Neutrino watch: Speed claim baffles CERN theoryfest

    OPERA … announced that neutrinos traveling from CERN had apparently moved faster than light.

  3. Move over, Einstein: Machines will take it from here

    Schmidt recorded this movement using a motion tracking camera which fed numbers into his computer. What he was looking for was an equation describing the motion of the pendulums.

    Note: I wrote an article over this here

  4. How online games are solving uncomputable problems
  5. Better than human? What’s next for Jeopardy! computer

Pros:

  • Well thought out and highly organized magazine.
  • Scientific Job Board
  • Amazing Scientific News
  • Articles are easy for ordinary person to understand.
  • Offers short lessons over complex topics
  • “The Last Word” – answers to scientific questions about everyday phenomena.

Cons:

  • Topics can sometimes become repetitive
  • No references for most articles.
  • It’s only news, so you can’t apply want you learn.

Price: ~$99 annually (on line discounts may vary)
You can check out “New Scientist” at www.newscientist.com/

Larry Battle

Larry Battle

I love to program, and discover new tech. Check out my <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/users/527776/larry-battle">stackoverflow</a> and <a href="https://github.com/LarryBattle">github</a> accounts.

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10 Minute Tutorial over Logarithms with a Mix of Javascript


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Summary:
This tutorial will provide a simple overview of logarithms.

What are Logarithms?
Logarithms are used to determine the exponent needed to receive a certain value with a particular base.

Example: Log 100 = 2. Since 10^2 = 100.

Here’s a short video explaining logarithms more in-depth with a practical example.

The most common bases used for logarithms are base 10 and E. With base E logarithms normally referred to as the natural logarithm.
In Javascript, the function Math.log returns the natural logarithm of the argument instead of a base 10 logarithm. This can cause some confusion for those unaware of this fact.

Math.log( 100 ) == 2 // returns false
Math.log( 100 ) // returns 4.605170185988092

So how can one use a different base other than E? Well, it simple. All you have to do is take the log of the value that you want, then divide that by the log of the desired based.
Like so.

Math.log( x ) / Math.log( desiredBase );

Here’s a user defined function that does the same operation.

/**
* @function Math.logx
* @purpose: To provide the logarithm for any base desired. Default base is 10.
* @returns a number.
*/
Math.logx = function(x,base) {
    return (Math.log(x)) / (Math.log(base | 10 ));
}

And now, we can calculate log 10 as 2 instead of another number.

Math.log( 100 ) == 2    // returns false
Math.logx( 100 ) == 2   // returns true

Larry Battle

Larry Battle

I love to program, and discover new tech. Check out my <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/users/527776/larry-battle">stackoverflow</a> and <a href="https://github.com/LarryBattle">github</a> accounts.

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