
For Windows developers, few tasks are more challenging than debugging—-or more crucial. Reliable and realistic information about Windows debugging has always been scarce. Now, with over 15 years of experience two of Microsoft’s system-level developers present a thorough and practical guide to Windows debugging ever written.
Mario Hewardt and Daniel Pravat cover debugging throughout the entire application lifecycle and show how to make the most of the tools currently available—-including Microsoft’s powerful native debuggers and third-party solutions.
To help you find real solutions fast, this book is organized around real-world debugging scenarios. Hewardt and Pravat use detailed code examples to illuminate the complex debugging challenges professional developers actually face. From core Windows operating system concepts to security, Windows® Vista™ and 64-bit debugging, they address emerging topics head-on—and nothing is ever oversimplified or glossed over!
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C++ is the primary language used in game development; however, game programming has a unique set of challenges, which general application development techniques and recommendations don't apply to. Written to address this issue, C++ for Game Programmers provides practical suggestions for what C++ features to use in game development and why. Many of the misconceptions of C++ are clarified, and programmers learn the most effective methods for using the language to create games. This is primarily a book about ideas and concepts: it is not just a source of C++ code to use in your game project. Instead, C++ for Game Programmers covers how things work from a game-development perspective, and provides practical rules to follow. It points out the most effective C++ practices and steers developers away from the potentially dangerous ones. It describes common C++ techniques to solve specific problems faced by most developers, and focuses on techniques that have been proven in real games. Additionally, specific new technologies such as STL are covered in detail, along with the challenges specific to different platforms such as PCs or game consoles. The techniques presented apply to all aspects of game programming, including graphics, physics, and AI. C++ for Game Programmers is the perfect resource for game programmers looking to perfect their C++ skills, and experienced programmers interested in entering the game industry. Graphics, embedded systems, and real-time systems programmers facing the same challenges as game programmers will also benefit from the ideas and techniques covered. (more…)

Since the introduction of the Apriori algorithm a decade ago, the problem of mining patterns is becoming a very active research area, and efficient techniques have been widely applied to the problems either in industry or science. Currently, the data mining community is focusing on new problems such as: mining new kinds of patterns, mining patterns under constraints, considering new kinds of complex data, and real-world applications of these concepts. Data Mining Patterns: New Methods and Applications provides an overall view of the recent solutions for mining, and also explores new kinds of patterns. This book offers theoretical frameworks and presents challenges and their possible solutions concerning pattern extractions, emphasizing both research techniques and real-world applications. Data Mining Patterns: New Methods and Applications portrays research applications in data models, techniques and methodologies for mining patterns, multi-relational and multidimensional pattern mining, fuzzy data mining, data streaming, incremental mining, and many other topics. (more…)

Hard drive failures may be responsible for the biggest headaches IT professionals experience. Recovering lost or corrupted data from failed disks is a nightmare. Fortunately, you have help. TechRepublic asked its members what recovery methods worked best for them. Solutions poured in from IT professionals who've tried everything, revealing that, in many cases, hopeless situations aren't hopeless. In fact, data can often be retrieved from failed disks, if you know how. 200 Ways to Revive a Hard Drive collects more than 200 creative, resourceful, and crafty tips from TechRepublic members. In their own words, here are the solutions they've turned to when trying to rescue data following a hard disk crash or failure.
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