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This interdisciplinary study follows the Incarnation Summit, an international and ecumenical meeting of 24 scholars. Addressing a variety of issues related to the subject, this is a well researched, skilfully argued, and, at times, provocative volume on the central Christian belief: the Incarnation of the Son of God. ... Read more

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...the authors were careful not to throw the (agile) baby out with the (XP) bathwater. The aim was to refactor the process not to destroy it completely.

— Pan Pantziarka, Application Development Advisor

This book describes how to apply ICONIX Process (a minimal, use case-driven modeling process) in an agile software project. It's full of practical advice for avoiding common "agile" pitfalls. Further, the book defines a core agile subset&emdash;so those of you who want to "get agile" need not spend years learning to do it. Instead, you can simply read this book and apply the core subset of techniques.

Customer Reviews (9)

Agile developmentwith ICONIX review
This Text is a very well targeted book for the novice as well as a reference for experts in agile software development. This book when combined with "Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML: Theory and Practice" creates an excellent package if both documents can be obtained for use simultaneously.

Buy the books in the correct order
First beware that books with almost the same titles have been written by the same author and some of his fellows between 1999 and 2007:

1999: "Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML: A Practical Approach": This is the "reference" book although it seems ICONIX has evolved since if we consider later books and various articles online. I am considering acquiring this one after disapointments about "Agile Development with ICONIX Process."

2001: "Applying Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML : An Annotated e-Commerce Example": This seems to have been written to illustrate the first book with a web example.

2005: "Agile Development with ICONIX Process, People, Process and Pragmatism": This is the book we are talking about here. I bought it because of its relative recentness and was quite disapointed: a bigger part of the book is dedicated to defend the ICONIX process on one hand (this is what many other comments denounce about the 1999 book), and to explore new extensions that obviously have not yet stabilized.

2006 and 2007: Two new books published only a few monthes apart, from two different editors, and especially with almost identical titles: "Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML - ICONIX Process in Theory and Practice" (Addison-Wesley, jun. 2006) and "Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML - Theory and Practice", (Apress, jan. 2007). The first is unavailable at this time on Amazon and is very expensive ($160). Given the titles, these two new (and identical ?) books might be a rewrite of the 1999 reference.

What I liked in the book:

1. The process is explained quite clearly

2. Whether you adhere to ICONIX or not (I do), the messages it carries is worth it: use a small and consistent subset of UML and the rest when only needed. It also helps to understand the "why's" of diffrent diagrams, that are not necessarily well explained by quality books such as UML Distilled.

3. For those who did some reading beforehand, the book shows what have been the minor evolutions (and the presistent doubts) in the process compared to what Rosenberg and Scott wrote online around 2001 (DrDobb's and InformIT.

2. An example is given (web), with som code, stressing the explorations around the robustness diagrams.

What I disliked about the book (this the three stars):

1. It is not a reference book :a) Robustness diagram rules aren't even exposed/reminded. b) Almost nothing is said about the milestones leaving (thus the need to consider buying the other books)

2. It is to some extent a too much propaganda book: The book is divided in three parts and only one is about the core process. The first part is ICONIX propaganda and the third part is about forrays into new [and probably immature] extensions.

3. There is a persistent ambiguity about whether use case text should be written as they are identified (before requirements review) or should these be left for the Analysis & Preliminary design phase (and checked at the preliminary design review).


Conclusion: If you'd consider buying a book about the ICONIX process, I'd advise you to buy the 1999 book or one of the two new ones. They most probably would contain precise guidelines on how the method works than this 2005 volume. You should buy this book only as a second read for 1999 or as complement for 2006 or 2007 if needed.

Common sense approach that doesn't throw the baby out with the bath water.
I'm a big fan of Doug's methodology and books, so I'm biased.I'm a fan because I know his process works... I've used it in a number of medical device projects.In the area of safety critical or mission critical systems, you can't throw out requirments and process; it isn't an option.I would argue that it is also not smart.

This book does a great job of explaining how to achieve the core ideals of agile without sacrificing the up-front work (requirements and modeling) that are necessary to achieve a high quality system within a reasonable schedule and cost.I love the fact that the book harkens back to core software engineering principles and shows how this process enforces those principles while encouraging just the right amount of agility to react in a timely manner to mid-course corrections that every project (accept the very small) experience.

The book demonstrates an important aspect that I have used in my own projects; the core process is robust to the needs of different projects.For example, adding a release plan for scheduling the implementation of individual or groups of use-cases or expanding use-cases using interaction design.Extensibility is the mark of a solid, well thought-out core design; whether it be a process or software.

The approach was very balanced in light of the fact that Doug and Matt have been some of the most vocal detractors of the Agile/XP neuvo processes.It takes someone from outside the religion to bring balance; they have done that with this book.Their "sweet spot" is within reach!

Best!

Real-World Experience
About two years ago, I reviewed Doug's books and contacted him to help me on a new software development effort I was directing.I had low expectations because my team was just learning professional software methods period.Doug came in and taught the five main diagraming techniques, including robustness diagrams.After the class, he pitched-in to help with documenting all of our use-cases and thoroughly disambiguating our problem domain.This was the most successfull software project in the history of the company.As a direct result of Doug's methodology and consulting, we delivered a reliable and re-usable core product line.Because of this, we have been able to consistently deliver great software based on the original core time-after-time.

Better than the last one
I was totally shocked at how horrible the "Refactored" book was written. That book was loaded with unsubstaintiated anecdotal claims written by anonymous "informants?" versus actual and highly selective quotes from XP practitioners lifted from usenet postings with misspellings included that struck me as character assassination. It was opinion disguised as analysis and pseudo-scolarship.

This book seems a bit more measured. It seems like the authors finally embrace the core tenets of Agility but they are still (I think unfairly) knocking some of the things that XP in particular touts, based on some strange assumptions. One assumption that runs through the Iconix folks writings is that robustness and responsiveness are opposing forces. They are not, or at least need not be. I know this becuase I've seen a highly robust and highly responsive XP team at work. The root of this thinking is in the belief that developing software is like any manufacturing endeavor, where quality and cost are also trade offs. Oddly, with Agility in general (and XP in particular), increasing the quality actually is shown to reduce cost. Also, I know this because I've seen this. And XP doesn't mean that there are no documents and no diagrams. It just means that they aren't as valuable as executing code. I still can hardly recognize the thinly-disguised invective of the last book as coming from the same authors as this book. I would say the authors have grown up a bit.

I think the Iconix people's departure with XP originates in Pair Programming. My in-the-trenches experience with pairing is that if you've never really done it, ie, given it a real chance not killed the baby with preconceived notions, you won't ever get it. Most anti-XP people are simply against pairing because they don't understand how it actually works in practice.

One example of how pairing works is to hear my friend tell what it was like to program PROM / PAL code as an embedded-systems programmer way back. They ALWAYS pair programmed because you can't afford to screw up a couple of PROMs a day, that would be blowing $400 or so. The same holds true today with an IT developer coding off a cliff alone on his workstation, blowing several hundreds or even thousands of bucks a day because nobody is reviewing his code BEFORE he checks it in. ... Read more

Product Description
The Collins Library is proud to present the triumphant return of Harry Stephen Keeler — to some, an overlooked genius; to others, the Ed Wood of detective fiction. The Riddle of the Traveling Skull is perhaps his best-loved work. The adventure begins when a poem and a mysterious handbag lead a man to the grave of Legga, the Human Spider — and things just get stranger from there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Alas, not his best, but a good place to start
Harry Stephen Keeler is an odd and interesting author.Not truly an "outsider" artist in the strictest (e.g.,Grandma Moses) sense--as he was clearly well educated as a writer--nevertheless, he is the possessor--if "possessor" be the word--of a truly odd and truly unique style.Not mysteries in the traditional "who-done-it" sense --in one story the family cats turn out to be the culprit, in another, two characters, both, it turns out, in disguise, unbeknownst to each other are each other; you figure it out--they, nevertheless, were marketed as such.Keeler's early novels (e.g., the Voice of the Seven Sparrows, The Spectacles of Mr. Cagliostro) are more adventure stories, with a surprising (and wholly unpredictable) denouement.His Later works devolved into the form of long conversations in which the "mystery" was described by one or more of the characters present.The other overriding feature of his works was his use of what he termed a "webwork" plot, in which multiple seemingly unrelated and unrelatable events and characters somehow are related in surprising and often unbelievable ways, all of which leads up to the denouement (think of the conclusion of season 3 of Lost).Keeler's style is distinct, as is his punctuation (he prefers the dash to almost any other mark) although it would be difficult to call him a good writer--he lacks the niceties of other mystery writes such as Hammitt, or Chandler, or even Spillane--nor is it proper to call him a noir writer as there is very little sex or violence and his protagonists are invariably good and innocent (often a little naive and even a bit dim).On the other hand he seems to prefer oddball characters, including lots of midgets, carnies, circus stars, etc, and oddball plots (mysterious death rays, strange wills, unusual safes, "oriental" lore, crazy corpses, mummies, trepanned skulls).There is much of this type of oddball in "Traveling Skull."And while it is not Keeler at his best (earlier) or oddest (later), it does furnish an enjoyable, affordable, available and characteristicintroduction to this singular and dubiously worthy, if not "good" author.

The Riddle of Harry Stephen Keeler
I wish I could give this book a simultaneous review of 5 and -5 stars. For those of you that don't know, Harry Stephen Keeler is considered by many to be the Ed Wood of mystery novelists. This book is classic Keeler, and if you're interested in this long forgotten and overlooked mystery author, this is the best and easiest place to start. (Almost all of Keeler's over 50(!) novels, remain out of print.) Keeler is weird and wildy creative, and maniacally strange. The characters include: Legga the Human Spider, Ichabod Chang, "Suing" Sophie Kratzenschneiderwumpel, and the Chinaman's skull. The plot is so confusing, convoluted, and filled with coincidences, that you will have no idea who the culprit is until the last sentence of the last paragraph of the last page! This is definitely NOT Agatha Christie or Raymond Chandler.
But it's all the better because of it's flaws and eccentricities. This is a classic of what some would call "Trash" literature, and this is the best "trash lit" you're ever going to find.Plus McSweeneys has done such a great job reprinting this book, and keeping it affordable. (Hence the 5 Stars!) ... Read more

Product Description
Stephen Foster was a musical genius born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and into the wrong family. The middle of the 19th Century was an era of development, of conquering the land and building canals and railroads. The men who were admired were the engineers and builders, the developers and inventors, not artists and composers.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cincinnati, Ohio where Stephen grew up and spent his early years were rough river towns. Fortunes were made and lost transporting goods on the rivers. The Foster family was originally successful, but by the time Stephen was born on the 4th of July 1826, they were losing their land and their home.

The years of Stephen's childhood were spent in cheap boarding houses or living with relatives. Little attention was given to the quiet, dreamy boy who wanted only to wander with his flute down along the levee. There he listened to the music of the African Americans who worked on the riverboats.

Stephen's father considered his interest in music to be a bad habit. Stephen persisted in writing songs—the best-loved and most famous songs in America. But he wrote his songs before the days when copyright laws protected songwriters. If he had written his music today—"Oh! Susanna," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Camptown Races," "Old Black Joe," "Way Down Upon the Swanee River" he would be a millionaire many times over. When Stephen Foster died in poverty in New York in 1864, he was not completely penniless. He had 38 cents in his pocket, one penny for each year he lived. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

stellar
This workbook goes far beyond bland exercises to enrich the classroom withexciting and creative lessons and ideas. I recommend it both for teachersand students. It would be wonderful if it were adapted for the onlineworld.

GREAT BOOK FOR LEARNING 1st YEAR SPANISH!
I thought that the book was well thought out and had a lot of activities that help you connect to spanish and speak it well.My father has been a spanish teacher for 25 years and he says it is like a spanish saviorcompared to the other stuff he has seen (and he has seen alot).

EXCELLENT BOOK! ... Read more

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Stephen Foster helped to create some incredible music. Learn about his life in this exciting title.

... Read more

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The best-selling Abriendo paso is a two-volume program that addresses the needs of high school students in upper-level and advanced placement courses.The reading volume, Lectura, uses authentic readings from around the Spanish-speaking world, including the US, as springboards for developing proficiency in all four skills.The companion grammar, Gramtica, provides a complete review of Spanish grammar with an emphasis on communication.Flexible and attuned to students' varied backgrounds and ability levels, each volume of Abriendo paso may be used independently or in conjunction with other upper-level materials. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

abriendo paso gramitica
It was OK for my daughter as she just wanted to practice the spanish exercises. The book was in good condition

spanish book
Product was in very good condition as stated in the original description and arrived on time. ... Read more

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This CD-ROM provides a Teacher's Guide and copymaster and interactive pupil activity material to support and extend "Collins Keystart Junior Atlas", and is designed to be used with the atlas. The first part, the Teacher's Guide, explains the atlas maps, giving the National Curriculum statements and QCA units the maps support, and the geographical concepts the maps illustrate. The supporting 'copymaster' activity sheets and interactive activities are then explained and linked to the National Curriculum and QCA units, and cross-curricular links to ICT are explained. Learning objectives and outcomes are given, with suggested lesson plans. A section of outline maps with a menu of add-on features such as rivers, international boundaries and major cities and towns allow teachers to design their own copymasters. A look-up glossary provides pupils with an explanation of key geographical vocabulary. ... Read more