Vertex and pixel shader programming allows graphics and game developers to create photorealistic graphics on the personal computer for the first time. And with DirectX, programmers have access to an assembly language interface to the transformation and lighting hardware (vertex shaders) and the pixel pipeline (pixel shaders). Direct3D ShaderX begins with an introduction to vertex and pixel shader programming and moves on to a wide array of specialized shader tricks contributed by 27 experts in game and graphics programming. These range from character animation and lighting to photorealistic faces and non-photorealistic rendering. Special effects shaders are also presented, including those for such effects as bubbles, rippling water, animated grass, and particle flows.

OpenGL® Shading Language, Second Edition, extensively updated for OpenGL 2.0, is the experienced application programmer’s guide to writing shaders. Part reference, part tutorial, this book thoroughly explains the shift from fixed-functionality graphics hardware to the new era of programmable graphics hardware and the additions to the OpenGL API that support this programmability. With OpenGL and shaders written in the OpenGL Shading Language, applications can perform better, achieving stunning graphics effects by using the capabilities of both the visual processing unit and the central processing unit.

In this book, you will find a detailed introduction to the OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL) and the new OpenGL function calls that support it. The text begins by describing the syntax and semantics of this high-level programming language. Once this foundation has been established, the book explores the creation and manipulation of shaders using new OpenGL function calls.

This developer’s guide for designers and programmers of mass-storage devices that use the Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface provides developers with information on how to choose storage media, interface the media to a microcontroller or other CPU, and write device firmware to access the media and perform USB communications. Comparisons of popular storage-media options to help users choose a media type for a project are included, and the types described cover hard drives and flash-memory cards such as the MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, and CompactFlash card. Helpful tips on developing an embedded host that can access USB mass-storage devices are also covered.

As the price of servers comes down to the level of desktop PCs, many small- and medium-sized businesses are forced to provide their own server setup, maintenance and support, without the high-dollar training enjoyed by their big corporation counterparts. Upgrading and Repairing Servers is the first line of defense for small- and medium-sized businesses, and an excellent go-to reference for the experienced administrators who have been asking for a reference guide like this one for a long time! It’s all here in one, incredibly useful tome that you will refer to again and again.

Inside is in-depth coverage of server design and implementation, building and deploying, server hardware components, network and backup operations, SAN, fault tolerance, server racks, server rooms, server operating systems, as well as SUN Microsystems servers. No other computer hardware book has ever dared tackle this enormous topic - until now!

Scott Mueller has gone where no computer book author has gone before right past all the warranty stickers, the hidden screws, and the fear factor to produce a real owner’s manual that every laptop owner should have on his desk. Upgrading and Repairing Laptops, Second Edition shows the upgrades users can perform, the ones that are better left to the manufacturer, and how to use add-on peripherals to make the most of a laptop. This second edition has been updated to include:

The latest processors and motherboards
Complete assembly and disassembly information
Updated memory standards
Upgrading your hard drive to increase performance
Changes in networking and firewalls

Be a part of the best-selling Upgrading and Repairing series with the latest edition of the flagship book, Upgrading and Repairing PCs. Author Scott Mueller has taught thousands in his seminars and millions through his books, videos and articles. Since 1988, everyon from PC technicians and students to hobbyists, have turned to Scott Mueller’s Upgrading and Repairing PCs books for help with computer problems. Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 17th Edition includes new and updated content covering the latest processors, motherboards, memory, and more, including a fully-loaded DVD with new video and reference material.

As digital logic designs grow larger and more complex, functional verification has become the number one bottleneck in the design process. Reducing verification time is crucial to project success, yet many practicing engineers have had little formal training in verification, and little exposure to the newest solutions. Hardware Design Verification systematically presents today’s most valuable simulation-based and formal verification techniques, helping test and design engineers choose the best approach for each project, quickly gain confidence in their designs, and move into fabrication far more rapidly. College students will find that coverage of verification principles and common industry practices will help them prepare for jobs as future verification engineers.

Author William K. Lam, one of the world’s leading experts in design verification, is a recent winner of the Chairman’s Award for Innovation, Sun Microsystems’ most prestigious technical achievement award. Drawing on his wide-ranging experience, he introduces the foundational principles of verification, presents traditional techniques that have survived the test of time, and introduces emerging techniques for today’s most challenging designs. Throughout, Lam emphasizes practical examples rather than mathematical proofs; wherever advanced math is essential, he explains it clearly and accessibly.

System Level Design of Reconfigurable Systems-on-Chip provides insight in the challenges and difficulties encountered during the design of reconfigurable Systems-on-Chip (SoCs). Reconfiguration is becoming an important part of System-on-Chip design to cope with the increasing demands for simultaneous flexibility and computational power. The book focuses on system level design issues for reconfigurable SoCs, and provides information on reconfiguration aspects of complex SoCs and how they can be implemented in practice. It is divided in three parts. The first part provides background information and requirements on reconfigurable technologies and systems. The second one identifies existing methodological gaps, and introduces a design flow for developing reconfigurable Systems-on-Chip. The high level part of the design flow can be covered by two C++ based methodologies: one based on SystemC and one based on OCAPI-XL, both including appropriate extensions to handle reconfiguration issues. Finally, the third part of the book presents reconfigurable SoCs from the perspective of the designer, through three indicative case studies from the wireless and multimedia communication domain.

The MindShare Architecture Series The MindShare Architecture book series includes: ISA System Architecture, EISA System Architecture, 80486 System Architecture, PCI System Architecture, Pentium System Architecture, PCMCIA System Architecture, PowerPC System Architecture, Plug-and-Play System Architecture, CardBus System Architecture,
Protected Mode Software Architecture, Pentium Pro and Pentium II System Architecture, USB System Architecture, FireWire System Architecture, PCI-X System Architecture, and AGP System Architecture. The book series is published by Addison-Wesley. Rather than duplicating common information in each book, the series uses the building-block approach. ISA System Architecture is the core book upon which the others build. Table 1 on page 1 illustrates the relationship of the books to each other. Cautionary Note The reader should keep in mind that MindShare’s book series often deals with rapidly-evolving technologies. This being the case, it should be recognized that the book is a “snapshot” of the state of the targeted technology at the time that the book was
completed. We attempt to update each book on a timely basis to reflect changes in the targeted technology, but, due to various factors (waiting for the next version of the spec to be “frozen,” the time
necessary to make the changes, and the time to produce the books and get them out to the distribution channels), there will always be a delay. Specifications This Book is Based On This book is based on the Universal Serial Bus 2.0 specification

Many A+ certification guides prepare aspiring PC technicians to pass
the exam, but don’t put test objectives in a “practical use” context.
Other PC repair guides cover A+ exam objectives in a real-world
setting, but don’t prepare students well enough to pass the test and
get certified. The A+ Certification and PC Repair Handbook solves this
problem by combining a complete test preparation for the new A+
examinations (220-301 and 220-302) with a hands on guide that reflects
how the A+ exam questions apply to real-world PC repair problems. The
book teaches users how to install and troubleshoot hardware, and
provides solutions to common operating system-related problems for
machines running Microsoft Windows 9x, Me, 2000, and XP. Each chapter
includes numerous diagrams and photographs, and explains PC repair
techniques using easy-to-understand language and accessible terms. For
each chapter explaining these PC repair tactics, another chapter is
included on how to effectively pass the corresponding portion of the A+
exam, with sample exam questions based on the actual tests. Test-taking
techniques are also covered, including the test’s recent return to
conventional linear testing, as opposed to the adaptive format of
previous years. The book’s companion CD-ROM contains video tutorials
that illustrate PC repair techniques, and full-length, timed,
80-question conventional practice tests covering both modules (Core
Hardware and OS Technology) of the A+ certification exam.