JBoss: A Developer's Notebook -- This Developer’s Notebook takes you on a complete tour of JBoss in a very unique way: rather than long discussions, you will find code--lots of code. In fact, the book is a collection of hands-on labs that take you through the critical JBoss features step-by-step. Don't just read about JBoss, learn it through direct practical application. Sample Chapter 9, Rolling Out JBoss, (PDF) is available free online.

SharePoint Office Pocket Guide -- With this handy reference as your guide, you can reap all the benefits of SharePoint. It shows you, in plain language, how to construct websites where individuals from all over can capture and share ideas. Learn how to upload documents, edit content, send alerts, track work items, add new team members, and much more.

Project 2003 Personal Trainer -- Entertaining, clear, and informative, this book begins with the fundamentals of planning and managing a project with Microsoft Project 2003, and then includes sections on working with task lists, updating a project, tracking progress, creating reports, and more. This fully illustrated Personal Trainer features dozens of time-saving, task-oriented lessons, includes detailed diagrams, and comes with an interactive CD tutorial to guide your learning. Sample Chapter 5, Working With Tasks (PDF) is available free online.

Astronomy Hacks -- Do you relish viewing and identifying celestial objects? Whether you're a first timer or an advanced hobbyist, this book makes a brilliant cosmic companion. This handy field guide covers the basics of observing, and what you need to know about tweaking, tuning, adjusting, and tricking out a telescope. Includes priceless tips and tools for using a Dobsonian Telescope that you can inexpensively build in your garage. Sample Hack 18, Print Custom Charts (PDF) is available free online.

UML 2.0 in a Nutshell -- This comprehensive guide has been crafted to help IT professionals read, create, and understand system artifacts expressed using UML, and it’s fully revised to cover UML 2.0. It not only provides a quick-reference to all UML 2.0 diagram types, it also explains key concepts in a way that appeals to readers already familiar with UML or object-oriented programming concepts. Also includes an example-rich tutorial for those new to the system. Sample Chapter 7, Use Case Diagrams (PDF) is available free online.

Maven: A Developer's Notebook -- If you're a Java programmer, this book will arm you with all the critical information you need to get up to speed on Maven. It forces you to get hands-on experience by working through a series of poignant exercises that speak to you instead of at you. In the end, you'll find yourself spending less time working on your project's build system and more time working on your project's code. Sample Chapter 1, Maven Jump-Start (PDF) is available free online.

Web Mapping Illustrated -- This clear and concise book shows you how to create maps (even interactive maps) with open source tools, including MapServer, OpenEV, GDAL/OGR, and PostGIS. It also explains how to find, collect, understand, use, and share mapping data, both over the traditional web and using OGC-standard services like WFS and WMS. Sample Chapter 3, Converting and Viewing Maps (PDF) is available free online.

Exchange Server Cookbook -- This comprehensive how-to guide covers the most common tasks for both Exchange 2000 and Exchange Server 2003, everything from installation and maintenance to configuration and optimization. In addition, you'll find solutions to many uncommon tasks, advanced procedures, and ways to write scripts for Exchange management and deployment tasks. What’s more, you'll get answers quickly because chapters are laid out by recipe with cross-references to related solutions. Sample Chapter 9, Public Folder Management (PDF) is available free online.

ASP.NET 2.0: A Developer's Notebook -- To bring you up to speed with ASP.NET 2.0, this practical book offers nearly 50 hands-on projects. Each one explores a new feature of the language, with emphasis on changes that can increase productivity, simplify programming tasks, and help you add new functionality to your applications. You get the goods straight from the masters in an informal, code-intensive style. Sample Chapter 1, What's New? (PDF) is available free online.

Knoppix Pocket Reference -- If you want more information than the average Knoppix user, this book is an absolutely essential addition to your personal library. This handy reference shows you how to use Knoppix to troubleshoot and repair your computer, how to customize the Knoppix CD, run RAM memory checks, recover data from a damaged hard drive, scan for viruses on a Windows system, and much more.

Firefox Secrets: A Need-to-Know Guide (SitePoint) -- This is a must-read guide for anyone who wants to learn how to browse faster and more conveniently with Firefox. It will teach you to use all the hidden features, extensions, and tricks available to Firefox. It's loaded with tips and advice on everything from reading RSS feeds from within Firefox to essential tools for developers, with plenty of examples throughout.

Internet Annoyances: Searching Annoyances -- Do you spend more time on the internet searching for things rather than actually finding them? It's easy to type a few words into a search box, but it's tough to get succinct results. There's a wealth of information out there, though, and the tips within Chapter 8 of Internet Annoyances will show you how to bend search engines to your will and track down whatever you're seeking. If you like this chapter, read the whole book (and up to nine others) on Safari with a free trial subscription.

Going to the Movies (and More) in iTunes -- Have you played with the video functionality in iTunes? If not, J.D Biersdorfer presents a few things that Steve Jobs has mentioned--and a few he hasn't. J.D. is the author of iPod and iTunes: The Missing Manual, 3rd Edition.

Cooking with Windows Server, Part 1 -- In this book excerpt, Robbie Allen shows you how to activate Windows Server 2003, how to find large folders and files on a volume, and how to hide a file or folder. Robbie is the author of Windows Server Cookbook.

Second Annual Web 2.0 Conference -- We're assembling a select group of thought leaders and innovators to explore this year's theme, "Revving The Web," focusing on the services, applications, businesses, and models that are reshaping the internet, particularly for media and entertainment, communications and mobile, policies and legal issues, and the concept of the web OS. Request an invitation to join us October 5-7 in San Francisco for three extraordinary days of discussion, debate, announcements, and fun.

Top Ten Questions People Ask About Switching to Internet Telephones -- James Gaskin blames internet telephone vendors and the press for dropping the information ball when it comes to the basic questions consumers have about switching to internet telephones. If you're contemplating a switch, James has answers to ten most frequently asked questions about dropping your traditional telephone provider for broadband. James is the author of Talk Is Cheap.

Special Offer: Linux/Unix SysAdmin Certificate -- Learn system administration skills online and receive certification from the University of Illinois Office of Continuing Education. Courses include: The Unix File System, Networking and DNS, Unix Services (including email and web servers), and Scripting for Administrators with Sed, Awk, and Perl. It's all at the O'Reilly Learning Lab. Enroll now and save 40%. Offer extended until July 15th.

Java City: The Java Enterprise Ecosystem -- Should we worry about promoting a healthy Java community? Or is everything just fine in Java City? Jim Farley asks you to weigh in on these questions, and others, in the Talkbacks. He plans a followup article summarizing what you have to say. Your comments may help to shape content in Jim's upcoming book, Java Enterprise in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition, due out in the fall.

Powering Up Terminal Services with Service Pack 1 -- Terminal Services is a powerful feature of Windows Server 2003 that lets users access Windows-based programs across an enterprise, and Service Pack 1 includes useful enhancements to Terminal Services. Mitch Tulloch offers details and tips on how to make the best use of Service Pack 1. Mitch is the author of Windows Server Hacks.

New Titles on Safari -- The titles available on Safari Bookshelf continue to grow everyday. The newest O'Reilly titles added include Internet Annoyances, Excel Personal Trainer, Windows XP Home: The Missing Manual, ASP.NET 2.0: A Developer's Notebook, and Access Hacks, just to name a few. With a Safari subscription, the entire collection is at your fingertips. If you haven't checked out Safari, try a free trial subscription.

OSCON 2005 Is Around the Corner -- O'Reilly's Open Source Convention, August 1-5 in Portland, Oregon, is the crossroads of all things open source. Join us at this essential gathering of open source leaders and practitioners of every persuasion to exchange ideas and push the boundaries of vital open source technologies. Don't wait to live vicariously through friends who attend, and register today.

Hacking Maps -- You've got the address, but where is that in GPS terms? In these two excerpts, learn how to geocode a U.S. street address, as well as a whole database of addresses, using the geocoder.us web services. For the entire collection of one hundred hacks, check out the newly released Mapping Hacks.

How to Talk About Jini, J2EE, and Web Services at a Cocktail Party -- Heard about distributed technologies for Java, but not quite sure what they are or why they're important? Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates show you how to hold your own in conversation with Java geeks with this cocktail-party overview. Kathy and Bert are the authors of Head First Java, 2nd Edition.

Refactoring with Visual Studio Macros -- Refactoring consists of a plethora of different small changes (or "refactorings") that you can make to your code. Although these changes are small enough to quickly test and have a low risk factor, in total, they increase the overall quality of your code base or application. James Avery discusses a macro approach to refactoring. James is the author of Visual Studio Hacks.