Today is the official release date of my newest title -- the Ubuntu Linux Desktop Visual Blueprint. Though April 9 is the "official" date of release, I just got back from Singapore where I saw copies of the book already on display in the bookstores!
The Ubuntu Linux Visual Blueprint covers the Hardy Heron release of the Ubuntu Desktop operating system and goes into a great deal of detail concerning not only the base OS, but also the bundled applications, including Open Office. If you are looking to adopt the Ubuntu Desktop, this book is a nice "how to" -- the "missing manual" if you will.
If you have not looked at the Ubuntu Desktop, but are curious about whether a Linux desktop system is right for you, I would encourage you to download Hardy Heron and check it out. It's quite impressive and for many people would be a perfectly acceptable Windows replacement. Indeed, those of you who are tech-oriented really have no excuse any more. If you're sick of Windows, you now have a viable option.
This title is my second for Wiley's Visual Blueprint Series. The books take a visual, step-by-step approach to the subject and are highly task-oriented. I'm working now on another title for Wiley, this time the Joomla! Bible, which is slated for release in September of this year.
Today is a big day for me -- I finally take the wraps off my new site and I also have the green light from my publisher to announce the new book!
First, the site: The designers at water&stone came up with this Drupal theme for me. I'd moved my site to Drupal at about the same time I released the Drupal 5 Themes book, but frankly wasn't making the most of it. It's a complex system and I just didn't have the time to give it the attention it deserved. Now, almost two years later, I feel a lot more comfortable with it and have grown to love it, frankly. I am, therefore, thrilled to have a site that not only shows Drupal looking good but also takes advantage of at least some of the functionality that Drupal does so well. (I'll post here in the next day or so about the rebuild, but suffice it to say for now that I am really happy to have this system in place.)
Second, as to the book. I've signed with Wiley & Co. to do another title for them. This is the third time we've worked together. They are expanding the coverage of their famous Bible series to include select open source content management systems and I am fortunate to be working on the first title-- the Joomla! Bible. This book should be good news for all interested in Joomla! As you may know from Wiley's other Bible publications, the series strives for a comprehensive and thorough treatment of each topic. Expect this new book to arrive in bookstores in late Q3 or early Q4 and to weigh in on the hefty side of things. More details to come as I get them.
I hope you enjoy the site! (Check out the Feed Roundup!)
Today is the official release of my newest book - Drupal 6 Themes. Here is the press release from my publisher, Packt Publishing:
Packt is pleased to announce a new book that teaches users to create and modify themes for Drupal websites. Written by prominent Open Source and Content Management expert Ric Shreves, Drupal 6 Themes helps users create a striking new look for their Drupal websites with clean layout and powerful CSS styling.
