The Mono Project is the much talked-about open source initiative to create a Unix implementation of Microsoft's .NET Development Framework. Its purpose is to allow Unix developers to build and deploy cross-platform .NET applications. The project has also sparked interest in developing components, libraries and frameworks with C#, the programming language of .NET.

The controversy? Some say Mono will become the preferred platform for Linux development, empowering Linux/Unix developers. Others say it will allow Microsoft to embrace, extend, and extinguish Linux. The controversy rages on, but--like many developers--maybe you've had enough talk and want to see what Mono is really all about.

There's one way to find out: roll up your sleeves, get to work, and see what you Mono can do. How do you start? You can research Mono at length. You can play around with it, hoping to figure things out for yourself. Or, you can get straight to work with "Mono: A Developer's Notebook"--a hands-on guide and your trusty lab partner as you explore Mono 1.0.

Light on theory and long on practical application, "Mono: A Developer's Notebook" bypasses the talk and theory, and jumps right into Mono 1.0. Diving quickly into a rapid tour of Mono, you'll work through nearly fifty mini-projects that will introduce you to the most important and compelling aspects of the 1.0 release. Using the task-oriented format of this new series, you'll learn how to acquire, install, and run Mono on Linux, Windows, or Mac OS X. You'll work with the various Mono components: Gtk#, the Common Language Runtime, the class libraries (both .NET and Mono-provided class libraries), IKVM and the Mono C# compiler. No other resourcewill take you so deeply into Mono so quickly or show you as effectively what Mono is capable of.

The new Developer's Notebooks series from O'Reilly covers important new tools for software developers. Emphasizing example over explanation and practice over theory, they focus on learning by doing--you'll get the goods straight from the masters, in an informal and code-intensive style that suits developers. If you've been curious about Mono, but haven't known where to start, this no-fluff, lab-style guide is the solution.

In Linux Unwired, you'll learn the basics of wireless computing, from the reasons why you'd want to go wireless in the first place, to setting up your wireless network or accessing wireless data services on the road. The book provides a complete introduction to all the wireless technologies supported by Linux. You'll learn how to install and configure a variety of wireless technologies to fit different scenarios, including an office or home network and for use on the road. You'll also learn how to get Wi-Fi running on a laptop, how to use Linux to create your own access point, and how to deal with cellular networks, Bluetooth, and Infrared. Other topics covered in the book include: Connecting to wireless hotspots; Cellular data plans you can use with Linux; Wireless security, including WPA and 802.1x; Finding and mapping Wi-Fi networks with kismet and gpsd; Connecting Linux to your Palm or Pocket PC; Sending text messages and faxes from Linux through your cellular phone Linux Unwired is a one-stop wireless information source for on-the-go Linux users.Whether you're considering Wi-Fi as a supplement or alternative to cable and DSL, using Bluetooth to network devices in your home or office,or want to use cellular data plans for access to data nearly everywhere, this book will show you the full-spectrum view of wireless capabilities of Linux, and how to take advantage of them.

If you're a web developer or designer ready to learn Rails, this unique book is the ideal way to start.

Rather than throw you into the middle of the framework's Model-View-Controller architecture, "Learning Rails 3" works from the outside in. You'll begin with the foundations of the Web you already know, and learn how to create something visible with Rails' view layer. "Then" you'll tackle the more difficult inner layers: the database models and controller code.

All you need to get started is HTML experience. Each chapter includes exercises and review questions to test your understanding as you go.Present content by building an application with a basic view and a simple controllerBuild forms and process their results, progressing from simple to more complexConnect forms to models by setting up a database, and create code that maps to database structuresUse Rails scaffolding to build applications from a view-centric perspectiveAdd common web application elements such as sessions, cookies, and authenticationBuild applications that combine data from multiple tablesSend and receive email messages from your applications

""Learning Rails 3" feels like a brisk pair programming session with professionals who know how to use Ruby on Rails to get things done, and get them done well."-Alan Harris, author of Sinatra: Up and Running