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Introduction to the Theory of Computation, Second Edition

Average customer rating:

well-organized, progressive, and understandable
Great book on the subject
Very readable, diverse, and a little sparse
Most appropriate for CS students
Excellent accessible textbook on the theory of computation

Introduction to the Theory of Computation, Second Edition
Michael Sipser
Manufacturer: Course Technology
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Introduction to Algorithms
Computers and Intractability: A Guide to the Theory of NP-Completeness (Series of Books in the Mathematical Sciences)
Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation (3rd Edition)
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ASIN: 0534950973

Amazon.com

"Intended as an upper-level undergraduate or introductory graduate text in computer science theory," this book lucidly covers the key concepts and theorems of the theory of computation. The presentation is remarkably clear; for example, the "proof idea," which offers the reader an intuitive feel for how the proof was constructed, accompanies many of the theorems and a proof. Introduction to the Theory of Computation covers the usual topics for this type of text plus it features a solid section on complexity theory--including an entire chapter on space complexity. The final chapter introduces more advanced topics, such as the discussion of complexity classes associated with probabilistic algorithms.

Book Description

This highly anticipated revision builds upon the strengths of the previous edition. Sipser?s candid, crystal-clear style allows students at every level to understand and enjoy this field.

Customer Reviews:

well-organized, progressive, and understandable.......2007-01-06

As an intro to the theoretical background to computer science goes, this book is about as readable and approachable as you can get.

It gives a very thorough treatment of the whole theoretical basis, from regular languages and pumping lemmas out through Turing machines and related issues, and on to some interesting language classes (like NP and PSpace-complete).

If there's a single sticking point with the book, it's that it insists on a very strict formalism (ie: everything is proof-based) -- something necessary for the topic, but it sometimes renders the material a bit hard to digest.

Great book on the subject.......2006-12-27

If you are interested in or for other reasons must read a book on this subject, this is the book. I took a class last semester which used Hopcroft as the text and I found myself often turning to this book for better understanding. This book is more intuitive and thus a bit less formal than Hopcroft but when trying to learn, understanding is better than mathematical formalism. If you are new to the subject, Sipser is the book to begin with.

Very readable, diverse, and a little sparse.......2006-11-25

This is a wonderful little gem of a book that presents the theory of computation in a fascinating way. It is targeted at advanced undergraduates in computer science, but assumes remarkably little prior knowledge, making it accessible to nearly anyone. The book covers a lot of ground, including the standard fare of automata, computability, and complexity results, plus some bonus material such as probablistic and parallel complexity, information theory, decidable logical theories, and other topics that are normally left out of introductory books. On top of this, the book is remarkably thin!

The best attribute of Sipser's book, though, is the engaging style. This is an easy book to read. You will not feel like you're running into a brick wall, as is sometimes the case with books on abstract topics. It's not so much that the book is slow or gentle (it's really not) as that it is interesting, engaging, and has a knack for stopping short of getting too caught up in details. A number of small things -- the occasional amusing exercise, the "proof idea" sections, or helpful pictures -- add up to an enjoyable reading experience.

Two cautions are appropriate to students considering this book. First, there are variations between authors in the definitions of various automata (especially PDAs). The differences are trivial, and more a matter of taste than of any real importance; but it could come up if you use Sipser as a supplement to a course that follows a different textbook. Second, the coverage of many topics in Sipser's book is brief and concise, sometimes more than you might like. Some important concepts (for example, pairwise distinguishability of strings) are only mentioned in exercises, not in the main chapter, so at least skim all the exercises even if you don't do them. The sketchy coverage is especially pronounced in advanced topics, so (as always) expect to do some filling in of concepts if you go on into further study of this area.

Most appropriate for CS students.......2006-06-01

As a teacher of the subject, I have had the chance to evaluate numerous books on the theory of computation. Of all the available texts, I think this one is the most appropriate for CS students. In the past I taught out of Dexter Kozen's book, which is incredibly elegant, but had some resistance from the students. Thinking it over I decided that Kozen's text, although beautiful, may be better suited to students pursuing a degree in pure math. Sipser's book, on the other hand, is more gentle. I find that Sipser demands far less mathematical maturity from his readers, and thus allows the difficulty to be shifted from excessive formalism to the inherent challenges present in the material. In addition, following Sipser's treatment, I was able to cover finite state machines and pushdown automata in far less time, thus allowing me to concentrate on computability and beyond. The book really shines in its treatment of computability theory, eloquently directing attention to some of the most beautiful aspects.

Another benefit of Sipser's book is the exercises, of which there are many more in this edition. Someone studying on their own should find the initial group of exercises in each section quite approachable. Even the more challenging problems are not incredibly hard, and typically draw their difficulty from the deeper themes of the chapter instead of obscure details.

If you are looking for an enjoyable, well-paced book with an introduction to computability and complexity that is truly inspiring, this is the one for you. A mathematician looking for a bit more rigor may do better with Kozen.

Excellent accessible textbook on the theory of computation.......2006-05-09

The theory of computation is the branch of computer science that deals with whether and how efficiently problems can be solved on a computer. The field is divided into two major branches: computability theory and complexity theory, but both branches deal with formal models of computation, and both of these subjects are dealt with in this book. This is an important subject because no matter what leaps forward computers make, something that is proved undecidable and not computable will always be so, thus the theory behind this subject is very important.
This book is the most readable text on the subject that I have found. If this is a textbook you have been assigned, you are indeed fortunate. If not, this is an outstanding supplement to clarify what is presented in more terse books on the subject. I present the book's contents in the context of the table of contents:
Chapter 0 is an introduction of concepts and definitions in algorithms and mathematics that you will need know to succeed at understanding the concepts in the rest of this book.
Chapter 1, "Regular Languages", starts by answering the question "What is a computer?". This begins with a discussion of the simplest of machines, the finite automaton, which is basically a state machine. It turns out that a language is regular if some finite automaton recognizes it. Simple examples that explain the concepts are given.
Chapter 2, "Context-Free Languages", introduces the pushdown automaton, which is a finite automaton that can make use of a stack containing data in a binary form. The term "pushdown automata" currently refers to abstract computing devices that recognize context-free languages.
Chapter 3, "The Church Turing Thesis", turns to a more powerful model of computing than has been presented so far called "The Turing Machine". The formal definition of a Turing Machine is given along with examples of problems that can be solved by Turing Machines that could not be solved by the less powerful models.
Chapter 4, "Decidability", turns to the exploration of the limits of algorithmic solvability. Thus, algorithmic decidability is defined as follows: Given string w, does w belong to the language? The algorithm is not allowed to run into an infinite loop and has to produce a YES/NO answer for any input string after a finite amount of time. The importance of studying this is so that if you find a problem that is algorithmically unsolvable, you know that you must break the problem into smaller solvable portions if it is to be computable.
Chapter 5, "Reducability", presents a means of proving that a problem is unsolvable. This is done by reducing the first problem into a second problem that can be used to solve the first problem. If this can be done, the first problem is solvable.
Chapter 6, "Advanced Topics in Computability Theory", delves into several deeper aspects of computability theory. This includes the recursion theorem, logical theories, Turing reducibility, and descriptive complexity.
Chapter 7, "Time Complexity", is a turn from the previous material. It discusses the idea that even though a problem may be computable in principle, it may not be solvable in practice due to the time required. This chapter attempts to quantify this idea and should be familiar material for any student of the theory of algorithms.
Chapter 8, "Space Complexity", serves as a study of a further problem in computability. Inordinate amounts of memory requirements may make a problem insolvable in practice.
Chapter 9,"Intractibility", adds mathematical rigor to the idea of a problem that is computable in theory but not in practice.
Chapter 10, "Advanced Topics in Complexity Theory", contains sections on approximation algorithms, interactive proof systems, parallel computation, and cryptography from the standpoint of quantifying each problem's computability.
This book is now in its second edition, but I have examined it and I cannot really figure out why. The material is virtually the same as the first edition. Thus, if you are just buying this book for self-teaching or as a supplement, save yourself some money and go with the first edition if you can find it used. There are no solutions to the exercises, but there are plenty of examples throughout the book. Also, this is such a common textbook, you can usually find the solutions to most of the exercises on the web. You should at least have had a course in discrete mathematics and knowledge of at least one programming language to succeed in understanding this book.

Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation (3rd Edition)

Average customer rating:

Good, but just it
Automata theory. The heart of Computer Science
Eh... Whatever...
Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation
Disappointing - Not a great first book

Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation (3rd Edition)
John E. Hopcroft , Rajeev Motwani , and Jeffrey D. Ullman
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Introduction to the Theory of Computation, Second Edition
Computers and Intractability: A Guide to the Theory of NP-Completeness (Series of Books in the Mathematical Sciences)
The Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms (Addison-Wesley Series in Computer Science and Information Processing)
Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools (2nd Edition)
Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 0321462254

Amazon.com

This book is a rigorous exposition of formal languages and models of computation, with an introduction to computational complexity. The authors present the theory in a concise and straightforward manner, with an eye out for the practical applications. Exercises at the end of each chapter, including some that have been solved, help readers confirm and enhance their understanding of the material. This book is appropriate for upper-level computer science undergraduates who are comfortable with mathematical arguments.

Book Description

This classic book on formal languages, automata theory, and computational complexity has been updated to present theoretical concepts in a concise and straightforward manner with the increase of hands-on, practical applications. This new edition comes with Gradiance, an online assessment tool developed for computer science.

Gradiance is the most advanced online assessment tool developed for the computer science discipline. With its innovative underlying technology, Gradiance turns basic homework assignments and programming labs into an interactive learning experience for students. By using a series of âroot questionsâ and hints, it not only tests a student’s capability, but actually simulates a one-on-one teacher-student tutorial that allows for the student to more easily learn the material. Through the programming labs, instructors are capable of testing, tracking, and honing their students’ skills, both in terms of syntax and semantics, with an unprecedented level of assessment never before offered.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but just it.......2007-06-27

A good book, but just it.
It's like a normal book. It's not bad but not excellent...

Automata theory. The heart of Computer Science.......2007-04-06

Excellent book. Nothing to say for this one.

Eh... Whatever..........2007-01-21

Uhm... I had to buy this book because it was a required text for a required course. Who would buy a book like this otherwise? Duh!

Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation .......2007-01-04

I have used this book as a self-study guide. What I love the most about this title is the Gradiance online service. I could explore Automata theory a lot more by various feedback from working out Gradiance execises. I highly recommend this title.

Disappointing - Not a great first book.......2006-12-27

I had to use this for a Formal Models of Computation class last semester. It's okay but can be hard to follow. It is often hard to learn from the examples. The formalism and proof gets in the way of intuition. It would make a better 2nd book or reference than a first book on the subject. I supplemented the book with Sipser and found that a much better book for learning from. Hopcroft (this book) is more mathematical in nature but the explanation is harder to follow. If you have a choice, go with Sipser.

As near as I can tell, the big improvement in the 3rd edition over the 2nd is the inclusion of some online practice problems. If your class isn't going to be using these, can you save money by going with the older copy.

Introduction to Languages and the Theory of Computation

Average customer rating:

Less than elegant
Lacks educational value
Breadth Of Information
Terrible book
Good textbook for computation theory starter

Introduction to Languages and the Theory of Computation
John Martin
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Amazon.com

Even those with little mathematical background will be able to understand this user-friendly book, which focuses on formal languages and models of computation. (The author devotes an entire chapter to induction and recursive definitions.) Introduction to Languages and the Theory of Computation weaves numerous examples and highly readable discussions of the key ideas--and how they fit into the larger picture--in between rigorous proofs of the theorems.

Book Description

Introduction to Languages and the Theory of Computation is an introduction to the theory of computation that emphasizes formal languages, automata and abstract models of computation, and computability; it also includes an introduction to computational complexity and NP-completeness. Through the study of these topics, students encounter profound computational questions and are introduced to topics that will have an ongoing impact in computer science. Once students have seen some of the many diverse technologies contributing to computer science, they can also begin to appreciate the field as a coherent discipline. A distinctive feature of this text is its gentle and gradual introduction of the necessary mathematical tools in the context in which they are used. Martin takes advantage of the clarity and precision of mathematical language but also provides discussion and examples that make the language intelligible to those just learning to read and speak it. The material is designed to be accessible to students who do not have a strong background in discrete mathematics, but it is also appropriate for students who have had some exposure to discrete math but whose skills in this area need to be consolidated and sharpened.

Customer Reviews:

Less than elegant.......2006-11-27

As far as basic ideas of automata goes, this book will do. It's not phenomenal, and it's not awful. It is merely sufficient. The main problem is that it lacks elegance in a number of places. In many places, it feels sloppy. Definitions are almost arbitrary, and often lack rigor. Techniques are long, tedious, and not very interesting. (This is nowhere more evident that the finite automaton -> regular expression conversion from Ch. 4, which has a really neat solution that this book does NOT give.) Yet, despite all this, it conveys the important ideas nevertheless.

As far as developing skills for more advanced concepts of theory of computation, things don't look so good. This book's approach can be described as attempting, by sheer force, to make automata problems fit into rather vanilla proof techniques that readers will probably have already learned. The result is likely to do little more than convince readers that the subject is hard.

Lacks educational value.......2004-01-18

During the course this book has been anything but helpful. The introductory part is a laugh as it takes for given you as a reader is very deep into mathematical lingo and proofs. Indeed the poofs are some of the worst written, many of them using statements as "Clearly it is..." and "It is now easy to see...", well, no, it isn't easy and mostly seems like a shortcut from the author to excuse himself from actual explanations.

Even worse is the examples where solutions reference something form an excercise, here's a hint to Mr Martin, students don't solve all the extremly many excercises unless asked to, so saying something will be clear after a certain excercise doesn't work, how will we ever know if we're right or wrong?

The educational value is very low due to the authors way of writing, never really getting the point across and always assuming the reader knows exactly what's going on. This is certainly not the way to teach people rather complex things. All in all anyone should look elsewhere to have a chance.

Breadth Of Information.......2003-11-25

I normally don't write reviews. Couple of not very positive reviews could not stop me writing one for this title. In my opinion, this book really presents a breadth of information
on the subject. If one is considering to buy this book, one should have due background in Discrete Mathematics.

Terrible book.......2003-01-08

This book is awful. Hard to follow along with the reading. Poor examples, lacking and skipping many steps when there actually is an example. Answers to a few of the questions would have been nice, to know if the problems were done correctly. Must be a master of discrete mathmatics to have any understanding what is going on. I have seen many better books.

Good textbook for computation theory starter.......2002-12-29

I read this book during my preparation for a comprehensive exam, which includes materials about theory of computation. I was bad at theory all the time, but reading this book removes all my confusions. It looks like lots of math at first glance, but all the theorems explained clearly after the declarations. This book is also very helpful to understand the fundamental theory for programming languages. I recommend this book for all new graduate students of computer science.

Introduction to Functional Programming using Haskell (2nd Edition)

Average customer rating:

Original classic, theoretical
Nice book on functional programming

Introduction to Functional Programming using Haskell (2nd Edition)
Richard Bird
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall PTR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Haskell Road To Logic, Maths And Programming (Texts in Computing S.)
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ASIN: 0134843460

Customer Reviews:

Original classic, theoretical.......2004-11-27

Bird and Wadler got me started on functional programming. Before that, I'd only seen discussions of C++/STL functors and functions like for, map etcetera.

B&W was dense, and magic. It reminded me of the first time I read the K&R C book, you're following along fine, and all of a sudden you're off the deep end!

The syntax, sort of ML-like adds to the 'magic' feel of it all. Overall I think it's a good book. But like with K&R, make this your second or third book, to ground you in the fundamentals after you've become somewhat familiar with the syntax and application of a particular fnal language.

That said, it covers a wide breadth of topics, and does justice to them as well. But this opinion comes from a newbie at functional programming, so caveat lector!

For me, it made me realise that there was a whole 'new' way of programming, vastly bigger than the few functions C++ had in its STL, and that C++ syntax mostly got in the way. However, perhaps because of this book, I never quite grokked Haskell/ML syntax either, though LISP I find easy (easier).

Nice book on functional programming.......2002-11-17

This is a good introduction to functional programming.
It is less language specific than some of the other books.

Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach

Average customer rating:

A great supplement and right sized for travel too!
thought that this book was wonderful, but...
Great on algorithm design, not that good on analysis
Not good for beginners
fantastic

Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach
Udi Manber
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Introduction to Algorithms
A Discipline of Programming
Compared to What?: An Introduction to the Anaylsis of Algorithms (Principles of Computer Science Series)
The Algorithm Design Manual
Algorithm Design

ASIN: 0201120372

Customer Reviews:

A great supplement and right sized for travel too!.......2007-01-25

I really like this book as a supplement to the algorithm bible (Introduction to Algorithms, Thomas Cormen et al). This book is tiny and portable yet every major algorithm is covered. Basics, like mathematical induction are reviewed and illustrated with relevant examples.

One of the ways that Udi Manber packs so much information into such a small package is by keeping verbosity to a minimum. In his proofs, only the most complicated steps are justified or explained. As a result the reader may find herself spending time justifying steps in the proofs that are unrelated to the problem at hand. I did not mind doing this; others may. Regardless, the persistent reader will find that within the pages of this book lies all of the information required to understand all of the algorithms covered (and of course, it never hurts to keep a notebook, pencil and several erasers handy).

I would not recommend this book as a reference; rather, it provides a refreshingly new perspective on algorithms that may seem old and dusty. I've spent more time and energy per page on this book than any other CS book I've had but the ROI has been well worth the effort.

thought that this book was wonderful, but..........2006-04-10

...I changed my mind after trying to use this book alone to implement FFT. Its description is quite clear and simple, much simpler than the Rivest et al book or wikipedia. Unfortunately, though clear, it is not complete and it is not possible to actually implement FFT using this book alone. I ended up having to use the Rivest et al book (which I had on CD via DDJ) along with this book to implement it. (Wikipedia was truly hopeless for trying to understand the FFT algorithm.) I was able to implement FFT in a single page of Python code because of Manber's description.

For giving very simple explanations of a number of algorithms, this book is fantastic. Just don't rely on it for the technical details.

Great on algorithm design, not that good on analysis.......2005-04-25

I like this book a lot. I think it's a good reference and introductory text, maybe as a supplement. It's much easier to read than Cormen's, but not half as deep.

Pros:
- Easy to read. You can understand an algorithm much faster if you go to this book first.
- Good examples and pictures.
- Explain the ideas that lead to efficient algorithmic designs.

Cons:
- Doesn't go into enough details about the proofs of correctness and complexity.
- The approach is different than most books and may take some time to get used to.

Not good for beginners.......2004-07-08

The book is complete and correct, no argument there. However, I had a lot of trouble learning from it. I had to re-read the same paragraph a number of times in order to derive comprehensive meaning from the author's scant explanations. The author usually walks through a sample problem, but then provides little or no guidance for solving an arbitrary problem of the same type. Likewise, although the book centers on induction, it was extremely difficult to follow with no prior induction education.

The author often presents the answer to some given problem with words like "obviously" or "clearly" without making things at all clear or obvious to the student. I kept wishing that the author wouldn't be so tight-lipped and would spend some extra time clarifying the issues at hand.

fantastic.......2003-10-25

It's a very perfect book to become familiar with main
methods of producing effective algorithms.

Introduction to Parallel Computing: Design and Analysis of Parallel Algorithms

Average customer rating:

Just great
Essential 4 any prospective parallel computing professional
Good book on parallel computing
Great details and insightful

Introduction to Parallel Computing: Design and Analysis of Parallel Algorithms
Vipin Kumar , Ananth Grama , Anshul Gupta , and George Karpis
Manufacturer: Benjamin-Cummings Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Textbook Binding

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Parallel Programming With MPI
Parallel Scientific Computing in C++ and MPI: A Seamless Approach to Parallel Algorithms and their Implementation
Introduction to Parallel Algorithms (Wiley Series on Parallel and Distributed Computing)
The Sourcebook of Parallel Computing (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Architecture and Design)
An Introduction to Parallel Computing: Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Second Edition

ASIN: 0805331700

Customer Reviews:

Just great.......2002-04-25

Excellent introduction to the field, specially for the beginner. There is no other book as clear and concise as this one. If you need an introduction to parallel computing / programming, buy the second edition of this book now!

Essential 4 any prospective parallel computing professional.......2000-11-30

I bought this book when I was a 2nd grade CS student. I planned to start my research project in supercomputing field. So I decided to study the aspects of parallel computing starting by its concepts and programming. As a programmer I found that I would need the general view before coding. Kumar's book is great in which it gives you generalized overview of hardware and software architectures. He and his contributors don't take care of what system nor language you're using. Instead, they want you to learn Parallel Programming. Scientific and non-numerical algorithms are overviewed and explained mathematically. They prove everything they state by using mathematics. I don't know any better way. Do you? It's worth every penny.

Good book on parallel computing.......2000-10-26

This book is a very good one for the parallel computing fields. The most interesting parts of the book to me are the parallel alogrithms design & analysis. The ideas are explained clearly and the exercises are nice too. I would like to recommend this book to all my friends who are interested in parallel computing.

Great details and insightful.......1998-10-28

This one is must for someone who has needs an introductory course for parallel computing. It dealt with the fundamental of parallel computing in terms of algorithms decide.

A Practical Introduction to Denotational Semantics (Cambridge Computer Science Texts)

Average customer rating:

The Cliffs Notes of denotational semantics

A Practical Introduction to Denotational Semantics (Cambridge Computer Science Texts)
L. Allison
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Compiling with Continuations
Basic Category Theory for Computer Scientists (Foundations of Computing)
Formal Semantics of Programming Languages
The Haskell Road To Logic, Maths And Programming (Texts in Computing S.)
An Introduction To Lambda Calculi For Computer Scientists

ASIN: 0521314232

Book Description

This textbook is an introduction to denotational semantics and its applications to programming languages. Dr Allison emphasizes a practical approach and the student is encouraged to write and test denotational definitions. The first section is devoted to the mathematical foundations of the subject and sufficient detail is given to illustrate the fundamental problems. The remainder of the book covers the use of denotational semantics to describe sequential programming languages such as Algol, Pascal and C. Throughout, numerous exercises, usually in Pascal, will help the student practise writing definitions and carry out simple applications. The book culminates in discussing an executable semantics of the logic-programming language Prolog. Being an introduction, advanced undergraduates in computer science and graduates new to the subject will find this a readily accessible account of one of the central topics of computer science.

Customer Reviews:

The Cliffs Notes of denotational semantics.......2004-12-20

I found this book a great help while taking a class in grad school on denotational semantics. (It's not my area -- I'm a systems person.) It covers the important concepts clearly and quickly.

Average customer rating:

Simply the Best Book on Distributed Algorithms!
translation
Distributed Algorithms

Introduction to Distributed Algorithms
Gerard Tel
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Distributed Algorithms (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Data Management Systems)
Elements of Distributed Computing
Concurrent and Distributed Computing in Java
Distributed Systems: Concepts and Design (4th Edition) (International Computer Science)
Distributed Systems: Principles and Paradigms (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 0521794838

Book Description

The second edition of this successful textbook provides an up-to-date introduction both to distributed algorithms and to the theory behind them. The clear presentation makes the book suitable for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses, while the coverage is sufficiently deep to make it useful for practicing engineers and researchers. The author concentrates on algorithms for the point-to-point message passing model and includes algorithms for the implementation of computer communication networks. Two new chapters on sense of direction and failure detectors are state of the art and will provide an entry to research in these still-developing topics.

Customer Reviews:

Simply the Best Book on Distributed Algorithms!.......2004-01-24

Gerard Tel's is easily the best compilation of distributed computing algorithms existing. First the contents:

I found its coverage to be excellent, broad yet deep coverage on network algorithms and protocols for communication, routing, deadlock-free packet switching, election, termination, global snapshot, sychronization, authenticating, self-stabilization, failure detection, wave, traversal, deadlock detection, fault tolerance, consensus, sense of direction and orientation, etc. It terms of breadth of coverage no existing book compares to this book. In particular it covers more recent areas like sense of direction and orientation and wave algorithms missed by its main competitor Nancy Lynch's Distributed Algorithms.

It uses very intuitive pseudocode and the algorthimic analysis and proofs are quite intuitive and easier to understand.

My complaints: The coverage in a few areas like consensus are not nearly as comprehensive as Nancy Lynch's. Also, Tel covers algorithms for asynchronous systems mostly and synchronous systems, but Nancy Lynch covers partially synchronous systems as well.

I recommend Gerard Tel's book which costs less and has a deeper and broader topic coverage. For balance you need both books if you can afford them (and indeed Vijay Garg's Elemenets of Distributed Computing as well). Vijay Garg's new book - Concurrent and Distributed Computing in Java would be the best for you if your focus is distributed software development as opposed to algorithmic computing.

For coverage of distributed systems principles, design and architecture I recommend one of the 3 'Distributed Systems' books by Courolis OR Andrew Tanenbaum OR Sape Mullender.

translation.......2003-05-11

Je trouve à M. Tel le maître des algorithmes distribués. Les concepts sont précis et bien documentés. Le livre est très complet, très claire et on peut trouver une extense bibliographie sur le sujet.

>>
I find the author to be a master of distributed algorithms. The concepts were precise and well written. The book is very complete, very clear and you'll find in it an extensive coverage on the the subject.
>>

Distributed Algorithms.......2001-01-18

Languages and Machines: An Introduction to the Theory of Computer Science (3rd Edition)

Average customer rating:

No Examples , No Answers, No Hints
A Good Book for a Tough Subject
emphasises the Turing machine
horrified
Taught by the author!

Languages and Machines: An Introduction to the Theory of Computer Science (3rd Edition)
Thomas A. Sudkamp
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Programming Languages: Concepts and Constructs, Second Edition
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Introduction to the Theory of Computation, Second Edition

ASIN: 0321322215

Amazon.com

Languages and Machines is a user-friendly text that covers the key ideas of the theory of computation clearly and thoroughly. Examples and numerous diagrams, including diagrams that illustrate the principle of induction, aid in the understanding of the material. Relative to other books containing similar information, this text contains in-depth coverage of languages and parsing.

Book Description

The third edition of Languages and Machines: An Introduction to the Theory of Computer Science provides readers with a mathematically sound presentation of the theory of computer science. The theoretical concepts and associated mathematics are made accessible by a "learn as you go" approach that develops an intuitive understanding of the concepts through numerous examples and illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

No Examples , No Answers, No Hints.......2006-11-20

Besides the fact that the book is "dry", in which most Math theory based books are, the examples are just the basis step towards solving a problem. I equate it to teaching a child how to add, and just giving them the example "1 + 0", then assume they can figure out the rest. There are no answers, either in the back of the book for particular exercies, nor was a study guide made available. What is really shocking is that it's the most expensive book out there! Not to mention that there isn't any programming steps made available. Great text for a Math major ... horrible textbook for Computer Science Majors, mainly because computer science majors would want to see programming examples and may not be as strongly math oriented as a Math major would be.

A Good Book for a Tough Subject.......2006-02-15

Abstract language theory is hard, but Languages and Machines does a very good job of explaining the subject step by step. The topics are covered extremely thoroughly and with just the right amount of rigor. As for those who claim it's not exciting enough, you can't get blood out of a stone. Only the most dedicated computer scientist and mathematicians will find this topic interesting. Even so, this book does a superb job of tying theory to application (e.g., the machines one can use language theory to build) for even the most obscure concepts (like the Greibach Normal Form).

That being said, there are a few problems. First, the author's claim that this is a book for undergrads is not credible (except perhaps at MIT or CalTech). Even my graduate students have to read sections multiple times to "get it". Second, the author needs to provide solutions to selected problems at the back of the textbook. Most theory books do this, but not this one. This is a major weakness, especially given the difficulty of the material. Lastly, Sudkamp's proofs are extremely dry and very difficult to follow. He should take a cue from Sipser's excellent book (Intro to Theory of Computation) and introduce "proof ideas" to give the big picture for important proofs.

emphasises the Turing machine.......2005-09-29

[A review of the 3RD EDITION, 2005.]

Sudkamp gives a formal and rigorous explanation of what constitutes a language. Where this is deliberately taken to include both natural (spoken) languages and programming languages. To do this, you should note that the treatment is necessarily non-trivial. It is not a lightweight book, conceptually.

The book summarises decades of work in this field, that have attempted to reduce human languages to a form that could be "understood" by a machine. So he explains the various techniques that have arisen. Like finite state machines (finite automata).

Notably, he discusses what is a Turing machine. A universal computing engine, that all other computers can map to. Such a Turing machine might be deterministic or non-deterministic. You can learn very powerful unifying ideas.

From the construct of a Turing machine, the book uses this to delve into problems that are NP complete or P complete. The implementation of a solution as steps to be done by a Turing machine are elegant, and show how such a machine, while an idealisation, can be used to give provable results.

horrified.......2005-09-22

The book is incredibly boring. If you're condemned to read it (say, it's required reading for your qualifiers), I strongly recommend that you find a group of people to study w/ and pool your resources to only buy a single copy. The lack of answers at the back of the book makes self study difficult, and groupwork might be the only way to stay awake.

I wish to God I could think of another book to recommend over this one. I imagine any will do.

Taught by the author!.......2004-09-21

Hey,
I was fortunate enough to learn this course from the author of the book. The book by itself might seem tough. The fault lies in the fact that subject matter is not altogether too simple to understand without someone teaching it to you!

With the help of the instructor, we did learn a lot about formal languages, finite automaton, regular grammer, etc.

The key to understanding this material (and using this book effectively) is solving as many problems as possible, preferably in a group setting so that solutions can be discussed.
Note: For most problems, there exists multiple solutions, and the approach is what needs to be learned and discussed.

Recommended, with some reservations...Good luck!

Introduction to Physical Modeling with Modelica (The International Series in Engineering and Computer Science)

Average customer rating:

Good introductory book
Hands-on experience with Modelica

Introduction to Physical Modeling with Modelica (The International Series in Engineering and Computer Science)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Principles of Object-Oriented Modeling and Simulation with Modelica2.1

ASIN: 0792373677

Book Description

The first book on Modelica, a modeling language that can be used to simulate both continuous and discrete behavior, Introduction to Physical Modeling with Modelica provides the necessary background to develop Modelica models of almost any physical system. The author starts with basic differential equations from several engineering domains and describes how these equations can be used to create reusable component models. Next, he describes techniques for modeling complex non-linear behavior, exploiting the powerful array handling features and mixing continuous and discrete behavior. The second part of the book focuses on effective use of all the language features provided by the Modelica modeling language. This includes, among other things, discussions on maximizing the reusability of component models being developed, managing the model development process, and making models as computationally efficient as possible. Introduction to Physical Modeling with Modelica includes a companion CD-ROM with the Modelica source code for all examples as well as an evaluation copy of Dymola. Using Dymola, readers can immediately begin to explore the dynamics of the models included with the book or to develop their own models. Nearly 100 examples of mechanical, electrical, biological, chemical, thermal and hydraulic models are included. Introduction to Physical Modeling with Modelica will be of interest to all professional engineers and university researchers developing physical models. Students studying control system development or modeling of physical systems will also find it useful.

Customer Reviews:

Good introductory book.......2005-06-13

The book is well structured and have many interesting examples. The book is a good start point for anyone who wants to start learning Modelica. The price is in my opinion a little bit expensive since the book is based on Modelica 1.6 language specification and the latest spec is 2.2 with some relevant changes.

Hands-on experience with Modelica.......2001-12-11

One of the weakest points of the new object-oriented modelling language Modelica was the lack of an introduction to help engineers and scientists understand the differences to other modelling concepts. Using many examples from the automotive industry, electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering this book explains the concept of physical modelling, i. e. using basic laws to describe physical systems, and shows how to formulate these principles in Modelica. The Modelica language is presented in a series of examples that gradually grow more complex. The companion CD contains the complete source code of the examples and a working version of the commercial tool Dymola. The reader can thus start with the given examples and modify them to get some practise with the tool and the language.

The emphasis of the presentation is on the engineering task of building a model, for more theoretical questions references are given.

I like this book because of it's hands-on approach. It gives a comprehensive introduction to physical modeling and the new language Modelica and I can recommend it to engineers and scientists who have to create or use models of physical systems.

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