Affiliate Paradise

Author: David A. Karp

Description:
eBay Hacks by David A. Karp
Published by O’Reilly ISBN 059610068X
Reviewed by Jim Lauria-HuNTUG member

From the introduction: “Essentially, you’ll find in this book the tools to help you trade smarter and safer, make more money, and have fun doing it.”

This second edition-revised and updated to June 2005-provides the eBayer with tips and tools (aka hacks) for successful bidding, buying and selling on the premier online auction web site.

I found the hacks provided by the author to be extremely helpful and informative, easy to use and understand. As a long time eBay seller I had become complacent with the tools and techniques which I had been using for months or even years. This book has given me new ideas and approaches to make my eBay business better.

Karp provides clever shortcuts and powerful tools to do all sorts of neat things like create better titles, listings and descriptions to fancier photographs (Hack 74) and even how to cultivate a good reputation and protect yourself and your $ (Hacks 25 & 85). He also provides warnings about your safety, privacy and money matters.

Included is a chapter on eBay’s Application Programming Interface, XML, Perl, PHP and RSS and development of custom software apps that can be worked in to one’s own business apps and can also be passed along to others-hey maybe even for a small fee!

The book is well written with plenty of photos, screen shots and lots of code to get you up and buying/selling in quick fashion. 438 pages that read through really quickly and are packed with plenty of good stuff.

I would recommend this title for anyone-novice or pro-who is or would like to make or save some money using eBay or just to have some fun while selling your wares. The book lists for $24.95-less online.

I give this one 5 stars.

Product Description
Whatever you call it–an online auction house, the world’s largest flea market, or a vast social experiment–no metaphor completely describes the huge trading community that is eBay. Underneath it all, eBay is also a computer program and a complex socio-economic system, requiring experience, finesse, and the right tools to master.

eBay Hacks, 2nd Edition has been completely revised and updated to make use of an array of new tools and features, as well as to reflect the changes in the eBay API, eBay’s policies, and general practices of its increasingly sophisticated users. In all, the new edition of eBay Hacks sports 30 brand-new hacks plus dozens of hacks that have been expanded, deepened, or otherwise completely rewritten.

eBay Hacks shows you how to become a more efficient buyer and seller with clever tricks and shortcuts that will surprise even the most experienced eBayers. The book’s wide range of topics covers all aspects of using eBay, such as advanced searching techniques, sniping tools, selling strategies, photography tips, and even research techniques for PowerSellers. But eBay Hacks doesn’t just cover the basics; you’ll learn how to write scripts to automate tedious tasks, take better photos, and tap into the eBay API to develop your own custom tools. Unlike any other book, eBay Hacks, 2nd Edition also provides insight into the social aspects of the eBay community, with diplomatic tools to help to get what you want with the least hassle and risk of negative feedback.

This bestseller supplies you with the tools you need to master eBay, whether as a buyer or seller, casual surfer or serious collector, novice or seasoned expert. With this guide, you will become a savvy power user who trades smarter and safer, makes more money, enjoys successes, and has fun doing it.

About the Author
David A. Karp, the author of the first edition of eBay Hacks, is also the author of eight other O Reilly books, including the Windows Annoyances series, Windows XP in a Nutshell, and Windows XP Pocket Reference. He also served as the editor for PayPal Hacks. He frequently writes for PC Magazine, in which he never forgets to plug his latest O Reilly book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: eBay Hacks, 2nd Edition: Tips & Tools for Bidding, Buying, and Selling (Paperback)

This is basically a book on how to get the most out of PayPal.Whether you are trying to make a purchase, sell and item, or setup a complete e-Commerce solution based on PayPal you will find the information on how to do it here.Some of the information in the book includes how to create an account, what to do when you forget your password, how to get things fixed if your account has been limited, how to pay from a cell phone, dispute a payment, receive money, upgrade your account, lower seller fees, hack-proof your payment buttons, and even encryption.It even has information on the PayPal webservices API and putting a PayPal payment button in an email.

This is an excellent and detailed course on how to use the intricacies of PayPal.PayPal Hacks:100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools is highly recommended to everyone who shops or sells on the Internet as well as anyone who programs sites to use PayPal.

Product Description
If you’ve bought or sold items through eBay, or throughhundreds of other online sites, then you’re familiar with PayPal, theonline payment service. With PayPal, a valid email address, and acredit card or bank account, you can easily send and receive paymentsonline. Not a bank or financial institution itself, PayPal describesits service as one that builds on the financial infrastructure of bankaccounts and credit cards, and using advanced propriety fraudprevention systems, creates a safe, global, real-time paymentsolution.Put simply, PayPal provides the means for people to conductfinancial transactions online, instantly and securely.

But there’s more to PayPal than meets the eye. PayPal Hacks shows youhow to make the most of PayPal to get the most out of your onlinebusiness or transactions. Authors Shannon Sofield of Payloadz.com andPayPal evangelist David Nielsen guide you through the rigors of usingand developing with PayPal. Whether you’re building an ecommerce siteusing PayPal as a transaction provider, or simply trying to pay for aneBay auction without getting burned, PayPal Hacks will give you theskinny on this leading global online payment service.

The collection of tips and tricks in PayPal Hacks shows you how tofind or even build the right tools for using PayPal to buy and sell oneBay or as a transaction provider for ecommerce on your ownsite. Written for all PayPal users, from those just starting out tothose developing sophisticated ecommerce sites, this book begins withthe basics such as setting up your account, then moves quickly intospecific tips and tools for buyers, sellers, and developers.

With PayPal Hacks, you can:
Learn extra steps to help protect yourself while buying or selling on eBay
Save time and money with advanced tips and undocumented features
Learn dozens of easy-to-follow procedures to help you request and receive payments and fill orders
Use PayPal to handle subscriptions, affiliate systems, and donations
Create and customize your customerscheckout process
Effortlessly integrate PayPal s shopping cart system into your own website
Implement digital fulfillment with Instant Payment
Notification (IPN) and Payment Data Transfer (PDT)
Develop and distribute ecommerce applications with the
PayPal API

Each hack consists of a task to be accomplished or a creative solutionto a problem, presented in a clear, logical, and task-orientedformat. PayPal Hacks provides the tools and details necessary to makePayPal more profitable, more flexible, and more convenient.

About the Author
Shannon Sofield began working with Macromedia development tools when Macromedia acquired Future Splash (this product evolved into what is now known as Macromedia Flash). Since then, he has expanded his expertise to include most of the Macromedia product line. He specializes in advanced applications for Macromedia Flash 5, Generator, and, more recently, Dreamweaver UltraDev.His company, Superfreaker Studios , is located in New York City. The company focuses mainly on creating and developing ready-made applications for Macromedia users to integrate into their own product and service offerings. Shannon’s role in web development for Superfreaker Studios covers much of the development process, including conceptualization, design, programming, implementation, and evaluation. His technical title at Superfreaker is “Keeper of the Light.”Shannon has worked to provide solutions for clients such as The State of New Jersey, Xerox, Rockefeller Center, Princeton University, and National Discount Brokers. He also works in association with Motion Over Time of New York, educating and training clients in the use of Macromedia products.In the rare event that the shores of the Atlantic receive ridable surf, Shannon can be found catching some waves at his local beach (sometimes in lieu of his programming duties).

Dave Nielsen is a Technical Evangelist within the PayPal Developer Network, a member of SDForum’s Executive Council and the founder of the Web Services SIG of Silicon Valley. Dave has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Cal Poly: San Luis Obispo.

Dave Burchellgot his start with computers by programming the Radio Shack TRS-80 in BASIC and the Commodore 64 in 6510 assembly. Currently, Dave’s favorite programming languages are Perl and XSLT. A fervent proponent of XML, Dave enjoys solving content management problems with markup and Open Source software. His other interests include American history and Hellenistic philosophy. Dave lives with his wife, Renee, and children, Max, Gus, and Samantha Grace, in Lincoln, Nebraska. His Web site is http://incolor.inebraska.com/burchell/

Click Here to see more reviews about: PayPal Hacks (Paperback)

Skype is hot right now. Actually, you can expand that and say that VoIP is hot right now, but Skype has carved out a special niche that many VoIP companies haven’t yet been able to. Skype has prompted several imitators (Gizmo Project and Google Talk are two that I use personally), and has even been verbed (”I just skyped Leo Laporte about the last TWiT podcast” or “Skype me at notarealskypename and we’ll talk” are examples of this).

So how do you get the most out of Skype? By using this book.

In a lot of ways, this book could have been part of the Missing Manual series rather than the Hacks series. The first chapter steps users through making a Skype call, conference calling, and chatting. Using the pay features of Skype (SkypeIn, SkypeOut, and Skype Voicemail) are also covered, with special attention paid to showing users how to get a free trial for them. Of course, reading the Terms and Conditions would tell you much of the same information, since the refund policy for pay features is there.

The second chapter goes into the financial aspects of Skype, and shows that it may not be the most economical alternative for many people. Useful information, but pretty easy to calculate. Most people don’t think about minute-rounding when they figure what their phone bill should be, though, so this section is pretty valuable.

There’s really not much “hacking” in this book until chapter 4, where we start tweaking and tuning Skype (though chapter 3 does show how to build your own Skype server at home, and how to integrate Skype into your existing phone system). We learn about config.xml and what we can change to make Skype run the way we want it to. We’re even told how to put Skype call shortcuts on our desktop, if we have people we call frequently.

Chapter 5 is for the businessman, showing how to implement Skype in a corporate setting. There’s some unexplored potential to this aspect of Skype, including the call-center application (Hack #54).

The main reason that I wanted this book was Hack #56 — recording conversations. My main reason for getting Skype was to use it for interviews, and I planned on recording them for editing and playback on my podcast. This was also my reason for switching to Gizmo Project — Skype doesn’t have that feature built-in, but Gizmo does. The book shows a few solutions to this problem, preferring the Pamela Professional Skype add-on ($22). I was disappointed that they didn’t mention Hot Recorder ($14.95, but with a free version also), which is the solution I have heard the most about.

The most important hack is #81 — the workaround for 911 service. VoIP phones don’t have 911 capability, which is a source of concern for many potential users (including me). The book offers a simple workaround for this lack, and the lack of 411 service as well.

There’s a lot of valuable information in this book. I’m not sure it qualifies as a Hack book, but it is invaluable for anyone who uses Skype frequently. Highly recommended.

Product Description
If you’ve heard about Skype–and who hasn’t with all the recent media attention devoted to internet telephone services–chances are you’ve been mighty tempted to try it out. Skype Hacks tells you what all the Skype hype is about, explains the basics, and shows you more than 100 clever tips and tricks for tweaking and tuning Skype to make it do just what you want and more.

Millions of people (48 million and counting, in fact) have opted for Skype, which uses peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to turn any PC, Mac, or Pocket PC into a telephone. Skype offers free calls between computers and extremely cheap calls to “old-fashioned” phone numbers (landlines and mobile phones). The sound quality is excellent, and end-to-end encryption means the connection is private and secure.

But if you really know what you’re doing, Skype can accomplish a whole lot more than that. Software developer and author Andrew Sheppard recently converted his entire house to Skype and uses it for all his personal and business calls, even when he’s traveling. In Skype Hacks, he shows you how to do things with the technology that even the engineers at Skype probably never intended.

Skype Hacks shows you how to:

• Get started with Skype
• Figure out how much money you’re saving and maximize your savings
• Cut the ties to your old phone company
• Optimize your Skype configuration
• Integrate Skype with desktop tools like Microsoft Office and your web browser
• Set up a Skype-based call center

The book offers ideas for creating and organizing a contacts list, using Skype to transfer files, taking advantage of chat and voicemail capabilities, turning a PDA into a mobile phone, and automating Skype for even greater efficiency. So whether you’d simply like to give Skype a trial run, you want new Skype ring tones and fun on-hold music, or you’re considering wiring your home with Skype to get rid of “regular” phone service altogether, Skype Hacks is your ideal guide.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Skype Hacks: Tips & Tools for Cheap, Fun, Innovative Phone Service (Paperback)

I have been searching high and low for a text that actually explains something, not just offers massive tutorials.This book fits the bill perfectly.The writing is precise and succinct.Both the author and the O’Reilly editors deserve kudos for writing this.

In short, if you want to learn Rails, and have been struggling, grab this book!

Product Description
Rails 2.1 brings a new level of stability and power to this acclaimed web development framework, but keeping track of its numerous moving parts is still a chore. Rails Pocket Reference offers you a painless alternative to hunting for resources online, with brief yet thorough explanations of the most frequently used methods and structures supported by Rails 2.1, along with key concepts you need to work through the framework’s most tangled corners. Organized to help you quickly find what you need, this book will not only get you up to speed on how Rails works, it also provides a handy reference you can use anywhere, anytime. Inside, you’ll find essential information on how to: Install Rails with RubyGems Build, compile, and process files with Rake Test Rails applications using assertions and fixtures Use Rails with Ajax Connect objects to a database using ActiveRecord Make web requests with the Action Controller framework Use REST web service APIs

And much more. Save yourself hours of frustration: If you use Rails daily and just want the facts — fast — this is your book.

About the Author
Eric Berry is a Ruby on Rails developer for AtTask (http://www.attask.com), a leader in web-based project management software.He is also the creator of Solid Core Blogger, a Rails version 2.0 blogger application, which can be seen in action at solidcoresolutions.com. Before coming to AtTask, he was a co-founder of ShareAPhoto.com which was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 2006.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Rails Pocket Reference (Pocket Reference (O’Reilly)) (Paperback)

I’m not through reading this yet, but I’m definitely impressed and happy to have it. This is not just the typical collection of “Tinker Toy” type stuff – yes, there’s some of that here, but it goes way beyond and even gets into hacking hardware.

I feel like a kid in a candy store..yes, yes, there’s stuff here you’ll find all over the web, but there are also hacks and tips I have never seen anywhere else.

And it’s not just Macs, though that’s a lot of it.There are also hacks for iPods and iPhones and Apple TV.

If you own a Mac, you want this.Period. Met and exceeded my expectations.

Product Description
Bigger in size, longer in length, broader in scope, and even more useful than our original Mac OS X Hacks, the new Big Book of Apple Hacks offers a grab bag of tips, tricks and hacks to get the most out of Mac OS X Leopard, as well as the new line of iPods, iPhone, and Apple TV.

With 125 entirely new hacks presented in step-by-step fashion, this practical book is for serious Apple computer and gadget users who really want to take control of these systems. Many of the hacks take you under the hood and show you how to tweak system preferences, alter or add keyboard shortcuts, mount drives and devices, and generally do things with your operating system and gadgets that Apple doesn’t expect you to do. The Big Book of Apple Hacks gives you:

• Hacks for both Mac OS X Leopard and Tiger, their related applications, and the hardware they run on or connect to
• Expanded tutorials and lots of background material, including informative sidebars
• “Quick Hacks” for tweaking system and gadget settings in minutes
• Full-blown hacks for adjusting Mac OS X applications such as Mail, Safari, iCal, Front Row, or the iLife suite
• Plenty of hacks and tips for the Mac mini, the MacBook laptops, and new Intel desktops
• Tricks for running Windows on the Mac, under emulation in Parallels or as a standalone OS with Bootcamp

The Big Book of Apple Hacks is not only perfect for Mac fans and power users, but also for recent — and aspiring — “switchers” new to the Apple experience. Hacks are arranged by topic for quick and easy lookup, and each one stands on its own so you can jump around and tweak whatever system or gadget strikes your fancy. Pick up this book and take control of Mac OS X and your favorite Apple gadget today!

About the Author
Chris Seibold is an engineer, writer, and cartoonist residing in Knoxville, Tennessee. As an engineer, he has tackled such diverse processes as powder coating and hot dog casing manufacture. As a writer, he has focused on computing and written for a variety of online and traditional media, including serving as Senior Contributing Editor for the Apple Matters web site and contributing hacks to “iPod and iTunes Hacks”, with a talent for making the complex accessible to the interested but harried user. As a cartoonist, he has produced both cartoon strips and editorials. Chris also managed to spend some time working producing radio shows relating to sports. As soon as he hits television, the trifecta will be complete. Chris lives with his wife, young son, and what is quite possibly the world’s dimmest canine. He has a degree in Physics from the University of Tennessee but has yet to find work involving frictionless inclined planes.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Big Book of Apple Hacks: Tips & Tools for unlocking the power of your Apple devices (Paperback)