The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Amazon Hacks - for the bookshelf Major Keary |
O'Reilly's Hacks series is becoming an institution; the concept is innovative and each title stands as a really useful resource and reference. The series has restored to 'hacker' its original status; a definition per se is difficult to find, but it should include words such as enthusiasm; compulsive; skilled technician; persistence in seeking programming solutions and alternative methods; and unorthodox approach to programming. Hacking generally carries a connotation of co-operative effort and sharing of information, which is what comes across in the Hacks series: each title is based on the contributions of a number of (often many) people - in this instance, some twenty-five.
Like other titles in the series, Amazon Hacks contains "100 industrial strength tips and tools" that are organised into groups: browsing and searching; controlling your information; participating in the Amazon community; selling through Amazon; associates program; and Amazon Web services.
There is much, much more to Amazon than selling merchandise, and this title provides a remarkable insight into its many facets, as well as showing how to take advantage of them - such as becoming involved in the Associates Program, or selling through Amazon by using their billing, inventory, and marketing infrastructure.
Amazon contains a mountain of information. This is a practical resource for tapping into and processing that information. Most of the hacks include the necessary code - usually scripts - for execution. Anyone interested in developing scripting skills, especially for Web applications, will find this a useful tutorial.
If you happen to have an interest in practical aspects of Web marketing Amazon Hacks is well worth studying. The focus is on Amazon, but the principles (and many of the hacks) have a wider relevance.
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Paul Bausch: Amazon Hacks ISBN 0-596-00542-3 Published by O'Reilly, 280 pp., RRP $55.00 incl. GST |
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Reprinted from the May 2004 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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