Mining Amazon Web Services: Building Applications with the Amazon API [Paperback]

John Paul Mueller (Author), Sybex (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 23, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0782143075 | ISBN-13: 978-0782143072

Profit with Amazon Web Services—as a Buyer, Seller, or Independent Developer

In a few short years, Amazon has evolved from an online bookstore into a complex marketplace comprised of thousands of vendors, millions of customers, and an ever-widening selection of products.

With the launch of Amazon Web Services, buyers and sellers have unprecedented access to the immense body of data underpinning this marketplace. Mining Amazon Web Services: Building Applications with the Amazon API shows you what you can do with these powerful tools, and exactly how to do it. As a buyer, you'll build applications that let you comparison-shop far more effectively, consistently saving money and finding exactly the right product. As a seller, you'll leverage Amazon Web Services in ways that help you attract more customers, make more commissioned referrals, and improve your bottom line. This book is also a great resource for independent developers who want to create and publish—even make money with—applications for others. Here's some of what you'll find covered inside:

• Performing complex product searches
• Analyzing the data obtained in your searches
• Connecting Amazon Web Services to a local database
• Building a Web Services-based shopping cart
• Using Amazon-supported search technologies, including XML over HTTP and SOAP
• Improving speed and reliability
• Building applications for mobile devices
• Building and publishing applications for others

All that's required is some basic experience with any one of several programming languages, including VBA, Visual Basic 6, Visual C++ 6, Visual Basic .NET, Visual C# .NET, Java, and PHP, all of which are fully represented in the book's downloadable code.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Profit with Amazon Web Services—as a Buyer, Seller, or IndependentDeveloper

In a few short years, Amazon has evolved from an onlinebookstore into a complex marketplace comprised of thousands of vendors, millionsof customers, and an ever-widening selection of products.

With thelaunch of Amazon Web Services, buyers and sellers have unprecedented access tothe immense body of data underpinning this marketplace. Mining Amazon WebServices: Building Applications with the Amazon API shows you what you can dowith these powerful tools, and exactly how to do it. As a buyer, you'll buildapplications that let you comparison-shop far more effectively, consistentlysaving money and finding exactly the right product. As a seller, you'll leverageAmazon Web Services in ways that help you attract more customers, make morecommissioned referrals, and improve your bottom line. This book is also a greatresource for independent developers who want to create and publish—evenmake money with—applications for others. Here’s some of whatyou’ll find covered inside:

• Performing complexproduct searches
• Analyzing the data obtained in your searches
• ConnectingAmazon Web Services to a local database
• Building a Web Services-basedshopping cart
• Using Amazon-supported search technologies, including XML overHTTP and SOAP
• Improving speed and reliability
• Building applications formobile devices
• Building and publishing applications for others

Allthat's required is some basic experience with any one of several programminglanguages, including VBA, Visual Basic 6, Visual C++ 6, Visual Basic .NET, VisualC# .NET, Java, and PHP, all of which are fully represented in the book’s downloadable code.

About the Author

John Mueller is a freelance author and technical editor who has produced 60 books and over 200 articles, most recently .NET Development Security Solutions for Sybex. John provides technical editing services to both Data Based Advisor and Coast Compute magazines. He has also contributed articles to magazines such as InformIT, SQL Server Professional, Visual C++ Developer, and Visual Basic Developer. He's the editor of .NET electronic newsletter for Pinnacle Publishing (www.freeenewsletters.com).

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Sybex (January 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782143075
• ISBN-13: 978-0782143072
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #895,174 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Mueller is a freelance author and technical editor. He has writing in his blood, having produced 87 books and over 300 articles to date. The topics range from networking to artificial intelligence and from database management to heads down programming. His most recent book is "Windows Command Line Administration Instant Reference" (Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-470-65046-2). His technical editing skills have helped over 52 authors refine the content of their manuscripts. You can reach John on the Internet at [e-mail] and his Web site at: http://www.mwt.net/~jmueller/.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another book about nothing..., July 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Mining Amazon Web Services: Building Applications with the Amazon API (Paperback)

First of all, I had a feeling that i was going to purchase
useless book. I just wanted to prove my theory and wasted
my money on it. Well, it's good to be a writer these days...
Pick up some hot commercial name for the book, add a little bit
about everything and here you go - you've wrote a book about
Web Services! It's packed of some web links and some discussion
of XML and SOAP and everything else what you can find in the kit from Amazon. All in all, don't expect to find anything useful
in this book. All you need is the kit and some examples from the Web. I'm planning to donate my book to the local library.

good luck!

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Out of date, not useful for non-programmers, December 26, 2004

By 

Warren L. Whitlock "BestSellerAuthors.com" (Vegas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mining Amazon Web Services: Building Applications with the Amazon API (Paperback)

I knew going in that this would not have much use for me... that's okay, one tidbit of information could pay for the book many times over.

What i got was a rehash of the now ancient history (2003) versions of Amazon Web Services, and nothing useful from a pratical standpoint.

I didn't expect to use the programing stuff (non outdate), but thought the author might throw in at least one example of someone useing this goldmine for a functioning task.

I'm giving a 2 stars because it doesn't have some of the promised programing discussion, but recomend anyone looking to market books, etc to avoid this one.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful for beginners, August 5, 2004

By 

Software Tester Man - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mining Amazon Web Services: Building Applications with the Amazon API (Paperback)

If you've never been exposed to XML or SOAP and using web services then this is a good book. However, it is by no means a comprehensive treatment of the subject. The reality is that if you download the SDK and spend a little time on the internet you can find all of the same information.