eContent

Nature's Scientific Programming

Although I consider myself a software geek, I know very little about this field ... Genetic Programming. However, before you think I'm talking about genetic engineering of plants and animals, read on. This field studies nature, and tries to learn lessons for solving technical problems ... an intriguing idea. You may now download a very detailed manual on the process, A Field Guide to Genetic Programming. Here is how the book's web site describes the area:

"Genetic Programming is a systematic, domain-independent method for getting computers to solve problems automatically starting from a high-level statement of what needs to be done. Using ideas from natural evolution, GP starts from an ooze of random computer programs, and progressively refines them through processes of mutation and sexual recombination, until solutions emerge. All this without the user having to know or specify the form or structure of solutions in advance. GP has generated a plethora of human-competitive results and applications, including novel scientific discoveries and patentable inventions."

I am definitely adding this manual to the Engineering Learning Wiki's manual section. If you are interesting in learning more about this discipline, a trip to the University of Illinois Genetic Algorithms Laboratory would be worth your while. Besides, any lab which refers to their blog at IlliGAL must have a sense of humor. I leave you to figure out the play on words!
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Create Your Own WikiBooks PDF's

Stormbringer commented yesterday about a very cool tool, WikiBooks2PDF. This simple and easy to use tool allows one to convert Wikibooks to pdf for offline use. Just do the following:

1. Link to Wikibooks
2. Find the "book" in which you are intersted
3. Copy the URL
4. Link to WikiBooks2PDF
5. Paste the URL in the window indicated
6. Voila ... about 30 seconds later!

Engineering Learning Wiki - Manuals Update

I just completed a major upgrade of the Engineering Learning Wiki Manuals Section. You will find virtual manuals ranging from Control Systems to JAVA Programming. Thus, be you hardware or software oriented, please take a look.  A major share of the upgrade was integration of content from Wikibooks.

I hope you also appreciate the fact that none of my sites have advertisements (this blog, the Engineering Learning Wiki, my Google Co-Op Search Engines, and my Feedburner RSS Feed). For both the wiki and search engines, the default is to display ads. With Google Co-Op I had to work my way through an involved process to turn the advertisements, and with Wikispaces I actually had to spend my own money to make the site ad free. Thus, if you like what you find, give me feedback, or better yet ... content suggestions for this blog or wiki! You may contact me at richardhoeg{at}gmail{dot}com.

Finally, in its short virtual lifespan, it has been gratifying to see the Engineering Learning Wiki grow to over 100 unique users per day ... and the trend is upwards. Please help continue this growth by adding a post on your blog about my engineering learning efforts. Thank you.

Introduction to Chemical Engineering eBook

WikiBooks has a great new free engineering manual available, either on-line or via downloadable pdf:

• Introduction to Chemical Engineering Processes

To learn more about WikiBooks, and access additional books, read my earlier post.  Note: This information is reposted from April 26, 2007 to clear up a comments problem.

WikiBooks has a great new free engineering manual available, either on-line or via downloadable pdf:

• Introduction to Chemical Engineering Processes

To learn more about WikiBooks, and access additional books, read my earlier post.  Note: This information is reposted from April 26, 2007 to clear up a comments problem.

Technical Tag ... Harmonic CAD!

Sorry ... I couldn't resist combining today's two topics in this manner. Today is the second post of interesting engineering learning sites which I learned about via my company's social search / tagging engine. If your company does not have a tagging engine, it should. Don't underestimate the value of enhanced search and find which uses a homogeneous group. Anyhow, today's winners are ...

• Harmonics Modeling and Simulation from Virgina Tech
• MathCad Help Files from Louisiana State
  (a number of these resources are in downloadable pdf)

As they say ... the south shall rise again! In this case in support of engineering education! I'll make certain these resources are added to the engineering learning wiki. Did you know that three different sections of the wiki actually have custom built Google Co-Op search engines built around them? These wiki sections allow you to both browse or search the content:

• Engineering Courses
• Engineering Podcasts
• Engineering Seminars

Today's Learning Tag ... UML

Our company has an internal social search / tagging engine. Every few days I like to take a look at what some of the other techies have tagged. A quick scan often yields some diamonds! Over the next few days I'll post some of the "tags". In all cases, I've added the content to the Engineering Learning Wiki. For today's post, the UML content has been added to the software engineering section of the wiki.

• Practical UML (Universal Modeling Language)

This "hands-on introduction for developers" was created by Borland. The online manual provides great detail. Make certain you click upon the <More Details> and <Self Test> links to insure you have truly understood the concepts.

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Tips by Video

Once again, you anonymous folks out there have submitted another excellent resource to the Engineering Learning Wiki ... in this case on the mechanical engineering page. Well done!

Via the wiki I learned that Tec-Ease has been posting online free Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Tips since 1997! You will find a wealth of information. Since last year, each tip has also had an associated video. Tips with a video are so indicated on the full archive list. Here are some recent examples:

• Parts Do Not Have Center Lines—Features Have Axes
• Read the Feature Control Frame to Determine the Origin of Measurement
• Tolerance Those Slots Right
• Use Extensions of Principle—When You Need To

From UFO's to SixSigma

I'll admit ... it's a challenge.  I'm tempted to have fun for the rest of December and only post about important technical knowledge management items ... like flying saucers, or focus upon leisure time activities like SixSigma. After all, have you analyzed your holiday activities? Do your relatives understand the need to maintain all holiday processes in a "lean manner"?!

I give up, thus via Asiaing.Com I bring to you not one, but two great eBooks:

• How to Make the Most of a Flying Saucer Experience: Book | Web Site
  (or)
• Six Sigma for Quality and Production: Book | Lean Sigma Institute

Seriously, Asiaing.Com is one of my favorite eBook sites for providing links to legal and interesting eBooks. The number of books they review is amazing.
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Government Project Disasters

Back to the promised European content series ...

The Institute of Economic Affairs (U.K.) has a webinar and book that focuses on major goverment projects gone bad. Both are available without charge. Project xxamples include the Concorde and Millenium Dome. The author, D. R. Myddelton "shows that failure results from mismanagement, lack of clear lines of responsibility and lack of accountability". As this is often a failure mode in corporations, one need not only be involved with governement projects to find value with this content:

• They Meant Well, Government Project Disasters: Webinar | Book
  (other webinars may also be accessed via this link)

Digital Library for Physics and Astronomy

Depending upon your background, you may wish to spend some time on this web site / online library which is jointly hosted by NASA and Harvard:

• Digital Library for Physics and Astronomy

In addition, I've added this site as a link on the engineering learning wiki ... both the physics and the engineering manuals pages.
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