Books published by publisher Course Technology PTR

Beginning in the fall of 1999, a number of Internet-related businesses and financial institutions in the United States suffered computer intrusions or "hacks" that originated from Russia. The hackers gained control of the victims' computers, copied and stole private data that included credit cardinformation, and threatened to publish or use the stolen credit cards or inflict damage on the compromised computers unless the victims paid money or gave the hackers a job. Some of the companies gave in and paid off the hackers. Some decided not to. The hackers responded by shutting down parts of their networks and using stolen credit card numbers to order thousands of dollars' worth of computer equipment. THE LURE is the true, riveting story of how these Russian hackers, who bragged that the laws in their country offered them no threat, and who mocked the inability of the FBI to catch them, were caught by an FBI lure designed to appeal to their egos and their greed. The story of the sting operation and subsequent trial is told for the first time here by the Department of Justice's attorney for the prosecution. This fascinating story reads like a crime thriller, but also offers a wealth of information that can be used by IT professionals, business managers, lawyers and academics who wish to learn how to protect systems from abuse, and who want to respond appropriately to network incidents. They also provide insight into the hacker's world and explain how their own words and actions were used against them in a court of law – the evidence provided is in the raw, uncensored words of the hackers themselves. This is a multi-layered true crime story, a real-life law and order story that explains how hackers and computer thieves operate, how the FBI takes them down, and how the Department of Justice prosecutes them in the courtroom.

As computers and data systems continue to evolve, they expand into every facet of ourpersonal and business lives. Never before has our society been so informationand technology driven. Because computers, data communications, and datastorage devices have become ubiquitous, few crimes or civil disputes do not involvethem in some way. This book teaches law enforcement, system administrators,information technology security professionals, legal professionals, and students ofcomputer forensics how to identify, collect, and maintain digital artifacts to preservetheir reliability for admission as evidence. It has been updated to take into accountchanges in federal rules of evidence and case law that directly address digital evidence,as well as to expand upon portable device collection.

VISUAL BASIC GAME PROGRAMMING FOR TEENS, THIRD EDITION teaches teens and other beginners how to create their own 2D role-playing game (RPG) using the free-to-download and easy-to-use Visual Basic 2008 Express. You will learn step-by-step how to construct each part of the game engine using Windows Forms and GDI+, including a tiled scroller, game editors, and scripting. If you like playing RPGs, you'll love learning how to create your own because you have complete control over the game world. You'll gain a basic understanding of Visual Basic, giving you a game programming foundation, and the ability to use the tools and source code you create for other custom games. In each chapter you'll study short examples of code to help you build the different components of the game, including the foundational elements, the game engine, and all the gameplay components. You'll build the sample game from chapter to chapter, adding new elements and features as you learn them. And by the end of the book you'll have created a working RPG from scratch! With the tools, code, and skills you learn you'll be able to start creating your very own game adventures in no time.

Do you want to learn how to write your own cool and exciting video games? VIDEO GAME PROGRAMMING FOR KIDS teaches young video game enthusiasts how to program video games with QB64, a simple and free version of the BASIC programming language. Written specifically for kids ages 8-12, the book requires no programming experience and uses simple concepts, fun games, and easy to-understand language to teach introductory programming techniques. Read, tested, and approved by kid reviewers, each chapter focuses on a single programming concept, and most of the example games do not require additional downloads to run. You'll be writing your own games in no time! Are you ready to get started?

Do you enjoy playing video games and want to learn how to create your own? "Game Programming for Teens, Third Edition" shows you how to design and develop a complete video game from start to finish, no prior programming knowledge required. You'll begin by learning the basics of BlitzMax, a simple cross-platform game programming language that can be used on Windows, Mac, or Linux operating systems. Once you understand how to write the programming code, you'll begin to incorporate all the graphical elements of games including varying colors, loading and displaying images, and creating scrolling backgrounds. Finally, you’ll learn how to add sound and music, use keyboard input codes, and even integrate artificial intelligence. New skills are taught step-by-step, and each chapter builds upon the techniques you learned in the previous, so by the end of the book you'll have built your very own fully functioning video game. And the CD-ROM contains all the source code, art and sound files, and demo versions of BlitzMax and the other programs used in the book. So don’t just play video games, build your own, with "Game Programming for Teens, Third Edition!"

Do you enjoy playing video games and want to learn how to create your own? "Game Programming for Teens, Third Edition" shows you how to design and develop a complete video game from start to finish, no prior programming knowledge required. You'll begin by learning the basics of BlitzMax, a simple cross-platform game programming language that can be used on Windows, Mac, or Linux operating systems. Once you understand how to write the programming code, you'll begin to incorporate all the graphical elements of games including varying colors, loading and displaying images, and creating scrolling backgrounds. Finally, you�ll learn how to add sound and music, use keyboard input codes, and even integrate artificial intelligence. New skills are taught step-by-step, and each chapter builds upon the techniques you learned in the previous, so by the end of the book you'll have built your very own fully functioning video game. And the CD-ROM contains all the source code, art and sound files, and demo versions of BlitzMax and the other programs used in the book. So don�t just play video games, build your own, with "Game Programming for Teens, Third Edition!"

Don't be fooled by the title. Digital Photography for Teens doesn't make a half-hearted attempt at teaching the fundamentals of digital photography. It doesn't stop at the basics and it doesn't assume that as a teen, you aren't capable of tackling advanced topics. Instead, it focuses on the things that teens want to get out of digital photography. Photography is a technical field, and this book covers numerous aspects of shooting great photographs. Each chapter builds upon skills developed in the previous chapters, following the natural process of digital photography: setting up the shot, taking the picture, transferring it to your computer, editing it, and prepping it for the screen or print. If you're ready to progress beyond snapping simple pictures, then your journey starts here!

You see them in magazines, pass them around in emails, and run across them everywhere on the web - incredibly cool, crazy, and sometimes strange images that you know have been doctored using Photoshop. Have you ever looked at them and wondered, "How did they do that?" Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements for Teens is filled with the tips and techniques that you need to know to use these powerful programs to create your own amazing images or retouch your digital photographs. Begin with the fundamentals of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements as you conquer the essential features and functions of each program. Master the interface and learn how to create and manage layers. Next, get ready to edit your images as you develop the skills you need to paint with the Brush, draw shapes and text, and apply special effects to your images. Put your new skills to the test as you complete a variety of hands-on projects, including making prints, dressing up your computer desktop, creating animation, laying out websites, and creating logos.

Get ready to make fun and exciting computer games, no programming required! Game Creation for Teens shows teens and other beginners how to make their very own awesome games using the Games Factory 2, a simple drag-and-drop game creation system. By the end of the book, you’ll have made three amazing sample games and have the skills and information you need to make more games on your own.You’ll start by exploring the different game genres and learning how to organize and develop your own game ideas before you begin creating. Then you’ll learn about game creation fundamentals such as graphics settings, methods, and features, as well as how to use and record music and sound in games. Once you have the basics down, the book will introduce you to the Games Factory 2, including how to install it, important program terminology, and a walk-through of the important editors and screens you will use next when you create the three sample games in the book. Creating the games will help you explore and test out the functionality of the Games Factory 2 and build your skill set with the program. You’ll finish up by learning how to add objects, pictures, and animation to your games to make them more interesting and dynamic, and even how to test and debug your games. Game Creation for Teens provides you with the information and techniques you need to make your game ideas a reality!