Legacy of Blood: A Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Handy Guide for Horror Buffs
  • It's finally available...and worth it.
  • is it realy out yet
Legacy of Blood: A Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies
Jim Harper
Manufacturer: Critical Vision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1900486393

Book Description

The "slasher" movie is the bloodiest incarnation of the modern horror film, tainted by criticisms of misogyny, yet remaining-on and off-a box-office draw for 30 years. Combining in-depth analysis with over 200 film reviews, Legacy of Blood is the most comprehensive examination of the slasher movie and its conventions to date, from Halloween and the notorious I Spit on Your Grave, to Scream-the redefining genre hit of the '90s-and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A Handy Guide for Horror Buffs.......2006-01-20

As a fan of slasher horror flicks, "Legacy of Blood" was a great find. Just so you know what time frame is covered in the book, the focus is on films from early 70's slashers like "Black Christmas" and "Halloween" up through "Jason X" and even mentions the making of "Freddy vs. Jason" even though that movie came out after this book's publication. "Legacy of Blood" is divided into several sections, giving the reader the origin and evolution of the slasher genre, and hits on several key elements found in these movies; the heroine, the killer, setting and authority figuers. The bulk of the book, and the real reason to pick this up, is the reviews section. Whether or not you agree with Harper's reviews of individual films is beside the point. (There are quite a few films he didn't like, that I think are great "The Prowler" for example) The fairly comprehensive listing of films reviewed in "Legacy of Blood" is great for collectors who may have forgotten about some of these films, and hits on quite a few movies that may have slipped under your radar. I have already ordered several of the movies found in "Legacy" from Amazon that I had forgotten about.
There were only a couple minor complaints I had about "Legacy". Harper has no problem filling his reviews with "spoilers". So if any of the movies you are interested in feature a "mystery" as to who the killer is, you may want to skip that review as Harper more often than not spells it out in his review. Also it seems that one of the criteria Harper focused on when judging these films was the amount of nudity present. To be honest I don't really care if Lisa "Wednesday Addams" Loring has an extensive nude scene in "Iced", I want to know if the flick is gory, suspenseful or scary. You find that Harper continues to focus on the amount of nudity per film and also repeatedly brings up the British "video nasties" list quite often. It's interesting to a degree, but does get repetitive. And while this is a pretty comprehensive list, there are quite a few omissions such as "Visiting Hours", "Boarding House", "Wizard of Gore", "Blood Feast" etc.
But these truly are minor complaints. I found the book easy to read, Harper actually treats these films with a good deal more respect than what is normally written, and his writing style is easy and fun to read. I can't wait to get ahold of some of these movie's I hadn't heard of before, and hopefully he will follow up "Legacy" with another book focusing on a different horror genre. Highly recommended for horror film buffs.

5 out of 5 stars It's finally available...and worth it........2004-09-19

This book is tailor made for slasher film fans.

Section I examines the history of the slasher, from it's roots to the emergence as a box-office staple, to the decline in the 80's, to the rebirth of the 90's.

Section II covers the conventions of the genre, the hero/heroine, the killer, location, and authority figures.

Section III are the reviews, which take up the most of the book.
There are the obvious (F13 series) and some obscure ones that I've never heard of (something called Fantom Kiler, that is how it is spelled). The reviews are from the point-of-view of a slasher film fan. This is a refreshing change from the critical, over-analyzing of previous works on slasher films (Vera Dika's Games of Terror) and Mr. Harper is fair in his conclusions. You may not agree with him, but you respect his opinion. [The author is British and there is much talk of the "banning" of films in the UK, very interesting].

Section IV lists the "banned" films in the UK, some stars "before they were famous", International slashers, and Seasonal slashers.

Mr. Harper does not include Giallos, as he believes it would double the size of the book and are worthy of their own study. Perhaps he will write that book someday.

Overall, if you are a fan of slasher films, you would do well to get this book. I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars is it realy out yet.......2004-06-18

i am realy looking foeward to reading this book because i love slasher movies. i have been wateing for this to come out for a realy long time because before it sead it was comeing out on may 15th but it did not. so i was wondering is it realy out?
Slasher Movies (Pocket Essentials (Trafalgar))
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Sensible and Fun
Slasher Movies (Pocket Essentials (Trafalgar))
Mark Whitehead
Manufacturer: Pocket Essentials
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1903047277

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Sensible and Fun.......2005-07-22

This is a very good book about a type of movie that has received very little critical attention, and most of the attention has been mere condemnation.

Whitehead guides the reader to the best and most important of the slasher films. He provides plot summary and critique as to why the film is worth watching. He uses the idea of the "Final Girl," the last person left who confronts and overcomes the killer, to combat the charge of misogyny frequently leveled against slasher films.

Whitehead also admits that a lot of slasher films are junk. Some of the films he covers, like Nightmare on Elm Street, aren't really slashers (at least in my view). But he writes in an acessible and enjoyable style that makes this a very helpful short guide to horror films of the 80s and 90s.
Imagining murderous mothers: male spectatorship and the American slasher film.: An article from: Studies in the Humanities
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Imagining murderous mothers: male spectatorship and the American slasher film.: An article from: Studies in the Humanities
    Robert Genter
    Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Digital
    ASIN: B000P0JHMW
    Release Date: 2007-03-30

    Book Description

    This digital document is an article from Studies in the Humanities, published by Thomson Gale on June 1, 2006. The length of the article is 9332 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

    Citation Details
    Title: Imagining murderous mothers: male spectatorship and the American slasher film.
    Author: Robert Genter
    Publication: Studies in the Humanities (Magazine/Journal)
    Date: June 1, 2006
    Publisher: Thomson Gale
    Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Page: 101(23)

    Distributed by Thomson Gale
    Zombie taking mask off Halloween's horror; Shock rocker tries to explain slasher's psychology in remake.(Movies - Articles): An article from: Winnipeg Free Press
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Zombie taking mask off Halloween's horror; Shock rocker tries to explain slasher's psychology in remake.(Movies - Articles): An article from: Winnipeg Free Press
      Gale Reference Team
      Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Digital
      ASIN: B000VN7KEA
      Release Date: 2007-09-01

      Book Description

      This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on August 31, 2007. The length of the article is 1207 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

      Citation Details
      Title: Zombie taking mask off Halloween's horror; Shock rocker tries to explain slasher's psychology in remake.(Movies - Articles)
      Author: Gale Reference Team
      Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
      Date: August 31, 2007
      Publisher: Thomson Gale
      Page: d8

      Distributed by Thomson Gale

      Markets and Moral Regulation: Cultural Change in the European Union (Themes in European Governance)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Markets and Moral Regulation: Cultural Change in the European Union (Themes in European Governance)
        Paulette Kurzer
        Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        Book Description

        What effect is market integration having on national cultures and social policies? Paulette Kurzer examines Finnish and Swedish alcohol policy, Dutch drug decriminalization policy, and the Irish ban on abortion. She finds that regional integration is leading to adjustments that bring abortion, drug policy, and restrictive drinking measures into closer alignment within the EU. Kurzer's conclusion is that shifts in values and attitudes, affected in part by EU market integration, are bringing about a gradual convergence in morality norms.

        Mentalism Companion (Rolemaster #5605)
        Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
        • Mentalism Revisited
        • A nice companion
        Mentalism Companion (Rolemaster #5605)
        N. Caldwell , E. Malloch , Nicholas HM Caldwell , and Eran M. Malloch
        Manufacturer: Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE)
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: 1558063803

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Mentalism Revisited.......2007-05-09

        Mentalism has long been the most misunderstood magical realm in Rolemaster Standard System. Arguments about the relationship between mentalism and psionics has been raging on the net and in private venues for years now. Essence, being the traditional magical discipline and channeling, the traditional power of clerics and other followers of divine beings, are both firmly entrenched in the minds of players and GMs alike. They are well burned into our imaginations and into our literature, and therefore, easy to grasp, by player and gamemaster alike.

        My first reaction upon picking up this book was, "Wow, how many pages is this thing?" The answer, 158 pages, makes this the largest companion yet. Its size is no surprise. Upon leafing through it I began to realize just how ambitious this book really was.

        It starts with your typical "What is Mentalism?" section, followed by a treatment of the standard mentalist archetypes. All of this is pretty old hat, though necessary to help unmuddy the mentalism waters. It then launches into a variety of subjects, many of which only loosely connected with mentalism itself.

        It seems the authors used this book as a vehicle by which to cram in every rule system they could, dealing with the mind or mental subjects. Acceptable? To me it is, though some tastes may differ. A list of the primary subjects is as follows:

        New professions: Very relevant. Every companion seems to need a new slew of professions, and this one adds (or reintroduces) the Seer, Astrologer, Enchanter and Armsmaster. Of all of these, the Armsmaster is by far my favorite, though the other professions will probably appeal to players with a less chivalrous bent. Regardless of your tastes, these professions fill important niches in the spell casting professions, niches that were previously unfilled.

        This is followed by training packages, another must for a Rolemaster companion. Of all the work, I found this section the most disappointing (though it reintroduced the houri, an amusing character type). I don't know what I wanted from trainin packages, but this book failed to deliver it. I think it's just that none of the training packages struck my fancy.

        Next is the treatment of magical ritual, a subject that is beginning to bore me. It's necessary, however, and it was vehicle for the author's attempt to introduce rules for mental combat. A private conversation with one of the authors revealed that, the published rules are scaled down from those the author submitted, and they are skeletal at best.

        The next section was included to satisfy the Internet community. For years now, debates have raged about the nature of illusion in Rolemaster, and many people aren't satisfied with the official stance. This section therefore treats both sides of the argument, allowing gamemasters to use whichever one appeals to them most. It is good that this treatment was placed into print, and I suppose that this book is as good as any.

        The next section deals with insanity. Though this might seem out of place at first, mentalist lists are the only real place where insanity is inflicted. This is a necessary addition to Rolemaster. It supports the gritty realism of the game, and I'm glad it was there.

        This is followed by the section on Languages and Lore. Now, out of all the sections in this book, this has the least to do with mentalism. It's a good subject, though. I've never been satisfied with the way that any game handled languages, not even Rolemaster. This new treatment of languages, though not the most accurate, is a far cry from anything I've seen. The authors strived for a balance between realism and playability, and I think they found a happy medium.

        Since mentalism deals with divination (at least with the professions in this work), the next three sections are dedicated to divination of various sorts. Therefore the book treats diving the past, present and future, helping the GM deal with difficult subject like astrology and the future. These subjects can be difficult for a GM to handle, and though this doesn't set any rules in stone, it tries to give the GM enough information to make an informed decision.

        Next, you'll find specific treatments of astrology and tarot. I really felt these sections did nothing to help me with my campaigns, though the information might be a good starting point for creating your own divination systems. It was just too Earth specific to help me much.

        For you Robert Jordan fans, I'll bet you'll feel a certain kinship with the authors of this book. Before the final section, consisting of spell lists, you'll find a treatment of dreams and dream travel. I liked the ideas here, but I wanted a lot more. It made me wonder whether the space constraints were cracking the whip on the authors during this section. A good broad treatment of the dream world would have been very nice, even one that we throw out to create our own. The single page on dream worlds simply wasn't enough for me.

        My conclusion? This was a great book. It's become a permanent facet of my campaigns. Out of all the things that Rolemaster has to call its own, mentalism is the one that makes Rolemaster the most unique. It's a good thing for the game that this book was written. It takes that aspect of Rolemaster which is most unique and explains it, expands it and helps us make ours. It patches several holes that were left open in the Rolemaster system and does it with style and quality.

        If I had to recommend a game, it would always be Rolemaster, and although there have been products in the past that I've felt have fallen short of the quality we've come to expect from ICE, this is not one of them. I couldn't necessarily recommend this book to most people playing other game systems (this isn't true for all Rolemaster books), but if your play Rolemaster, this book is a must.

        4 out of 5 stars A nice companion.......2000-05-24

        The Mentalism Companion gives a very good listing of extra spells, professions, and training packages for the Rolemaster system. The professions and training packages are pretty cool, such as an Enchanter profession and the Dreamweaver Training Package. There are also some interesting new abilities, adrenal quick draw is a favorite of mine, it allows you to ready your weapon instantly. Overall this is a nice companion to have if you are into mentalism.
        Of Mentalism (Rolemaster Companion)
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • tons of psionic spells
        Of Mentalism (Rolemaster Companion)
        Coleman S. Charlton
        Manufacturer: Iron Crown Enterprises
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
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        ASIN: 1558065555

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars tons of psionic spells.......2000-12-21

        This is a rolemaster sourcebook filled with lists and lists of psionic spells. It is one third of the _spell law_ sourcebook (3rd ed.) which is now out of print. The other two are _of essence_ covering straight mage magic and _of channeling_ covering priestly spells. It also includes the various psionics based rolemaster professions. It is useful for spell/power ideas for any system. In particular GURPS or D&D and of course Rolemaster or MERP.

        The spells are clear in what they do and easy to translate into other systems.
        Mentalism Companion (Rolemaster)
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • Mentalism Revisited
        Mentalism Companion (Rolemaster)
        Nicholas HM Caldwell , and Eran M. Malloch
        Manufacturer: Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE)
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: B000LE8N8Q

        Product Description

        ICE 5814.

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Mentalism Revisited.......2007-05-09

        Mentalism has long been the most misunderstood magical realm in Rolemaster Standard System. Arguments about the relationship between mentalism and psionics has been raging on the net and in private venues for years now. Essence, being the traditional magical discipline and channeling, the traditional power of clerics and other followers of divine beings, are both firmly entrenched in the minds of players and GMs alike. They are well burned into our imaginations and into our literature, and therefore, easy to grasp, by player and gamemaster alike.

        My first reaction upon picking up this book was, "Wow, how many pages is this thing?" The answer, 158 pages, makes this the largest companion yet. Its size is no surprise. Upon leafing through it I began to realize just how ambitious this book really was.

        It starts with your typical "What is Mentalism?" section, followed by a treatment of the standard mentalist archetypes. All of this is pretty old hat, though necessary to help unmuddy the mentalism waters. It then launches into a variety of subjects, many of which only loosely connected with mentalism itself.

        It seems the authors used this book as a vehicle by which to cram in every rule system they could, dealing with the mind or mental subjects. Acceptable? To me it is, though some tastes may differ. A list of the primary subjects is as follows:

        New professions: Very relevant. Every companion seems to need a new slew of professions, and this one adds (or reintroduces) the Seer, Astrologer, Enchanter and Armsmaster. Of all of these, the Armsmaster is by far my favorite, though the other professions will probably appeal to players with a less chivalrous bent. Regardless of your tastes, these professions fill important niches in the spell casting professions, niches that were previously unfilled.

        This is followed by training packages, another must for a Rolemaster companion. Of all the work, I found this section the most disappointing (though it reintroduced the houri, an amusing character type). I don't know what I wanted from trainin packages, but this book failed to deliver it. I think it's just that none of the training packages struck my fancy.

        Next is the treatment of magical ritual, a subject that is beginning to bore me. It's necessary, however, and it was vehicle for the author's attempt to introduce rules for mental combat. A private conversation with one of the authors revealed that, the published rules are scaled down from those the author submitted, and they are skeletal at best.

        The next section was included to satisfy the Internet community. For years now, debates have raged about the nature of illusion in Rolemaster, and many people aren't satisfied with the official stance. This section therefore treats both sides of the argument, allowing gamemasters to use whichever one appeals to them most. It is good that this treatment was placed into print, and I suppose that this book is as good as any.

        The next section deals with insanity. Though this might seem out of place at first, mentalist lists are the only real place where insanity is inflicted. This is a necessary addition to Rolemaster. It supports the gritty realism of the game, and I'm glad it was there.

        This is followed by the section on Languages and Lore. Now, out of all the sections in this book, this has the least to do with mentalism. It's a good subject, though. I've never been satisfied with the way that any game handled languages, not even Rolemaster. This new treatment of languages, though not the most accurate, is a far cry from anything I've seen. The authors strived for a balance between realism and playability, and I think they found a happy medium.

        Since mentalism deals with divination (at least with the professions in this work), the next three sections are dedicated to divination of various sorts. Therefore the book treats diving the past, present and future, helping the GM deal with difficult subject like astrology and the future. These subjects can be difficult for a GM to handle, and though this doesn't set any rules in stone, it tries to give the GM enough information to make an informed decision.

        Next, you'll find specific treatments of astrology and tarot. I really felt these sections did nothing to help me with my campaigns, though the information might be a good starting point for creating your own divination systems. It was just too Earth specific to help me much.

        For you Robert Jordan fans, I'll bet you'll feel a certain kinship with the authors of this book. Before the final section, consisting of spell lists, you'll find a treatment of dreams and dream travel. I liked the ideas here, but I wanted a lot more. It made me wonder whether the space constraints were cracking the whip on the authors during this section. A good broad treatment of the dream world would have been very nice, even one that we throw out to create our own. The single page on dream worlds simply wasn't enough for me.

        My conclusion? This was a great book. It's become a permanent facet of my campaigns. Out of all the things that Rolemaster has to call its own, mentalism is the one that makes Rolemaster the most unique. It's a good thing for the game that this book was written. It takes that aspect of Rolemaster which is most unique and explains it, expands it and helps us make ours. It patches several holes that were left open in the Rolemaster system and does it with style and quality.

        If I had to recommend a game, it would always be Rolemaster, and although there have been products in the past that I've felt have fallen short of the quality we've come to expect from ICE, this is not one of them. I couldn't necessarily recommend this book to most people playing other game systems (this isn't true for all Rolemaster books), but if your play Rolemaster, this book is a must.

        Mentalism Companion (Rolemaster)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Mentalism Companion (Rolemaster)

          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: 1558065962

          Product Description

          "The Mentalism Companion explores the magic that is mastered by the sheer power of your mind. In this book, you will find new professions, variant rules, new options, and (of course) lots of sniff for Mentalism spell users. Here is what you will find inside... Four new professions that use the realm of Mentalism: the Seer (pure spell user that specializes in divining information), the Astrologer (a hybrid spell user that divines by studying the heavens), the Enchanter (a hybrid spell user that creates mental illusions), and the Armsmaster (a mentalism-trained warrior and soldier). More than a dozen new training packages for characters to develop. In-depth rules and an analysis of divination and its effect on role playing-games. New rules for handling "mental" combat as well as new rules for handling spells that require concentration. A discussion about the differences between the new "mental" illusions and the traditional "elemental" illusions. Dozens of new spells lists for the realm of Mentalism."

          Running an Effective Help Desk, 2nd Edition
          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
          • Good helpdesk book.
          • Terrible Choice
          • The one to get!!!
          • Covers every detail, including some missed in other books
          • Good Hands On Desk Reference
          Running an Effective Help Desk, 2nd Edition
          Barbara Czegel
          Manufacturer: Wiley
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

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          Book Description

          The definitive guide to setting up and running a successful Help Desk-now updated and expanded to include the latest Web-based technologies.

          This book is for you if you are:
          * A business manager charged with researching, planning, and setting up a Help Desk in your organization
          * An IT manager who wants to improve the level of technical support and communication within your organization with the latest support technologies
          * A Help Desk manager looking for guidance on how to upgrade traditional Help Desk functions with Internet- or intranet-related processes.

          The thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded Second Edition of the critically acclaimed, first-ever guide to running an effective Help Desk, this book tells you everything you need to know to plan, budget, staff, implement, track, upgrade, and even outsource your organization's Help Desk. Drawing upon her extensive experience as a leading North American expert on Help Desk planning and management, author Barbara Czegel:
          * Guides you step-by-step through every phase of setting up traditional and Web-related Help Desks for the Internet and an intranet
          * Provides a wealth of practical advice on all technical, management, and human-factor aspects of running an effective Help Desk
          * Supplies ready-to-use templates in both Word and HTML formats for an array of Help Desk projects.

          On the companion website you'll find:
          * Real-life Web-based Help Desk examples
          * All the templates from the book in HTML and Word formats.

          Customer Reviews:

          4 out of 5 stars Good helpdesk book........2003-03-18

          Strong in case studies, surveying, outsourcing, metrics, prioritizing, support tools.

          1 out of 5 stars Terrible Choice.......2002-11-27

          This book has a 1998 copyright date -- that's my own stupidity! To quote the author, "buy in haste, repent in leisure." I bought it because of the reviews on the site.

          Always check the copyright date before you buy!

          It is verbose and without substance.

          If you've spent more than a week in any kind of enterprise environment, you should know most of what is in here.

          If anyone really wants it, I'll gladly give you a good deal on my copy!

          5 out of 5 stars The one to get!!!.......2001-08-13

          The reason I purchased this book was that I found myself creating a helpdesk from scratch. If you are looking for a how to book that will guide on the path of creating a very effective IT helpdesk, this is it. It will show you not only the right way to do things, but also alert you of possible pitfalls. It will teach you how to do things that not really come to mind right away, like how to hire the right people for the job, increasing your budget (to get more helpdesk techs!), the scope of your duties, etc. I keep it in my desk for quick reference.

          5 out of 5 stars Covers every detail, including some missed in other books.......2001-04-10

          This thorough book provides a clear roadmap to designing, implementing and operating a help desk. The author leaves no key process out and completely covers everything from initial concept to measuring support effectiveness and process improvement.

          Ms. Czgel starts with an initial strategy that is focused on planning help desk services that are completely aligned to requirements and are based on a mission statement. This business-oriented approach is refreshing and will keep IT grounded in the real reasons for a help desk. More importantly, in my opinion, is the process that she proposes for careful selection of services to provide. My experience has shown that an overly ambitious set of service goals will kill a help desk implementation early in its life by offering a too much before there is a stable help desk process in place. As such, Ms. Czgel's approach is realistic and lays the foundation for a success implementation. I especially liked the use of customer profiles and the emphasis on roles and responsibilities early in the planning process.

          The section on the actual design of the help desk structure provides insights and information that can be applied to a large number of solutions. Since help desks will be organized in accordance with requirements and unique mission statements, this section of the book is like a catalog of patterns. I liked the excellent tips on how to best structure the help desk to meet requirements and mission. The information on accurately estimating staffing requirements is consistent with industry best practices and something that, believe it or not, is often overlooked when help desks are established. I also found the chapter on consolidating help desks valuable because this is a common project that many companies face. The advice given is sound and well thought out. Since my job is service delivery consulting this entire section was particularly valuable. Part three of the book gets into the meat by thoroughly covering the processes that are essential to running a help desk. Most of this material is not new or much different from what other help desk books provide, but there were a few topics that stood out as both unique [to books of this genre] and reflect best practices by the best-run help desks. Examples are change control, disaster recovery and vendor management. These topics show that the author not only considers business alignment, but also cross-functional alignment within IT.

          Professional resources and underlying technology are provided in part four. In the first chapters the author points out sources of standards, best practices and other support, such as the Help Desk Institute, Software Support Professionals Association, etc. In the final chapters she provides a clear explanation of how technologies such as ACDs (automatic call distributors) and IVRs (interactive voice response) equipment work and how they can provide additional efficiencies to a well-run help desk operation. The author also provides good coverage of tools and techniques that will make help desk operations responsive to user needs as well as support internal IT processes and procedures.

          This book wraps up with an in-depth coverage of operational requirements for the help desk once it has been implemented. It hits all of the critical success factors, such as performance metrics, service level agreements, communications and internal evaluations. I particularly liked the chapter on marketing, which is something that is important but not often done be most help desks. This proactive approach to keeping users (your customers) informed of new services, accomplishments and tips is excellent and will go a long way towards attaining high customer satisfaction scores - not to mention proving the value of the help desk to IT and business management.

          As a service delivery consultant I found this book to be one of the best for planning and implementing a world-class help desk. I personally gained a lot of knowledge from it, and it reinforced some of my past experiences and accomplishments. It earns 5 stars and my highest recommendation.

          3 out of 5 stars Good Hands On Desk Reference.......1999-09-24

          Provides a soild review of the fundmentals required to run and maintain an effective IT help desk.

          I found the information for collecting and reporting help desk performance data to be of great value.

          I use the collective information as a daily referecnce to help ensure that my help desk delivers top notch customer support.

          Books:

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          2. Magill's Cinema Annual 1986: A Survey of the Films of 1985/Magill's Cinema Annual Cumulative Indexes, 1982-1986 (Magill's Cinema Annual)
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          4. Napoleon Dynamite: The Complete Quote Book
          5. Omnibus Press Presents the Story of Green Day (Omnibus Press Presents) (Omnibus Press Presents) (Omnibus Press Presents)
          6. One Man Tango
          7. Picture This!: A Guide to over 300 Environmentally, Socially, and Politically Relevant Films and Videos
          8. Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People
          9. Reel To Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies
          10. Seattle on Film : From the Jet City to the Emerald City Through the Movies

          Books Index

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