No comments about Programmer's Guide to Netware (Lan Times Book Series/Book and Disk).

No comments about Unix System V Release 3.2: Programmer's Reference Manual (AT&T UNIX System V Library).

No comments about Centralized Management of Lnm and Netware Using Netview Multisystem Manager Mvs/Esa.

No comments about Network and Operating System Support for Digital Audio and Video: Second International Workshop, Heidelberg, Germany, November 18-19, 1991 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

No comments about Unix System V Release 3.2: Programmer's Guide.

4 comments about Palm OS Cobalt Programming From the Ground Up, Second Edition (From the Ground Up).

1. As an experienced programmer, I wanted a book that wouldn't waste my time teaching me C/C++ or explaining event loops in lots of detail. I also wanted comparison between Garnet and Cobalt versions of the Palm OS.
   
   This book does provide some of that information.
   
   It does not provide valid examples. The first code examples are in chapter 3. They claim to build on the Draw application from chapter 2, and assume the reader has details about the event loop from chapter 2. Chapter 2, however, contains neither code nor a description of the event loop used in Palm software. There is no reference to the Draw application in the index, either.
   
   After studying sample code from Palm's web site and trying lots of things in the development environment, I was able to get something that worked.
   
   Other examples mix Garnet and Cobalt veriable types so they wouldn't compile on either system or contain other errors that prevent them from compiling.
   
   A less-experienced programmer would probably give up on page 25 where the text tells the reader to modify a resource file that does not exist. Such a programmer would probably rate the book with one star.
   
   I have not completed the book yet although I intend to do so. I felt compelled to warn other readers about its inaccuracies.
   
   A CD or web site (with working examples!) would be useful to copy and paste tutorial information instead of requiring lots of typing.



2. 50% of book contents are code listing, even resource files in xml. The explanation of the code and techniques are inexistent and the code comments are 50% of the total code lines but they are irrelevant, a representative example (page 183):
   
   // CH 7. Display the time
   displayTime();
   
   They present one program example that evolves accross the book, and they print the COMPLETE code of the modified files in every chapter. When you take out the unnecesary repetitions the book loses an important percentage of the pages.
   
   I live in Europe and the shipping charges are similar to the cost of the book, if I lived in the USA, I will return the book at once.



3. Excellent book ordered before printing and arrived weeks before expected.
   Great service, thanks.



4. Since Palm has cancelled the release of Cobalt, and there appears to be no devices that will ever come out with this OS loaded on them, this book is only useful for those folks that like learning how to program vaporware. Like a book for making custom levels in Duke Nukem Forever.

4 comments about Novell's Cna Study Guide for Netware 4.1 (Novell Press).

1. This book covers all the technical knowledge needed to pass the CNA exam, and explains it in a way that regardless of your current education, you will understand. It does include silly puzzles, but if you can flip past those pages you'll gain a detailed knowledge and understanding of the CNA core requirements and should be able to pass the exam without taking the class.



2. I found this book to be VERY informative, it was written in easy to understand text and although technical in nature, I did not get bogged down by it. I would happily reccommend this to anyone who is taking or contemplating taking their CNA



3. I found this book very easy to understand, and a good study guide overall. On the other hand, I've never read a "technical" book so full of fluff. By fluff I mean countless stupid ZEN quotes, cheezy "quizes" that weren't even related to NetWare, and numerous other silly captions. The writers could have easily condensed the book by 50% by cutting out all the crap.



4. The book is rather long for the CNA test, but very, very good details about commands in Novell. Exercises where O.K. I can't stand crosswords, but if you like crosswords this book is for you. Passed the CNA exam the first time! Good luck if you take the exam!

1 comments about Wireless Web Development, Second Edition.

1. I found this book to be very helpful in introducing the emerging world of WAP not just in technical terms, but in the significant and interesting paradigm differences between the wireless market and the established wired web marketplace. As one of the first books on the subject in a field that is very rapidly evolving, there exists the very likely possibility that the information becomes outdated quickly. Apparently mindful of this, the book steers clear from too many 'absolutes' and focuses instead on general 'how to do this' and 'follow this lead' sorts of examples. Very easy reading and clear writing style. Never condescending or elitist, a no-nonsense book for professionals written without pretense. Get this book, get the referenced standards and SDK materials and keep an eye out for updates to the state of the art, and you will have gotten a good primer on developing for this arena.

4 comments about Sams Teach Yourself ATL Programming in 21 Days (Sams Teach Yourself).

1. Kenn Scribner's Teach Yourself Atl Programming In 21 Days provides would-be programmers with the fundamentals of using the Active Template Library system for programming. From using its many features to applying them to real-world business solutions, this provides a chapter-by-chapter study program of lessons which can be either followed methodically or browsed for maximum impact.



2. This book provides a tight, insightful introduction to ATL programming for the windows programmer moving to COM via ATL. Its also extremely useful as a reference tool.

   A won't regret purchase and addition to the programmer's bookshelf.




3. I have recently started learning ATL (having read Inside COM by Dale Rogerson and some of Don Box). Teach Yourself ATL was my first ATL book. Bad Move...

   His overall approach is, in my opinion, inappropriate. After having read 8 chapters I found myself thinking what do I know? I understand how to use the Wizards, but I still have no idea how the IUknown interface is implemented, or how objects are instantiated. In my opinion the only way to COM/ATL success is to understand what the Wizards are doing. Sure they're great in incredibly speeding up the COM development time but if you don't understand what their doing, your hardly any better off.

   Kenn gives you the concepts well enough but concept after concept after concept eventually becomes meaningless unless you can see the dirty detail in action. The book is not a write-off but as a beginners text it didn't suit me.

   Personally I found Tom Armstrongs "ATL Developers guide" much better. Instead of developing clients in MFC with all the extra messy details, he used bare-bones console apps which allow you to focus purely on COM/ATL. He talks about what ATL is doing and how the basics of COM is implemented. ATL at this level is dirty, messy stuff but its fundamental.




4. Very good good book. It's really tech you the basic block of the ATL programming and the background that you need to move from Regular Visual c++ applications to ATL. The writer is going step by step How ever this book it not for Visual c++ beginners or if you are looking to become an expert in ATL. I was more interested in the DB and IIS aspects using ATL but it only give you the general idea.

No comments about Symbian for Software Leaders: Principles of Successful Smartphone Development Projects (Symbian Press).