5 comments about Programming and Customizing the Basic Stamp.

1. This is really good starter book. I liked the way Scott explained the variables and other memory structure stuff. However, there are some mistakes. THis program line for Basic Stamp 2 reads: debug "Go!", cr and there is no explanation what is the purpose of cr. Another line reads: debug DEC dogAge, " dog years" and no explanation on what DEC stands for. Small things like this can be big obstacle for novice.



2. The worse book I have ever read. I cannot believe how some "authors" throw anything on paper".
   First the CD does not include anything really new you can download free and better stuff from Parallax or the internet.
   The book starts with the first sevens chapters explaining some basic electronics that even an elementary school kid will know like how potentiometers and solder-less breadboards work also some very basic programs, after a few mistakes no major problems even though most programs are loops and LED blinkers. But after what the author call the" boot camp chapters" (2) ,the book gets really crazy right away after you finish the "boot camp", which only included some easy basic 4 to 8 lines programs it gets you to 3 pages programs on the next chapter a big leap I think ,also all the projects are practically impossible to build as you will need to spend a fortune in parts available from different vendors and from the author himself, like the $50 (2X16) serial LCD from Mr. Edwards (I got a parallel (4X20) for $10 and a serial kit for $5 from Ebay and made my own) a real headache it is harder to get the parts than to do the projects, then in some of them the author does not give you enough information like with one device (X-10) he uses from Radio Shack that connect the BS2 to a modem and then he provides a phone number for you to call to get the info.



3. this is the worth book i have ever had the pleasure to put in the trash (the only place where it belongs) 3 pages showing a photo of a potentiometer and the constant nagging of buying things from to person who wrote the book (he calls himself an "AUTHOR") he should call himself a salesperson. the book is aimed at the mentally challanged, it has such a slow pace , i felt i was in a movie with slow playback, and most of the crap was not complete.Do your self a favor dont waste your money if you want a sales catalog, just call any electronics vendor and you will get one for free (including shipping)



4. I bought this book because it says it explains both the BS1 and BS2. Only a couple of pages at the beginning are dedicated to explain the Most Basic commands of both BS1 & 2. Almost the rest of the book are complex example programs (projects) with a LOT of commands which were not explained before. I don't recommend this book, specially if you're planning to use other than the BS1.
   It would have been a much better book if the author dedicated more time explaining all the commands and what they do, instead of putting so many examples which are hard to understand without this knowledge.



5. Well writen, easy to follow intor to the basic stamp. I enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to others like myself who wanted an easy intro to the stamps.

5 comments about Sams Teach Yourself Visual Basic 6 in 24 Hours (Sams Teach Yourself).

1. This book is a joke. If you want to give up learning VB OR learn VB ass-backwards way, I recommend you read this book. It'll give you a headache you won't believe.
   
   Rather than giving you an overall viewpoint initially of what the program is about and how it works, they dive into stupid un-important specific details about what this command does and doesn't do..and even then, they don't show you how things work. Rather than explaining Global/Private procedures and overall layouts and approaches first, they lose you in this bizarre, nonsensical approach of messagebox and input box commands that mean nothing when you don't understand why they are there...
   
   To think these people made a book and have a job in this field...how pathetic.



2. At the University of Redlands, one of my biggest gripes was the use of ineffectual textbooks - the type that are better used as doorstops than for actual learning and/or reference. I had struggled with the idea of wasting money on books required for each class and tried something a bit different when I took Visual Basic 6. Instead of the required doorstop textbook, I purchased SAMS' TEACH YOURSELF VISUAL BASIC 6 IN 24 HOURS. I was very happy with that decision!
   
   SAMS' TEACH YOURSELF VISUAL BASIC 6 IN 24 HOURS provides a good overview of Visual Basic and is definitely written for beginners. Even with this agenda, not every menu item is shown so the reader feels like an idiot. I found the answers to my questions easily and this book gave me a basic understanding of how VB works. Examples of code provided in the book teach the reader to write code rather than have him/her following along with few brain cells needed.
   
   Towards the end of the book, space is given to "Sprucing Up Programs" and glosses over more advance techniques using VB, like ActiveX controls. In order to learn more advanced VB, a different book will be needed, as this one should be used for an overview and introduction only.
   
   The CD that accompanies this book will give the reader practice writing code. Some of the items covered here are: Labels, buttons, text boxes, controls and properties, message boxes, output boxes, looping, dialog boxes, printing, database basics, graphic image controls, and much more.
   
   During my Visual Basic class, my fellow students struggled using the standard text. I breezed through my assignments and tests. A few weeks into the class, one friend asked if he could look at my book. After that, copies of SAMS' TEACH YOURSELF VISUAL BASIC 6 IN 24 HOURS started showing up and the standard text soon disappeared off many desks. We all agreed it was a much better choice for our needs!
   
   SAMS' TEACH YOURSELF VISUAL BASIC 6 IN 24 HOURS is a great beginning source and will help the novice understand the basics. It is not intended as a die-hard resource book, but an introduction into this powerful programming tool.



3. A Great Introduction to VB
   U Gotta be kidding me
   This book SUCKS!
   If you really want to waste your time reading this get it from a library
   and
   If u have nothing to waste ur money on u can buy this
   
   lol



4. I have had good luck with this book, ONLY because I have had other programming languages. It does get into actual coding, but does little to explain how it works.
   
   The authors experiments in the CD are quite lame. The ones that DO work off the CD offer no usefulness.
   
   If you are good with programming already, this book will be useful if you are new to VB, cause you can figure out how to make bigger better projects. But most of what you do in VB will be of your own experimentation. Don't count on this book offering any real programs. It merely gives you the puzzle pieces, and it is up to you what you do with them.



5. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is a great read and very informative.

5 comments about The Book of Visual Basic 2005: .NET Insight for Classic VB Developers.

1. Very well written and organized. I've read it once and am re-reading it again. Highly recommended.



2. The focus of this book is to take a traditional Visual Basic developer who is already experienced writing Visual Basic programs and use that as a base to move them to the .NET platform. One of the problems of the traditional Visual Basic program has been that it has its own way of doing things and is built on a platform that is different from other object-oriented languages such as C++ and Java. Of course this is not the only problem but if you program in more than one language then Visual Basic's dlls would often replace and create problems for the other language and vice-versa. The vision of .NET was to create a common language runtime with common classes that can be used for all languages. The problem is that this meant a complete rewrite of Visual Basic and many of the expressions used before no longer work. This need to relearn how to do so many things has slowed the adoption of the .NET framework for Visual Basic. This book comes to the rescue by providing a convenient learning pathway that starts with the familiar for the Visual Basic 6 programmer and moves them from there to the correct use of the .Net framework to accomplish the same goal. For the Visual Basic programmer making the move to the .NET platform The Book of Visual Basic 2005 is highly recommended.



3. Are you a Visual Basic 6 developer? If you are, then this book is for you. Author Matthew MacDonald, has done an outstanding job of writing a book about Visual Basic 6 developers who want to shed some of their current habits and start learning more about how the .NET platform works and thinks.
   
   MacDonald, begins by showing you why Microsoft decided to create a whole new framework for programming and what it threw in. Then, the author provides an overview of the design environment. Next, he looks at the .NET world, with an overview of language changes, an exploration of the class library, and an introduction to namespaces. The author also provides an overview of Windows Forms. He continues by showing you the basics of object-oriented development, the most modern and elegant way tosolve almost any programming problem. Then, the author explores VB 2005's object oriented features and advanced class construction techniques including interfaces nd inheritance, the most anticipated Visual enhancement ever. Next, he shows you how to make your own components and get the essentials you need to know in order to transfer your applications to other computers. The author also describes debugging in the IDE, outlines some tips for making bug-resistant code, and introduces structured exception handling. He continues by showing you how to deal with Data: Files, Printing and XML. Then, the author presents an overview of databases and ADO.NET. Next, he provides some advice about when to create threads and how to use them safely. The author also describes the basics of ASP.NET, Microsoft's all-in-one solution for creating web-based applications. He continues by showing you how to create web services and, best of all, let .NET take care of all the plumbing. Finally, he shows you how to deploy your application: the streamlined web-based ClickOnce model, and the more comprehensive Visual Studio setup project.
   
   Throughout this most excellent book, the author strives to give you the essential facts and insights. More importantly, the emphasis here isn't on becoming a "language nerd," but on gaining the insights you'll need in order to understand .NET development and to continue learning on your own.



4. 'The Book of Visual Basic 2005: .NET Insight for Classic VB Developers' by Matthew MacDonald is another fantastic book written by the busy author Matthew MacDonald. Presented in a very entertaining and fun format thanks to the No Starch line, this book will cover Visual Basic 2005 from top to bottom and show you why it's one of the most popular and easy languages to develop in. With ~500 pages of material and 14 chapters, this book doesn't skimp on any of the good stuff (plenty of whip cream and jimmies for everyone).
   
   If you are a VB programmer and want to learn about how far it's come and why the .NET framework makes RAD ever more RAD than ever before, pick up this book, read it, and enjoy it.
   
   Easy to read and even easier to recommend, this is a solid best buy.
   
   ***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED



5. I enjoyed reading this book, esp. on serialization and some topics on transitioning from VB 6 to .net. Not for beginners, but if you know how to program, it won't hurt to have this book and go through the topics, you will learn a lot from it. I'm given this 4 stars only as I'm looking for a book that will be able to answer my VB questions clearly.
   Recommended!

2 comments about Visual Basic 2005: The Complete Reference (Complete Reference Series).

1. This is an exhaustive and well put-together reference for VB 2005 programmers. It's not a step-by-step manual, nor a book of sample code. It's all about documenting the features, classes, operators, and syntax of the VB 2005 language.
   
   I'm a huge fan of McGraw Hill's Complete Reference Series, and used my ASP.NET Complete Reference (for 1.0) until recently when I started migrating to 2.0. At 850+ pages this is a tome to sit on your bookshelf until .NET 3.0 hits the scene.



2. After thirty-five years or so in software development, including a stint with a software company as a Java web developer, I thought this would be a good volume to get me up to speed on the latest version of VB. If you already know everything that's in the book, go ahead and buy it. But if you need to learn anything from it, forget it. The author assumes you already know what you're reading about before you read it. For instance, he begins talking about Classes without explaining what a Class is. And when he does get around to defining "Class", he uses the term itself in the definition. So if you didn't already know what a Class is, you would never figure it out from his definition. Obviously, I already knew what a class is from having programmed in other Object Oriented languages. This is just one really obvious and glaring example. Having gotten up to page 22 I'm going to set this book aside and go find one that explains what I want to know in plain english.

3 comments about Accelerated VB 2008 (Accelerated).

1. Accelerated VB 2008 is a classic language reference book. It follows the pattern of language reference book. It begins with explanation of types and variable, namespaces, statement, control flow constructs, and iteration and looping constructs. Then it goes to class, class state, method, and interface. Then it goes down the path to operator overloading, exception handing, collection, delegates and events, and generics. It finishes with threading, best practices, and introduction to LINQ.
   
   A few thoughts after reading the book:
   1) VB 2008 is finally an object-orient language. Every object must inherit from System.Object. Java has the same feature 10 years ago.
   2) With a little bit help, VB 2008 (binary form) can run in Linus box.
   3) Extension method can add method to an existing CLR type. This enables us to expand the functionality of a type without needing to create a subclass.
   4) Mr. Fouche and Mr. Nash explain a way to deal with exception handling elegantly. The basic idea, I believe, is from traditional database programming concepts such as commit and rollback, at the expense of more space and more programming. The details can be found at chapter 8.
   5) In delegates and events, the authors point out that delegate can be an alternative to interfaces in implementing simple `Strategy' design pattern. For a complex `Strategy' with `Composite' or hierarchy interfaces, I imagine that delegate solution might become very ugly.
   6) LINQ. It is very useful for XML and in-memory object manipulation as long as the object implements IEnumerable (of T) interface. It might only work with Microsoft SQL database.
   7) Mr. Fouche and Mr. Nash also point out the VB 2008 is not exempt from bleeding edge of new technology issues such as compatibility, etc.
   
   In sum, it is a classic language reference book for the VB camp developers. I would give it four stars. I reserve one star for those books having real-world complicated projects being built step by step as we move across each chapter.



2. Potential buyers of the Kindle edition should carefully check a sample download to see if a problem I found has been corrected. A number of sections of sample code, or portions of sample code, were rendered in a tiny typeface that does not change when using the Kindle Text key. Amazon has said they will inform the publisher, who provided the electronoic version, but unless they fix it you may find the book quite difficult to use.



3. This edition is obviously designed to enhance the knowledge of experienced VB .NET developers by relating the features of the latest version of VB.NET. It concentrates on new features in the VB language itself, not on the enhanced version of the Visual Studio and .NET Framework products that it is inherently tied to. It does, however make sense to show how the language structures are enforced by the framework, and the book does this well. Code examples are complete yet concise.

5 comments about Qbasic by Example (Programming (Que)).

1. This book is an excellent starter for those who want to start learning how to program. You don't need to buy the software because more than likely your computer will have QBasic. I had sold the book and regreted doing so, and now I purchased it again because it also makes a great reference.



2. Greg Perry makes learning in this edition easy, and very enjoyable for people who want to learn qbasic. Even today there are many people that use the language, especially young teens.

   The latest compiler has taken on a new image and GUI from a third party software vendor written for windows, if your not using the program that was provided with MS-DOS and windows 3.1 many years ago. Greg's book clips away functions and keywords that you will learn directly in qbasic. Each chapter takes you through a series of techniques that are common among all computer languages; things such as loops, data sorting, printing, and graphics.

   One very good aspect of the book I like is that you can skip to chapters that describe keywords, and use them quickly, without any real knowledge of the language. The general layout in book is pretty good too.All the block print for programming is highlighted in blue, which clearly defines many short lessons throughout the chapters, and the rest of the book.

   If you never programmed before, I would recommend this language, along with Greg's book. I've read and learned programming from titles in C/C++, but qbasic is a real delight. It's not all that difficult, and the syntax is very sparse, unlike C, where the scope of it's variables can go out of range. Semi-colons play a big part in C too, which adds fustration for most people.

   The keywords are just like the english language with symbols, which anyone can learn very quickly. In just a few short hours, you can have a full color application up and running with greg's book, it's a truely remarkable presentation in learning to program. If you desire programming with windows, then qbasic will prepare you for Visual Basic which is known for rapid application development, and is gaining popularity around the world.




3. The book itself is the "learn by programming" which works for some people and not for others. The others is mainly looking for answers for there problem which this bokk probably will not give you. However if you are inituative and can see outside the box you learn a lot of programming from the book and it is from the most basic to advanced topics included. The book is totally outdated since qbasic is replaced by visual basic. I however find it useful when I use an old scrapped PC which I build over to control units for all and everything, from alarmsystems to ROV control, even industrial control systems. Is it for the hobbyist... No not anymore, but for those few who still uses DOS machines it is a great tool



4. The math book was in great shape and my daughter is using it in her school work. The book arrived in a timely manor and the cost of the book was less than it would has cost me at her school.



5. The book is for starters, those who have never programmed before. I wanted to program Microchip PICs and I wanted to do it in Basic. So I decided to learn Basic first and I did that with this book. I can now program PICs at ease. I feel that I have good background in Basic and that I could move easily onto Visual Basic if need be. To master higher level math you need to have a solid background in math's basics, same is with programming. QBasic and this book sure provides starting point.

5 comments about MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Implementing Security for Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual C# .NET (Pro-Certification).

1. I just passed the exam 70-340, and this was the book I used in the last 2 weeks.
   
   If you know how to program against .NET but don't know much about .NET security, this is really an excellent textbook and/or a reference book for you. It is written by one who knows the stuff and who knows how to explain tough stuff in plain English. It can certainly get you painlessly started on .NET security right away. I dealt with .NET security in the last 2 years the very hard way. I wish I had read such a book 2 years ago. (Well, on other hand, a book is just a book. It can't substitute real-world experience. Take myself for example, my knowledge on most topics other than CAS and WSE has probably already gone well beyond what the book covers, but I still don't think I do know .NET security very well. I'm no expert on security. So don't expect it will make you a security expert if you are not one yet, though a book like this one can make your road to being a security expert shorter and less painful)
   
   As for passing the exam, I don't know for sure if the book alone is enough. I mean, you'll need intimate knowledge about Windows and how to program .NET before you can truly digest many topics covered in the book - remoting is a good example. The book is very easy to read and understand as long as you have the stated prerequisites (unlike in many other books, the prerequisites stated in this book are very accurate). If you understand the book, you should have little trouble passing the exam - anyway, the exam is designed for anyone who is knowledgeable on .NET security to pass. The book comes with 300 mock test questions - pretty hard to me, and I feel they are much harder than the exam questions I answered moments ago. I only had time to go over about 100 such questions. If you understand the book and also do very well with those questions, passing the exam should be guaranteed!
   
   Despite a well-written book, it has some typos. Its definition of "collusion" contradicts what I learned of the word when studying monopoly as a graduate in economics. Due to the quality of the book, however, the typos can be safely ignored.
   
   I rate the book 5-star without the least hesitation.



2. This will be the book that you must have if you are a newcomer in .NET Security. The explanations are clear, supported by the author's own experience in the field. Also, the code is easy to follow and straightforward.
   Overall, a very good book to read on .NET Security.



3. Sorry for any harsh comments. But the book is so confusing explaining even simple concepts. I got frustrated when he tries to beat around the bush to explain STRONG NAMES.
   
   I wish there was a Amit Kalani for 70-340.
   
   For that matter, I am not having good experience with any of the Microsoft Press books on .NET



4. Of about a dozen MS Press training kits I have used, this is the first one to be comprehensive--and better yet, authoritative. For the first time, I used ONLY the training kit when preparing for the exam. For all other exams, I had to additionally reference MSDN, TechNet, etc. Two reasons why this book is great:
   
   1. It is obvious early on in the book that the author, Tony Northrup, knows his stuff. You cannot say that about a majority of exam prep books, where it looks like they just copy and paste exam objectives from Microsoft's site and get diarrhea of the mouth for a few paragraphs per objective.
   
   He was also kind enough to sprinkle throughout the book dozens of surprisingly useful tips for the exam and real world security issues. Another few books like this, and Tony Northrup just might surpass Dino Esposito and Michael Howard as my favorite authors.
   
   2. The accompanying CD is MUCH more useful than the other training kits I have used--it has about 300 questions broken down by objective. It is not just a trial version of a MeasureUp test, and in my opinion, the questions were harder than the actual 70-340 exam.
   
   The only two things I was not too crazy about were quite trivial: the page numbers were annoyingly chapter-based (i.e. 3-25, 5-24, etc); and the trial version of VS 2003 can only be installed once, so that will hurt resale value if used.
   
   The bottom line is that this book does more than enough to prepare you for exams 70-330 and/or 70-340. I will definitely buy more Tony Northrup titles in the future.



5. Not only all you need for preperation are inside the book but it is a very well organized book comparing to similar ones.

1 comments about Java CAPS Basics: Implementing Common EAI Patterns.

1. The only complaint I have with this book is the word 'Basics' in the title. As the subtitle suggests, it's expected the reader is at least familiar with common EAI patterns. But it's better if the reader has Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture (The Addison-Wesley Signature Series) as well; it is a important prerequisite to getting the most out of this book.
   
   The authors also assume the reader has read the docs on JCAPS and is at least familiar, if not proficient with some of the tools. With that in mind, this book and its companion CD relate each discussed pattern to the appropriate components and configuration in JCAPS. It took me a fair amount of time to figure out some of these solutions on my own, and I was pleased to have my hunches confirmed by experts. Other pattern implementations were not apparent to me; I'll save a great deal of time using them as given.
   
   The discussion is thorough, deliberate and complete, including drawbacks and limitations that go hand-in-hand with certain pattern solutions. These are valuable insights, but they can make the reading heavy work at times. I recommend chewing off no more than a chapter's worth of patterns at a time, and reading each pattern implementation twice before implementing it once.
   
   The companion CD has very many screen shots of JCAPS in action, so don't be put off by the few illustrations in the printed text. The PDF on the CD is almost 700 pages itself and provides detailed graphic cues for implementing the patterns as discussed.
   
   Originally the price put me off a bit, even though I really need this book. Having browsed the companion CD as well, however, it's clear there was no small effort made in putting this book together. Still, I think the market could also use a book that just covers the fundamentals of using JCAPS. This guide is not for people getting started.

2 comments about Microsoft Office Access 2007 VBA (Business Solutions).

1. Very poorly written and a complete waste of money. There are many more helpful books written by competent authors right here on Amazon. 1 star.



2. I found this to be an incredible book. When I began using the book I was a novice Access user. The book was an incredible tool to vastly improving my knowledge of Access and it's use in the business world. I own a business and with the help of this book I created a database to run the entire operation.

2 comments about VBA for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (Business Solutions).

1. I have a nagging feeling that for some readers, this book will be their first ever on programming. Perhaps they are heavy Microsoft Office users, and are frustrated by constantly doing repetitive tasks, and want a way to automate these. That is the main motivation for the text.
   
   If this describes you, then McFedries' narrative is a gentle introduction to the overall field of programming. The VBA borrows from its original Basic the characteristic of being easy to understand and code. As you go through the text, you get introduced to key programming ideas, common to all languages. Like using for loops, where a control element iterates over a collection. Then there is the while command for conditional execution only once. Well, VBA calls it the do while command, but more generally, programmers just think of it as while.
   
   The book also introduces you to elementary graphics programming. There are various form controls which are graphical elements that you can cause to popup when the user does certain actions. These give rise to event handling issues, which are true of most graphics coding. Microsoft has built an extensive framework within its Office suite so that you can easily code these objects.



2. This is a great book for those new to VBA. It covers Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook so it does not go into much depth in any particular product. The writing style is easy to follow and all of the examples work. Not for experienced VBA developers.