1 comments about Visual Basic 4.0 How-To: The Definitive Visual Basic 4 Problem-Solver (How-to).

1. A GOT TO HAVE BOOK!
   This book answers almost every question that you have. Topics range from creating a simple class to using OLE automation in your apps.The book also has a cd-rom with source code and 3 great OCX controls.This is one of the best VB book I ever bought

1 comments about Learn Visual Basic 4.0 in Three Days (Popular Applications Series).

1. It's a pretty good boook to get you oriented with visual basic and learn some simple visual basic commands. When it was writen they were using windows 3.1, so if you're using Windows 95 there is a couple things that might confuse you, but nothing major. It doesn't cover a broad range of topics, so it's best to use just to get started. I would recommend it to a beginner, but it's not the best book in the world

5 comments about Database Access with Visual Basic(R) .NET (3rd Edition) (kaleidoscope (SAMS)).

1. This book helped de-mystify ADO.NET for me. Database access in .NET is a complex topic that was handled elegantly in this book. It's clear, concise, easy to read, and has a good mix of prose and step by step instruction that one needs to get a jump start with ADO.NET. I recommed it highly.



2. Good book from two well-received authors and speakers that have gotten good ratings at our VSLive! conferences. / jim



3. Very useful and clear explanations, methodological, covering all the important aspects that any developer would need for accessing data base with Visual Basic.net. highly recommended



4. I struggled for a long time to wrap my head around the new data access methodology of VB.Net. DataConnections, DataAdapters, DataSets, DataTables, DataGrids, DataViews, etc. It was all very confusing. This book divides up each of those components and shows how they stand independent of each other. Most helpful was how it introduced the dataset without using any database. Only when the concepts of the dataset were understood, did it tie in the dataset together to a database source. That approach is what got me past the confusion that was holding me back.
   
   I didn't like the way the authors prefer to set everything in code instead of using the property pane and the designer but I got past that. Also, generally the code examples were more to demonstrate the principles being explained than to actually implement a technique one would like to do in a real-world application. That's not such a bad thing, but sometimes it's nice to have that too. I recommend this book for someone that needs to get the fundamentals of ADO.Net.



5. The book is well layed out and clearly written. It can be read out of sequence. Each chapter is self contained. It shows how you can get a free copy of MSDE sql server 2000 and deftly outlines the versions and how to get started using it. It begins with a good recap of basics of database. It follows with basics of sql. Then does excellent job of enabling you to handle administrative tasks of sql on your machine and getting started. It talks about new interface ADO, ASP Net and ties in xml. Well done. Got me going from startup.

5 comments about The Beginner's Guide to Visual Basic 4.0 (Beginner's Guides).

1. This is an excellent book for beginners. It got me going on a language that promised only confusion at first. The "Try It" sections are sometimes advanced , but they are for interesting projects and the search adds to their interest. As he suggests files - rather than databases - are out of fashion - but more on their mechanics would have interested me. BUT well worth the cost



2. This book does a wonderful job of teaching the essentials of Visual Basic. It does not cover some more advanced topics, but as a beginner's book, it shouldn't! Excellent place to start for VB



3. This book starts off very slow and gradually eases the reader into VB4. The book does a great job of explaining the fundamentals of VB4. If you want to know the how and why part of programming this book will defineately answer your questions.

   My only complaint is that the book is written much like other programming books and it is rather boring in places. Chapters one and two are also directed at the beginner. So if you have any previous knowledge of this language those two chapters don't teach you anything new.




4. This book does what it says it will. It will teach you VB 4. The first two chapters can be skipped if you're familiar with other programming languages but the rest of the chapters are simple great.

   The information is conveyed in an easy to use manner and the way it is presented makes it easy for even a computer block head to understand. The "Why not try..." sections are kind of hard but they make you see how you can put to use what you just learned.




5. This review is a little too late because VB4 has long been sent to oblivion by all the developers. But this is really a great book for beginners to learn VB. Very few books touches DAO (of course, it is obsolete nowadays, but sometimes it is still good for building Access frontends).

   I think the only thing that VB4 does not serve well is in terms of building user's own classes. But that is somewhat an advanced topic. so if you dont know VB at all, this is still the book to get.

2 comments about Microsoft Office 2000: Visual Basic for Applications Fundamentals (Developer Learning Tools).

1. With so many books on Office 2000 out there it's hard to know which one to buy, especially when you're buying online. One deciding factor can be the author's background, if you're fortunate enough to know it. If you don't know David let me tell you there's no one more qualified to write this type of book. David works for Microsoft designing the parts of Office that make it possible to program it using VBA. He helped create many of the features you'll read about in this book. I've seen the book and it provides a great view of what you can do with all the Office applications--not an easy task in a single book! So if you're programming Office 2000, or even thinking about it, you shouldn't pass up a great chance to learn from *the* source how it's done.



2. I was looking for a great beginners book for vba. I've had this book one day and have learned alot of things that make my job 100% easier.

5 comments about The Book of VB .NET: .NET Insight for VB Developers.

1. There is so much that is lacking in this book. First, it is not user friendly. It is difficult to follow. Second, it simply does not cover enough information that one needs in order to truly be able to use .Net technology.



2. I have been programming in VB since 1992 and decided to move to VB.NET when it was released but found the learning curve was immense - until I bought the book of VB.NET. This book is my Bible, it sits besides my computer all the time. Without delving into the VB language, it simplifies the transition to VB.NET for the experienced VB Programmer. It's not for VB learners nor does Matthew propose that it is. If you know VB this is the book to ease the quantam leap from VB to VB.NET - explained in logical steps with excellent examples. I have had to EMail Matthew with a few queries and the response is always prompt and helpful.

   There are certainly other books you need in your arsenal - such as Francesco Balena's Microsoft Reference - but this one is a must.




3. This book has a very good intention and concept - to introduce VB6 developers to VB .Net. In general it is a very good book. Not very deep, but good enough to start working with VB .Net and bee reasonably productive. So, if not for sloppy writing, I would probably give that book all 5 stars.
   What do I mean by sloppy? For once, author uses terms object and class interchangeably throughout the book. Sometimes it is contextually understandable what he means, but often it might be very confusing, especially for people relatively new to OO. Then there are errors and typos in code examples. Some of them are also very confusing. For example: on page 80 author introduces the new VB concept - delegates. For VB6 folks this is something fundamentally new and strange.
   In code example author defines delegate type and calls it ProcessFunction. Then he defines variable of this type and calls it ProcessDelegate. After that on the same page he shows how to use delegates and assigns value to ProcessFunction and retrieves value from ProcessFunction.
   From the context one should understand that in the last two cases the variable ProcessDelegate should be used instead, and that this is just a typo. Yet, given that VB .Net now supports shared properties and methods, when Class (Type) name can be used where one expects to see Object (Variable), this types of mistakes are very confusing and annoying.
   I would not go here into more examples of books imperfections. There are some more. Not terribly many, but enough to frustrate.
   Would I recommend this book? Yes, if you have patience and some other VB .Net book to resolve inevitable confusions.
   This could become a great book in its next edition if author takes time to make it a bit more accurate and precise.



4. Cover to cover this book sails through the hype dispensing nuggets not to be forgotten!!! .Net and C#-aholics had breathed so much hot air, I was having trouble find a place to start. Once received I put everything else aside. I used to use arrays, types, RDS, and ADO to get the plumbing done but now its OOP, and serialization from now on!!! I got so many good pearls from this book its ridiculous.



5. I won't do a lengthy review... just read the other 5-star reviews and you'll get the drift. This book is so easy to understand you can learn without a PC in front of you (if you're a VB6 developer looking to understand .Net). The explanation of what ADO.NET is all about is worth purchase price alone. No chapter is super comprehensive, but it's a great text to get you rolling in VB.Net right quick. As an MCSD and MCDBA certified developer, I wouldn't write such a great review on just any book. Buy it.

5 comments about Mastering Visual Basic .NET Database Programming.

1. I think that a book for computer programming can only be evaluated by the manner how we use it.
   Almost a year passed since I bought the Mastering Visual Basic .NET Database Programming and this book is still on my desk and is used regularly for advice.
   The book covers nearly all areas of .Net Framework technology and it is exceptionally useful for people who like me do not have a programming, but rather an engineering background.
   As marine engineer I can say that this book helped me a lot in my job.
   I am sure that a lot of my colleagues are a little bit upset about the continuous changes of the software environment.
   The people who write the software for the marine industry did not completely understand the marine terminology and engineering logic on board.
   As customers we still cannot find a `ready product' that is suitable for our purpose.
   I presume that a lot of my colleagues try to write their own applications as is requested on board. Therefore I would say without hesitation that this book is exactly written for people with a similar background to mine in an exceptionally simple and comprehensible language.
   Of course the technology is changing by hour, but the basic knowledge one should know can be found in this book.



2. This is the worst VB book I've read in all of my life, I needed to get to speed with ADO .Net, and as this book's title says "Mastering" I thought this could be the one I needed, especially after reading some of the other reviews.

   If you are an absolute and complete beginner in database programming this book might help you, but if you already know your basics, step away from it and get David Sceppa's book instead. Half of this book is about the basics of Transact-SQL, but the really basics, not the advanced stuff, and after that you get a bunch of really dumb examples of the database objects that will rise too much doubts in your head, instead of helping you, you'll just get more confused.

   I gave it two stars, because I was able to use a couple of examples in one of my applications, but that was after I had read Sceppa's book.

   What a dissapointment.




3. I did not like this book to much.
   it gives you information that you dont need
   and not enough information that you do need

   i could not get some directions to work right

   Got to give it credit to teach in VB and not in C#

   it did not work well with my learning style




4. This is not the book for a light superficial reader. This is a book for a serious learner. I have been dancing around the idea of database programming in VB.net for several months now. But this is the book that has really got me started.

   I admit I threw away this book after reading 6 pages in the first chapter. It has got me confused and overwhelmed by all the new glossary and high detail level. But a couple of weeks later I have decided to give it another try. And I thank God I did so.

   Skipping the first two (basic science) chapters you can start rightaway by the third (visual database tools) chapter and still keep up. Beleive me if I said that each single word from there on is an essential piece of information.

   Although I haven't finished reading it but I thought it's quite fair to clarify the above points about this great and serious book.

   I am really enjoying reading it, I take it with me everywhere. And I have started already practically verifying examples to help me through the course of learning which is by the way "Amazing"...




5. I have been programming in VB for about 9 years now - 4 years in VB.Net. Whether you are biginner or intermediate, you really need this book if you want to master the concept and skills of programming in vb.net. Even advanced programmers will discover things they have never thought about using this book. I am really impressed. This is the book that covers rearly all aspects of VB.Net and .Net framework en general that you as programmer will need to develop a professional programme. If you get this book, I sueggest that you read all chapters. Even the chapters that you think you are familiar with the topic; you will be surprised what you will discover that you did not know. If you are familar with the topic, just scan it and see.
   This is a great book

3 comments about Microcontroller Projects Using the Basic Stamp 2nd Edition.

1. The author has a good approach in revealing some of the pitfalls with using the Basic Stamp.Advanced users will certainly find some of Al's solutions very heplful, as he explains in detail floating point expressions, and working with negative numbers.
   Inside the book is good code on interfacing with a serial LCD, as with others I read, Al has taken some of the mystery out of it, and really puts them to practice in his projects.If your novice to electronics, then this book is for you. Al explains how to interface keypads, switches, LEDS with no experience at all, and certainly makes it look easy.I was impressed by how he expained the circuit diagrams, and other key points on interfacing.
   Al has also included his own programmer in the book, and I haven't even started to list his ideas for your next project.
   I'm only giving it a four, because the CD was unreadable, and the publisher was kind of enough to send me another one.



2. This book is for the beginner that wants to get into electronics and has heard that the Stamp is a pretty cool thing. The book starts out with an introduction to the Stamp and Electronics in general. From this, the user is given more detail on the Basic Stamp. The majority of the book is dedicated to the projects presented in the book and this is where I learned the most about the Stamp. The projects focus on interfacing to other devices and this is where the book really shines.



3. this book is for the stamps 1 & 2 biginer this book waist 152 pages
   just to revie the stamp comanads that you cane find with stamp programing
   manual
   at the parallaxinc.com and from page 153 to 214 a simpel electronic
   circuits a led relay sound ic 386 pwm out put and ltc1298 all cane
   be found in stamp programing manual too from 215 to 248 thier is
   a simpel ic 555 an explain of his pake1 that is a pic16f84 that do
   a slave work for the stamp the pc vb frequency counter
   that is conected to stamp that make the frequency count and display
   it at pc i liked this project but the program did not work no mater
   what i try at page 256 thier is the extending pc I/O by using the
   stamp as a slave .it it is a very nice project but the vb program
   is not complet may be it is a an importent pro to be given on
   a 44.95$ book then from page 269 till 340 thier is the lcd keypads
   darlington transistor stepper motor leds all are explained in stamp
   programing manual too at page 341 to the end thier is chapter 10
   that explains how to start with pic in a very brief .
   in the end if you get the stamp programing manual
   you will be missing nothing

5 comments about Programming Microsoft SQL Server(TM) 2000 with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET (Microsoft Programming).

1. Like most people, I appreciate humor. But when I'm pressed for time and need to learn the nuts and bolts of a programming language, I'd rather an author save his chuckles for his own time. Or her own time. Whatever. Dobson's book is right up my alley. It's serious, but not complicated. The pages are filled with good, technical information, supported by concise examples and efficient diagrams. No wasted space, no wasted words.In contrast, Karl Moore's book (VB .Net: The Tutorials), though quite informative, was annoying in its silliness. This tome served as a refreshing antidote. Of course reasonable people can disagree on the humor thing--the disagreeable can go to Moore's work. In this book, multiple topics are covered well: SQL programming, including the all-powerful stored procedure, Windows application programming, XML programming and ASP.Net programming. Dobson's treatment of SQL in concert with VB .Net should help anyone get up to speed writing DB applications in no time. It is a wonderful text that successfully paints with a broad and serious stroke.



2. Be warned that the "Programming Windows Solutions with ADO.Net" chapter (chapter 10) presents only toy applications.

   Developers looking for real-world solutions will need to look elsewhere..




3. Rick's book is the best one I read on VB.NET with SQL Server. The flow of the book is unbeatable. Every chapter is clearly written and well planned to backup the chapters that will follow it. Executing stored procedures from VB.NET is the best part of the book because when I ran the code it worked. Other books I bought (too many of them!!!) do not compare to this book.
   The other thing about the author is that he replied to my email about an issue not mentioned in the book as soon as he received it. I strongly recommend this book.



4. I have read this book about SQL2000 and VB.NET. (Spanish Version)
   I don't have words to say the wonderful that it's this book.
   It' s the best programming book that I have never read.
   Thank you to write it.
   I wait a new version soon.
   Best regards from Canary Island, Spain.



5. This book is a solid introduction to SQL Server 2000 & VB.NET. I found this book to be both informative and easy to understand. That is missing in numerous books I have bought and found difficult to read and understand. The one item I had some problem with, Rick Dobson pointed me to the correct page in the book and that solved the issue. Great work Rick.

5 comments about Learning to Program with Visual Basic 6.0, 2nd Edition.

1. This book probably throws more information at you, page for page, than any other Visual Basic book I've seen. It covers everything from programming basics and general theory, all the way up to programming with databases. In that regard, it's an ideal book for the novice who wishes to explore deeper.

   Unfortunately, what keeps this from being a truly great textbook is some really sloppy editing. Explanations of concepts and tools are thorough to a fault, but they are just way too verbose. Here, a long explanation is used where a short one would have sufficed. And most inexcusably, I have found numerous errors in the project code that is included. I made it a challenge to myself to find out why the code was wrong and correct it, but not everyone has a learning style that allows them to benefit from this. Apparently, some of these problems are corrected in a third edition of the book that is forthcoming. Until that time, proceed with caution.




2. This book takes great pains to offer several different projects for a student to learn from. Unfortunately the main project, which is the most interesting, has several coding errors that hinder the project's ability to run. I found myself spending more time trying to correct the coding errors than learning from the presented material.
   This was my first introduction to VB, and the first four chapters were very beneficial. Then I hit a wall, as coding errors prevented me from continuing with the project.
   Also, the associated trial software has a few glitches. Most notably, and most annoying, was the fact that the utility allowing a VB project to be saved as an EXE was unavailable, for whatever reason. I registered the product correctly, and was well within the 120 day trial period. This limited my ability to bring the project to work to examine it further.
   Finally, the web site for student help listed in the book was unavailable for the entire month of January. I gave up at the end of January.
   I do intend to keep this book as a reference tool, and look forward to finding the correct codes to make the entire project work when I learn more about VB. Until then, I will find a different book to utilize.



3. We were given this book for my programming class and the author is very long winded on every topic and a lot of times you read the topic and when finished you are more confused than when you started so you end up going to a different book for better understanding.

   The code for the projects are broken up into seperate chunks and he doesn't always give you all of the code needed to make the program work or his code is wrong so you spend more time trying to find the problem and get it to work than learning the topic that the code is supposed to teach you.

   The index of the book tends to be off the majority of the time so when you need to look something up it will not be on the page that it says it's on. I went to the publisher's website for a page with the error corrections but they only correct a few items and I spotted a ton more in the book that I feel is critical to get the code to work.

   If you are really interested in learning Visual Basic 6 I would suggest going for a different book than this, this book is not worth the money.




4. I had to buy this book for a class and frankly it is not a good book. Lots of code errors that make it confusing. Every one of my classmates complained about the book. The professor eventually told us to not use the book and he gave handouts he had written instead.



5. THE BOOK COVERS A LOT OF STUFF AT ONCE IT SHOULD BE CALLED LEARNING TO PROGRAM THE HARD WAY DONT RECOMMEND FOR BEGINNERS MEABY JUST MEABY FOR ADVANCED PROFESSORS ..SORRY MY OPNION..DONT RECOMMEND IT TO LEARN FROM IT AS FIST VB BOOK AND BY THE WAY THE AUTHOR HAS A LOT OF GREAT BOOKS THE FIRST ONE I THINK WAS BETTER