3 comments about Basics of MATLAB and Beyond.

1. you'd get information about the Matlab programming



2. I was first introduced to Matlab as part of a junior level signal processing course. Without any kind of introductory manual on using Matlab, I struggled through the course believing that it was a pain to use. Recently, needing to use Matlab again, I found Knight's book in my school library. It made a huge difference. After just a few hours with the book I felt like a Matlab wiz. This book covers the basics concisely, using plenty of examples, and also shows how easy it is to use more advanced features like graphical user interfaces. It also provides instruction for dowloading a library of useful m-files and demos. It is not a comprehensive reference but I couldn't recommend it more highly to a person who needs to learn to use Matlab or feels uncomfortable using it.



3. I used this book as part of a computer-modeling course at Duke. I don't think it alone will make you a wiz at Matlab, but it does help you overcome that, "What did I just get myself into?" feeling. For the movice this is a very useful resource that will keep you from bouncing you head against the nearest wall while using the program.

3 comments about The Minimum You Need to Know about Java on OpenVMS.

1. Reviewed by Regan Windsor for Reader Views (8/07)
   
   While Java has exploded in the world of the Web and high tech toys, "The Minimum You Need to Know about Java on OpenVMS," focuses on "converting existing core business applications to use Java, yet still preserving your investment on the most stable platform on earth." For maximum understanding and success, this book should be read as a companion to "The Minimum You Need to Know to be an OpenVMS Application Developer."
   
   In true "tell it like it is" Hughes' fashion you realize early on in this book that the author is not a big fan of Java. To a seasoned C/ C++ user, the similarities and yet vast differences of Java and C++ can make it a cumbersome (if not extremely frustrating) language to work with. The good news is this is not a sugar-coated book on Java; Hughes confronts the biggest setbacks of working with Java and what you need to do to work through them.
   
   "The Minimum You Need To Know about Java on OpenVMS" covers basic code for using RTL and SYS functions, tips and tools for accessing RMS indexed files, the why's and how's of interfacing with FMS, details (including code) on creating a sample application (Mega Zillionare, as used in "The Minimum You Need to Know to be an OpenVMS Application Developer"), as well as some additional knowledge transfer and insights from the author.
   
   As with the first book in "The Minimum You Need to Know" series, "The Minimum You Need to Know about Java and OpenVMS" provides the reader with invaluable tips and tricks, includes a CD full of code, hands-on-programming exercises, and questions for review. The book reads as though you are being coached through the process of using Java on OpenVMS, as well as being provided with a few insights (and opinions!) along the way.
   
   "The Minimum You Need to Know about Java on OpenVMS" is an essential tool for anyone tasked with using Java on OpenVMS.



2. Stop right there. If you haven't read Roland Hughes' first book in this series, The Minimum You Need to Know to be an OpenVMS Application Developer you'll need to do so. Think of it as the prerequisite of a college course. Now, you are ready for the second book, The Minimum You Need to Know About Java on OpenVMS. Why two books? Java wasn't covered so thoroughly in the first. Believe me; you'll be glad you have both.
   
   The concept of this book is "how to convert your existing core business application to use Java, yet still preserve your investment in the most stable platform on earth." In other words, Hughes shows programmers how to create all the tools you need to make Java a usable language on OpenVMS. Java is an object-oriented programming language somewhat similar to C and C++ but really very different. Hughes goes into great comparison. Java has classes, but has a unique class called an Array with no defined constructor. This means values can be stored anywhere and in no specific order. You're going to learn to build the tools you need to build the tools you want. Pretty simple, right?
   
   As in the first book, Hughes uses the same application to demonstrate each new tool, in this book, using Java with FMS and RDB. He shows how to develop a generic class that will be usable by Indexed Files, also how to use JNI to access RMS, FMS, system services, and operating system provided libraries. Programmers learn to create an infrastructure MMS Procedure and how to use the supporting classes the procedure creates. Hughes also shows how to access RDB via the JDBC driver, demonstrating the importance of SQL. An accompanying CD-ROM contains the Class source.
   
   This isn't just flat textbook reading though. Hughes uses humor and casual language to engage his readers. He comfortably refers to things like geek books and nerd attitude. He knows that this work is on the intense side of life. The information within the book is very professionally presented, with detailed analysis and explanations, troubleshooting and error experiencing tips, and exercise quizzes that test your knowledge. You have to know these things!
   
   The final chapter examines the future of IT and the choices you make going into it. So you want to be a computer programmer huh? Are you sure? Don't listen to your guidance counselor without reading this book (and the first) first. Triple digit hourly rates, six figure salaries...maybe not. Downsizing, layoffs, feast or famine? Maybe so. When looking for sage advice on IT, go to the guru, Roland Hughes.



3. Programmers working, or starting to work with Java on OpenVMS (Virtual Memory System) are certain to appreciate this excellent, hands-on tome on working with this language (complete with accompanying CD)--but as author Roland Hughes makes clear, interested programmers should first read his earlier book, The Minimum You Need to Know to Be an Open VMS Application Developer, since this book builds comprehensively on that one. A sequel (Volume 2)is in the wings. Hughes begins with an introduction that frames the basic reasons programmers are having to use JAVA in these applications and candidly lays out the major pitfalls programmers will encounter when applying JAVA to VMS. He focuses in particular on problems that C and C++ programmers have with JAVA, paying special attention to the momentum of the C and C++ mindset they bring to the table and the problems that can generate. For example, he points out that in JAVA, most things are classes--and while they may look similar in C and C++, they are not. He feels that many of these problems stem from the syntax and the origin of the language. Because Java was originally created as a pure OOP language used in imbedded systems (like the system in your microwave or VCR), almost everything in it is a class. Hughes makes it clear that in order to use JAVA successfully on Open VMS, you need to develop a Free Class Library, and reveals how to create JAVA classes with the Java Native Interface (JNI). Hughes provides a plethora of useful tips for transcending these difficulties, framed in a pragmatic approach that distains expensive shortcuts, and enables programmers to descend into the bowels of the applications with a knowledgeable voice at their elbow. The text contains many hand-on practical exercises that teach programmers to build applications while simultaneously constructing infrastructures, rewriting the same application with each new tool under review. At each step there are detailed explanations, examples and illustrations that allow the reader to move back and forth between the text and the application, providing a rich learning experience in working with JAVA on OpenVMS. Part of what makes the book especially valuable is Hughes' comprehensive candor about the flaws of JAVA when it is applied to OpenVMS. In addition to discussing the problems faced by C and C++ programmers as they try to change their mindset as they learn to work with JAVA, Hughes' explores a series of other challenges they are likely to encounter, including problems relating to case sensitivity and case sensitivity inside the compiler, plus problems resulting from the fact that JAVA is only a semi-interpreted language. While conveying much useful substance, the author also engages in lively, cogent (and sometimes humorous) commentary on what is driving the increased use of JAVA on Open VMS in contemporary IT culture. As he looks at not only the "how to," but he "why" of Java in these applications, it is clear that his sympathy is clearly with veteran C and C++ programmers and not IT management. A significant part of the problem, he feels, lies in the roots of the process and the way a great deal of IT business is being conducted not just with reference to JAVA, but with software projects in general. In recent years, many software projects have had a tendency to turn into monsters, destroying schedules and budgets, and raising programming costs late in the curve--a trend that does not serve IT goals well. As software budgets rise, management is desperately seeking "silver bullets," tools to cut costs while trying to achieve ever more challenging IT goals. But as Fred Brooks observed in his IT classic, The Mythical Man-month, the root of the problem is not just rising costs, but something inherent in the evolving nature of the information revolution. As the amount of data available rises faster than the ability to process it, programming tasks become ever more challenging. As a result, even as hardware costs are dropping, many software costs continue to rise. To cut costs, many projects start cheap, and are forced to add staff later when problems emerge. Unfortunately, the addition of people to a software project late in the process actually makes things worse. In a similar vein, Hughes suggests that IT management, by looking for a silver bullet, is ignoring the roots of the problem by only seeking short-term cost-cutting solutions. Silver bullets are often advertised, but do they really exist? Hughes clearly feels that in the end, quick fixes and short term cost cutting measures are penny wise and pound foolish. In the final section of the book, "Ruminations," Hughes engages in a colorful and educational rant about the state of the IT industry and the programmers that work in it, offering useful advice and insight that will be valued by novice and veteran programmers alike. Bravo, Mr. Hughes! Any IT professional using VMS should have this book on his/her shelf, and the "prequel" and sequel as well.

1 comments about .NET Mobile Web Developer's Guide.

1. Reviewing books is a very subjective process. The review is colored by personal reaction as your level of expertise runs up against who the authors and the editors expected as the prospective audience for the book.

   Given that my level of knowledge differs from another person who may be interested in a book, I will try to provide as much info as I can so that an interested party can make their own judgment about a particular book. To that end, I will assign a pass/fail grade to each chapter. The pass/fail grade will be assigned based on the following context and assumptions:

   * The book title. What specific technology does it focus on?
   * Are the examples and explanations clear and to the point?
   * Evaluation of the topics in the context of the title and intended audience of the book.

   Chapter 1: Introduction to the wireless web and the Microsoft Mobile Internet Toolkit

   This was a rather long chapter (58 pages). It starts out with a general introduction to the various mobile devices and the their limitations regarding connectivity, screen size, memory and processing power. Along the way some rather interesting information on items such as Connectivity options and a basic introduction on how WML is delivered to Microbrowsers are covered. This was well written and I rather liked the background that was covered.

   The next section of the chapter gets into the actual Mobile controls themselves with sample code snippets. The controls cover the gamut from the general input controls to list and validation controls.

   All code samples are in VB.Net

   Grade: Pass
   
   Chapter 2: Introduction to the Microsoft .Net Framework

   A fundamental assumption that I made when reviewing a book that is focused on Mobile .NET is that the reader already knows what the .NET framework is and also that the MMIT is an extension of ASP.NET. In short, I am assuming that the reader is already familiar with both of these ideas/technologies and does not need it repeated to them.

   Well, this chapter does just that. It covers everything from getting and installing the framework to explaining what a web service is. I personally found this chapter redundant. Getting an introduction to the what the framework is was NOT something I was looking for in this book. In addition, there was no attempt to slant the explanation to anything remotely mobile related.

   Grade: Fail
   
   Chapter 3: Learning ASP.Net Covered the ASP.NET architecture and the web controls.

   Items covered ranged from the usage of a DataGrid(!) to Validator controls. Again, I found this chapter redundant.
   I am NOT looking for an intro to ASP.Net in a book that is supposed to talk about .net mobile capabilities.

   Grade: Fail
   
   Chapter 4: Using Mobile Device Emulators

   A very detailed chapter that talked about the various mobile emulators that are out there, where to get them, installation and configuration instructions etc.
   A very valuable chapter for any mobile developer that is targeting multiple devices.

   Grade: Pass
   
   Chapter 5: Developing mobile applications using the MMIT
   This chapter was a disappointment for me. Given the chapter title, I really was expecting to get into the guts of the mobile controls at this point.

   But only superficial examples are given. A majority of the information in this chapter seems to be a rehash of the MMIT documentation on MSDN. One of the more powerful controls that is present in the MMIT is the objectList. Beyond a written description of what it is, NO further information is provided. Very disappointing!

   Grade: Fail
   
   Chapter 6: Data Access with ADO.NET

   One of the beauties of the MMIT, is that you can use all of the same data access technology that you use with Web forms and windows forms. Given that, I again found this chapter redundant in the context of Mobile applications.

   I do NOT need an explanation of the ADO.NET object model, not to mention info on how to update/delete using ADO.Net. It did not teach me anything new that was relevant to my reason for getting the book in the first place, namely learning about Mobile .net technologies.

   Grade: Fail
   
   Chapter 7: End-to-End Microsoft Mobile Solutions

   This chapter went into great detail about how to install and configure the Microsoft Mobile Information Server and how to configure Exchange 2000 to work with this product.

   At the end of reading this chapter, I was ... confused. I had no idea why this chapter was in a book that was titled .NET Mobile Web Developer's Guide. Yes, the Mobile Information Server is a Microsoft technology that does allow you to deploy a mobile solution that allows you to read your exchange inbox from a phone and various other capabilities. BUT, it has nothing to do with MMIT!

   Grade: Fail
   
   Chapter 8: Creating a Mobile Movie Ticket Purchasing Application

   I liked this chapter!. It gave extensive documentation on System/Process flow, Database schema, components that were built to abstract data access as well as a UI storyboard for the application. Then it got into the code.

   It is a rather straight forward application, but the supporting design documentation made it very useful from a developers perspective especially as there was discussion of the code and design tradeoffs. In addition, it also provided extensive screenshots of how the app would look in a variety of devices.

   Grade: Pass
   
   Conclusion:

   Based on my personal criteria, 3 out of 8 chapters passed. As mentioned above, your needs in what you are looking for in a book might vary, but hopefully I have provided enough info for you to make up your own mind.

No comments about The Practical Basics of C++ Programming.

No comments about Using Quickbasic 4.

5 comments about Visual FoxPro to Visual Basic .NET.

1. Two Microsoft products that are very well suited for database application development, Visual FoxPro and VB.NET are shown side by side. This book offers many insights into database development for anyone interested in a fast start up in either camp. The book is also of value just to get a better understanding of working with databases in either language. Time went into clarify the process of creating classes / objects in both languages. I found the examples very particle and useful. Les Pinter has been known for his down to earth practicle viewpoints and contributions for many years; both in the Visual Foxpro and Visual Basic world



2. If you are a FoxPro programmer and are required to start programming in Visual Studio .NET, or just need to learn some of the basics of .NET, because you see this in your future, than this book is for you.
   
   Pinter is one of those programming geniuses who understands the workings of a language and can present it in an understandable way. He makes clear those things you just stare at and can't make out.
   
   I like walkthroughs, it's the best way for me to understand what is going on in the creation of an application, and this book is one of those that took me through both a FoxPro and a VB .NET application that can access both a FoxPro database and a SQL Server database, from the same application.
   
   The book came out in May of 2004, but was written before that, and uses VFP 7, VFP 8, VB .NET 2002, and SQL Server 2000, but you can still go through the code in VFP 9, VB .NET 2003, and SQL Server 2005. It still works, but there are newer ways to do things that should make it easier in both VFP 9 and the newly released VB .NET 2005, but don't let this stop you, it's still a great book.
   
   The book covers .ASP and Database access over the Internet which is the future, no matter what anybody says, and we have to learn about this in great detail, and Pinter explains it all in a manner which even my old brain can understand. However, building .ASP .NET applications in Visual Studio 2005 will make all previous .ASP .NET books obsolete in my opinion. You still need the basics, though.
   
   I'm the type that reads manuals, and I read every sentence of the book, so I found most of the glaring errors. Some were due to differences between the downloadable code and the code in the book, others were oversites, like making a phone number field 10 characters, but I was able to get around the differences, and a bunch of other problem errors that I promptly made a list of and sent off to the publisher, hoping that a new version of the book will be forthcoming in the future using the current development environments.
   
   The ability to access two different databases (FoxPro and SQL Server) with just a few lines of code in the same FoxPro or VB .NET program, the ability to finally figure out how to make a standard form that can be used in all my applications, and Pinter's straight shooting make this one of the better books in getting up to speed with .NET.



3. Mr. Pinter is definitively a great person, but most important, he is a great Programmer. He doesn't like to be called as a "consultant" or "another complicated word", sometimes used in this industry. Written for a programmer, targeted to programmers, this book is certainly a huge success in terms of conceptual clarity.
   
   In his very personal style, the book guides to every former FoxPro developer to cross the technical bridge, aiding them to arrive the .NET coast, from the data point of view - after all, Visual FoxPro is a strong datacentric development tool, and .NET is a general purpose one - he could put both worlds together in his chapters.
   Mr. Pinter is a living legend, not only in the FoxPro arena, but in the IT one as well. A wise witness of the computing evolution, many years as a successful programmer gave him the insight to get the essence of every problem, to get the shortest answer to a problem, to achieve a practical result in record time. He is certainly a pragmatic programmer, and in spite he still love FoxPro, this book covers the entire array of themes and issues a programmer will face when moving from VFP to .NET. An advocate of VB.NET, he consider VB as the .NET dialect of choice when migrating from Fox, because of their similarities. You can find almost no reference to C# in this book. This makes sense for a VFP developer, he or she will feel more comfortable dealing with VB code than with C sharp.
   
   One of the most deceiving aspects of .NET -for the novice- is ADO.NET data access, due to its disconnected nature, and tiered architecture, in general this technology prevents the normal VFP programmer to master .NET data access in an acceptable time. Mr. Pinter covers this technological gap with the exact concept in the exact moment, and this can only be achieved for a person who exhibits excellent knowledge in both technologies.
   
   In a word, "highly recommended".



4. A must for VFP programmers migrating to .NET technologies.
   Easy to understand, comprehensive.



5. Les Pinter did a great job of writing this book, but with the advent of VS2005 and SQL2005, all of the examples and screen shots have changed. Some are minor, but many are not.
   
   If you have VS2003 or older and SQL2003 or older, the book can be really hard to follow.
   
   Nothing against Mr. Pinter. His book is just a victim of the rapidly changing pace of technology.

5 comments about Autocad & Its Applications : Basics Autocad 2000/2000i.

1. I have had a chance to review sections of this publication in our local library. I found that it is truly a well written book with lots of exercises and helpful hints for the drafting/design discipline. However, I did not find anything on 3D modeling. Perhaps, you can mention a similar publication (same authors?) with the 3D modeling feature, treated with the same details. Thanks for the info. Is this book available in Toronto, Canada? (bookstore please?).



2. I have used Terence Shumakers books for teaching for the last eight years. This latest one covering AutoCAD 2000 is no exception. It is one of the best books to teach from, excellent subject explanations and easy to follow samples exercises. I do disagree with the order Terence follows, but it is easily overcome and does not reflect on the book its self.



3. while this book appears to exhaustively document the program, I could rarely find helpful information when I ran into specific problems while using the program. I'm currently looking for a book with better clarity and organization



4. In the book there are purple boxes with commands in them that are really helpful.



5. While this text covers a great deal of information and is required at community colleges it's as exciting to read as drug warning labels. And you practically need a rossetta stone to drag the pertinent information out of the chapters.
   
   The student CD included requires the student to have AutoCad loaded on their computer to access it. So you need to invest another $800 or so in a seperate computer program in order to access the student disk at home. Otherwise...well, it makes a cool drink coaster.
   
   I only acquired this book because it was required for my class. I hardly even cracked the cover. I used my 2004 copy of "Mastering AutoCad" by George Omura and highly recommend that instead. I only refered to Shumaker's book when encountering a 2005 upgrade (of which there aren't many).
   
   Omura's book has an easy to use index, goes beyond "the basics" and includes a disk with a trial version of ACAD that you can use for at least 30 days. I could look up commands and subjects in the index, breeze through the overview and be functional in minutes.
   Shumaker's book is adequate if you have zero ACAD experience, the patience of Job to trudge through the text, no other options or someone is offering to just GIVE it to you. Otherwise and for personal use, go for Omura.
   
   Oh, and don't forget, AutoCad has a HELP menu (F1) if you happen to be stuck for an answer during a test.

5 comments about Palm Programming in Basic.

1. As the owner of a software company that recently began programming in the PDA market, I was hard pressed to find a book that dealt with programming for the Palm that was neither based on the C language or written for an engineer. Kilburn's book was our oasis. It is straight forward, easy to understand, and does not confuse the beginner with advanced topics as do other programming books that I have seen. The book is well written and presented in such a manner that the reader can make an intelligent decission on which of the three development tools described in the book is best suited for them, without bias of one product over another.

   For experienced programmers wanting to develop software for the Palm OS platform, this book will help them decide which tool is best suited for their needs. For the beginning programmer or hobbyist, Kilburn kept the code examples simple and easy to follow. My employees that read this book gave it a thumbs up. I would recommend this book to anyone that is getting started in programming for the Palm OS platform.




2. This book is a welcome addition to my growing collection of programming reference manuals. Until recently, Palm Programming has been almost entirely relegated to the land of C and C++ Programmers. If you're a Basic Programmer, crossing the hurdle of leaning "C" is a difficult task. This book details three of the most popular SDK's for the Palm OS. AppForge, NSBasic and CASL. All use a Basic like syntax. I've found the help and reference documentation included with these SDK's less than adequate. The authors detailed examples and many code snippets fill that gap and in my opinion make this book a keeper.

   Regardless which of the three development languages you are using , you'll find yourself reaching time and again for this handy reference guide. You'll more than get your money's worth from this book.




3. A Great Way to get going in Mobile Development

   With the smart hand-held device space growing at 40% per year it's no wonder the sharp enterprise developers are looking to the mobile space for the next wave of software opportunities. Jon provides an insightful overview of the space and options for implementing mobile applications.

   Jon's hard work really shows in the detailed examples and analysis of issues critical for the mobile developers. This book is great for the beginner and experienced Visual Basic developer alike...




4. The author provides a fair representation of the subject of programming in Basic using 3 different development environments for the Palm OS. The example GolfPro database program was a good choice for demonstrating various features and techniques, providing a basis for comparison of AppForge, CASL, and NSBasic.

   The example code was not supported by a CD, however, as the text suggested, and various inaccuracies required contacting the respective support desks to verify language and interface usage ( there is no 'long' data type in NSBasic, and label controls and arrays in CASL do not operate exactly as suggested in the book). As a result, example programs and code provided was not reliable in producing the results intended.

   The tutorials were disjointed at times and difficult to follow. Sometimes critical intervening steps in developing the example program were glossed over or presented out of order. Certainly the book would have benefitted from a companion CD and a more thorough and technical review of the materials before going to press.

   Most appreciated was the general layout and subject matter of the book as an introduction to 3 different Palm development environments.




5. Probably the most common complaint that this book will get is for the lack of the example code on a supporting CD. When I emailed author Jon Kilburn (his email address is in the book) requesting the NS Basic source code he not only got back to me within a few hours but had attached the source code, the raw artwork, the final project, and a letter detailing the NS Basic software version to bring my attention that software updates may have rendered some of the code "old". If I wasn't already going to give it 5 stars, I would for the support alone!
   
   As for covering all the material, none of the NS Basic books out there cover everything in the detail one might hope. That said, "Palm Programming in Basic" by Jon Kilburn and "NS Basic Programming for Palm OS" by Michael J. Verive are by far the two most comprehensive titles for NS Basic programming and, combined, cover all the features in quite a bit of detail. Both have a different style of writing and presenting the information (as well as different examples of code and coding methods) so if you have difficulty grasping one of the authors, jumping to the other will usually provide that breakthrough you're looking for.
   
   The other two references I use the most are the "Palm OS Programming Bible, Second Edition" by Lonnon R. Foster and the NS Basic user group. The Palm Bible covers a lot but is non-NS Basic specific and the user group has hundreds of example projects with descriptions that you can use to jump start your projects.

5 comments about Pocket PC, Handheld PC Developer's Guide with Microsoft Embedded Visual Basic (Prentice Hall Series on Microsoft Technologies).

1. This book not only teaches programming with Embedded Visual Basic, but also show's the pocket pc's place in the big corporate picture. Showing XML, ASP, SOAP, SQL CE, RDA and more. Good examples. If you worked with all of these before, this will show you how you can incorporate Pocke PCs with what you already know and do.



2. I downloaded eMbedded Visual Basic several months ago and attempted to learn CE development using the sample apps for RDA or Replication. I was frustrated by things like how to set up
   a SCROLLING data entry form, properly using menus or using SQL Server CE. This book is FANTASTIC because for those developers who are not that experienced in CE, it describes step by step how to set up menus, scrolling forms, using icons on the menu bars, etc. I am only on Chapter 4 which describes using SQL Server CE on the Pocket PC and RDA to connect to a SQL Server 2000 database. The book holds your hand and takes you DIALOG by DIALOG of what you need to set up in IIS AND SQL Server to get RDA working properly. I followed all steps, and used Nick's sample RDA application (located on the CD-ROM) to connect to SQL Server, download the database, and store the data locally. I entered a new record on the handheld an voila! RDA sent SQL to the Server to add the new record! Nick also touches on how to set up SSCERelay so you can keep the device in its cradle for testing. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking at SQL CE development or just CE development. The other great thing is that Nick covers BOTH Pocket PC and HANDHELD PC differences! Way to go Nick!



3. This is a really good book for trying to understand the bewildering array of tools needing to come together to develop in eVB for the PocketPC. Nick's projects examples are more robust and more correct examples of how to write code for eVB than the Microsoft examples. Most of the explanations I have read so far in this book (I just got it last night) were just the right medicine I needed to make the next part of the project come together. What I really like about this book is that its really to the point of what does it take to make the application work. From where to get the correct software updates (SDK's, SSCE, etc), how to setup the project, how to use the controls, and enough working example of code interacting with control and libraries to make it all come together. The author doesnt spew out conceptual market buzz fluff, he gets you to code that works quickly. The treatment of SQL Server CE was worth the price of the book. ... Definitely a keeper !



4. I bought this along with Tiffany and Tacke. My development project involves several PocketPC's working in a wireless networked data management environment. For my purposes Tiffany was a throw away because he never gets beyond the basic Access and ADO subjects. Tacke provides details of his sample SQLCE application. Gratton is most useful because he writes to the intermediate level, provides insight on technology and architecture, teaches the methods of using/creating key features, and doesn't waste time and patience. I found him pulling up short only on the topic of customization for merge conflict resolution, but this is probably covered in SQL Server docs. His discussion on XML, SOAP and .NET gives a valuable heads-up on Web services. Grattan is a great starting point for the serious enterprise developer.



5. Nick's book is a must if even for the chapters on SOAP and .Net Web Services. The HTTP object that ships with the CD (and updated for Pocket PC 2002 on his website www.nickgrattan.org) is very useful, especially for a non C++ atl developer such as myself. I have found it very easy with guidance from this book to develop, in eVB, wireless applications both on and off the corporate intranet. With very little effort I have been able to satisfy managers normally gasping for MIS, and leave them rolling over and purring like pussycats. Well done Nick.

5 comments about Visual Basic Developer's Guide to Asp and IIS (Visual Basic Developer's Guides).

1. This book has been very useful to me so far--the author seems to have a good grasp of the subject. The issue I have is with the code downloads from the Sybex website--it seems to contain a lot of errors--the code for chapter 7 is especially bad. Also, I wish the auther had not included so much ADO in the book; while I understand that ADO was relatively new when the book was written, I do not feel that it was necessary to include so much of it, since the author says the book is for those who already know VB well. As a result I've had to waste a lot of time tweaking the database code to get it to work with my system, and I haven't learned anything new from doing that.



2. This book has been very useful to me so far--the author seems to have a good grasp of the subject. The issue I have is with the code downloads from the Sybex website--it seems to contain a lot of errors--the code for chapter 7 is especially bad. Also, I wish the auther had not included so much ADO in the book; while I understand that ADO was relatively new when the book was written, I do not feel that it was necessary to include so much of it, since the author says the book is for those who already know VB well. As a result I've had to waste a lot of time tweaking the database code to get it to work with my system, and I haven't learned anything new from doing that.



3. This was a pretty good book for someone experienced with Internet content delivery and Visual Basic but not both together.

   It allowed me to tie my knowledge of both together and often resulted in a lot of lightbulbs over my head.

   If you're a VB developer who would like to leverage your skill to get into web development, I'd highly recommend you grab this book.




4. I am a programmer. I currently develop in Visual Basic, HTML, CSS, Javascript, and VBscript. I purchased this book in order to learn ASP, and I've struggled through the first six chapters. I must tell you that, so far, the "book" is garbage. The examples are mismatched (i.e., the pictures don't match their descriptions), and the exercise projects don't work. I followed the examples word for word, line by line, only to find that after the exhausting effort, I accomplished nothing. I thought perhaps it was me at first, but after I downloaded the sample code from the Sybex website, I found it to be identical with the code I had written. When I tried to run the code I downloaded (presumably, this code was written by the author of the book), it also did not work. Chapter 5 in particular is overflowing with errata, only one of which is addressed in the Errata section of the Sybex website. I don't mind telling you, Mr. Jones, that I feel cheated...I hope you are enjoying the [money] that I paid for this doorstop. I could go on all day about this POS, but I must now go down to the bookstore and try my best not to get swindled again.



5. This is absolutely the most useless tech manual I have ever purchased. They didn't even get the index correct, it must be referring to another manual.

   DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!