1 comments about Quickbasic in Plain English/Version 4.5 (Scott, Foresman IBM Computer Books).

1. If you can find the book I recommend it. Its easy to read and follow. It explains the commands and basic programming logic so you can begin to program immediately. QuickBasic and the free version QBasic are becoming outdated but excellent for starting programming. This lays a strong foundation for programming that leads to the next stage - Visual Basic 6.0.
   Visual Basic is based on Quick Basic.

2 comments about Visual Basic .NET Programmer's Reference.

1. I am not a professional programmer so I need all the help I can get. I was stuck trying to get the Long Date format to work correctly so I consulted the help menu in VB.NET and all that provided was information that was incorrect and or that I could not implement correctly so I picked up my new copy of Programmer�s reference and found the solution within seconds. I use the previous version Programmer�s reference for VB6 and it also is an excellent resource. Both of these books by Dan Rahmel have MORE information that I can use in the real world than several of the 1500 page books on my shelves.
   Lloyd Gregory techrep@lloydgregory.com



2. Whenever I need some help with Visual Basic.net, this is the first source that I use. Sometimes it is better than the on-line help. I would supplement this book with the "Visual Basic.Net: The Complete Reference" book. I would highly recommend that both books be added to your Visual Basic.Net reference library. Although not as fast as the on-line help, the book provides better answers to your Visual Basic.Net questions. The only error that I found is ADO.Net becomes ADO.Next in the chapter on ADO.Net. Must have been the publisher.

No comments about Teach Yourself: Visual Basic for DOS.

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 Hands-On Basic for the Commodore 64 (Computer Literacy Book).

5 comments about Visual Basic 6 Win32 API Tutorial.

1. Personally I thought this book was great for progammers just starting out with the API or Applications Programmers Interface. The examples are well laid out and the code is mostly bug free. Yes this book does not have the depth of some other earlier mentioned books, however it is important to realize that this is a tutorial. Because this book claims to be a tutorial it should be rated on how well it teaches the subject. Personally I think the author did a great job and I learned a significant amount from this book.



2. A lot of people have mixed feelings about this book. But i think it really depends on your level of programming. If you are a absoloute beginner to the Win32 API, then forget this book, it'll just get you lost. If you have a little experiance in the API, (for example, i had used the API for a few BitBlt functions), then this is a good 'next level' book. If you have no idea what i mean when i say 'BitBlt Functions' then this book probably isn't for you. This book is a good reference and fairly useful when troubleshooting API problems, and it also goes a bit beyond the Win32 API which can be informitive. I enjoyed reading this, and escpecially building the encryption program that this book helps you compile along the way, but as i said before it really matters what skill level you are at.



3. I can honestly say after doing about 80% of the examples in this book, that I found only about 20% of the stuff useful. And of all the stuff I learned I can honestly say that it did not make my understanding of API's more clear.

   To me API is something you have to spend some time with. And it is hard cause unlike picking some new control and just figuring out what it does by its properties and methods, API's aren't something you can quickly grasp (IMHO) by playing with them.

   I didn't like the 'I will explain what all this does later', concept either as one reviewer mentioned. If your going to write out tonnes of code explain it all before you move on. This book doesn't do that. ALSO DON'T throw pages of code and more pages and then explain what it all does.

   DO IT IN SMALL CHUNKS!! Any developer who writes tonnes and tonnes of code and then tests his/her program is nuts. Take it in small steps. The book doesn't do this and I feel that was its greatest fault.

   I'd write this huge routine and sure it would work, but I'd be saying to myself "what do these 2 lines here at the beggining with the API call do exactly".. Then I am coding more and then the concept is atempted to be explained to me in its entirity.. And I am sitting there "What the hell did I just do?"

   Well that's my 2 cents. The good thing is source code is available from the publishers web site, and what errors there are in the book are easy to see.. nothing huge (that is unless you are really new to VB then u shouldn't be using this book first). However, the mutex example was VERY helpful and I have it in one application already. I know what it does but I don't really understand its mechanics... And I think that's how I feel about this book in the nutshell.

   Got some usefull code (not a lot) but API is still a mystery to me.... There's propably something better out there..




4. I bought this book about a year ago when I had a need to learn how to use Win32 API. I read a little, then started to skim, then skip sections, then put it aside completely where it collected dust while I found my answers elsewhere. I eventually picked it up again after I had become casually familiar with the Win32 API and realized that my remorse over the purchase wasn't the book's fault - rather it was my expectations of what the book was going to deliver.

   The Win32 API is vast and complicated. A casual glance at Win32 API books that go over just the Functions and Types (in only 4000 pages) will prove it. Any programmer looking at this book to solve a specific problem for them should keep looking. The book does not cover that many specific API situations, but rather explains syntax and structure, how's and when's, etc (metaphorically explaining what the abbreviations for a cup or tablespoon is and how to read a recipe card rather than how to cook any particular dish itself). I recommend the book as either your first introduction to the Win32 API after you have got VB6 down but before you actually need the Win32 API, or as a refresher for those who know the general gist of how to use the Win32 API, but want to fill in the gaps of what some things are, why they are used, and when to use them.




5. The contents of the book deserves a five-star rate, but the extremely boring explanations of the author made me downgraded it to a mere 3-star rate.
   I started to read the book -approximately four months ago- very excited because the contents of the book is something that has always interested me.
   After maybe twelve to fifteen pages, I had to stop reading it because the absolute boredom the author transmits with his explanations of the theme.
   I overcame that boredom and continued to read.

   The book has excellent examples with which to learn the API from; and the author's knowledge is undeniably outstanding.
   I have not been able to finish the book yet because the annoying way the author explains -as a consequence, my learning of the API/VB is still truncated.
   However, my proposition is to finish the book because, I know, needed knowledge will come from it.

1 comments about VB.NET: A Laboratory Course.

1. I have been teaching a community education course in Visual Basic 6.0 for several years. With the advent of VB.NET, I began searching for a book that could be used to teach it. The requirements are that it be in a laboratory format, start at a low level and be fairly thorough in coverage.
   Unfortunately, this book is nowhere close to meeting those requirements. While it is structured as a series of exercises, the coverage is far too shallow to be used in anything but the shortest of courses. Very few of the exercises get beyond the simplest of structures and there is very little demonstration of how subroutines interact. The exercises generally consist of a simple program where the user is to insert very small segments to make it functional.
   We have been using the Shelley and Cashman book for the VB 6.0 course and this book barely covers half of what is covered in the that book. I have recommended that this book be dropped from adoption consideration.

No comments about Flash, Php Y Mysql. Contenidos Dinamicos, 2006 / Flash, PHP and MySQL, Dynamic Contents. 2006 (Diseno Y Creatividad / Design & Creativity).

5 comments about Computer: A History Of The Information Machine (Sloan Technology Series).

1. As a kid, I read this book over and over, soaking up the volumes of information. The reading is pretty dry, but the story covered is fascinating. Perhaps one thing that made it interesting was reading about the person who bought it for me - my grandfather. He was pleased with how he had been interviewed and, of course, thought they could have said more about his area of study!



2. There are countless books covering the PC revolution from about the 1970's and onwards, but not very many that carefully cover the saga of the 1800's and onward! This book does an excellent job at capturing what happened in the realm of computing from Babbage's work all the way up to what began the downfall of the mainframe to the minis.



3. This book is a very well-written history of the essential phases of how computing and computers developed into what dominates today. It shows not only the "Museum" aspects of the inventions but gives also good deal of information about the settings of the situations in which the developments took place.
   
   One slight drawback might be some missing focal points to the European part of the history.



4. Campbell-Kelly and Aspray tackled an impossible problem and they did a credible job. They wrote a readable historic narrative spanning more than 100 years, including the major developments leading to the creation of the first programmable electronic computers in the mid 20th century and the subsequent 50 years of development leading to personal computers and the Internet explosion. This book capably captures much of the flavor of the developing industry and it's not as dry as one Amazon reviewer might have you think. It isn't larded with a ton of esoteric technical specifications that merely bore the casual reader. I read the first edition and it contained a few blatant technical errors. Mistaking the 32-bit Motorola 68000 microprocessor, circa 1979, for the 8-bit Motorola 6800 microprocessor, circa 1975, and misidentifying the 6502 microprocessor vendor MOS Technology as MOSTEK (two completely different companies) are two errors that I recall seeing. I hope these errors are corrected in the newer second edition. On the whole, I liked this historical overview very much.
   
   Note that this books serves as an excellent handbook and guide to the computers and other artifacts on display at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. Although the book was written before the current museum was established, its chapters closely parallel the historic timeline formed by the museum's aisles of computing artifacts, from the early mechanical calculators and punched-card machines through ENIAC, SAGE, and onwards to the personal computer. Many of the developments discussed in the book, spanning hundreds of years of work, are on display in the museum.



5. These comments are based on the 1st edition, published in 1996.
   
   This book is an excellent overview of the history of the computer, from its precursors, to its invention, to the first personal computers, and to the inception of the World Wide Web upon the backbone of the Internet. It is an overview, a first look: not in any sense whatsoever is it a detailed study of the development of the computer. It is a comfortable place to begin and does not pretend to be anything else.

3 comments about Sams Teach Yourself Visual Basic 6 in 10 Minutes.

1. Learn VB 6 in TEN MINUTES, I thought... you gotta be kidding, I must admit though, I was surprised. This was the best ten minutes I ever spent. I'm the sort of chap who would rather spend ten minutes on a quick "how to" book rather than wade through 40,000 pages of online help and believe me, this book helps you do just that. It is well presented, easy paced and although the "ten minutes" in the title is stretching it a bit (200+ pages), it starts off easy and slowly builds to describe some fairly imtimidating stuff in a way that even I could understand. I certainly recommended this title, I know I will have it by my computer as I am wading my way through pages of code.



2. How can anybody (two people before me) write a good review for this book is beyond me. I have two VB 5 books, and thought this one would quickly bring me up to speed with VB 6.

   Instead, it made me feel stupid at first, and angry later. Poorly written, infested with errors, illustrations don't match the text. I struggled through page 30 and abandoned it in utter frustration. Will request a full refund from Amazon.




3. I am of the opinion that the publisher should pay the reader to use this book. It is so vague it's rediculous. There is no explanation for the novice at all and there is nothing to learn without being somewhat of a vb programmer already; so why buy the book? SAVE YOR MONEY!