1 comments about Computing with C# and the .NET Framework.

1. C# is roughly equivalent to Java in functionality, though perhaps specialists in both would decry this comparison. If you already know Java, you can check this out for yourself by going through this exposition of C#. It starts from scratch, assuming no prior knowledge of another programming language.
   
   It teaches the syntax of C#, and that it is a fully OO language, like Java and unlike C++. Graphics programming in C# is also explained. C# comes with a set of elementary widgets. Again just like Java. The similarity also extends to the ease of developing simple graphics programs. Much easier than C and X11, which some programmers did in earlier years

5 comments about C++ Programming Today (2nd Edition).

1. Johnston's book should replace Deitel & Deitel. It covers the essentials of C++ and object-oriented programming more thoroughly, and it has realistic debugging/troubleshooting discussions. The appendices give the reader a refreshingly complete one-stop reference for all the little details that I tend to forget.

   The book has lots and lots of sample code with careful discussion of what's being done and why. The troubleshooting and debugging advice alone is worth the price of the book.




2. Unfortunately I was requried to buy this book for a class. An absolute waste of money. Nothing is covered in any sort of detail at all, while the pages are dedicated to output from compilers. For an example, the information covering file Input and Output consists of a single paragraph. And it's wrong. C++ Primer Plus is a much better alternative. It's cheaper, bigger, more correct, and is actually a useful book. I want my money back Barbara! (And I suspect that you're the one who wrote the first review and that you also paid someone to write the second.)



3. I am goin to make this short and sweet because this is the third time I have had to type this because your site keeps crashing.( have been on sites before this one and many sites after with no problems so I am goin to assume it is just yours)
   problems:
   #1 ordered a book for class and recieved it late.
   #2 was sent the wrong book in my first order. sent that book back and recieved a replacement.
   #3 the replacement was again the wrong book.
   #4 was charge for 2 books while i only have the one in my possession. i sent the original book back and was told i would not be charged for the second one. no corrections have been made to my account so far.



4. (I'm not a child. I am a student where the author teaches and I don't want my real name on this. Not before I graduate, at least.)
   
   I have taken two semesters of C++ at a school where the course owner is the author of this book. Barbara Johnston is a great teacher and a wonderful lady, but she can't write to save her life.
   
   I found the narration in the book unbearably child-oriented and unnecessarily flowery and just... Unbelievably irritating to read. I don't know about everyone else, but when I'm reading a text book, I want it to read like a text-book, not a children's novel.
   
   On a more technical note, this book did not delve into nearly enough depth on any topic, in my opinion, and the diagrams presented were to convoluted it hurt my head to look at them.
   
   I absolutely hated this book and for the greater part of my two semesters, I didn't read it except to get the assignment programs from the end of the chapters. I recommend Deitel & Deitel's C++ How to Program 3rd Edition. This book is definitely for the birds.



5. Most everyone agrees that textbooks are overpriced. It is a terrible scam on the market. When you have a textbook that is a muddy and cheap as this book, you are slammed by the tragedy.
   PROS
   The picture on the cover is beautiful.
   The text is often cheery. The text is not dry and completely robotic.
   CONS
   1) It is supposed to have a CD, but neither amazon nor the publisher can get it.
   2) There are no supplemental files. Some people feel that books should not include code samples, but those people are either genius learners or oblivious to the learning process. Even the supreme O'Reilly books have source for most of their books at a web site.
   3) The quality of the printing and the paper is weak for the price. I guess that the publisher and author hope to sell this to drop outs. It will look good on a shelf for years. If you use it and carry it for more than a couple of weeks, it shows WAY too much wear. The paper is too glossy and flimsy. With the thin sans serif font, one has to often move their head to see the words instead of the shine. The average student turning pages tears pages.
   4) The Appendixes are too slim. Buy a copy of Stroustrup's book for its appendixes.
   =====
   Most important
   =====
   5) The layout and indexing is weak. Key programming terms are not consistently introduced or displayed. Indexes were weak. Instructional illustrations are sometimes unclear or too far from the accompanying text. (Personal preference for educational texts: There are no summary sections for the chapters.)

5 comments about Massively Multiplayer Game Development (Game Development Series).

1. A fascinating book that compiles an array of essays by professionals in today's MMO industry. Each chapter brings something new and unique to consider: from the database to the game engine, costumer service to the network protocols, AI factions to interface design. However, some of the topics are so broad and complex the authors really have no chance of leaving you with a sense of satisfaction when their time is up- moving from topic to topic each chapter, you often feel the essays are left open and incomplete. Even so, the issues discussed are very important to consider, and rarely have I seen them covered in other books on the subject. Definitely an interesting read.



2. This book is very interesting to read, since it covers a broad range of information about Multiplayer Gaming. But you shouldn't expect every MM secret to be lighted up in this one book. It is a book with dozends of chapters about many aspects of MM gaming, so it is a good starting point to enter the topic and get a broader knowledge of what MM games are and what aspects you have to think about. In my opinion, you will need more books in addition to this (such as the gem series or MM2).



3. Thos book is a collection of wisdom, aimed to provide an overall view of what you need to consider to write your own MMO. There is no code and the articles do not go too deep, which is not a bad thing, because they provide easy to understand contents. So before writing any code, read a related article, avoid pitfalls and only then start writing. I have been reading this book for several months, over and over and I still love it. There is no need to read the articles in any particular order and each reading session can be as short as 30 min. and still provide good knowledge to you. This book is a must have on your bookshelf if you are serious about MMO games and use other people's knowledge to shorten you own development cycle. I like it so much, I just bought the 2nd edition, which looks very promising, too. And dear author(s), if you write a book with a framework, I'll buy that one, too, without any doubt.



4. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE SAME REVIEW AS THE SEQUELS BOOK, THAT IS BECAUSE I CONSIDER THEM TO BE EQUALLY AS GOOD AS EACH OTHER.
   DON'T BUY ONE BOOK, GET THEM BOTH.
   
   As a games programmer I wanted to branch out into a MMG and this book was one of 4 that taught me everything I wanted to know.
   
   This book is split into 3 main sections; each section has several chapters about differant aspects of the MMP's. If you have any interest in MMP games you cannot help but to find most chapters helpful.
   I will admit that some chapters bored me and I skipped them, but the amount of helpful chapters there were more than made up for it.
   
   Each chapter has been written by a differant person and quick searches on google makes you realise that these people really do not their particular areas of expertise.
   
   James



5. This book is exactly what I've been looking (and wishing) for!! I feel terrible that I found it FIVE years after it's been out!
   I'm a hobbyist game programmer, a senior in high school, and I've been wanting to make my own MMOG since late middle school. Of course, back then my vision was more... general, unrealistic, overenthusiastic. But over these past few years, as I have matured and gained experience in programming, I've been building up to the time when I had a clear view of what I wanted and exactly how to get there, and especially how much work would be involved. I've taught myself all about general game programming using several other books, but the whole time my goal has been a MMO, and while the books taught general game development, none of them really mentioned how to develop on a 'massive' scale - even the books concerning online games. Finally, I've found one that's not only focused on MMOGs, but has exactly the information I want.
   I have researched plenty books and websites, but this is a HUGE source of information that I couldn't find anywhere else! Tips on how to organize server farms, complete UML code explaining a full MMORPG framework, tips on server and client development, etc. - just read the table of contents. This book is out of print, but if you are looking to make a Massively Multiplayer game, get your hands on it immediately!!
   Another great aspect of the book is that at the end of each separate article, there is a list of resources. It's like a bibliography of the articles that the editor used to compile the article, including the original article itself and any additional sources used. This referred me to several other great game design books that I never would have considered.
   If you have questions, like I had, about how to synchronize objects between client and server, how to handle movement and collision detection, how to design and implement the back-end database, how to protect from 'rogue' players (commonly called 'hackers') and so on, this book will answer all those questions and more.
   
   I am writing this review from the perspective of both programmer and designer (well, whole-game-maker, but I've got a couple friends so I consider those my primary roles) - and the programmer will get a whole lot out of this book. A designer will also get some great ideas, and I have not yet read a lot of this book (especially the section meant for designers), so I'm sure I'm underestimating.
   
   A single warning though: You should already have a pretty clear vision of what kind of game you want to make, and in the case of a programmer, have a thorough understanding of the programming language, and all the systems of a game - especially graphics and networking. The book describes thoroughly all the processes but does not go into details about how to form and transmit packets, so you'll have to look into that elsewhere (read up on sockets, possibly the library RakNet, for more info).
   
   Overall, this is a great book, and I would rate it higher if I could! I may even consider getting MMGD 2 now that I've seen the high quality of this one!

5 comments about C++ in Plain English.

1. Another reviewer nailed it: This is a *C* book, guys! True, Brian Overland has written an analogous C++ book called, strangely enough, "C++ in plain English". While it will be a stretch learning from this book (and the C++ one as well), its real value is as a handbook. the first part is laid out as a rather thin tutorial on the language (in this case C, in the other case C++) while the second half is a compendium for definitions and descriptions language entities in alphabetic order. Although I have been programming C for around 20 years, the old grey matter tends to have tidbits wander off. That's when I reach for this book or its C++ brother. If you don't want to devote a great deal of bookshelf to those ponderous, bloated, 3-inch giants or you want something that's luggable, this book is an unprecedented value.
   
   Another good point is that the price (even when this book was in print) was somewhere South of a reasonable $20; The used prices are a real bargain. I mean, how many times have you picked up a 1,000-page, $49 "The C Bible, Tora, Compendium of all Things C, You'll Never Need Anything Else" giants only to realize that you need yet another? Between this little handbook and the F1 key on your compiler's IDE, and Google, you should be pretty much set.



2. Actually, I have close to a dozen books on C++, covering the breadth and depth of the subject. However, I've always been the sort of person who can do anything with a well-written quick reference. If the facts are laid out clearly and concisely, if the terms are defined along the way, and if the topics are developed in a logical progression, I really don't see the need of a lot of tutorial verbiage.
   
   This is such a book and, as a result, it's the only one I regularly refer to anymore. It provides detailed coverage of the language, and includes an excellent index to help you find what you need quickly.
   
   Highly recommended! But if you still want more detailed coverage of the library, then see "The C++ Standard Library" by Josuttis, ISBN 9-201-37926-0.



3. The 2nd edition is a well-written book for old style C++, but definitely pass on this edition for ANSI/ISO C++. This is a nicely written and well-organized introduction to C++. The topics are presented in a logical order without too much forward referencing, and the discussion is clear. The examples are concise and a significant aid in illustrating the material.
   
   Although this edition states on the cover "Covers the new ANSI/ISO C++ standard spec" that coverage is only cursory. In an appendix, in the authors own words, "In this book I have struck to using the old approach in example code because it is more familiar to C++ programmers. ... At some point in the future, everyone will be encouraged to switch to the new approach".
   
   That point had probably already been reached when this book was released.
   
   Considering the high quality of the writing and explanations, and the book's comfortable size, it is disappointing that the edition as released provided only a cursory discussion of the C++ standard available at the time of publication.
   
   Whether it was the press of publication or lack of author time, sadly this well-written and well-organized book was arguably out-or-date at the time of its release.
   
   Since this is an introductory book, the new C++ standard should have been the main focus, with reference to old style C++ only where it might help the reader understand legacy code, as e.g., in Prata's C++ Primer.
   
   If you are considering the 2nd edition to learn C++, you may want to reconsider unless you are using a considerably older complier or reviewing older code. C++ has changed considerably. Thus, a book with more complete coverage of the C++ standard may be a better choice. Even at it low price on the used market, this book may not prove a good value.



4. This is the easiest to read book on C/C++ I ever read. Detailed discriptions, detailed examples and accurate information. I use this book in my work all of the time.



5. I looked at at least 15 beginners books and bought a few others before finding this one. This one is the best. It is very good about giving you a top-down view of WHY programming features are being used while simultaneously being a how to book. The language is indeed very clear while still conveying a lot of information.

5 comments about Managing Agile Projects (Robert C. Martin Series).

1. This is a very practical yet thought-provoking book. The book brings in a lot of thinking from complex adaptive systems to bear on the problem of managing agile projects. A lot of early agile thinking was that the role of the manager was to buy pizza and get out of the way. This book shows how the role of the agile project manager goes well beyond that and provides very specific activities to be performed by agile project managers.
   
   The book covers topics (such as how to best organize an agile team or teams) that are glossed over elsewhere. Particularly useful may be the chapter on how to transition to an agile process. Among the specific principles and activities recommended in this book are certainly some that will immediately help your current project.



2. This is a solid book, but suffers from a very slow start. The first quarter of the book seems filled with too much mystical hand waving and too many buzzwords. The entire opening quarter of the book is stuffed with referenecs to "chordic edges" and "holographic formal structures." A few of the buzzwords get defined and used later on, but the overabundance of them was like fingers on a chalkboard. There are also a few irritants such as charts with poor explanations, or the assertion that test-driven development is an approach "specific to XP."
   
   Things pick up greatly after chapter 3, however. The remainder of the book is solid, very useful, and full of great information for building and maintaining a solid development team. There's a lot of great focus on bringing value to the customer, and there are practical examples for all of the various aspects of running an agile project.
   
   You'll find handy tables and explanations detailing estimation, task backlogs and job jars, and several great discussions on how to keep communication flowing with your customer. The sections on clearly establishing service criteria at the start of the project, and the clever use of sliders to help define success critieria, were nicely done.
   
   Overall it's a very good book. The opening three or four chapters drag down what's otherwise a solid addition to my bookshelf. I'll get a good amount of use out of the book.



3. This text covers agile project management practices: organic teams, guiding vision, simple rules, open information, light touch, and adaptive leadership. Each practice is covered as a separate chapter with ways to implement these practices. Specific leadership and management activities are detailed making this a valuable resource for agile practitioners.



4. Managing Agile Projects by Sanjiv Augustine is an excellent review of agile project methodology. I have used the principles discussed in this book to repeatedly reduce project cycle time and enable my teams to meet very tight delivery schedules. The book is an excellent read for managers and contains a lot of great tips as well as interesting figures and tables. It reminds me of the classic IT book entitled Peopleware. It can be read in one or two business trips.



5. Excellent introduction to the underlying principles of agile software development, ideal for people to new to the methodologies, or as a refresher for experienced practitioners. Not detailed in the actual practices, but describes the most important guiding elements of the agile paradigm.

5 comments about Black Art of 3D Game Programming: Writing Your Own High-Speed 3D Polygon Video Games in C.

1. The first half of the book is simply great. With the help of
   this book , I 've written a complete VGA library in assembly.

   The quality of the illustrations on 3D concepts like cross products , however , is too low and doesn't help to understand the material.

   But the rest is truly amazing (André even covers the Pentium's FPU processor).




2. This book is a very good intro for 2D and 3D programming. The source code is simple and easy to understand. It lacks some things, like bitmap rotation, but no book is complete. The code can be compiled with the Watcon 11.0 compiler or Open Watcon compiler with some minor changes.



3. I owned this book for a while but I didn't actually pick it up and start reading it until a few weeks ago... people will complain that this book is outdated and blah blah... well those people are people who want to be spoon fed everything and have no creativity... if you have any kind of brain, this book is an awesome intro to 3d graphics... just check out my site http://members.rogers.com/vetro

   I started coding a 3d graphics engine... I had to improvise, but the techniques are all based on the last half of this book

   V




4. 
   After I have bought this book for 10 years, I am still refers to it occasionally for implementing certain graphics features in my software applications such as charting.
   
   This book provides real programming in 2D and 3D the classics way using nothing more but merely math algorithm. Although this book is destinated for MS-DOS environment, no DirectX tutorial within, with knowledge of classics 2D and 3D descriptions from this book, you can be sure of, porting to any new environment is not a problem...because you owns the root.
   
   Moreover, in today's gaming industry or enterprise, in order to push to limits, it has to be a self-written 3D engine for sure.
   
   This is a golden book, grab a copy while still available, is surely worthy.
   
   Sincerely,
   Ricky Gai.
   
   Review updated: 13/04/2006.



5. Welcome to 1995.
   
   This book weighs in at around 1.5 kilos and probably half of it could be culled from the book today. A lot of the material focuses on specifics for DOS (Windows 95 inclusive) programming, which is all unnecessary today under modern operating systems, if supported at all.
   
   
   This book is worth reading if you're interested in a history lesson, it shows how much work was required to get small things done and the amount of knowledge required.
   
   These days, thanks to reusable software in the forms of libraries programmers can focus on higher level aspects and worry less about reinventing the low level functions.
   
   Personally I flipped through the book up to Chapter 10, 3D Fundamentals (having already coded a tetris game in C, with sound effects and music, prior to opening this book). This part has some good introductory theory including vector math, matrices, fixed point math and background informatioj required to implement 3D graphics without something like OpenGL.
   
   The rest of the book, more 3D engine impementation, BSP and then Voxels and raycasting is most excellent and I would definitely recommend it on this basis, this information can most definitely be applied to writing programs with software rendering in modern languages and programming environments.
   
   Thank you Andre Lamothe!

5 comments about C Programming (Visual QuickStart Guide).

1. I love the Visual QuickStart Guides (of which this is one). Their format of text on one side, screenshots on the other side works well for most applications.
   
   But it doesn't work well for programming languages.
   
   The QuickStart approach is show-and-see. To learn a programming language, the approach has to be show-and-do.
   
   The author could have supplied problem sets at the end of each chapter. He supplied no problem sets. Without problem sets, the book provides no opportunity for readers to actually program. And you just can't learn to program without programming.
   
   If you want to read about C, or if you're looking for a well-written reference about C, this book does the job.
   
   If you want to program in C, you will not learn to do it here.



2. The author did a fine job introducing key C programming concepts and illustrate them using simple well-explained code samples.
   
   However, the book just doesn't cover enough depth and breadth about useful C topics for this book to be a keeper. I am not sure about the intended audience. Computer Science students should definitely get more serious books like C Primer to learn in-depth about the C programming language, whereas developers from other languages should get more advanced books like Expert C Programming, Pointers on C to start 'Thinking in C' and get more bang for the buck.
   
   I think this book is a good buy only for those looking for a job interview that requires C knowledge and you have only a weekend to prepare for it ;)



3. If you wanted to get up to speed with C without having to read thousands of pages in order to understand one concept then this book does a fantastic job. Good book to start on and i would recommend it to anyone!!



4. I own two other books by Larry Ullman and am nothing but pleased with them; however, this one was rather disappointing. The coverage is overly simplistic, shallow and lacks substance. The authors also "stroke out" in the pointers section --which is a bastion of C programming. I suppose it's "fine" as a dumbed-down introductory text, but for anyone with even a little programming background this book is useless or even laughable. Definitely not one of his better ones.



5. It is a wonderful Introduction to C!!!
   I have seen many other books dealing with programming, but this is definitely the best.
   Even for an almost absolute beginner like me this book presented a format, a style and a quality to get understand pretty easy. For PC and Mac users alike; and the given examples work - what in most books it is not the case!
   I wish the authors would write a book about Objective - C in the same style!
   Amazing that there so few books about programming and programming languages which deal the subject in a didactically and thorough method without the need having learned three languages before and without having a 10 years programmers experience
   - a be on a mac-
   
   thanks so much to the authors!!!

5 comments about Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 10 Minutes (2nd Edition) (Sams Teach Yourself).

1. I found this book to be very useful. If you want to pick up some good, solid footing in C++, with or without a background in programming - this book is for you. The format is clean: 10 minutes or so at a time is perfect for getting into the office a little early and running through a lesson or two prior to commencing your workday. There is source code available on the books actual website on http://www.samspublishing.net, which helps this become a learning exercise, rather than a typing exercise, for those of you whom are advanced enough to just want to read solid source code.
   
   I do find that by chapter 15 some of the examples start to get somewhat dicey: I can't always tell if I am supposed to be entering this code, or if it's only for discussion. Later in the "Listings" it's clear that it was NOT for discussion and I will need to enter it in order to make the examples work. That's fine - perhaps the author can use that format as a 'puzzle' if s/he so chooses. Just make me hip to the joke.
   
   If you are using Visual C++.NET you may want to find a book SPECIFICALLY for that environment, as this is all standard C++. Nothing wrong with that, mind you - but the .NET environment may require a little more 'gear grinding and lever pulling' to mitigate trouble should you come across any, if my experience is any judge ;)



2. I am a Computer Science major, and I have been learning Java. Knowing that I need to learn more than one language I decided to pick up C++, and I bought this book because it was the cheapest that Sams Publishing had. The book surprised me because it was perfect for someone who had an intermediate level of knowledge about programming. It explains in detail what the syntax does, and therefore makes it helpful when relating the algorithms used in both languages. The lessons are also short so there is not a lot of unneeded jargon describing every little thing.



3. This book may be the best thing since sliced bread and canned beer, as many reviewers seem to have already pointed out.
   
   However...the title is flat out misleading and is actually false advertizing.
   
   Almost anyone who has tried to learn C++ thoroughly will shake their head and roll their eyes when they see the title of this book.
   
   How about "Teach yourself C++ in many lessons - each of which could take you around 10 minutes (depending on how quickly you read and how much you really want to understand) though honestly, if you really want to learn C++ you probably need to read many additional books and spend at least 3 or 4 years programming in it."?
   
   I eagerly await the publisher's next book: "Teach Yourself to speak Fluent Mandarin Chinese in 45 Seconds".



4. While this book does cover a lot of important topics in C++ in a very short time, that's not necessarily a good thing. The format of the book is: new concept, example code, explanation of the example code. The biggest problem is that new stuff shows up in the example code that he doesn't bother to explain. Some of that stuff is then covered later, some of it isn't. Also, he uses the same code throughout, elaborating as each new concept is introduced. The problem is that sometimes the elaborations shown in the book won't work without other changes that aren't included. This may be his intent, as it gives you some debugging practice, but he definitely doesn't say so, and it gets a little confusing.



5. This book gets you programming in C++ pretty quickly and is intended for readers who want concise lessons on the fundamentals of C++ and do not want to have to learn from an phonebook sized book. You build a software calculator and add functions with each lesson, so each lessons builds or improves on the previous. You will need a companion C++ reference book to explain some subjects in more depth. Face it, if you are to master C++ you will have to buy a few more books. This is the price for making a short concise learners book. Also, do not expect to wiz through every lesson in 10 mins, some take longer.
   
   This book would be greatly improved if the full source code was available online for each lesson. It would certainly speed up the learning pace closer to the 10 mins promised. They do post the listings (example code in book) provided in the book, but that is not the source code only pieces of it. I have completed 14 lessons (out of 27) and have become stuck in lesson 15 due to the unclear instruction and construction of the program. The book builds on previous chapters in the book, so skipping chapters is not possible (unless the source code was available).
   
   If you get this book see my post on Jesse's forum for errata through lesson 15. It should help you and maybe you can help me. http://forums.delphiforums.com/JesseLiberty

5 comments about C++ Black Book: A Comprehensive Guide to C++ Mastery.

1. In simple words,This book rocks ....
   
   It Covers everything including STL.The concept of Classes is clearly explained through appropriate examples.
   Though one may feel the editing is bad,it actually gives you the chance to revise the concepts you already studied, while going through the chapter.
   so i think the editor did a good job.
   It's certainly one of the best books i've read on C++.



2. Started out with this book to improve my BrainBench score beyond 3. It really helped to improve my fundamentals which you may not get in the classroom.
   
   The introductory explanation of STL and templates also helped in improving my template coding abilities. For more advance programming, Exceptional C++ by Sutter and C++ Programming by Bjarne Stroustrup are recommended. You can also throw in Scott Meyers book for support. Good references and code are also got from CUJ.



3. I have had this book for several years and am just now using it to learn C++. The book has an unusual style in that it repeats itself adding slightly new increments as it goes along. This is great for a beginner or an intermediate programmer with some bad habits. It would drive an expert crazy.
   I have written this review because of the put-downs in several other reviews. Those reviewers are looking at the book from the perspective of someone who already knows it all. They obviously don't feel that they needed this book and perhaps they don't. I did and still do need the simplicity and patience exhibited by this author as I am trying to learn this difficult language without the help of a teacher or even mentor to answer questions. For this purpose the book is the best I have seen and I have half a dozen others.



4. This is an excellent book. I had the book for a long time already, but only started yesterday. I used to find it complicated. A few days ago I had a plan for a program, but I just didn't have knowledge of the right language, which is C++.
   The book briefly explains all concepts in the first chapter so the following chapters are easier to understand. The activities make you write simple programs which explains the ideas in an easy-to-understand way. At the end of a chapter the things are repeated to review you knowledge so you can continue to the next chapter easily. Another great thing is that the examples given have highlights in the new or important parts in the examples, so you can easily see what's new and what you should remember.
   
   The people that previously wrote reviews mentioning the repeating structure of the book are very impatient people. I'm done with the first chapter, and the basics are here. I've just started the second chapter, and things are pretty clear.
   It helps to first read the intro of the chapter, then do the activities, and then read it again for review without doing the activities.
   
   I have some tips for people to slide into the book a little easier:
   1* Download a free program called Just BASIC. (www.justbasic.com)
   It's a dialect of the easiest language there is: BASIC. The program comes with a free editor, compiler, and with a free tutorial to explain the language. I did the first few tutorials to get to know the basic basics of programming. It realy helps in learning any other language.
   2* Use Bloodshed Dev-C++ to write the programs. It's a lot easier. The book uses Borland 5 for examples, but Dev-C++ is easier and a lot better. It's free, comes with a handy editor and compiler.
   3* As with any language, after reading the book you should do some tutorials on the web. It's necessary but it makes life so much easier.



5. I'm a java programmer who made the switch to c++ thanks to this book. I found it a great source for those who already know the programming fundamentals.

5 comments about Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus.

1. If you are truly serious about game programming then this is the only book to pickup. Mr. Lamothe writes in a very simple tone explaining away everything. He assumes nothing and explains everything.

   This book is not for someone that does not have a semi-concrete understanding of C/C++ and object oriented programming. The Windows game programming book for dummies is not for dummies. It skimps on areas that this book dives into and I am sincerely thankful to Andre for teaching me DirectX programming.




2. This book is THE one to get if you're looking to start Windows game programming fast. Yeah sure it's several hundred pages long but it covers so much with so much detail. From the basics of 2D, AI and other cool things to hard core physics and 3D math (on the CD). Andre even helps build a 2D gaming engine for you to help cut your coding work in half! Now where else can you find that kind of help?



3. excellent book, a must for anyone who's interested in game programming! great for beginners!



4. I love this book. I knew a little c++ and a little DirectX. I read this book and it gave me a great understanding of it all. I have already made a couple of pretty good games. If you want to know how to make games then I would definitly recomend this book to you. If it made me able to make games I am sure it will be great for you.



5. This is a really good book...and I enjoy reading it. I keep it as a reference in the process of creating games...and always gives me satisfactory results. If your planning to buy this book buy it. This book takes from GDI to the fundementals of 2D and 3D programming.