5 comments about Zend Studio for Eclipse Developer's Guide (Developer's Library).

1. I don't usually write negative reviews, because usually there are plenty of reviews already there if a book isn't being well-received. In this case, though, because it's new and because I'm having to spend a lot of money to find the "right" book on this topic, I thought I'd try to save others the expense. Save your money here. I stopped reading this book halfway through when I kept having to refer back to the "User's Guide" doc that comes with ZSE (which also has color figures making it easier to recognize the text descriptions).
   
   I would have given this book at least two stars for including a sample app (which the Zend user guide does not), but the app doesn't work! Even after correcting several typos in the sample app's code, you still get a fatal error (which I suspect has to do with a missing include path, but I shouldn't have to troubleshoot book code).



2. The help files that you get with Zend Studio for Eclipse covers much the same info and covers many topics that are only glossed over in the book. Most "chapters" are less than ten pages. One of the "longer" chapers in the book is the chapter on configuring your program preferences. That chapter is only 17 pages long and should have been shorter because it could have been condensed down into a few tables. So much of the text was wasted on instructions to tell you where to click the mouse. If you need to be reminded to click on "Save" buttons, maybe you shouldn't be a programmer.
   
   The back cover annoints this book "The definitive, comprehensive guide to Zend Studio for Eclipse." That's a bit of a stretch. It'd be more accurate to say this book is an intro to Zend Studio for Eclipse and a few related topics. I don't regret buying it because it was helpful to me. It did what I needed it to do, which was get my jumpstarted on my transition from Zend Studio IDE to Zend Studio for Eclipse, but if you're looking for a real reference that you can study and re-use, save your money. This book is basic and stops where a real reference book would have started from.
   
   By the way, the book is considerably shorter than the 216 pages that's listed. It's approximately 200 pages including blank pages and the index. Cut out the blanks and the index and it'll weigh in at a slim 174 pages.



3. Computer libraries strong in Zend Studio for Eclipse for PHP/LAMP developers will find Zend Studio for Eclipse Developer's Guide an excellent survey of the core techniques and terminology that make up Eclipse applications. From code editing and galleries to unit testing, debugging and more, Zend Studio for Eclipse Developer's Guide is an outstanding addition to any Eclipse developer's library.



4. I've never been a big fan of Eclipse but I now use Zend Studio so I had to get used to it. I could not have done it without this book. Eclipse operates so differently than any other IDE I've used that it was like visiting a foreign land but this book was my translator.
   
   Thanks Pete and Ian, I owe you guys a beer if we ever meet in real life.
   
   =C=



5. I cannot recommend this book to any target audience.
   
   For experienced developers the book lacks any detailed information on how (for example) to get remote debugging working or to integrate any version control software. The sparse overviews provided have nothing you won't already know if you've ever used any IDE.
   
   For beginners the book is rife with the kind of errors (the text does not agree with the sample code or images) that will drive them crazy.
   
   The writing is clumsy and full of grammatical and spelling errors. The actual information doesn't go at all beyond what you can get by simply browsing the help files you got with Zend Studio for Eclipse.
   
   Other than being able to read this away from the computer (not the most effective way to learn an IDE) there's no value to this book.

5 comments about Network programming in .NET: C# & Visual Basic .NET.

1. This book took me from 0 to 50 on network programming in 1 long day.
   
   It is written for someone familiar with .net and wanting to do network programming in .net -- either C# or VB.net.
   
   The coverage is very broad -- starting from sockets, to email, to http/web, to encryption, network utilities, etc. Each section is short and sweet, but still specific enough with an example that you feel you can jump in and start coding this.
   
   Also, the author is clearly a practioner himself -- this wasn't just reciting the msdn library, this was the tips and tricks on what parts really matter of each aspect of networking, with real life situations.
   
   This was one of the top few, if not the best, computer software books I've read, in terms of taking me from virtually no knowledge of a subject (outside of a network theory class a long time ago) to feeling confident that I can use the material in a commercial application.
   
   Two drawbacks:
   - Would have been nice to be able to download the sample code form somewhere as full apps. Retyping it is a bit of a pain.
   
   - I'm using the VS 2005 beta and a couple of the namespaces like system.web.mail have been obsoleted.
   
   However, if you're trying to learn about networking and using a .net enviornment, this is a good investment of time.



2. I purchased this book because I wanted to do socket programming. However only 30 pages is devoted to the topic. Threads are not covered as all and I found more information on the web then I found in this book.
   
   The fact that you can not download the source code is another blow against the book.



3. I was going to buy the book, but after discovering that the associated website required me to install Firefox to view it (and how egotisitical and biased is that?), and then didn't format code samples in anything remotely like viewable, plus that most people comment on a lack of code in the book (or that is doesn't work), I think you'd have to be dumb to part with the money for it.



4. A poorly written book!
   
   It appears as if the author chose his chapter headings and section titles well to make it look at first glance like an in depth material covering a broad range of subjects. However, if you read the book you will notice that each section starts with a poor superficial introduction of the subject matter with absolutely no in depth material, followed by a very good example. I must say that most of his examples work, but you will have to scratch your head to know why. He doesn't even comment on his own code other than in a superficial way.
   I tried to search for a good book on the subject and couldn't after a year of using this one. Being this the only valid source up there, you probably won't have a choice but to get it. It'll get you started, but you will end up having to purchase another book to complete your knowledge.



5. This book is awsome, I spent money on hireing people to make simple network aps for me that far exceeded the 35ish dollars spend on this book. I have yet to come across a book that "teaches" to the new commer. So far ive understood every thing the author has wrote. Im a complete new comer never touched the networking stuff(at least not got anything to work) and ive already created a couple usefull things. Alot of people are upset the source code was not included but personally I dont mind retyping it yourself helps you learn. Again if I could I would rate more stars kudos to the author.

No comments about Computer Programming for Teens.

5 comments about .NET Gotchas.

1. I got this book as a gift. I'm not sure that I would have bought it myself. Pros: good technical information, one of the few books to give both VB.NET and C# versions. Cons: very dry writing style and the topics seemed disconnected somehow. So, I give it a 5 for technical and a 1 for writing, for an overall of 3.0. I think this is a book you'll like a lot or dislike a lot.



2. Are you among the many programmers who have come to appreciate how powerful Microsoft's .NET Framework can be as a platform for development? If you have, this book is for you! Author Venkat Subramaniam, has done an outstanding job of writing a great book that shares his .NET experiences with developers, to help them avoid the gotchas!
   
   Subramaniam begins by discussing the features in the CLR and the Framework that can impact the behavior and performance of your application. Next, the author focuses on Visual Studio- and compiler-related gotchas. Then, he delves into gotchas at the language and API level of the .NET platform. The author continues by discussing the issues of language operability gotchas. In addition, the author next focuses on concerns related to garbage collection, and how to write code that handles it effectively. He also discusses, the things you need to be aware of in the areas of inheritance and polymorphism so you can make the best use of these important concepts. Next, the author addresses the general problems with threading, the thread pool, asynchronous calls using delegates, and threading problems related to Windows Forms and Web Services. Finally, he focuses on details you should be aware of to make interoperability work for you.
   
   With the preceding in mind, the author has done an excellent job of writing a book that focuses on the .NET Framework and language features that have consistently exhibited behavior that is not obvious to the programmer. So, why should you be interested in learning about these unexpected features? Because, knowning these little gotchas will help you avoid mistakes!



3. ... for many reasons, foremost in my mind - the format makes for very efficient reading - and if all you have is 30 minutes a day, a gotcha or two a day and in a month you are done. That being said, I found some of the topics rather esoteric, so chose to revisit those at some point in the unknown, er, future.
   
   Superb succinct read.



4. I made the mistake of buying this book based on recommendations I had read here on amazon.com -- don't make the same mistake. If you are looking for practical techniques that will help you write .NET applications, this is NOT the book you want. Now this book is sort of interesting and points out weirdnesses of .NET but nothing that I hadn't seen online. So, check this book out first by browsing through a hard copy in a bookstore to see if it's what you want. I wish I had.



5. This book is written with determination and care. Every aspect is explained at length and the examples are abundant.
   
   But this book is not for everyone. If you want to learn .NET, C# or VB.NET programming from it, you won't be able to do it. Also, if you have time to search through zillions of MSDN pages in order to seek various details on .NET and/or .NET languages, then this book is not for you either.
   
   But if your time is tight and you want to have many .NET common mistakes at your fingertips with no effort from your part, then this book is for you.

1 comments about C++ for Business Programmers (2nd Edition).

1. The text was easy to understand and came with numerous helpful items in the form of code snippets, example code, and exercises. The lesson objectives were clear and the associated activities were in alignment with those objectives. A very useful feature of the book were the "Notes" insets that are distributed throughout each chapter. These supplimental notes make the review of important concepts efficient. The chapter review section was lacking in definitions of key terms, however, it did a fairly good job of summarizing main concepts and terminology. I could only suggest one area of improvement to the text and that would be to have a companion CD containing the code examples. This minor addition would allow the reader to more quickly be able to experiment and learn without having to re-type code. Overall the book was very good, I would recommend it to anyone who is seeking to learn C++. This book can be informative whether the reader is experienced in programming concepts or not.

No comments about MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-536): Microsoft® .NET Framework Application Development Foundation, Second Edition.

3 comments about Zen of Code Optimization: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Software That Pushes PCs to the Limit.

1. Excellent book. He's starts off each chapter with a weird story. Very easy to understand and covers all aspects of optimization on all x86 processors up to pentium. He shows you programs in C then optimizes the hell out of them in later chapters.



2. You can still learn a lot on optimization but there is almost nothing on the Pentium generation. Covers mostly 16 bit assembly.
   Would be nice to have a book like that for 32 bit optimization.



3. It's rare that an author can take an esoteric topic like instruction cycle optimization and accomplish three key goals: explain the concepts with great clarity, make the book fun to read, and change the way the reader thinks about programming and optimization in general. Abrash has that rare combination of excellent communication skills, breadth and depth of technical knowledge, and a passion for helping you understand the hows, whys, and whens of code optimization. While some of the material seems a little dated now (covering Pentium I and prior CPUs), the concepts, methodologies, and ways of thinking about optimization still apply today.

5 comments about Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit (Pro - Resource Kit).

1. Bill English's book is still the best overall resource on SharePoint in one package. I can't wait for the update for SharePoint 2007!



2. very good book. MS rez kit books usually are. Very thorough, concise.



3. I' waitting for this book : Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit (Pro - Resource Kit)
   by Bill English. If it's good as the other, Just buy it! EROL MVP



4. This is in fact a good referece for SharePoint. My biggest complaint is that it is overly wordy without adding anything. You won't be disappoint in this book; however, don't be surprized when you find yourself skipping ahead because of word dribbling.



5. This book is big. So, you're thinking to yourself: Big is good, right? Not always, and this book exemplifies the bad.
   
   This book definitely has a ton of useful information, but most of that information is poorly presented, poorly organized, and annoying -- if not hard -- to find when you need it. And, much of the stuff you'll want to know IS NOT HERE.
   
   Also, don't even think about reading this book straight through. Yes, pieces of it are written in a narrative sort of way AS IF you were supposed to read the book. But if you try to do that, it will be very clear that the editors never read it straight through. I have to wonder if the authors even did. Yep, this is a book for skimming. You skim and skim and skim until you find the right administrative command to do your work.
   
   Unless, of course, your work involves customizing SharePoint at all. Then you're pretty much up the creek, unless you know someone who's done it. Or, if you're super-unfortunate like me, you just decided to spend months figuring it all out.
   
   Microsoft Press almost always lets me down, but this particular book is only about 80% useless. I'm giving it 3 stars since most technical books are even worse, and this is at least average per the sad state of technical literature.

5 comments about XML Pocket Consultant.

1. I knew a little about XML before reading this book, but nothing in-depth. I've been a software developer for years however, so I didn't want a basics book, but something that covered the subject quickly and in depth. After reading the other reviews I bought this book and was not disappointed. I was particularly interested in XML Schema and XSLT, and this book does an excellent job with both. I'm not sure you can find a more thorough reference outside the standards documents themselves. Datatypes, restrictions, defining complex types--I use this book for XML Schema like I use K&R for C programming. Note that this book has almost no coverage of subjects outside the W3C standards, such as the different types of validating tools and parsers or other XML schema languages such as RELAXNG from Oasis. You will have to go elsewhere for a fuller understanding of the entire 'XML Universe'. The only real gripe I have with this book is its constant use of Microsoft in the examples, which grates on this long-time Linux user. Of course, its from Microsoft Press, so what can you expect. Fortunately XML itself is non-OS specific, so nothing in this book is really Microsoft-centric. All in all, a great reference.



2. "XML Pocket Consultant" is the best XML book on the market. It is really worth every penny. This book is packed with useful information. My biggest disappointment is that I had such a hard time find the book. For anyone wanting to learn XML, XSL, XPath this is the book I recommend.



3. I seldom award five stars but this book deserves it. If you can only buy one XML reference book, buy this one; if you have XML books that you're not satisfied with, buy this one: The XML Pocket Consultant is *the* XML "sleeper" title.
   
   In my mind, I've retitled the XML Pocket Consultant "The XML Comprehensive Quick Reference." The book presents every aspect of XML and related technologies in a clear, crisp, understandable style. The book's excellent content is augmented by a professionally crafted visual style (page layout, whitespace, typeface, headings, list construction, examples) that facilitates information access and transfer; I mention this because too many books of this type look like they were designed and produced using consumer-level desktop publishing software.
   
   I'm not normally this enthusiastic about a book, but The XML Pocket Consultant is truly a treasure: It's the single most useful, helpful, 5.5" x 8" x 1.2" compendium of XML information I've so far found.



4. If you are a knowledgable IT professional and need to either learn XML or increase your knowledge quickly, this book is for you. Complete, fast-paced, no dead wood, and designed with the busy IT professional in mind. It reminds me of the Wrox "Handbook" series.

   It's 370 pages but half-size, so equivalent to a normal-size 185-page book. Best book purchase I've made all year. Weird for an MSPress book to be so good :-)

   Take the hint, MS Press... make all of your books like this!




5. Pretty much what I was looking for. Relatively thin book packed with 'to the point' info, with mostly unambigious explanation. Have not found any printing mistakes yet.
   Money's worth.

No comments about Professional haXe and Neko (Programmer to Programmer).