3 comments about Access VBA Programming.

1. The 1st half gives you a quick and sparce overview of what you can do without VBA. It spends lots of time interducing the reader to database design, queries, forms, and tables. If you have any idea what any of these are, you will get nothing out of the 1st half of the book.
   
   The 2nd half introduces the reader to not just VBA but primarily to the concept of programming. I would say it is about 40% general programming (procedures, variables, scope, etc.), 30% idle banter, 20% useless graphics, and 10% Access specific code.
   
   If you have any programming experience, you'll be wasting your time searching for the hidden nuggets in this book. If you are new to Access and to programming, this book is a good into.



2. My programming skills are minor and predate Windows as the main operating system in use. I know a few basic principles but have never been a "programmer". This book will not make me one but it goes a long way towards giving me the skills to reacquire some basic competency.
   
   The text sets out some basic ideas about data structures and ways to manipulate them. These are general principles and have little to do with programming Microsoft Access but they are needed skills. Then the real lessons begin as the principles are used to learn how to manipulate Access objects and the Access environment. It is done is a thoughtful and logical manner which makes sense and which is easy to understand. It is a good introduction.
   
   The code examples a fairly easy to follow and do a good job of making their points even when they are only read instead of tried. Actually trying the examples makes the learning process more complete. If I had one major gripe about this book it is that it did not ship with a disc. The examples are available by download over the net but are not included in the purchase. This make work fine for some but I got started in out of the way motel rooms without highspeed access. I would have rather paid a few dollars more and gotten what I need.
   
   Still, as I said before, it is a good introduction.



3. Breadth of coverage was great, but I felt it lacked enough good lengthier program examples. A case study (small application example) or 2 would have been nice. Book is terse and well-written and organized.

No comments about Excel 2007 VBA (Visual Training series).

5 comments about Visual Basic 6 Developer's Handbook.

1. The book is full with examples, but a lot of them needs some files from the CD, and very much of them are missing from the CD, poor sybex support for such problems !!!



2. basically good book, but with a lot of references to missing from the CD files, and no support from sybex. there are better books and more supported(e.g. wrox)



3. I have read about half of the book and it has have already answered more questions and given me more insight into Visual Basic than any other book I have read! The coverage of database connectivity and API calls is outstanding as is the section on Programming for the WEB. I found the writing style to be very easy to read. I recommend this book to all Visual Basic developers.



4. This is POORLY written book. Many sample programs do not work or even compile. Many of the variables still use the name "RDO" instead of ADO. Obviously, the author(s) never tested their sample programs, because they do not run. So be careful what book you buy. You could waste $....



5. This is a POORLY written book. The author(s) simply changed their old RDO book to ADO, and sold it as new for VB 6. Many of the samples will not work or compile, because they forgot to change connection/recordset from RDO to ADO.

5 comments about Visual Basic .NET Programming.

1. I bought Harold Davis's "Visual Basic 6: Visual QuickStart Guide" because I've always wanted to learn to program. And I did! Now that VB .NET is here, I've been at a loss as to how to proceed. Thank goodness, Mr. Davis has written a book about this latest (and greatest!) version of VB. This book has everything I've been needing to get going with tips on migrating my programs and what's new or just changed from the previous version. I really don't understand the one star review from "The Geek" down below. He's comparing this book which is for novices and intermediate programmers with books for experts. Sounds like apples and oranges to me. If you're looking for a great book to get you started with VB .NET, then buy this book!



2. This book is both a waste of time and a waste of money. Why?

   1. The book tries to be too many things to too many people, and fails miserably on all accounts. If you're new to programming, "nondeterministic finalizers" are introduced on page 6. If you're an experienced object-oriented programmer, OOP isn't introduced until Chapter 15. If you're a VB6 programmer, I couldn't find a clear attempt by the author to demonstrate the differences between 6 and .NET.

   2. In my understanding, the most important update to VB.NET is its uptake of object-oriented programming principles. The back cover of the book says that the author also wrote "Visual Basic 6 Visual Quickstart." I have not read that book, but would not be surprised if its contents were similar to this new book. The author has basically ignored all of the important updates to VB.NET, and has provided a tutorial for VB6. If you're a new programmer, this book will teach you the wrong things right from the start. If you're an experienced programmer, you'll be frustrated by the mickey-mouse approach which doesn't make use of your prior knowledge.

   3. Chapters 16-20 (the last 5 in the book), which "introduce" ADO.NET and working with XML, among other things, are pretty obvious page-fillers. If you're looking for pages 90% filled with screenshots, this is your place to find them. Appendices A - E are also page-fillers. Appendix A tells you how to use the VB Help System. If you need help using help, what are you doing programming?

   4. The author expressly states that his favorite update in VB.NET is the ability to use windows of any shape. That about sums this book up.

   Let me restate - this book misses just about every target audience I can think of.




3. First and foremost, let me say that this is a **GREAT** book! I don't know who that guy (or gal) is that blasted this book on November 24th, but I'd bet that s/he hasn't even read it and obviously doesn't understand the target audience--people like me who want to learn how to program using VB.Net. This book is one of the clearest books about VB.Net that I have found. I own 3 other VB.Net books and I wish I had found this one first.



4. I have been programming since IBM produced the 7090/7094, with the first symbolic assembler/compiler. I have not completely adapted to object oriented programming yet (but am commited to modular, well-documented code that avoids arbitrary assumptions that prevent smooth future growth).

   The first time I got one of Harold Davis' books, I was impressed: "Finally, a book for programmers that is really accessible!" I was tired of voluminous books of "how to"s that did not provide a good conceptual structure. (Some of us need that to help the memory, and sense of mastery.)

   He writes in an easy-to understand style in which the basic concepts are included along with the clear and straightforward "how to"s. It is clearly a book suitable for beginners and for experienced, moderately advanced, programmers at the same time. (Something I formerly did not believe was possible.) As one reads and occassionally rereads the material, it becomes evident that the content is really quite dense. One can read simply, follow the instructions - that are clear and easy to follow - and, if a deeper understanding is desired, then go back and re-read the material, more slowly. It is all there.

   In this latest book, he has brought this style to a very fine level. I was intending to "retire" with Visual Studio 6. After, reading the first few chapters of this book, I am eager to take his "journey" into VB .net.




5. I have finished reading this book for a long time, but I still use it with the task at my office. Now I design my database application using VB.NET as the interface. Whether this book guide in overall concept but the explaination style is very good and easy to uderstand. I recommend this book for the other people who want to learn VB.NET from the beginner should try to use this book.

4 comments about COBOL and Visual Basic on .NET: A Guide for the Reformed Mainframe Programmer.

1. I really tried hard to get somthing out of this book. The author just wont sit still long enough to get to the point (show me how this works)... darting from one thought to another without finishing the original thought (except to say 'This is beyond the scope...', then offer some random comments completely off the mark). The book is comprehensive (about 1000 pages and 7-8 pounds), but not clearly written. I am sure the author knows what he is talking about, he just does not know how to include the reader into the process (except to refer to a hundred different places for 'clarification'). Maybe next time (if he bothers), he will write a much shorter book on the subject, keep his flittering comments and comical bursts to himself and concentrate on giving the reader something of value for the time and money invested in trying to learn something from this book. A big disappointment.



2. Comparing / contrasting JES to the CLR, then Object Oriented to JCL...I love that! And it's so perfect and makes so much sense. This book is perfect as an introduction to the world of .NET for the Mainframe programmer.

   I have written in a few books and hundreds of magazine articles, but I have always maintained I'm just a technology guy who writes. Clearly, Chris Richardson is a real writer. And his editor(s) have done a wonderful job. This book is written like a novel. Most technology books are written mostly as reference. This book makes for a very interesting read...especially for those of us with a mainframe background. After reading this book, the COBOL programmer has obtained enough foundation in .NET, related back to the world he/she is comfortable in (mainframes), to take the next step and dive into more generic .NET titles and some real .NET application programming.

   For years my problem has been figuring out how to convert the fantastic amount of talent on the mainframe side of the world to the current technology set so that I can hire them. As everyone knows, this is a brutally tough transition and the learning curve is almost insurmountable. Well, this book is a must for the mainframe programmer who wants to learn application development in .NET and very entertaining for us old guys who love to look back at the way it was.




3. Someone finally built a bridge to help mainframe programmers understand Windows and the Windows programming arena. While this book targets the mainframe COBOL programmer, it is none-the-less and good reference for those of us who have worked in the Windows arena, specifically .NET.

   Chris dove into the .NET Framework with the understanding that after having rad his book you would have a good general understanding of .NET, not an indepth, "let's drown'em with a firehose" manual. Chris provided me with enough information to enable me to learn about the Framework, COBOL and areas where additional information could be found. If I wanted to read further I knew where to look. Chris's style was witty, funny and kept me entertained while I learned.

   The .NET Framework is a huge undertaking in programming. With over 5,000 namespaces Chris covered the essentials to getting going in the Framework, giving the reader enough knowledge to reduce his/her search times and find the information in the Microsoft help files they may need.

   A good read for anyone starting out in the .NET COBOL environment.




4. I bought "COBOL and Visual Basic on .NET" in order to learn VB.NET, but ended up receiving formal training through my employer before completing this 1,000 page book. Nevertheless, I constantly find myself referring to various chapters whenever my old COBOL brain has trouble understanding .NET and object oriented concepts.
   Mr. Richardson's clear writing (despite his well-intentioned attempts at humor) and numerous examples make me very glad that I made the purchase. As long as COBOL and .NET exist, this book is a must-have for programmers like me. Speaking of existence, I bet that COBOL will be with us long after Mr. Gates pulls the plug on .NET.
   If you are or have been a mainframe programmer and whether or not you know anything about .NET, you will be hard pressed to find a book as useful as this or one that is so well written.

5 comments about Microsoft Visual Basic Deluxe Learning Edition Version 5.0.

1. If you are a poweruser looking into programming, Visual Basic is the best language for you to start in. This "book/kit" contains everything you will need, however it is designed more for those who want to learn how to program, not those who already know another langauge and want to just learn Visual Basic.



2. The self-paced training manual clearly defines a solid understanding of the way Visual Basic works. By the time you finish this book you will be ready to tackle more advanced topics with confidence. This is an excellent choice for people with no programming experience as well as those of us with experience and/or formal training in other languages.



3. Excellent book - the practicality and teaching methods of this book are second to none. I had no prior experience of Visual Basic and after using this pack I'm confident of my vb abilities. Great job Michael. However, one question, where do I go from here ?. I want to learn more so have you an intermediate book at all ?



4. FINALLY! Someone gets it right. Being a Computer Engineer and programming expert, I was concerned about buying a package to learn Visual Basic. When learning other languages, I usually found it easy to just learn by crunching code, using only references. I am shocked at how affective this package is. It contains everything you need. Four CD's with help files, Visual Basic 6.0 (without all of the professional features) and 1.1GB of information by the Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN). One of the books included in this kit is a step by step approach to programming in Visual Basic. Although the book was written for the beginner, I have found it very interesting. It is a good book because it allows both novice and advanced users to learn at their own pace, without getting bored. The other book is the programmer's guide that accompanies the professional and enterprise versions of Visual Basic. This book is an excellent supplement, once one has finished the step by step manual.



5. dear sir i would like to have the fundemental book which is with examples like object+usage+1 example that IS for all objects if u have any book like this for VB 6.0 OR VB 5.0 let me know immeately i will buy it surely. please send me the NAME AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK AND ADDRESS WHERE I CAN GET IT FROM

2 comments about Visual Basic 2005 Demystified.

1. Author Jeff Kent declares that he hopes he brings a different perspective to his books: a perspective that goes straight to the core concepts of Visual Basic that are explained in logical order.
   
   He largely succeeds in doing this, though the approach may be a bit disconcerting to those accustomed to other programming instruction manuals.
   
   Kent is a clear, concise writer. He teaches by example. The book is adequately, though not profusely, illustrated.
   
   He covers all the major topics of programming in Visual Basic, though he does not profess to cover any of them in extraordinary depth.
   
   The disconcerting part is the order Kent approaches his subjects in. Menus are left until late in the game as are the mechanics of file access. Personally - and it is entirely a personal view - I think these subjects should be addressed earlier. However, Kent claims his experience as an instructor leads him to conclude otherwise. As I said, it's a personal view I think.
   
   Overall, a pretty good introduction to Visual Basic 2005.
   
   Jerry



2. The book has 15 chapters. I had to stop reading it in the middle of the 8th chapter because the quality of exposition had degraded to such a low point. The gaps of missing information in the author's explanations grew so big that the material became confounding (and further reading became intolerable). Very disappointing. Imagine using a map to get someplace that's many miles from where you're starting and what you know, and imagine that the map increasingly omits various pieces of directional information. The author did present solid explanatory development and details for the first few chapters. My background: I am new to computer programming. VB 2005 is my first programming language. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone who is new to computer programming, unless you would be happy with only the first half of the book being a good learning tool. I am now moving on to Halvorson's "Microsoft Visual Basic 2005: Step by Step, in the hopes that he achieves what Kent did not, i.e. solid explanatory development and details from start to finish.

5 comments about VBScript for the World Wide Web (Visual QuickStart Guide).

1. If you're a programmer and just want to know what are the basics of html and vbscript? This is the book to read. It's simple and concise. I really enjoyed it. [It] is a bargain.



2. The format of the book is good. It allows quick access to vital information. It also shows key/new areas color coded in red. I knew nothing about VBScript before reading this book. Now I feel I can write basic scripts without problems. The book also did a good job by not spending too much time on unnecessary introductory topics, like operators, etc.

   The drawback of this book is the multitude of typos and some mistakes regarding Microsoft's Document Object Model. I found it frustrating to try some examples and not having them work. However, I learned a lot from fixing the examples.




3. Visual Quickstart Guides are generally comprehensive and easy on the eyes. However, I found too many errors in the sample codes of Thurrott's book to warrant anything above 2 stars!! Thank my lucky stars(!) that I am familiar with VB5 and VBA to correct most of the code "on the spot" while trying out the samples. All in all, this could have been a good book, but from all the frustrations in correcting the errors, I suggest that no one buys this book until the author uses a spell checker and/or at least goes through the book a second time to debug his own sample codes.



4. This book is perfect for learning the easiest scripting language around and the wonderful companion Web site will keep you going long after you've finished reading.



5. This book was great-- from the very beginning you are writing scripts and learning by example. Everything is very conversational and easy to understand, but without falling into the trap of seeming condescending to advanced users.

   I'd recommend it to anyone trying to get up to speed on VBScript. (As an ASP developer, I find it invaluble.)

No comments about WSH and VBScript Core: TFM.

2 comments about ADO.NET: From Novice to Pro, Visual Basic .NET Edition.

1. I am surprised no one reviewed it yet ! I got that book cheap in Scotland (wee bit out of date now) but the book is very good cos easy to follow and the author takes the time to explain. But for the most important problems like concurrency and transaction he went too fast, he explained too long easy notions but not enough the complex ones too bad, the book would have 5 stars otherwise.
   
   That book helps you to leanr basics of ADO.NET but it is not a professianal book!
   
   IRNBRU



2. This book does not have everything for everybody, ( but no book ever does anyhow ).
   
   But what subjects and topics this book has, - the nuances of how to use them, caveats to watch out for, limitations of applications, - I feel is worth the price of the book.
   
   I have previously learned a lot from the author from his former books (early VB 5 !!). He has a great writing / teaching style. That is certainly carried on to this work.
   
   His explanations on the core concepts of ado.net data binding, record concurrency and navigation, transactions with data adapters, how DataAdapter.Update works, different techniques in finding and deleting DataRows, are just a few of what I consider golden nuggets of information. ( I have not even finished his section on web-based apps / xml. )
   
   I have several other books on ado.net on my reference library, but I find myself reaching for this book repeatedly for study when I find myself in a bind in my development work.
   
   Again, you perhaps might find yourself needing additional books to reference., but this book by Peter Wright is a gem in my library. (The pages are already battered I'm buying a new copy.)
   
   As the other reviewer, I'm surprised there are not much earlier reviews on this book.
   
   I feel I owe Peter Wright this review because I've learned a lot from him. I guess I have to apologize for not taking the time to submit this review earlier.
   
   Keep up the good work, Wright.