Beginning VB.NET 2003

This is the first time I am writing a review on a book. The book is excellent so far (read 5 chapters). The format makes it really easy for an experienced C++/Java programmer like myself to fly through it. I covered first 5 chapters in about an hour and a half (along with a couple of hands-on excercises).Each section is broken down into 3 parts. A small objective of the section. A code part, with the relevant code highlighted, so that you don't have to search for it and highlight it. And then an explanation of the code. I usually read couple of lines from the first part, go directly to the highlighted code, and sometimes read the code explanation to understand how the syntax/rules are different from C++/Java.

I bought this book a few days ago and due to other commitments I have only read up to chapter 4. During this reading, I wrote out every example in the book. To my surprise, not only did every example work, but I managed to remember so much more than I thought I would. I even went as far as to debug a friends application, with no assistance from any book. My total reading time thus far for ANY .NET book has been 3 days...and my only source of reading has been this book, and the online classes reference from VB Studio.NET.I particularly like the fact that the book presents an idea, steps through the code and then details each section of code - what it does, how it works etc. This was very useful in understanding why things are structured the way they are.I might also add that I have never programmed VB in any way before, making me a total newbie at this (my only other programming language is a little bit of Perl). Even if the other chapters turn out to be rubbish (which I very much doubt), then I would still say, this has been well worth the money. I have learnt (and retained) that much.I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Go buy it.

I have spent a great deal of time browsing through a number of VB.Net books in a couple of my local bookstores. (Both have extensive technical book sections). This book caught my eye and I decided to browse through it. First off, I must say that in the bookstore I was "wowed" by quality of the content. After I got it home and started implementing the examples in the chapters, I can definitively say that this book is excellent.My goal in my book search was to find a book that explained the VB.Net language as it pertained to the VB.Net development environment. I wanted a book that actually "showed" me how to navigate around the IDE while explaining nontrivial VB.Net concepts and examples, and discussing the language so that I would be able to write some programs after finishing it.Some of the earlier chapters are geared to a beginning programmer (somewhat like me and even less so), yet the authors branch off and talk about relevant topics without falling off a limb. For example, in chapter 2 - "Writing Software", the authors discuss data types and give numerous examples of accessing the different properties of each. When they get the the Boolean datatype, they actually go into a juicy amount of detail about binary representations and even discuss binary math. Its just a few pages in length but it is darn appropriate and gives a nice overview into the topic at hand. However, they keep it moving and move on to the next appropriate topic with their usual clarity in writing.I am now focusing on their chapter on "Building Objects" - chapter 4. I have to say that this chapter offers the clearest examples of classes that I have seen. Far too often I have read about classes in other books and have seen weird examples that had little to do with real life...often requiring a "suspension of reality" on behalf of the reader such that the reader was forced to make the leap from theory to reality. This book, on the other hand, shows me how to construct an object that I can actually relate to.So far I have not found any errors, although they do list some (minor) errata in the Wrox website. But the fact that Wrox even *has* a comprehensive website proactively listing potential errata is yet another reason I am glad I bought this book from this publisher. By the way, I found their website and located the section related to this book in about 12 seconds. The quality is in the details, and obviously somebody at Wrox actually cared about the ease of finding information about their published material. Like I said I am only on chapter 4, yet I have done a lot of "skimming" ahead and I eagerly await the topics in later chapters where I will learn how to build little Windows applications, make my own menus, handle errors, connect to a database, etc. Basically *all* the things I want to learn how to do. (Are they mind readers?)Excellent work.

This book is for beginner programmers who have chosen Visual Basic .NET as their first programming language. It is also intended for programmers experienced in another programming language, but who are new to Windows programming.The book begins with step by step instructions on how to install Visual Basic .NET. Next, there is a brief introduction on how to write Visual Basic .NET code, and a description of what the .NET framework is. The next chapter teaches how to control the flow of applications using loops and branching structures. You will then learn how to create windows, screens, and how to add menus to your applications.Visual Basic .NET is the first version of Visual Basic to provide full object oriented capabilities, making it among the most powerful windows development tools. The book teaches you what object oriented programming is and how to use it in your applications.Chapter 15 and 16 introduce database access with Visual Basic .NET. You will learn what a database is, how to write simple SQL statements, and how to use ADO.NET to access Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Access databases. The final three chapters show how to create applications for the web using web forms, XML, and web services such as SOAP, "Simple Object Access Protocol".Like all Wrox Press beginner programming books, this book is written in a clear and easy to learn manner. Each chapter contains plenty of sample code examples and an end of chapter test.If you are new to programming, or new to Windows programming, "Beginning Visual Basic .NET" is an excellent first step in aquiring the knowledge needed to develop Windows applications.

I am a Systems and Network Administrator who used Visual Basic 6.0 to automate many of the redundant tasks typical of this environment. I don't claim to be a "developer" but have been developing tools for a long time. I typically do not like WROX books but after sitting down at my local bookstore and plowing through 20 books on VB.NET, this one stood out. It has good examples that you can follow, it assumes you have basic programming/development skills and it is well written. If you are a developer by occupation this is probably not the book for you. For those of us who do not release our code to production environments this book has served me well by not being incredibly basic nor losing me in advanced topics.