MCSD Visual Basic 6 Desktop Applications Study Guide [With CDROM]

I havent taken the exam (I've procrastinated) so I cant review the book for that. I do know that I have referenced this book repeatedly on how to do stuff. Since the book is geared towards the exam questions - which is the stuff you should know how to do - it is a great reference for looking up stuff that you should know how to do but sometimes dont. I like the book.

This Book is very much useful for student doing MCSD or Preparing For Visual Basic Desktop Applications 70-176 Exam. The Book Questions & Expl. is best to prepare for the exam . CD provided also consists of useful Exam ...

I used this book and the Mastering CD to prepare for the test and passed easily. Ther were a few errors I identified, but not enough to be a problem. The test prep software on the CD was effective in targeting the MS exam questions except for one or two areas (not much on source safe). Overall, you can spend $140 on an exam simulator or get this book for a lot less.

Perhaps my expectations have lowered since beginning this pursuit for an adequate MCSD study guide. But in any event, this book was organized in a logical and easy to follow fashion, full of working and useful exercises, and solid in it's content. One aspect of computer study guides that I often find overlooked is the author's ability to actually "write". Knowing all the technical aspects of a topic is valuable, but unless that information can be communicated in a comprehensible manner, it's worthless to the reader. Michael McKelvy is a very skilled author. Aside from the review questions being a little too simplistic and a couple topics not being covered at enough depth, this was a very thorough and insightful study guide for me.

This book doesn't have any of the signs of being rushed out to be the first on the shelf (although it does have its share of mistakes). Screen-shots are spread throught the book, making it easy to follow examples with practice sitting at the computer. The book begins each topic from quite a basic standpoint (although some basic knowledge prior to beginning this book would be a definite advantage). Some areas of the exam syllabus aren't sufficiently covered (e.g. deployment, testing and Visual Source Safe), but others easily make up for this lack (e.g. ActiveX controls are covered very well). Example questions are generally too short, and it's a pity that more advantage wasn't taken of the enclosed CD (the questions in the book and on the CD are exactly the same)