Microsoft Visual Basic .NET Step by Step (Step by Step (Microsoft))
by Michael Halvorson

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Book Reviews of Microsoft Visual Basic .NET Step by Step (Step by Step (Microsoft))

Book Review: Great Book For Both Beginners AND Intermediates
Summary: 5 Stars

For the beginner, (that would be me) I found this book to be very valuable. The book flowed properly in the way of topics and exercises (and there were PLENTY of exercises). ALL OF THE CODE EXAMPLES WORKED!! I for one was amazed! Along with that, I didn't see any glaring grammatical errors nor did I find any technical errors either, (You won't find errata for this book yet). It is refreshing to finally read a technology related book that was properly proof-read.

VB.NET Step by Step by no means moves slowly. The chapters are very much to the point with little to no "fluff". Hence, all chapters are short, sweet, and to the point with a great topic review at the end of each chapter. This is great for the "non book reader" who gets bored easily, (eg. those who fall asleep when trying to read Wrox books). Because of the short chapters, many topics are covered and a lot of ground is gained in a short period of time.

In conclusion, I walked away from this book with much more knowledge than I had previously with both VB.NET and Visual Studio 7. I would highly recommend this book to beginner and intermediate programmers. VB.NET Step By Step will get in depth, but not so in dept that the beginner to average programmer will become lost.

Summary of Microsoft Visual Basic .NET Step by Step (Step by Step (Microsoft))

The salient feature of this text is the author's patient presentation style, which stresses "traditional" VB programming. (While VB 6 did technically support Web programming, the unarguable reality is that most developers have built form-based programs for years.) This volume shows you how to use the same techniques for the new VB .NET. The author begins his presentation here with a clever slot-machine application to get you started. Other early sections cover the basics of VB .NET from a language perspective, including basics like variables, data types, and flow control statements. This handsomely printed volume makes use of two-toned color (in blue) to highlight differences between VB 6 in VB .NET, making it an invaluable resource for programmers making this transition.

Other essential technologies get their due here as well, from basic control programming with Windows Forms, integrating with ActiveX controls, to a very approachable guide to the new ADO.NET APIs for databases. Coverage of how to bind data to a variety of controls, plus using the new VB .NET DataGrid control, will show you how to do all you did in VB 6 in the new .NET. Instead of getting bogged down in details, the author does a good job of presenting what working programmers need to know. Later chapters delve into .NET APIs for working with files, strings, and collections. This title doesn't pretend to cover ASP.NET in any detail, though there is a useful introduction to the subject, as well as how to use the Microsoft Internet Explorer Object to build VB applications that display HTML and other Internet content.

The reality is that most VB 6 programmers will have to learn a lot when it comes to .NET. Before launching into a whole new paradigm of Web development, this book shows that today's VB has a lot to do with the older VB 6 standard. This text will be nearly indispensable for any VB 6 programmers making the leap to .NET. It even suggests that rumors of the death of the traditional client-side VB application may be somewhat exaggerated. This title shows you that the new easier deployment and productivity features of VB .NET may extend the life of such applications in one of the best-available tutorials for learning VB .NET, bar none. --Richard Dragan

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