Professional Visual Studio 2008 (Wrox Programmer to Programmer)
by Nick Randolph, David Gardner
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Book Summary Information
Author: David Gardner, Nick RandolphEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-07-28
ISBN: 0470229888
Number of pages: 1032
Publisher: Wrox
Book Reviews of Professional Visual Studio 2008 (Wrox Programmer to Programmer)
Book Review: `everything you wanted to know about Visual Studio 2008 but were afraid to ask'
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me start with a disclaimer: I know Nick Randolph and Dave Gardner personally through my involvement with the Perth .NET user group. They are both very talented and skilled developers and active in their support of the developer community. I tried not to let this fact bias this short review too much!
I reviewed the Visual Studio 2005 predecessor of this book some time ago, and I think the new 2008 is an improvement. It's a big book and not just by its size. It covers a huge amount of material and could probably have been subtitled `everything you wanted to know about Visual Studio 2008 but were afraid to ask'! The Visual Studio 2008 Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a complex beast, and worth getting to know well, if like me, you spend most of your working life in it! You could, of course, still do most of your development in Notepad, but you could also wear a hair shirt...
The primary focus of this book is on the IDE itself, rather than the specific languages that can be used within .NET or indeed the .NET Framework itself. I'm not going to give a chapter by chapter account of what is contained in this book, mainly because it would take a loooooong time, but also because I fear my head might explode! Seriously though, I have read around 75% of it. The writing style is clear and I doubt whether you could make any book about Visual Studio more engaging than they have achieved.
The authors' goals, as stated, were not just updating the Visual Studio 2005 version of this book or simply to explain how to use Visual Studio, but also to create a set of productivity best practices and recommendations on how to use Visual Studio features in an effective way. I think they have achieved that goal.
One of the first Amazon reviews was not favourable, but that reviewer was looking for a book that would teach C# and an introduction to the .NET framework. As Dave mentioned in his response to that reviewer, although both authors do have a bias towards Visual Basic, approximately 40% of the code samples are written in C#. There is also a chapter that provides coverage of F# (http://mitch-wheat.blogspot.com/2008/09/new-net-f-ctp-release.html)
It is probably not the sort of book you would read cover to cover, but rather delve into specific chapters to gain insight into particular features. It's great for quickly finding out what features are available. The first day it was on my desk at work, I used it to quickly find a debugging gem that might have otherwise remained undiscovered.
Kudos goes to Nick and Dave for producing a great resource for developers.
There is a companion website and blog here: http://www.professionalvisualstudio.com/
Summary of Professional Visual Studio 2008 (Wrox Programmer to Programmer)
Professional Visual Studio 2008Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 is the latest version in the ongoing evolution of the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and this resource examines the diverse facets of the IDE?from common tasks to intricate functions to the powerful tools that accompany the main code editing and design windows. Written by a unique author duo and offering an in-depth look at the powerful and fascinating features and techniques of the IDE, this book explores each aspect of the development life cycle from the perspective of how Visual Studio 2008 can make your life easier.
Each chapter is packed with examples that illustrate uses for various tools, commands, and shortcuts of Visual Studio 2008. You will gradually learn to identify where a feature is used, conclude how you can use it to its fullest potential, and then seamlessly apply that feature to help solve real-world problems.
What you will learn from this book
How to create project templates and wizards
Methods for using IntelliSense, code refactoring, class modeling, and unit testing
Tips for using DataSets, LINQ, and Synchronization Services for working with data
How to build web applications using ASP.NET AJAX, Silverlight, and ASP.NET MVC
Ideas for building Office and Mobile applications, WPF, WCF, and WF projects
Ways to effectively analyze and identify bugs using the advanced debugging features
How to automate repetitive tasks using the Visual Studio 2008 add-ins and macros
Suggestions for using Visual Studio Team System components coupled with Team Foundation Server
Techniques for building more secure applications
Who this book is for
This book is for programmers who want to become proficient with the latest version of Visual Studio and are interested in the advanced capabilities of the IDE.
Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.
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