Customer Reviews

ASP.NET for Web Designers

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When the .NET Framework came out of Beta and into final public release, I bought "ASP.NET Weekend Crash Course". Already well advanced in traditional ASP, I figured all I needed was a "Crash Course". Wrong!

I purchased another (better) book, "SE Using ASP.NET", This book was excellent, but had a huge section on "the old way". Learning the differences between ASP and ASP.NET is neither relevent to a new student nor is it necessary for a veteran ASP developer.

I started over with "ASP.NET for Web Designers". For me, this book was very straight forward. A little on the beginner side, but then again, ASP.NET is (relatively) new. Who isn't a beginner?

This book instills confidence in myself and my students, that one CAN actually create a useful Web page (or site) with ASP.NET. The author lays an EXCELLENT ground work for Object Oriented Programming (What is an object?, etc.). So well and so simple, in-fact, that one of my students who has struggled for years with the concept, now "gets it" completely!

By far the best of the three books I've read so far on ASP.NET, but be aware: You will NOT learn all about the CLR. You will NOT learn all about the .NET Framework. What you WILL learn is a SOLID foundation upon which to build and gain confidence in your .NET skills by following examples that actually WORK!

Obviously a pre-requisite for learning any server-side technology is a solid understanding of XHTML (or HTML, at least).

I highly recommend this book to anyone new to server-side technology of ANY kind, or just new to the new .NET way of doing things vs. ASP.

PS. Peter Ladka has a wild sense of humor. Aside from being really useful, the book is a trip to read as well.

I have to say this is one of the best books I have picked up on ASP.NET. If you are a web designer/developer trying to get a handle on where to begin with ASP.NET, this is the book. The examples in the book are VB.NET and C# code and are very clear and to the point. The book doesn't get down to the nitty-gritty details of each object, but there is enough explanation to get you started on the right track with a good understanding of what you are trying to accomplish. If your just getting started with ASP.NET and debating what language to learn, and don't know where to begin, try this book.

The author does a great job of explaining in simple language the basics of ASP.Net (and somewhat beyond). He has a pretty good writing style that is full of humor and easy to read (although it does border on corny at times). It covers more than ASP.Net for Dummies and has a lot of good insight for the tips and tricks of writing ASP.Net code. I also like that he provides both VB.Net and C# coding examples. And, I like the professionalism of the book. NewRiders did a great job of keeping out grammar errors and typos which is not the case for some of the WROX books. The one fault I see is bringing in discussion of object-oriented programming in the second chapter. I think for the newbie to ASP.Net, it can be a bit confusing. Finally, I think NewRiders should mention the word "beginner" in the title someplace so someone like me who is looking for a book like this to give them the basics of ASP.Net could find it without having to read through all the ASP.Net books' summary information (which is alot of books). Based upon the title, I was assuming a more advanced and techie book. So, why limit the audience to just Web Designers?

I purchased this book after a recommendation from the Dreamweaver MX (DW MX) community. I've not been disappointed.

Ladka assumes a very basic to intermediate (but not necessary) understanding of classic ASP. This helps the reader appreciate some of the key difference between both. As a DW MX user (ASP, VB) I enjoyed reading about the ASP.NET basics.

ASP.NET for web designers is an introduction into the concepts, and the methods of thinking. I'm particularly pleased that I now recognise some more VB language, ASP.NET terminology, and the form/function of Microsoft's latest framework. It's ideal to dissect and reassemble some of the online examples and sample application available for download.

Ladka's book is about understanding the building blocks of ASP.NET. He acknowledges as web developers or non-programmer the reader is unlikely to understand the techniques and methodology to develop ASP.NET web pages - these are different. So he explains it, rather well <IMHO>! It's not surprising - Peter can be found answering questions at the MM forums on a variety of issues, so is well acquainted with the types of issues, concerns or 'blind spots' web developers have when considering something like ASP.NET.

The book has a jolly, positive narrative - reading it is painless unlike other beginner's titles that take an introduction to a new technology very seriously. The examples are adequate. Of course, more practical examples would be useful, but other 'cook book' type publications may provide this.

IMPROVEMENTS:

1) The book would benefit from a final chapter where an application is built using some of the concepts in the book.
2) A supporting web site would be nice.
3) Ladka should write a follow up to develop on this title - a book with real world examples and application development techniques.

If like me you have a basic understanding of classic ASP (basic means you can download examples, kind of read the code, hack around a little and get them working) this book is for you. It will revisit the basic concepts providing an update and reframe your ideas on how to develop for ASP.NET <so you don't just use the new framework as an extension of your classic ASP days>

Congratulations and well done Peter

I have been working with ASP for years, and needed something to get me up to speed in ASP.NET. I first bought ASP.NET by Example (Smith). I found that book to be a little too heavy on the explanation of the differences between ASP and ASP.NET. I didn't really get a very good grasp of how this .net stuff works. I then picked up ASP.NET for Web Designers, and immediately things started clicking. The writing is clear, the analogies are useful and relevant, and the author's humor keeps the book interesting through some of the code-heavy sections. And while the humor does occasionally get a little too goofy, it is without a doubt one of the best tech books I have read in a very long time. I was able to down the book in a few days, and by the end had a solid understanding of asp.net fundamentals.

Very Highly Recommended!

Thru the years I've purchased many computer books, normally from Sam's publishing or Wrox. This is my first New Riders book, and I must say it was put together really well.

I like the way the author had a sort of down to earth casual tone with the way he explained everything. He didn't go all out using big techie words, so I think this would fit really well with a beginner. And altho I primarily use VB.NET, I like that he also had all examples in C# as well. And his examples were easy to relate to, altho I will suggest you already have eaten something, as he has a wierd infactuation with food in his dialogue. (cookies are his favorite dessert hehe)

I've bought other ASP.NET titles from different publishers, but I must say this tops them all. Surprisingly, there was only *one* instance in the book that could have been considered errata in my opinion, that definitely cannot be said about other books! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book. (I've never really read tech books cover to cover, this would be the first). I strongly recommend buying this book if you're serious about developing ASP.NET pages.

The book is okay in that it gives you a quick and dirty overview of ASP.NET. The code examples are okay but where the book falls short in that the author babbles a lot rather than actually discussing the subject.

This book is good for anyone wanting to get their feet wet with asp.net. It's nice they presented both vb.net and C# code however, this book is riddled with syntax errors like the holes in swiss cheese.
Peter Ladka did a good job with the overall material of this book, but his "Technical Reviewers" must have not been paid for their efforts, otherwise they would have probably paid more attention to detail.

I was not as familiar with New Riders books when I picked this up. However, I have been pleasantly surprised. This book shoots for a new area of the computer book fields. It is akin to crossing "For Dummies" with a Que or SAMS technical book. The humor, irreverence and relaxed teaching tone is there, but with a surprising level of depth. Ladka knows his stuff and can translate it to the beginning user. His examples cover both VB.NET and C#, so you not only can see ASP.NET grow in your preferred development language, but you also can get a practical view of the similarities, differences and syntax that each language uses. Another plus if you are getting your feet wet in the .NET development arena. Each chapter the author introduces you to the concept, shows you some of the technical aspects and syntax .NET uses, and then rolls up the sleeves and shows you basic examples of the concept in action. I found myself bookmarking several sections to use for reference as development continues.

Who is this book's target audience? Someone who has some ASP background who is delving into ASP.NET. Someone looking for a chance to jump into some examples and see things in action to choose what you want to pursue in further depth. Most of the examples can be typed into live code should you wish, and downloadable code is available, though you have to search for it. There are so many examples, you are better off reading and following up with live versions of a few items that you wish to explore more. If you need more live handholding, try a "Step by Step" book, or possibly some of the excellent WROX books. Overall this is a very good book to start your journey with.

Maybe I'm a humorless fellow, so I will not hold the constant, distracting, adolescent-level, condescending patter of the author against him. I noticed that when he forgets himself and actually focuses on code, he offers us some excellent material.

The problem may be the weak quality control and editing. In Chapter 6, for instance, there were problems in just about every code example. Sometimes the code in the book was correct, but the downloadable file was not. Sometimes the reverse. Sometimes examples worked as designed, even though it was interspersed with rogue or illegal code.

As for the annoying patter, let me end with a direct quote. If you can stand 600 pages of that, I admire your fortitude. The author's own comment says it all for me. From p.193:
"And is there a method to this madness or an end to this grief? One can never tell, but we hope against hope that the gods in heaven or the mother of all mankind will be kind and have mercy on our fragile souls that we may once again see the sun rise and be glad that another day has been granted us. Huh?...whatever."

Close quote. Indeed.