Customer Reviews

C# and the .NET Platform

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was informed by my manager to purchase a C# book, and I set out to do some research as to which book would fit my needs. I stumbled on this title as one recommended instead of another that was reviewed here on Amazon.com Based on the reviews posted for this book, I decided to purchase it. The positive reviews for this book are well-founded.

One of the very first things I noticed about this book is that it has a sticker on it that says that online updates for the final version of .NET are available. I went to the site and downloaded the list of changes to the book. The list was actually fairly short and the changes straightforward. I regard this as a good sign.

The book is well laid out and clear, the first 130+ pages dedicated to fundamental concepts and structures of C#. A 70-page introduction to OOP, in the context of C#, follows. The next few chapters deal with advanced topics including container classes and threads. Next the reader is launched into more graphically-oriented topics. Finally, the topics move into such as object serialization, database access, and web-centric subjects. The progression from subject to subject is logical and smooth, and each section is written clearly so as not to leave the reader in the dark and each presented after its prerequisites.

Example code in this book is clear, concise, and explained. The source to the examples is *not* included with the book, but is available readily for download.

This book is a great start into C# and .NET. It is *not* comprehensive, but it covers most of the important topics that get used regularly. Seriously consider this title when investigating C# and/or .NET.

I evaluate new development technologies. I own and read A LOT of books. Andrew is a fantastic writer and trainer.

I've attended two of Andrew's Intertech-Inc workshops on COM. Both were awesome. In his ATL workshop, I received his first book on COM and ATL. While the ATL and COM book is better than any other COM and ATL book on the market, this book on C# and .NET will become the standard for C# and .NET programmers.

Using this book, I was able to figure out new technologies like ADO.NET. Throughout, Andrew's straightforward writing style focuses on "how" and backs it with clear examples. The examples are ARE NOT the C#/.NET version of "Hello World." A ton of books miss the mark by using examples that are too simple, focusing on "why", or, becoming absorbed in esoteric disertations. This is not one of those books.

If you need to use C# and .NET, define how it will impact your existing enterprise applications, or get clear understanding techs like Windows Form Controls, get this book.

This is by far the best book on C# to be published so far. Unlike other books this one doesn't waste three chapters explaining the "if" and "while" statements. Almost all the major topics of the .NET platform are covered in depth.

I especially like the fact that the author does not waste time on explaining the Visual Studio.NET IDE. This keeps the focus on where it belongs-the C# language and the .NET class libraries. I feel a language the libraries are best learnt by doing the coding in a notepad like environment-where you write all the code, make mistakes, stumble, and in the process, learn. Using an IDE that produces wizard generated code can be counter productive (although the VS.NET IDE itself is superb)when you are in the process of learning.

I do have a few gripes abt the book, though not about the quality of the content, rather what is missing from the book. I would have loved to see more on network programming and using the xml parsing APIs (something that I use a lot myself). (perhaps a vol II of this books will cover those!). But a book cannot cover everything. And what is covered is absolutely top notch.

....

Glad to see a .NET Beta 2 compliant book and so soon after the release of .NET Beta 2. Struggling through the series of MSDN Magazine .NET Beta 1 articles while using Visual Studio.NET Beta 2 was an excercise in frustration. Surprised to see code samples of Visual Basic.NET in a C# book. Although most of my experience has been with Visual Basic, my earlier C and C++ experience allows me to move directly to C# rather than to VB.NET. Other VB programmers may have a less easier transition but definitely should not be discouraged! Was that the purpose for including VB.NET in the book? This is a brave attempt to cram as much C# and .NET into one large book particularly since volumes could be written. It is, understandably, shy in discussing Visual Studio.NET to any great depth. Instead, the book concentrates on the fundamental aspects of C# and .NET. An excellent low level nuts and bolts coverage of the topics. A very good reference book now and even after the final version is released - assuming, of course, that changes to the technologies are minimal. According to a publisher's note in the book, final release updates will be available on the Web.

This review is based on the Beta 2 edition.

Before I found this book, I was rather lost. I was trying to learn C# and the framework using the doc's that came with Visual Studio and the .Net Framework installation and was only getting so far. I didn't feel like I was learning it comprehensively.

Even though this book is large (about 920 pages), it's easy to read, has example code throughout, and covers a lot of what I needed to know. It had a breadth I found lacking in other .Net books. Troelson covers the C# language very well, and covers many of the important facets of the .Net API and its interfaces, like database access, Windows Forms, GDI+, Win32 DLL & COM interoperability, file I/O, serialization, Web Forms, and web services.

It's a fair reference, though it is by no means complete. His goal is to give you enough information to make you reasonably competent so you can get basic things done, and understand enough so you can comfortably venture forth and learn more if you need to.

Unlike many of the other books I looked at, Troelson provides enough information so that you learn how to compile the example code using the command-line compilers of the .Net Framework SDK and how to compile them in Visual Studio.

The example code is available from the Apress web site as a ZIP file, and all example projects have Visual Studio project files so there is no setup to do for Visual Studio users. Just compile and run.

My only criticism is that he made "errors of ommission," where there were words missing from sentences, breaking my concentration a bit. I never had a problem with the example code. Things compiled as they were.

I would've liked to have seen coverage of Windows Forms applets (deploying forms via. Internet Explorer), and .Net's security model, which he doesn't get into at all. Nevertheless, the book covers more than other books I looked at, and I am very pleased with it. If you're trying to learn C# and .Net and are feeling lost, get this book. You won't be sorry.

Most of the C# books up to this point have focused only on the language--not how to use C# along with .NET. The Wrox "C# Programming With the Public Beta" is the only competition to this book. The Wrox book was full of mistakes + it barely skimmed the surface of C# .NET programming. Andrew's book is well written and has only a couple of errors that I have spotted so far. My major gripe with this book is that it ignores for the most part, how to use Visual Studio.NET effectively to create .NET applications. It is good book to understand how to cobble together applications that run in the console window and create "handmade" classes and objects, but it does not go into very much detail about how to use and leverage Visual Studio.NET to build apps. If you are a VB developer, you may have a difficult time understanding some of the topics. Andrew comes from the Visual C++ ATL world, and assumes the reader has his same background. Luckily for me, I am a VC++ developer. Overall it's the best book out there as of 7/8/01 on C# and .NET, but it could be better. Maybe Professional C# from Wrox press will hit the mark better.

I purchased several other C# books from SAMS, Wrox, O'Reilly and Apress, and this is by far the best book I have bought. I just picked it up at TechEd where it was released, and have yet to put the book down. Andrew and Apress have done an outstanding job with this book. If your looking for a C#/.NET book, you only need one, C# and the .NET Platform by Andrew Troelsen and Apress. This looks to be the first in a a series by Intertech-Inc, and looking forward to other books by Andrew and his team.

I picked this book up at Tech Ed and have been very impressed. Not only does he provide a comprehensive introduction to C# and .NET, Andrew Troelsen offers perhaps the best overview of Object-Oriented programming I have read. I look forward to reading the next several hundred pages.

Nice work, Mr. Troelsen.

Andrew has a knack for tying together the many concepts and technologies related to Window's programming. After a year of struggling with the Windows API, MFC and COM, his book COM AND ATL 3.0 was the source of my proverbial AHA! All the sudden I was able to see the big picture. Of course, I expected much the same with this book when it came to learning the .NET framework. He didn't disappoint. I had already worked through another book as far as learning the C# language. However, I still wasn't getting the big picture. The 1st chapter of this book alone was worth the price. His overview of the .NET Framework and its evolution from COM was perfect. His coverage of assemblies was also equally enlightening. However, his coverage of the C# language itself was a bit shallow. Once you're familiar with the constructs of the language, go to this book. The few chapters covering the language will help solidify your understanding and will prepare you for the real meat of the subject...targeting the .NET platform. Thanks again for helping me to see the big picture.

This is the most complete book I have read on C#. It does a very good job of explaining the language of C# and how the language fits into the entire .NET framework. The book includes concepts and practical application of those concepts. The author's style is clear and easy to follow, yet not overly simplistic.

C# and the .NET Platform are two large subjects. As a result, some of the topics seemed rushed. But by the end of each chapter, I felt that I had a good grasp on what the author was trying to communicate.

The focus is on C# and the .NET Framework, not Visual Studio's implementation of C#. As a result, I got a really good understanding of what is going on underneath the covers of the Visual Studio IDE. This has made using Visual Studio easier for me.

I highly recommend this book.