Developing XML Solutions (DV-MPS General) [Paperback]

Jake Sturm (Author)

Book Description

Series: DV-MPS General | Publication Date: September 2, 2000

This solutions-focused book explains how eXtensible Markup Language (XML) -- the W3C-sanctioned standard for communicating data over the Web -- fits into Microsoft's overall architectural strategy for distributed computing. Developers get practical, expert guidance for utilizing Microsoft's implementation of XML in Internet Explorer 5, Office 2000, Windows 2000, and Windows 2000-related technologies such as BizTalk "TM" and SOAP in order to easily access, manipulate, and exchange data between enterprise systems. Real-world applications rendered in Visual Basic Scripting language (VBScript) demonstrate specific XML solutions for client/server and n-tier systems and other technical scenarios.

Product Details

• Paperback: 500 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press (September 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735607966
• ISBN-13: 978-0735607965
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,330,477 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book!, August 14, 2000

By 

Stan W (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Developing XML Solutions (DV-MPS General) (Paperback)

I have worked with HTML for many years, but I have never worked with XML. This book starts with a clear presentation of XML, covering all of the basics. XHTML is also discussed in detail. The book gives a good discussion of DTDs. The schema coverage was really great; it is based on the latest W3C standard. Microsoft's XML parser uses an older version of schemas, which is also explained in the book. The book covers a wide range of XML related topics, including XSL, namespaces, BizTalk, SOAP, etc. The best part of this book is a really wide range of real world examples. For example, there are examples for every Microsoft DOM object, for XSL, Microsoft DSO, SOAP, etc. The examples are geared toward Microsoft's products, but this book can be used by anyone who wants to learn about XML, even if your work is not focused on Microsoft products.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good basic book, October 21, 2000

By 

[e-mail] - See all my reviews

This review is from: Developing XML Solutions (DV-MPS General) (Paperback)

Unlike the other recent release from MSPress (XML and SOAP Programming for BizTalk Servers), this one actually has a lot of useful content. Unfortunately, so little of it is far enough advanced to give me a real reason to recommend it.

Don't get me wrong, the content will be very useful overall for anyone who has not developed full-blown applications using XML (judging from the hands up at the latest DevDays event, less than 1% of the Microsoft developers present have given XML more than a cursory glance).

For those who have developed XML solutions before, you will find the first few chapters a quick run through (at least until you get to schemas); there will be very little useful information unless you need a bit of trivia on XHTML.

Beyond those chapters, you will find some substance in the chapters on SOAP, BizTalk and schemas (as there is so little written material outside of Microsoft and the W3C on this one).

Until there are better books on the market, this one should give you a nice start on developing solutions. On the plus side, you do not have to learn Omnimark (see review on XML and SOAP Programming for BizTalk Servers).

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't do what it says on the tin, January 16, 2001

By 

Mike Mian (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Developing XML Solutions (DV-MPS General) (Paperback)

Microsoft Press publish some excellent, this is an exception.

I do not believe that the author had tried to develop a serious XML solution before he wrote this book. The editors also did a poor job---allowing Jake to waffle and create multipage examples to make simple points.

It is too heavily biased toward microsoft for a cross platform technology.

The coverage is so superficial I found it hard to glean any useful info from it. I found myself continually turning to the specs for clarification!

I was looking for information about best practice and the trade-offs of modelling model data in different ways (eg designing for extensibility). They should have assumed that if you are developing a solution you have some clue about the technology, instead of providing a long winded rambling review (nearly 200 pages).

Thanks to bookpool.com I did not waste to much cash.

A better title would be: Introduction to Microsoft XML Devlopment Tools.

Better books are Professional XML and the XML Bible

Jake, please do a better job next time!