Customer Reviews

Learning C# 3.0

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a recent Master's graduate, in Computer Science. Programming concepts certainly aren't new to me. I've done C++, VB, Java, JSP, SQL, etc, etc, and figured it was time to pick up C#. I didn't even get this book from Amazon, I picked it up at my local B&N, but I was so pleased with it I had to make a post here.

The Good For Beginners:

He starts off with easy concepts, each chapter is broken up just right. Just when you may start to fidget and wonder how you're going to remember all of it, the chapter will end with a summary, a set of questions, and exercises. And the exercises are done well. If you grasped the concepts you can do them, and they are not too complicated that you may fumble. Plus, the solution is in the back of the book.

The Good For The Experienced:

I may have personally been better off with C# Programming, which is the more advanced book, but I started off with this since it had been a while since I touched a C-styled language. I read through even the introductory chapters, rather than skipping through, and was surprised at what I picked up. I know all of the concepts discussed, but he also includes best practices, as well as very good explanations that make you understand even these simple concepts better.

In my classes, the focus was all on 'This is how you make the code do this', with only one class focused on 'This is how you *should* write your code for readability, updating, some standards, etc'. This really answered a lot of my questions in that department. I feel like a slightly more professional programmer just from paying attention to these bits.

Basically, I liked the format and writing style enough that O'Reilly books, those by Jesse Liberty in particular, are where I look first to learn something new.

This text is a good one for those new to C# and also for those who are familiar with C# but not fluent with it. I have read almost all of Mr. Liberty's books for varied languages at one time or another and he is a good teacher. Like most Authors, the concern with selling books is there. However, Mr. Liberty cares more than selling books. He seems to truely care about teaching people programming concepts. He seems to care if you "get it" while exploring some of the varied theorems, algorithms, and syntax rules. While this text is for novices and structured for newbies to C# and programming in general, it also touches on the more advanced areas of C#. While not exploring some of these areas for long periods of time, the book is good because it at least introduces a person to most concepts. No text is perfect and for a high level language such as C# there is no way possible for a person to include everything into a single text as the C# library is just far too large. However as far as the basic syntax for C# 3.0 this book pretty much covers everything a person needs to know. After a text such as this one a person could delve into a more advanced text in order to get practice at coding. The best way to get proficient in any language is to WRITE CODE WHILE you are learning a book. Practice, practice, and more practice. This book will teach you most of the basics you need to know. The rest is up to you. After this text a person would need to decide if they wanted to delve into web programming, desktop apps, etc. before getting an appropriate text for their chosen area.

I would highly recommend this text to anyone approaching programming or the .NET programming environment for the first time. Not only does this book prepare you for the rigors of object-oriented programming in C#, but Jesse Liberty and Brian MacDonald also give you a working introduction to the .NET framework.

C# is the language that Bjarne Stroustrup was referring to when he said that there was a language in C++ just waiting to get out. If you get rid all the weird syntax and conventions of C++ and add some really useful programming tools, what you have is C#. The fact that C# is a totally object-oriented languge standing on the shoulders of .NET makes it a logically coherent programming system. Spock probably used it on the Enterprise. Add the Integrated Development Envirionment and you can actually enjoy programming again.

The introduction to .NET in this text is so painless that you won't even feel the needle going in. Once you get that first shot, you'll be hungering for more. Liberty and MacDonald are careful not to let you OD, and provide the necessary and sufficient information to take yourself comfortably to the next level in that most dynamic of programming environments. Oh, and did I mention that the examples in the text are well thought out - and that they actually work! If you are new to programming or new to .NET, this book is for you. Even if you've programmed for years, you might want to read this book - just to witness how writing a book about "how to program" should be done.

This is one of my top tech books, and I've passed along / recommended it more than once. Keep in mind that title: "Learning". This will not carry you end-to-end through C#, nor will it be the all-encompassing reference for the C# programmer who wants to keep up to speed. Instead, the audience is the new programmer, or the procedural programmer new to OO. When I think back to my first introduction to OO (a Java 1.0 boot-camp-styled course that made my brain spin in its casing), I wish I'd had this book: it's nicely paced, it begins at the beginning, and it gets you on your feet in regards to knowing how to program in the language. If you are familiar with some of the basics of .NET Programming (for example, if you've dabbled a bit in VB.NET), the first chapter or two probably won't be earth-shatteringly new, but anyone who is either new to C#, or hasn't worked in an object-oriented language before will definitely benefit from the baby-steps Chapters One and Two present: they make Chapter 3: Language Fundamentals a much easier read.

Note that this 2/16/2011 review is for the 3rd edition (C# 2008) of the book, but a newer fourth edition for C# 2010 is probably in the works to be released. I still recommend the book, and its approach, to anyone new to OO in general or C# in particular. Get started here, then dig deeper with the Bible-sized tomes if you need.

I bought a copy of this book for study and reference at work. I really like the approach of stripping away all the fluff for the Windows and Web forms to focus on the essentials of the C# language. As a former college teacher and professor, I think it's a great way to show students the semantics or syntax of the language.

The organization of the book seems very good to me. I'm at the tail end of chapter 11 and am looking forward to the rest of the book. My background is that of VB 6, VB .NET, VB 2005 and VB 2008. I also have some Java in my days as a professor. This book's approach really connects with my previous experience with classes in VB and Java. I would recommend this book to a beginning programmer, to someone who is coming from a VB background, or for someone wishing to brush up on the essentials of C#. An interesting read with good details.

Hi All,

Let me start by saying that I've never held the title of software programmer but I have worked with, QA'd and even designed a number of software programs. So I'm not really new to programming - but I needed a book to bridge between theory and reality. This book does an admirable job. Everything up to Chapter 18 is relatively easy to follow and makes learning this language really fun. It's Chapter 18, the 'Real World Program' that has me stumped - it's far and away a more complicated chapter than any earlier ones.

That said, while I appreciate the introduction to TreeViews (which that chapter does), I am really disappointed in the description of the methods this program uses and its properties/params. I feel like it's a different book and as I grow to understand it (by looking at other programs, web references, etc), I realize it's badly explained. I feel like there's a whole chapter that I neglected to read, but I've read the whole thing. For me that's super critical and knocks off a star. If the goal was to be confusing, misleading or otherwise indecipherable in order to have the reader read, reread, research and reresearch, than at least for me the desired effect worked.

Other than that it's a great book and I'm looking forward to moving onto Programming .NET applications for Windows. As soon as I really understand Chapter 18.

A good read, but probably best for someone who already has programming experience and wants to learn C#. Definitely not for someone who's never written a line of code, and likewise not very useful for anyone intermediate or above.

I would have been kinder if I had not been 'tricked' into buying this by the description and the reviews. That said, I think it also would be good course-book for a class "Transitioning to C#".

I generally like what these authors produce, but in this case they push the marketing envelope, perhaps with pressure from their publishers.

I like the book even though much of it was review regarding basic programming but contents moves along quick enough to keep my interest. I very much appreciate the solution code it gives in the appendix for the problem exercises that are given in each chapter.

This book was bought for a friend who had no C++ background etc. It worked great. Highly recommend (the first 120pages, which is all read so far).

if you are good a programing this book is a ok refrence, if you are new to the programing world look eles were