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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Error-rich, but thorough, well-written and well-designed, July 22, 1999
Howard Hawhee's VB5 exam review (Que) was an outstanding resource for Visual Basic in general, not just for the test. It covered most every significant area of VB programming in a relatively easy-to-understand format. A few sections contained factual errors or were unclearly written, however, and much, if not most, of the sample code was incorrect. Sometimes it was simple syntax errors -- more often, the code samples had fatal flaws in design. For more confident readers, this could cause confusion at first, and irritation after a while; for people relying on the VB5 exam guide to teach them the language, this could cause, literally, hours of anxiety and numerous consultations with both human and literary resources.Sample code should be perfect. No exceptions. In many ways, the VB6 edition (New Riders) is even better than the VB5, but it is characterized by a frustratingly high level of cut-and-paste laziness. Errors that never should have made it past a rough edit in the VB5 edition were included verbatim in the VB6 edition. Nonetheless, the book covers every subject on the exam, and covers them all rather well. The CD-ROM included with the book is excellent, the sample exam questions (both in the book and on the CD) are realistic and thorough, and the CD has the entire text of the book in a searchable Adobe reader format. It's a nice bonus. The "Fast Facts" section is the most useful appendix one could wish for, with all of the important elements of the book condensed into about thirty pages. It is an outstanding review, and very helpful to read right before going into the test. (The "Fast Facts" section seems to be a characteristic of New Riders' exam guides, and by itself should earn them the first look when considering exam guides on the market.) This book would be excellent for anyone with some VB experience trying to prepare for the MCP exams. A novice would likely be confused by the errors, and find this exam guide lacking in VB fundamentals. (Although the book includes an appendix covering most of the essentials of VB, in general the text presumes a working knowledge of Visual Basic. The VB5 book did a better job of covering the basics.) Overall, this is a good choice of exam guide. Hopefully, future editions/future printings will exhibit better proofreading and closer scrutiny of code samples. (So far at least two different publishing companies have failed miserably to ensure adequate editing of Mr. Hawhee's work.) The sample code should be taken with a grain of salt; the book as a whole, however, is good work, and valuable exam preparation.
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