Customer Reviews

Programming .Net Windows Applications

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

 

 

I almost never respond to negative reviews (not everyone will like every book) but the previous review by Mr. Qiu is simply incorrect.

I provide unprecedented support for my books, including a FAQ, errata, complete source code and a private free support discussion forum through my web site: http://www.LibertyAssociates.com. In addition, more information is available thorugh my blog and articles I write for O'Reilly.com.

All the code in this book is complete, and all the code is available for download.

Thank you.

-j

I found myself searching for a book that covered the TreeView control and others in great detail. I needed a book that would give detailed examples of how to use the advanced features of Windows Forms Controls and this was it. I use C# but appreciate the fact that both the VB.Net and C# codes is included as I never know if I will be asked to work on a VB.Net project. I have several other C# books that documented the basics of how to program C#, but this is the first that really showed me how to use the power of Win Forms to build a user friendly UI.

Programming .NET Windows Applications is not only a useful reference (the important enumerations and events are listed alongside descriptions of the various controls, for example), but it is a great introduction to the somewhat under-documented subject of creating fat clients using the latest tools. As a VB programmer converting to C#, I particularly appreciate the side-by-side code examples. But as an author of computer books myself, I am always on the lookout for books like this in which the authors do more than just parrot the official documentation. This book is full of helpful asides, tips, and warnings, and the text is authoritative. I will look for other books by these authors (and of course O'Reilly books are almost always excellent).

Nearly 2.5 inches thick, this is not an In-A-Nutshell book. It covers Windows Forms controls in great detail. (It assumes knowledge of VB or C# and basic .NET, and it naturally doesn't describe ASP.NET.) The chapter on creating custom controls has been particularly useful to me, and the GDI+ chapter includes source for a complex analog clock application. And for some reason, I haven't seen TreeView and ListView documented as well in other books. If you are writing Windows Applications using .NET, this is the one book to have at your side.

Wow, what a disappointment! This book starts with Hello World and goes down hill. 3 pages describing how a label control works then 3.5 pages of code print out, then 2.5 more pages adding explanation to just about every line of code? No wonder it is 1200 pages.

With my last forms work mostly being VB5, and having done mostly ASP.NET, web service, and library work in .NET, I got this book thinking that I would learn a few useful tidbits. (Which is how I found the author's other C# book). Not the case. I'm not sure I learned anything!

I guess for the most timid beginner this book would be OK, but if you have any previous win forms program experience or an inclination to just try things out, save yourself time and money and simply open up a form and start dropping in controls and see how they work.

Over 70 Percent of this book is code listings (much of it auto generated) that is available in the sample code. Why generate your own database when pubs and northwind provide adequate examples. If you want to learn how to design a database there are ample books out there that are quite good. Most of the examples have very little real world application. As an example of practical concise real world examples look at "Building Web Solutions" by Esposito. He provides four times the useful information in 350 pages that this book provides in 1200. Look elswhere if you want good insight and practical information.

Thank you for considering our newest book. The response from our earlier collaboration (Programming ASP.NET 2nd Edition) was very positive, and we wanted to tackle this exciting new approach to programming Windows applciations and hybrid applications that draw both from the web and from the desktop's capabilities.

The book got away from us a little; in our effort to make it comprehensive, and to put every example both in C# and VB.NET, the book grew; but that gave us an opportunity to delve into some fascinating topics. It is hefty, but we think there is little fluff.

This book is aimed squarely at the serious developer who already knows C# and/or VB.NET, and who wants to develop real-world Windows applications for .NET. This is a tutorial, not a reference book, and it is not our desire to replicate Microsoft's documentation, but rather to walk you through the story of Programming applications using this new technology.

You can read more about the book, and sign up for full support in a private support discussion center, on my web site: http://www.LibertyAssociates.com.

Thank you again for considering our book.

-Jesse Liberty

I use this book as the text for an ASP.NET class I teach for the last two years, after looking over many others. It covers most of the areas on the subject very well, however I do provide my own supplemental material for a few missing, but common and easy to handle, topics for building web apps, such as HttpCookie and SmtpMail. Still highly recommended!

This book doesn't provide supports if you have any questions about this book, and don't have full codes in some chapters!