Customer Reviews

Secure TCP/IP Programming with SSL: Developer's Guide

5 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(3)

 

 

I wish the first review had been posted before I ordered this book. I too was excited about a book on programming SSL with a 2007 publication date. However, most of this book leads the reader through Windows (pre XP) screenshots describing how to install and setup OpenSSL 0.9.6a (a version that was current Apr-Jul 2001).

The book claims that it "is NOT a beginners guide and is not for the feint of heart". On the contrary, that is EXACTLY who it is for.

Also, you find out by reading the summary on page 185 (the end of the book, after the pages of uncommented example code) that the book is really for use with Trizen Systems' Visual OpenSSL product (the author happens to be the CEO).

Overall, I found the book very disappointing, and the advertising very misleading.

I was excited to order the book with overnight shipping as I am currently working on TCP/IP Programming with SSL but kind a disappointed. Hardly you will find any programming topic in the book. Most of the book talks about how to setup your environment with OpenSSL and blah blah.... For example, pages 7 through 12 (6 pages) just tell you how to download openssl, extract it using Winzip with winzip screen-shots and advice to purchase Winzip for 40 bucks, etc. etc. etc. I believe 1 para should be enough to let know how to download and install OpenSSL because the target audience are programmers who do not need 6 pages screen-shot to learn how to unzip. Similary, other chapters and pages are expaned with big big imgaes and leaving half of the pages blank to make 185 pages with useless information which you can get it on the internet by simple google query. Another example, page 56 just shows you a screenshot on author's desktop file browser telling that about a file root.pem location. Almost every other page is like this.

Last 40 pages are listing only sample code for Delphi with no option to download anywhere. Most of the code is on the interent any way. The other pages talks about OpenSLL commands etc. which you can find on OpenSSL website for free under documentation.

Page 35-50 only explains how to install the certificate with screen-shots by double clikcing the .cer file and clicking on the button "Install Certificate" and walk you through. Now being a programmer, simple one para is enough to tell us the way to install the certificate if author thinks it is necessary (most of us already should how to view and install SSL certificate from browser).

I think the book name is misleading, it should something like "learn how to view and install SSL certificate from Browser" or "how to install OpenSSL". It seems like Author is expecting his audience to be non-IT person who needs help setting up his/her computer for OpenSSL. It does not tell you how to use OpenSSL for Java or .Net. Nothing about OpenSSL integration in Java at all or Java KeyStore to save SSL certificates using OpenSSL. The little samples which you find are for Delphi.

Making story short,[...] not a big deal but after spending this much if I had found at least one page usefull, I would have been happy.

If I was the author, I would have put this material for free as a simple how-to but would never even copnsider it publishing.

Very disappointed.....

This book is not really talking about secure TCP/IP programming. It is more like a very long advertisement of some product.

Theory of secure TCP/IP programming is talked about in the book but is definitely not the focus.

I do not recommend this book.

This is a great resource for anyone who needs a guide to getting up and running with SSL on Windows. It provides detailed setup steps and is filled with informative screenshots that take the mystery out of configuring OpenSSL. For the price, you won't find a better or more "to the point" book on the topic!