Tomes of Delphi: Win32 Core API Windows 2000 [Illustrated] [Paperback]

John Ayres (Author)

Book Description

Series: Tomes of Delphi | Publication Date: December 15, 2001

The Tomes of Delphi series from John Ayres is recognized as the definitive reference for Delphi programmers and developers. The first edition received rave reviews from industry publications as well as Inprice developers as being the Rosetta stone which forms the link between Delphi and the Windows API. The title retains its popular reference organization as well as the innovative help file on the CD.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Ayres works at American Microsystems, a manufacturer of bar code scanning technology, in Dallas, Texas. He is a former officer of the Delphi Developers of Dallas users group and is the author of The Tomes of Delphi: Win32 Shell API—Windows 2000 Edition and Delphi Graphics and Game Programming Exposed! with DirectX 7.0.

Product Details

• Paperback: 700 pages
• Publisher: Wordware Publishing, Inc. (December 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556227507
• ISBN-13: 978-1556227509
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,599,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #65 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Languages & Tools > Borland Delphi

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I would give this zero stars if I could, February 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Tomes of Delphi: Win32 Core API Windows 2000 (Paperback)

This has to be the worst technical book ever written. Note to John Ayres: you cannot write and you are no technical expert. You have no business being published. That you are is a testament to the sorry state of affairs in the land of Delphi. All the able writers and technical wizards have left for greener pastures.

The problems with the book are many and varied:

1. There are holes big enough to drive a truck through in the coverage of the API. You'll get better coverage from just reading MSDN.

2. The examples are so simple as to be useless. They're the stupidest, most worthless code samples I've ever seen in a book.

3. The book is loaded with errors. Geez, there must be one on every page. There are typos as well as errors of fact. Many of the API call skeletons appear to come from an old version of MSDN and have not been updated to reflect recent advances (e.g., many fail to show recent Win2K-specific changes/parameters).

4. The narrative itself is simply unreadable. Whoever told John Ayres he had anything interesting to say on the subject of Delphi or that he was qualified to do so ought to lose their job. There are problems with organization (stuff mentioned before it has been introduced), pace (pedantic detail on horrendously boring topics while glossing over the truly significant), and general ability to put two words together. I know high schoolers who writer better than Ayres.

All in all, this is the worst technical book I've ever had the misfortune to spend money on. I have already sent mine back for a refund.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A pathetic excuse for a book, March 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Tomes of Delphi: Win32 Core API Windows 2000 (Paperback)

This book is an embarrassment to the Delphi community. That people like Ayres can even get published in the first place shows us how bad things really are. If I'd paid for this book out of my own pocket, I'd be sending it back, I promise you. Ayres can't write and has no knack for explaining anything. He does a disservice to Delphi and the few of us still building apps with it.

Now, please, someone - write a Win32 API book on Delphi that's worth reading, not something like this hackneyed gradeschool stuff.

8 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Literary garbage, and the code is no better., March 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Tomes of Delphi: Win32 Core API Windows 2000 (Paperback)

When one reads the worthless pros expressed in Mr. Ayres latest manuscript, it causes one to contemplate how this dolt continues to be a published author. It is clear that based on his use of the English language that he is devoid of anything more than a High School diploma. It is sad to say that his command of Delphi appears to be equally as poor as his writing skills. The examples and sample code are so simplistic that they are literally worthless, and hardly expand on any topic in detail. I honestly think that the original "Delphi for Dummies" was a more informative and better-written book

It is clear that this latest book is yet another ego stroking manuscript of recycled work from his original books. Many of the API calls have not been updated and many of the samples are riddled with errors and are not syntactically correct for Windows 2000/XP.

It simply staggers my imagination why Wordware continues to use Mr. Ayres as an author. When reviewing all of the Tomes books, it is clear that when Mr. Ayres split company with his co-authors the quality of the book went down considerably. Perhaps Wordward should get them to re-write this book and see which one sells better.

Until then, go get Charles Petzolds API book. If you don't know C++ try DevGuru to get some help. They will gladly help translate the C++ calls to Delphi Syntax.