Customer Reviews

Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis (Independent Technology Guides)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If every technical book was written by Chappell there would be no 'complex' topics or 'hard to grasp' concepts. Some people are born with the gift of good communication and he is certainly one of them. Almost every paragraph is accompanied by a margin note summarizing it, which is very helpful for navigating or even skipping sections that are not of interest. The 'grey' analysis boxes are the author's way of giving us his valuable opinion rather than pure fact. I really do wish this was the first book I had read on .NET.

The 'Tutorial and Analysis' starts by putting .NET in context and defining the .NET Framework, Visual Studio.NET, the .NET servers and Web Services amongst other terms/concepts. This first chapter is also effectively an overview of the 6 chapters that follow it: Web Services, CLR, languages, ADO.NET, ASP.NET and the best overview of the huge .NET Framework Class Library I have come across. There are simple code examples demonstrating the theory but of course they are just "tasters" and further books for each major area are required in order to start coding for real.

Technical managers and newbies will be mad not to get their hands on this book; however for those with hands-on experience the benefit is there only if the big picture is still not clear.

Back in the 90's, David Chappell wrote one of the Microsoft classics, Understanding ActiveX and OLE. That book marked David as an author who can communicate complicated topics in an organized and understandable form. When I heard that he had created a similar attempt for .NET, I had to check it out.

This book is an explanation of key tenets of .NET and how the .NET technologies are related. The text is also mixed with straight shooting opinions, real-world application and analysis, and comparisons to other competitive computing environments. If you have had a curiosity about something in .NET, David probably addresses it in one of the analysis sections. The Microsoft camp and the Java camp alike will appreciate David's frankness as he tells it like it is, whether a Microsoft weakness or strength.

This book should be intended for:
* Those who need an overview of .NET like technical managers.
* Non-Microsoft developers who want to see what all the fuss is about.

If you want to score some points with your boss, provide this book as it is destined to be the next technical manager classic. What David did for COM, he has now done for .NET.

The .NET Framework is not just another new technology; it is an entirely revolutionary view of the world of software development. And it comprises such an incredibly vast body of knowledge that one or two fat books will not make anyone well versed. Ultimately, mastering this subject will require nothing less than a small library. David Chappell's Understanding .NET is an excellent choice as a master volume and foundation for this library--as a sort of glue that will hold it all together. In this book every major area of .NET is probed and placed in context, and Chappell's writing style is extremely succinct and focused. I highly recommend this book to every software developer and manager.

Understanding .NET provides an objective and comprehensive overview of .NET, including chapters on how Web Services work, functionality of the Common Runtime Language, comparisons between .NET programming languages, how to work with the Class Library, new features of ADO.NET and ASP.NET, a description of .NET My Services, and how all of these parts fit together.

Most obviously, this book is a perfect starting point for developers who may be skilled in DNA or some other architecture but new to .NET. The familiar terminology and intelligent references provide engaging, informative reading, and there is enough density and new information to make every paragraph worth reading. This is not one of those easy-listening books where the reader is advised in the preface to skip the first three chapters.

This book also has much to offer developers who may have been working with .NET for some time but somehow missed the beginning of the movie. When plunging into a particular area of a new technology, especially one as vast as .NET, it is quite easy to never be completely clear about the main plot. By placing each major aspect of .NET clearly in context Chappell enables developers to back off for a moment to see the big picture, quite likely leading to exploration of new areas and a more comprehensive "understanding" of the environment.

For technical managers who want a clear understanding of the workings of the .NET Framework but naturally can't afford to make a career out of the details, Understanding .NET is a must read. This is perhaps as far into the details as a manager needs to go, but it should be mandatory material for any technical manager worth his or her salt. Because of Chappell's focused writing style, this book is even suitable for a layperson who needs to be a step ahead.

Understanding .NET is no sissy book, and at the same time it's not rocket science. It is an aptly titled volume with a wealth of information that everyone involved with .NET needs to know. --Review by David A.

This book is the first you should read if you are moving to the .NET framework. It covers everything at a high level, zooming in on specifics just frequently enough to provide a solid basic understanding. Chappell writes and organizes well. 6 stars.

David Chappell is one of the best technical authors today and this is probably his best book. It's an excellent overview of.NET that is both objective and interesting to read.

NET is a critically important to Microsoft professionals. Unfortunately, it's also a huge platform that can be daunting and downright confusing. Chappell's .NET book cuts right through Microsoft's marketing dribble and explains exactly what the platform is and why its important. The book provides enough technical depth to give you a good understanding of the .NET platform without getting lost in what is obviously a very complex set of technologies.

As an architect, developer, and author I give this book my highest recommendation. If you are trying to get your fingers around the .NET platform, this is the book you should read.

If you looking for an easy to read, a quick, and concise primer on Microsoft's .NET there is no need to look anywhere else. Just a quick scan of the table of contents convinced me to take the plunge and purchase the book. Before reading this book, I had read some of the white papers on Microsoft's web site. Wow, was that tough reading!! Some of the information was good and yet it was really too raw to be an "easy read". I was looking for something that would begin to put some of my .NET puzzle pieces together. After reading David Chappell's book I now have the puzzle together with a nice clear picture. I liked the balance he gives to the treatment of .NET vs. Java. He values both environments and understands the competition between both can only benefit software development going forward. I really liked the margin notes on each page of the book they are a real aid to capturing the main points from the adjoining paragraphs. Well, still thinking about whether to buy the book. If you consider your time valuable you will be repaid many times over because you have in a very concise and time sensitive treatment, .NET in a "nutshell". You can't get much smaller than that!

David Chappell covers the whole .NET architecture, from the CLR to the new features in C# and VB.NET, to the massive libraries, and everything inbetween. The book is very readable, and manages to cover it all while still going deep enough to gain a serious base of knowledge to build on in the future.
After reading the book, I feel I understand the overall architecture and thinking behind .NET, and now I can dive into using it by picking up an area-specific book (like VB.NET, or C#).

David Chappell presents an extensive overview for the .NET challenged. .NET has been presented by today's media as being an all-inclusive, yet elusive, "thing" that is going to change computing as we know it. The author concedes that much of the world that was pre .NET has indeed changed yet gives specific analogies and descriptions to show the average IT manager, developer, or end user exactly what to expect.

The strength of "Understanding .NET" is its ability to address the breadth of .NET from server architecture on the Windows 2000 platform and the Common Language Runtime(CLR), to specific tools like ASP.NET, VB.NET, C#.NET, and JScript.NET to Web services without trying to overdeliver with application specific code. This is not a coder's reference ... but more of a roadmap for the .NET uninitiated.

It is a great beginner's overview into everything Microsoft has to offer in its latest paradigm shift - .NET.

I am very pleased to highly recommend "Understanding .Net A Tutorial and Analysis".

To quote the author ".Net is Huge." Which, as a software developer, was my first impression too!

This book successfully addresses the first two .Net issues. What is it? Where do you start exploring?

"Understanding" is not a code intensive cookbook describing the "how to's" of the .Net system. "Understanding" does tackle the technical management issues from a general overview to a very detailed bullet by bullet explanation of the major components, their purpose and how they fit into the bigger .Net picture.

Most concepts are summarized on margin notes and major concepts are analyzed as a half and full page breakout discussions designed to put the concept in perspective. This technique makes the book true to its title and an interesting read.

If your company is considering .Net buy an extra copy for your boss.

Pat Tormey PE
Foursquare Solutions Inc.

It takes a lot of knowledge, insight, and hard work to explain something this complicated without either losing the forest for the trees, or producing a content-free summary. Chappell is a master at explaining Microsoft's architectures so they seem coherent and manageable, if not exactly simple and straightforward. Unlike his earlier books, this one's not from Microsoft Press, and the reason undoubtedly was the editorial independence demanded by the author. A number of digs and jabs are directed at Microsoft (the corporation and its business practices, not the producer of this technology, which he generally admires), especially in the shaded sidebars. I must admit this greatly added to my enjoyment of the book.