Understanding .NET (2nd Edition) (Independent Technology Guides) (Paperback)

by David Chappell (Author) "The world of software development is a volatile place..." (more)
Key Phrases: app domain boundary, subordinate namespaces, value type instance, Visual Basic, Windows Forms, Common Language Runtime (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Guides to Microsoft's .NET technologies abound (see Computer Media, LJ 4/1/01), but most focus on only one piece of the colossus. Chappell's book is different because it offers a lucid overview of every aspect of .NET. Intended for developers and technology managers but accessible to lay readers, it describes how existing languages and technologies (such as ASP) are transformed in the .NET environment and explains the reasoning behind creating new languages such as C#. Touchy topics like the privacy issues created by .NET My Services and .NET's seeming similarity to Java are also squarely addressed. Highly recommended for all libraries.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Microsoft's .NET is revolutionizing Windows-based software development. Since its initial release in 2002, .NET has changed significantly, becoming the foundation for a new generation of Windows applications. The .NET Framework and Visual Studio, the two core aspects of this initiative, provide a multilanguage environment in which developers can create Web services, graphical user interfaces, and other kinds of applications. Taken as a whole, the .NET technologies have changed the way nearly every Windows application is built. Now fully updated for version 2.0 of the .NET Framework and Visual Basic 2005, Understanding .NET, Second Edition, is a concise guide to the landscape of Windows development. Margin notes, detailed diagrams, and lucid writing make this book easy to read and navigate, while analysis sections explore controversial issues and address common concerns. David Chappell's independent perspective and straightforward descriptions clarify both how the .NET technologies work and how they can be used. Coverage includes *An overview of .NET and its goals *The Common Language Runtime (CLR) *The .NET languages, including C#, Visual Basic, and C++ *The .N ET Framework class library *Building Web Applications with ASP.NET *Accessing Data with ADO.NET *.NET framework integration with SQL Server 2005 The key to using a new technology is to understand the fundamentals. This book provides the robust foundation developers and technical managers need to make the right decisions and maximize the potential of this revolutionary framework.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 2 edition (May 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321194047
• ISBN-13: 978-0321194046
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #98,702 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Technical Overview of .NET to date, September 8, 2002

By	Daniel Moth (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis (Independent Technology Guides) (Paperback)

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.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Need to sell .NET to your manager?, March 4, 2002

By	"jonboxquilogy" (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis (Independent Technology Guides) (Paperback)

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.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wealth of information every .NET developer needs to know, February 7, 2003

By	Southern California .NET User Group (SoCalNETug.org) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis (Independent Technology Guides) (Paperback)

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.