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.NET Framework Essentials
.NET Framework Essentials is a concise introduction to the Microsoft .NET Framework. If you're an experienced VB, Java, or C++ developer and you want to learn the important features in the Microsoft .NET Framework, this book will give you a good grasp.
The book is brief at just more than 300 pages, including the index, and is written in the same forced-march pace typical of titles by O'Reilly. Sometimes the pace is too quick. Delegates are an important addition to .NET, yet they get only two confusing paragraphs of technical prose. Readers deserve better than to be told, "Here's an example that may take a few minutes to sink in, but, once you get it, you'll realize that it's really simple." The authors should take a few minutes to ensure their explanations are clear.
The .NET programming languages (VB .NET, C#, and Managed C++) don't fare much better - they get all of 23 pages combined. The authors call this an overview. If you can see much from 30,000 feet, then their introduction to the .NET programming languages qualifies as an overview. If you're looking for a solid introduction to the .NET programming languages, continue your search.
The book is strong, however, in topics related to building enterprise-strength applications, especially Internet applications. These topics take up two-thirds of the book. The book does a nice job of covering topics like deployment options, distributed components, accessing COM+ services, and message queuing. The authors give considerable attention to the integration of .NET and XML. Chapters on Web Services, Web forms, and Windows forms make up the remainder of the book.
While .NET Framework Essentials is weak in some areas, such as the .NET programming languages and ASP.NET Web controls, it does provide good technical detail about creating Internet applications and services with the .NET Framework. These are topics that C# or VB .NET programming books often rush.
.NET Framework Essentials is worth considering when you want to learn how to build an enterprise application with .NET, not just learn how to program in C# or VB .NET.
- Glenn E. Mitchell II, Ph.D.
.NET Framework Essentials by Thuan Thai and Hoang Q. Lam, O'Reilly & Associates, http://www.oreilly.com.
Rating:
ISBN: 0-596-00165-7
Cover Price: US$29.95
(320 pages)
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