Amazon.com
Jesse Liberty's Programming C# provides an adept and extremely well conceived guide to the C# language and is written for the developer with some previous C++, Java, and/or Visual Basic experience.
It's no secret that many computer books are pretty much devoid of an authorial personality. This title is a winning exception. The author is able to weave in clever examples (using such topics as his own long experience in computing, his dog, Star Trek, etc.) without being coy or getting in the way of presenting real technical information. Liberty's wide experience in computers and general writing skill shows, as he is able to draw on a wealth of examples to move his text forward.
These are a couple of goals at work in Programming C#. First, it's an excellent language tutorial, certainly one of the smartest and best available guides to C# as a language. Early chapters explore basic and obscure language options using inheritance, delegation, interface, and the conventions in C# used to implement these techniques. The middle part of the book turns toward the .NET Framework itself, with two useful (and somewhat introductory) chapters on both Windows Forms and Web Forms, for standalone and Web-based applications, respectively.
Later sections crank up the technical knowledge again with several advanced topics on understanding .NET assemblies and deployment in detail, as well as "reflection" APIs that allow .NET programs to essentially modify their code at run time. (One technique, reflection emit, which literally writes bytecodes, will definitely interest expert readers, though it's unlikely most programmers will need to do this.) Final sections look at the .NET stream classes (rivaled only by Java's for complexity). Liberty looks at basic file and network I/O as well as how objects get serialized and marshaled both for SOAP and Web services and "normal" .NET remoting.
The author's sure hand here in navigating the difficult waters of C# and .NET makes for a relatively concise text that is chock-full of useful information on C#. Filled with notably clever and inventive examples, this book is possibly this veteran computer author's best title to date, and it's sure to be a noteworthy resource as experienced developers tackle C# for the first time. --Richard Dragan
Topics covered:
- Introduction to C# and the .NET platform
- A "Hello World" example in C#
- Tutorial to C# as an object-oriented programming language (types and variables, operators, namespaces, and preprocessor directives)
- Defining classes in C# (including static members, finalizers, overloading, and read-only fields)
- Inheritance and polymorphism implemented in C#
- Operator overloading
- Structures in C#, interfaces, arrays, and indexers
- Built-in .NET collections, strings, and regular expression support
- Structured exception handling
- Delegate and events
- Introduction to programming with Windows Forms
- ADO.NET database APIs (including basic XML support)
- Quick introduction to Web Forms and ASP.NET used with C#
- Introduction to Web services (SOAP, WSDL, and Discover services described)
- In-depth guide to .NET assemblies (including metadata, versioning, private and shared assemblies)
- C# support for attributes and reflection (including reflection emit techniques)
- Marshaling and remoting (with and without SOAP)
- Threads and synchronization
- Tutorial to C#/.NET streams (including basic I/O techniques, Web streams, and serialization)
- COM and .NET interoperability
Book Description
The programming language C# was built with the future of application development in mind. Pursuing that vision, C#'s designers succeeded in creating a safe, simple, component-based, high-performance language that works effectively with Microsoft's .NET Framework. Now the favored language among those programming for the Microsoft platform, C# continues to grow in popularity as more developers discover its strength and flexibility. And, from the start, C# developers have relied on Programming C# both as an introduction to the language and a means of further building their skills.
The fourth edition of Programming C#--the top-selling C# book on the market--has been updated to the C# ISO standard as well as changes to Microsoft's implementation of the language. It also provides notes and warnings on C# 1.1 and C# 2.0.
Aimed at experienced programmers and web developers, Programming C#, 4th Edition, doesn't waste too much time on the basics. Rather, it focuses on the features and programming patterns unique to the C# language. New C# 2005 features covered in-depth include:
- Visual Studio 2005
- Generics
- Collection interfaces and iterators
- Anonymous methods
- New ADO.NET data controls
- Fundamentals of Object-Oriented Programming
Author Jesse Liberty, an acclaimed web programming expert and entrepreneur, teaches C# in a way that experienced programmers will appreciate by grounding its applications firmly in the context of Microsoft's .NET platform and the development of desktop and Internet applications.
Liberty also incorporates reader suggestions from previous editions to help create the most consumer-friendly guide possible.
Customer Reviews:
Disorganized and without focus.......2007-06-11
I wish I had purchased one of the other C# books. I am an experienced programmer and bought this book to learn C#. My main disappointment was that the first third of the book, which covers the language, is mostly made up of repeated large printouts of code. The author will explain a small change to the code, and then re-display the entire program - even if it takes up several pages. Instead of thorough explanations of the concepts you are left with reams of repeated code.
I also found the general language of the book to have a patronizing tone, have become frustrated with it and am shopping for a new one.
Excellent explanation of how C# programming works.......2007-05-13
I just finished this book and feel like the experience was a first class introduction. Liberty's style is to explain how things work and what they're intended for and how to think about them, and also provide some very clean examples, which is perfect for me. The extreme opposite style is to provide mostly step-by-step examples with little explanation, which I think gets you started quickly but leaves you not understanding what you're doing and unable to move beyond the examples. But giving some examples is a must. He handles this balance perfectly, I think.
The examples start to follow a pattern I liked - there'd be a class or several classes that exemplify whatever point he's focussed on, and then a "tester" class containing Main() that exercises them and displays results.
Liberty works through all the language basics and also spends the right small amounts of time discussing niche interests like the intermediate language, Web applications, using Visual Studio to manipulate forms, compiling from the command line. I feel well rounded after this intro. He works with Console applications while teaching the basic features of the language per se, then he first gets into Windows applications at the very middle of the book. Amusingly, for his first Windows application example the student adds the single statement "ApplicationExit();" to a button click event generated by VS, but for his second application the user's code is 9 printed pages in the book. I do think I followed this big leap, tho.
I wondered about getting his book Learning C# instead, and after browsing it I think it would have been somewhat easier for me, but I think I managed fine with this book and got further. For me, ideal might have been another 50 pages introducing things the way Learning C# did, added around the beginning of this book, but between the two choices I think this was probably the better.
I'm a scientist who also programs a bit. My programming experience is heavy on some very different languages like Forth and Assembly, and a couple tiny projects in Quick C for DOS, but no experience writing Windows applications or using OOP, no C++ or Java. This past week I wrote a Windows program with a simple interface and an object that does a useful technical task and "deployed" it to two engineers down the hall, who liked it. Reading this book and leafing around in a couple of others, and one conversation at a noisy toddler's birthday party about runtime object instantiation, were my only guides.
Very thorough and descriptive. For beginners as well as advanced readers........2007-05-12
Very easy to read, covers all the relevant topics. Advanced readers can skip the first half of the book.
Really good one!.......2007-04-15
I own may C# books but Jesse's book is the one that I use the most. I like the way he explains things and would recommend it to anyone who either new to the language or who wants to take a look at some concept or language feature from another angle.
Programming C#.......2007-02-27
When Microsoft announced the C# language and the .NET framework in 2000, the reception among programmers was uncertain. Now that the language has had a solid six years to develop itself, it has a solid user base and strong examples of applications. Whatever your opinion of the .NET framework is, there is no denying that C# is popular among Windows programmers, and continuous to grow in usage.
C# is an object-oriented language, and has a decided likeness to other high-level languages like C++ and Java although C# is noticeably simplified. There are only eighty keywords in the language, and twelve built-in datatypes. The language also shares attributes like interfaces and structs.
However, the C# language also sets itself apart from the more classic languages in a variety of ways. C# has built-in XML capabilities, which aid in the creation of documentation. It also supports a feature called delegates, which act as type-safe references. C# also provides for component-oriented programming, which stores information using metadata. This metadata can be read and used by another environment, independent of any other information available. Effectively, it is able to create a self-contained unit out of each class.
The material in the book is very well presented, and very well written. After the general introduction at the beginning of the book, there is almost not a single page that doesnt have code on it. While this might sound a little intimidating, it is a welcome relief from books that give no code examples whatsoever. All of the code is well presented, is easy to read, and commented. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the code is discussed and explained by the authors within each chapter. The authors have done a fantastic job of providing their readers with examples to learn from.
In fact, there is so much code and so much discussion, that the book can be hard to work through. Page after page is filled with solid blocks of text and code, with little relief. This can be done and be kept interesting if the writing includes little anecdotes, jokes, and so forth but otherwise, it becomes hard on the eyes and mundane. I would have liked to see some more images and diagrams used in the book, and perhaps a little more fun text. The entire book doesnt have to read like a textbook, afterall!
The topics in the book are well chosen and arranged. The first half of the book or so is on programming concepts, syntax, data structures, etc. The second half of the book is split between application examples of C# and working with windows applications (literally exe files, dll files, etc). I would have liked to see more example applications (perhaps even one on programming for mobile platforms like PocketPCs?), but the authors do a good job with the examples they provide. I also would have also liked to see more information on interfacing with other applications, like Outlook© or Office© - although the authors do leave the reader with enough knowledge to do the research and learn more about how to do something like this independent of the book.
There is clearly a lot of information to communicate, and this is where the authors seem to be a little confused. Personally, I cannot tell if the authors really wrote it so that novice programmers could understand it or not. The beginning of the book states that the book is suitable for anyone, both experienced and in-experienced programmers. However, I found that the material was somewhere in the middle. The authors move at a pace that is fast enough to lose new programmers, and yet approach many topics at a beginner depth that experienced programmers will find redundant. The effect is beneficial to neither party, and I suggest that the authors more decidedly define their audience in future editions to avoid the issue. The end result is that experienced programmers will have no trouble with this book at all, whereas the novice programmer may be a little confused and lost.
Overall, this is a solid text for learning the C# language. I would not personally suggest it as a first-language book, but anyone with some programming experience in another object-oriented language should have no problems whatsoever. The C# language has a lot to offer to anyone coding for a Windows© environment, and is increasingly becoming a necessity for programmers in that field. OReillys C# text is a great lesson in the language, and I recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about .NET coding.
Book Description
PowerShell replaces cobbled-together assemblies of third-party management tools with an elegant programming language and a powerful scripting shell for the Windows environment. In the tradition of Manning's ground breaking "In Action" series, this book comes from right from the source. Written by Bruce Payette, one of principal creators of PowerShell, Windows PowerShell in Action shows you how to build scripts and utilities to automate system tasks or create powerful system management tools to handle the day-to-day tasks that drive a Windows administrator's life. Because it's based on the .NET platform, PowerShell is also a powerful tool for developers and power users.
Windows PowerShell in Action was written by Bruce Payette, one of the founding members of the Windows PowerShell team, co-designer of the PowerShell language and the principal author of the PowerShell language implementation. The book enables you to get the most out of the PowerShell environment. Using many examples, both small and large, this book illustrates the features of the language and environment and shows how to compose those features into solutions, quickly and effectively.
This book is designed for anyone who wants to learn PowerShell and use it well. Rather than simply being a book of recipes to read and apply, this book gives you the deep knowledge about how PowerShell works and how to apply it.
Customer Reviews:
Geeked Out on Powershell.......2007-08-06
As a both a Windows and Linux system administrator, this book overall made me frustrated initially, as I really don't want to delve into the introspective nature of compiler design miracles, but rather have a practical book on applying PowerShell. Nevertheless, once I sat down and reviewed key chapters, I was able to learn how to better utilize Powershell and apply it to some chores relating to the nature of system administration.
One of the things I high agree with another reviewer is that the book does indeed delve too much into the "gears and cogs" of Powershell, and many times too much. Sometimes we delve into how behind the scenes, the language takes measures to behave like any other language or shell, and we're scratching our heads, why did I have to understand what I always knew to work and behave. Good example is page 62 on string expansion, where once something is assigned is doesn't changed when accessed. Like that's how everything is suppose to work. Though, then he mentions how to override the behavior, but never drops any code examples for that side note.
Though this book seems more oriented to software developers, rather than system administrators, I would still recommend this book, as you can become really well versed in the Powershell and understand its advantages as it relates to the .NET platform on the recent Windows OSes.
Clearly a Winner.......2007-08-06
Not only does this teach you powershell, it answers all kinds of questions about why Powershell is the way it is, and why certain decisions were made. Ever want to know why we use -eq instead of == ? The answer is in here. This books simply rocks. This book not only shows you how to use Powershell, it teaches you Powershell works, from the inside out. Completely worthwhile. I would highly suggest reading it multiple times, as you learn more and more each time through.
PAGE 205 ... PAGE 205.......2007-07-28
This book gives you the goods and helps you become very productive very fast. As a service ... I'm pointing out that PowerShell is installed in a somewhat crippled state which allows for interactive scripting only. You know, security, security, security.
Most of us, of course want to put the script into a file and execute it and this won't work until you set an 'execution policy'. This information can be found starting on page 205 and further directions on page 451.
Just thought you'd like to know.
Besides that a very good book that stands on it's own. If you've been around the programming track a couple of times you won't need the 'for the absolute beginner' book ... this one will do the trick!
I wish all technical books were written this well.
Don't Make This Your First Purchase.......2007-07-09
Consider this book the Definitive Reference for PowerShell. Written by one of the designers of the PowerShell environment, the author knows all the ins and outs, back-alleys, hidden rooms, and secret handshakes the language offers - and isn't afraid to grab you by the hand and drag you along (like it or not!) for the tour of your life.
Therein, however, is the reason I can't recommend this as your first PowerShell book. The book is very logically planned out, the information very well presented in relatively easy to understand language, there is an abundance of script snippets to demonstrate what is being talked about, and the writing style itself is entertaining to read. But the author knows too much on the subject, and like any proud parent, often "too much information" is given, delving too deep into the gears and cogs of PowerShell and the underlying .NET framework for the (often basic) building block component, which might overwhelm the new PowerShell user, especially if the user does not have programming, let alone scripting, experience.
So although I say don't make this your first purchase, make it your second - and probably your last. Start with an "Introduction" style book (like Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner) to get used to the complex environment (even if you've only had VBS/JS experience), get comfortable with the basics of the shell, then move up to this title. You'll soon find out that every aspect you thought you knew has much more to the story than you thought, and you'll walk away from this read able to do just about everything you want.
Everything you ever wanted to know about PowerShell.......2007-05-12
I don't ever remember reading a computer book from cover to cover, but I got hooked on this book and "can't put it down"... Plus, who ever thought that the history of a program could be as interesting as this one is. After all, the book begins by asking "why another shell language?" By the time you are into a few chapters you realize the question should have been "what took you so long?"
The book is peppered with valuable code examples that show off everything from the basics to the most advanced concepts, and the examples are built incrementally so you can see how and why every character in a command line works. Since PowerShell is object oriented, you easily learn why this is important, and how to extract the power of an OO shell.
I've already put PowerShell to work at the office using it for WMI, Active Directory, and file management tasks and have incorporated it into my AutoIT scripts as well. This book was a great help in getting me up to speed as fast as I have.
Book Description
If you're ready to go from blindly following step-by-step instructions to "Aha, I finally GET Photoshop!" this is the place to start. In these pages, world renowned Photoshop instructor and best-selling author
Ben Willmore writes in his signature style–intuitive, crystal clear, and in-depth–helping you gain the deep understanding needed to master Photoshop's most essential features. Complex concepts like Curves and Channels are broken down into easy to digest metaphors and descriptions, and features new to Photoshop CS2–such as Bridge, Smart Objects, the revamped Layers Palette and Camera Raw dialog box, as well as the awesome new Warping and Vanishing Point features–are all covered in the depth they deserve, making it possible to quickly adapt them into your daily workflow. Whether you’re a photographer, designer, production artist or hobbyist, the knowledge you gain in this book can dramatically change the way you think about Photoshop.
Customer Reviews:
Best add-on.......2007-08-02
I'm a photoshop user since version 5, but with the latest developments I feld a little bit lost between all the possible features. Ben shows you how to use them and to develop your own style. It's more then telling how it works, but also how it can work for you. Now I can adjust and create my pictures even better. The book is easy to read, for the novice and even for an expert designer. Lot of tips, tricks and humor makes this book the best add-on for this product.
Adobe Photoshop CS2 Studio Techniques.......2007-07-15
This book is very good. Ben Willmore is an expert of expert. Buy it and it will not make you disappoited.
Ben Makes It Feel Easy.......2007-06-12
Ben Willmore makes learning easy and appeals to the full range of learners. Great website support and lots of examples to help a person learn what they want. Dive in on any chapter and you will find out what you want to know and walk away with a better understanding of Photoshop as well. I would highly reccommend this book to all but the very newest to Photoshop, for it is jam-packed with knowledge that a lot of books promise but do not deliver.
The one Photoshop book you have to have!.......2007-05-28
All of Ben's Studio Techniques books are a must read! There is no better Photoshop book out there! If you only buy one Photoshop book, this is the one to get!
Photoshop book........2007-05-12
I got it for my class. It was cheaper and in great condition. It's really helpful too. Good for looking things up quick and practicing.
Book Description
Ready to learn the visual effects techniques used at such leading-edge studios as Industrial Light + Magic and The Orphanage? Adobe After Effects 7.0 Studio Techniques inspires you to take your work to the next level with real-world examples and insider techniques. With this under-the-hood, in-depth guide to Adobe's updated motion graphics and effects powerhouse, you'll get complete coverage of all the big features in After Effects 7.0: High dynamic range (HDR) 32 bit per channel color compositing, cinema preview and color management, a redesigned user interface, a new Graph Editor to animate using explicit translation curves, retiming effects using Timewarp, and dozens of other enhancements. Get blockbuster results without the big budget as you delve deep into the essence of visual effects. This book goes beyond conventional step-by-step instruction, teaching you bread-and-butter effects that you can adapt and combine for countless projects.
- Real solutions from real professionals: learn the techniques and approach used to create shots for big-budget special effects films.
- Compositing essentials: No matter how sophisticated the effect, they all begin with the same building blocks. Find out what you've been missing about color and light matching, keying, motion tracking, rotoscoping, working with film, and more.
- Advanced techniques: Your goal should be effects so good that no one notices them. From sky replacement to explosions, from smoke to fire, learn to bring your shots to life and enhance scenes without anyone ever knowing what they're seeing isn't 100% real.
- Companion CD-ROM: Professional tools produce professional results. The book’s companion disc includes plenty of sample projects including HD footage from Pixel Corps and the Artbeats Digital Film Library, as well as more than a dozen plug-ins and programs that you can use to build up and customize your own effects.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book, one to keep by your side while in AE.......2007-08-24
This book is everything I had expected it to be. Not a tutorial book, but more a reference tool. Get in a jam, look it up and you will get ideas on how to get out, or workarounds.
Good for intermediate and advanced users.......2007-05-15
This book is good for people that know how to use After Effects already. It's a good book though full of illustrations and tips but lacks tutorials which would enrich the book a little more...If you are looking for a book to start using After Effects the best book is Adobe After Effects 7 Hands-On Training from Chad Fahs with Lynda Weinman. You read that book and you learn everything needed to work with After Effets 7, Full of tutorials, hi quality paper, color print, and tips all over the book. Simply amazing!
ESSENTIAL FOR VIZ F/X AND COMPOSITING.......2007-04-02
This updated edition improves on the 6.5 book in a number of ways. First, you have tutorials to practice the concepts. AE7 added new features that Mark makes sense of, namely 32 bit float. And he expands on topics and details. I literally compared 6.5 to 7, page by page. Though I owned 6.5, it's worth it to get this update, if for the tutorials alone.
This said, no one else has made easier sense of visual effects compositing. No one. All the other books are really directed at Shake. Which is great if you own or understand Shake. But if you own AE7, or the AECS3, you owe it to yourself to get this. You can live without the Classroom in the Book, not Studio Techniques.
As a final digression, this really is like the source for DV Rebel's Guide. They do not overlap material, but DV Rebel's Guide touches on issues that a crucial, but the author rightfully defers to this book for the indepth analysis and practices. So if you want to go further, look to DV Rebel's Guide. And if you got Rebel's guide and are confused by some issues, look here first.
Superb, Practical Advice.......2006-12-31
Practical is without doubt the best way to describe 'Studio Techniques.' Christiansen has written a book filled with very practical and powerful advice that is sure to delight. Learning to create effects is fundamentally all about two things:
1) Learning to think like a visual effects artist
and
2) Learning to think like After Effects
Christiansen does a superb job of melding these two together. His examples, while very useful for their specific results alone, are perhaps more useful in learning how to approach problems and solve them in the After Effects paradigm.
As an added bonus, 'Studio Techniques' is also riddled with very useful tips and notes that provide additional creative insight and warnings on oddities that occur, their cause, and how to solve them.
Turbo Chage Your Compositing.......2006-11-15
This is NOT a book to help you create your first AE project. You must already be comfortable with the program before you open the cover of this book. But, once you can walk, this book will help you run. You will learn the dark secrets of the hollywood masters of the mystic art of compositing.
Book Description
"An excellent book for beginners as well as advanced 3ds Max users. A valuable reference that covers everything you'd want to know."
--Andre Surya, Award-winning Digital Artist
A favorite of 3ds Max artists from beginners to pros!
Why is 3ds Max Bible a perennial bestselling favorite? Because whether you're a beginner looking for a tutorial to get you up to speed your first day or an expert needing a reference to Max's advanced features, it's all here. Loaded with advice, professional tips, and more than 150 step-by-step lessons, this is the most comprehensive reference-tutorial on 3ds Max on the market, and the one you'll turn to again and again.
* Organize and blend sequences with the new Animation Layers feature
* Explore Sun and Sky, Car Paint, and other new mental ray shaders
* Combine and divide objects with ProBoolean and ProCutter
* Create more accurate dynamic animations with updated reactor tools
* Add greater realism with enhanced and integrated hair and fur tools
* Reference objects, materials, and controllers with XRef
Animate a dancing cartoon moose
Isolate mapping surfaces with the Quick Planar map button
Add realistic motion to your model's hairstyle
What's on the DVD?
You'll find before-and-after example files for every tutorial in the book. The DVD also includes:
* Models and textures to customize for your own designs
* Rendered AVI files of animations used in the tutorials
* All the Max files for every tutorial
* Adobe tryout versions of After Effects(r), Photoshop(r) CS2, Illustrator(r) CS2, and Premiere Pro
System Requirements: See the DVD appendix for details and complete system requirements.
Customer Reviews:
greatest.......2007-10-01
I'm begginer but the book has step by step about the software.
A bible, really... Really great!
Detailed but under-illustrated.......2007-09-17
This is an excellent and highly detailed reference for the program 3ds Max 9. As near as I can tell it mentioned every button and command that 3ds Max has available. My main criticism is that it is highly under-illustrated. While every function and button is mentioned, as a beginner to 3ds Max, I found that I often could not find the command being referred to in the text, whereas a screen shot would have quickly, and clearly shown what I should look for. In addition, since 3ds Max is such a sophisticated and detailed program which is great, it is often not readily apparent how all the various settings and parameters that can be entered for a given effect should be used. This book mentions most, if not all of the parameters, but examples as to how they are used in an actual project would have been good. There are short tutorials on the main features of the program, but these are generally restricted to singe effects. This book is probably for a more advanced user who is familiar with all the commands and knows how to use them to create a 3d scene, but would like a more detailed explanation of various functions in 3ds Max. Definitely well written though, and the DVD with the material and software described in the examples is great.
Done it again!.......2007-08-04
I've had two of these books over the years. They are fantastic reference to have.
Excellent.......2007-07-17
Perfect for beginners...after the opening tutorial, step-by-step walkthrough to understanding all aspects of the program. Would reccomend to anyone!
OOPS missing 1059-1154.......2007-06-24
This is a good book, Wiley Publishing messed things up though. It is missing over a 100 pages. As soon as I got it I searched for the chapters on MaxScript and detected the omission. The book itself is great; but the publishers omission is not acceptable. I have informed Amazon about this and hopefully they will recover the missing chapters. The DVD does have a complete version of the book which is very helpful in the interim.
Book Description
Written in an easy-to-read style with numerous visuals, this fourth edition introduces new topics such as SQL and the WebSphere Developement Studio Client (Remote Systerm Explorer, Page Designer, CODE Editor, and CODE Designer). By combining complete explanations, extensive examples, and learning scripts for the reader to perform, the author delivers a solid presentation of iSeries theory, capabilities, and operations.
Here are some highlights:
A strong first-time user orientation
Comprehensive coverage of:
Libraries, Objects, and Members, PDM, SEU, CODE Editor, QUERY/400, SDA, CODE Designer, DDS, DFU, ISDB, and DEBUG.
Introduces CL programming, SQL, Navigator, the IFS, iSeries Access, Studio, HTTP, and application server concepts.
Strong emphasis on data managment
Book Description
If you're a novice programmer and you want to learn C#, there aren't many books that will guide you. Most C# books are written for experienced C++ and Java programmers. That's why Jesse Liberty, author of the best-selling books Programming C# and Programming ASP.NET, has written an entry-level guide to C#.
Written in a warm and friendly manner, Learning C# assumes no prior programming experience, and provides a thorough introduction to Microsoft's premier .NET language. The book helps you build a solid foundation in .NET, and shows you how to apply your skills through the use of dozens of tested examples. You'll learn about the syntax and structure of the C# language, including operators, classes and interfaces, structs, arrays, and strings.
Better yet, this updated edition of Learning C# has been completely revised to include the latest additions to the C# language plus a variety of learning aids to help lock-in new knowledge and skills. Here's what's new:
- Extensive revisions to the text and examples to reflect C# 2005 and .NET 2.0 changes
- An introduction to Visual Studio 2005, the most popular tool for building Windows and web applications
- More than 200 questions and fully debugged programming exercises with solutions
- A greater emphasis on event handling
- New coverage of generics, generic collections, partial classes, anonymous methods and more.
By the time you've finished Learning C#, you'll be ready to move on to a more advanced programming guide that will help you create large-scale web and Windows applications.
Whether you have a little object-oriented programming experience or you are new to programming altogether, Learning C# will set you firmly on your way to mastering the essentials of the C# language.
Customer Reviews:
disappointing.......2007-08-08
I've been programming computers for 30+ years and have migrated across several languages and systems as times dictated. I have accumulated courses, degrees, jobs, projects, and rows of books along the way. My most recent focus has been Perl on FreeBSD and Apache/CGI/mod_perl. I now have the need to write Windows GUI applications. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not chosen to make Perl a first-class language on their platform, so I am left with few choices (I am most familiar with ActiveState Perl and Cygwin). Given the fact that Visual C# 2005 EE is a free download, I've decided to climb two more learning curves -- C# and .NET.
When learning Perl, I found O'Reilly's "Learning Perl" and "Programming Perl" books to be awesome. So, I bought the C# parallels, hoping for a similar experience. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.
The content of "Learning C#" is basically a subset of "Programming C#" by Jesse Liberty with advanced topics removed. Both are what I would call language survey/ "gee whiz" books -- they describe the "what" and/or "how", but often leave out the "why". I forced my way through both and may use "Programming C#" as a reference, but "Learning C#" will only collect dust.
This book also fails its presumed purpose -- teaching the reader how to write good programs in C# at a basic to intermediate level. Mr. Liberty is clearly an intelligent person and a capable programmer, but, unfortunately, he and/or Mr. MacDonald are not good teachers (or, at least not for how my brain is wired).
Both books suffer from a deeper criticism that seems to plague almost all Microsoft subject books. I cut my teeth on Kernighan, Richie, Pike, Rochkind, Plauger, Bach, McKusick, Wall, Schwarz, Christiansen, etc., and those are the standards by which I judge all others. The writing style and technical accuracy of those authors are levels above what I find from most Microsoft subject authors. My guess is that the C/Unix and Perl authors train to higher standards (e.g. Ph.D, post doctorate), their vocations require them to write to higher standards (e.g. academic and professional journals, peer review), and they have experience in education. In Mr. Liberty's defense, those authors are not subject to scope and speed of the Microsoft product treadmill.
Given the lack of a good technical bookstore in my area, I am relegated to reading reviews such as this on the Internet, ordering a book sight unseen, and hoping for the best. Please post your reviews so we can help each other. :-)
PERFECT C# 2005 Introduction for Novice OOPs.......2007-05-27
The author's approach to explaining the C# 2.0 .NET 2005 technology is so versatile that both experienced and novice programmers alike will almost certainly appreciate this definitive guide. Please note that this textbook DOES NOT focus on graphical user interfaces (GUIs), but rather on proper programming techniques, unique C# features, and patterns. To integrate the learning of C# with GUI based applications, you may want to consider a textbook from Addison-Wesley Professional's Microsoft .NET Development Series (i.e. Framework Design Guidelines). If you are completely new to C# you need to know that this language is specifically designed for the development of Internet based and .NET Framework based applications. Any programming project outside of this scope may be better solved by using either C/C++ or JAVA. For anyone only looking for just one textbook to learn both the C# language and GUI design may find one of my other faverate textbooks more appropriate: Apress' ASP.NET 2.0 in C# 2005 (beginner), Apress' Pro ASP.NET 2.0 in C# 2005 (advanced), Apress' Pro .NET 2.0 Windows Forms and Custom Controls in C# (advanced); Addison-Wesley Professional's Windows Forms Programming in C# (advanced); O'Reilly's Building .NET Applications with C# (intermediate).
Very Highly Recommended for Newbies to C# and OOP.......2007-03-10
I'm entirely new to object oriented programming; last time I programmed was in 1982 using the original C. The author does an excellent job in presenting this material to someone new to C# and object-oriented programming concepts. The challenge for authors is to balance how much material and detail to include; not enough and even a newbie will get bored; too much and you either loose the average reader or you force the determined reader to go back many, many times to try and parse out exactly the concept you are trying to teach. J. Liberty strikes an excellent balance in this book. At the end of each chapter are programming exercises to test the readers knowledge and all of the code used in the examples is on website.
I've already purchased a few of this authors other works on C# that cover various concepts in more detail and rigor.
An OOP C# primer.......2007-01-05
If you need to brush up on your Object-oriented programming skills in the context of learning C#, this is a great book. It doesn't go in-depth into data structures, but it will get you going right away, even if you've never had OOP experience.
Great Beginners Book.......2006-09-24
With only a few months of OO programming about 6 years ago, I needed a book to take me from the beginning again. This book delivered. I found I have needed to read some chapters several times to 'get it', particularly chapters 7 & 8. I like the way he writes an example and then steps you through it, breaking down the code into sections. It was easy to read and easy to refer back to. I still have a couple of chapters to review and I'll be looking for more of his books.
Book Description
Offers down-to-earth advice on painting gorgeous outdoors scenes through 10 step-by-step demos Teaches painters how to master the art of observation Shows readers how to translate field notes and sketches into fully realized studio paintings The overwhelming beauty of the outdoors is one of the most inspiring - and elusive - subjects for painters. With Landscape Painting Inside and Out, Kevin Macphearson first shows readers how to see like an artist, then teaches them how to recreate their vision into stunningly realistic outdoors scenes. His insightful process encourages readers to focus on the small details to achieve big results.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent examples.......2007-09-19
This book gives practical, specific advice on improving your landscape painting technique. I especially like the illustrations. The paintings are beautiful and "fresh." Not your average landscapes. They inspired me.
shadows.......2007-09-10
Great book Good information but Kevin seems to lose his separation of the lights and shadows in some of his demos in the back of the book He talks about it but then shadows start getting to light in value and too much detail. This could be from the reproductions of his painting
Not as much "color and light" in this one........2007-08-11
Having read this author's previous book on putting color and light in your paintings, I was a little disappointed with this one---I expected more. The book was well organized, (had, once again, pages of stuff about selecting your brushes, etc.); the author set forth his view of a limited palette, and said that you needed to be excited about your painting---but I don't believe that he was excited when he wrote this. If he was, he didn't convey it well. Had a number of exercises, some reasonable, others only for the wealthy (use an entire tube of cadmium red light on your painting (That is, really thick!)
Anyway, having read through the book, I would not buy this book again --- that's the bottom line.
Wonderful instruction for the Plein-Air artist........2007-06-27
Kevin Macpherson gives thorough instructions in his book from colors used to composition. A beautiful book with many demonstrations. I would highly recommend to the beginning or advanced Plein-Air painter in oil.
A "Must Have" Resource.......2007-05-23
If you are an oil painter or even if you are a want-to-be painter, Kevin MacPherson's book is a terrific reference. Personally, I'm a Plein Air painter and Kevin is a master at painting on location. He covers what supplies you'll need and techniques in painting. I've had this book for some time and still refer to it often.
Book Description
Ever been overwhelmed by a closet that feels as if its filled with all the wrong pieces? Instant Style is the ultimate guide to streamlining, shopping for, and maintaining your ideal wardrobe all year round. The book starts with the basics, outlining essential clothing items for each seasonwinter coats, spring skirts, summer sandals, fall sweatersthen shows how to complement them with pieces that accentuate personal style. Learn which tops go with what pants, what boots look best with different skirt shapes, how the right bag can change the entire look of an outfit, and how to flatter your coloring and figure. Find out when to hit the best sales, whats worth splurging on, and how to recognize quality in clothes. Finally, benefit from the books listing of recommended stores around the country. Instant Style is filled with hundreds of colorful photographs of clothes and celebrities that will inspire and delight. It is the first book that gives readers everything they need to make getting dressed, no matter what the occasion and season, as enjoyable and easy as it should be.
Customer Reviews:
Did not live up to expectations.......2007-09-16
Things I liked: The way this book showed more than one way to wear a piece. I also liked how it identified items that you should splurge on. Of course both of these things can be found in any magazine or online at little to no cost.
Things I didn't like: The book doesn't really address different body types, which plays a large role in what styles you buy. It also doesn't say how many of any certain item you should have. Should I have 1 suit or 20??
Overall, if you want a book on style I would buy the Luck Shopping Manuel. That book is worth the money!!
In Style: Instant Style.......2007-09-01
Really enjoyed this book ....it was nice to know as I age I can still look stylish without looking like I was dressing to young. Thanks for the tips on keeping in style for seniors.
The first book is better.......2007-04-24
I was disappointed with this book. I have the first In Style book and I really liked it so was looking forward to this. There was very little variety between the different styles shown and all the clothes were very formal, especially the winter weekend outfits were often more formal than I would wear even to the office. There is only one style of clothes showed and this book did not inspire me.
Fun and Helpful.......2007-03-04
I really love this book. It gave me some great general guidelines to follow in addition to some suggestions for really cute outfits. It is a good combination of finding your own style and pushing you to try new things.
Instant Style Review.......2007-02-20
I love this book and gave it as a gift to a friend because it has good practical recommendations for updating your wardrobe as well as a list of basics.
Amazon.com
The O'Reilly Cookbook series, with its to-the-point but illuminating coverage of programming subjects, meets the challenge of explaining how to write software as well as anything else on the market. When you're facing a coding problem--particularly in a language you're new to or haven't used in a while--and know there must be a proven way to solve it, the right Cookbook can often get you going in a hurry. C# Cookbook applies the formula to the language of Microsoft .NET, and is an addition to the line that more than a few programmers will appreciate.
Don't count on this book to solve big tasks for you. "I need some C# software that integrates with Avaya telephone switches and Siemens databases...:" No. Rather, this book shows you how to do the little jobs (converting an array to a delimited string, monitoring the event log, creating a bounded hashtable, and so on) that can stand in the way of prompt completion of a project. What's more, the coverage isn't limited to code samples. Stephen Teilhet and Jay Hilyard take advantage of the Cookbook series' Problem-Solution-Discussion format to teach you a thing or two about C#. You'll refer to this book often for quick answers and explanations. --David Wall
Topics covered: How to solve small but non-trivial problems in the C# programming language. Each of 17 chapters covers a major area of C# functionality--networking, regular expressions, filesystem, security, and so on--and contains a dozen or two entries on how best to solve programming problems.
Book Description
With C# Cookbook, 2nd Edition, you'll be able to learn and improve your mastery of both the C# language and the .NET platform. This updated bestseller has been completely revised to account for C# 2.0, the latest version of this popular object-oriented programming language. It also includes more than 100 new code solutions (over 300 overall) to common problems and tasks that you're sure to face as a C# programmer.
Nearly every solution, or "recipe," contains a complete, documented code sample showing you how to solve the specific problem, as well as a detailed discussion of how and why the underling technology works. This question-solution-discussion format is a proven teaching method, as any fan of O'Reilly's "Cookbook" series can attest to. In fact, no other source offers a learn-as-you-go format quite like this.
C# Cookbook, 2nd Edition is organized into 20 chapters, each of which focuses on a particular topic in creating C# solutions. Here are just some of what's covered:
- Numeric data types
- Strings and characters
- Classes and structures
- Generics
- Exception handling
- Delegates, events, and anonymous methods
- Filesystem interactions
- Web site access
- XML usage (including XPath and XSLT)
- Networking
- Threading
- Unsafe code
Best of all, you don't have to be an experienced C# or .NET developer to use C# Cookbook, 2nd Edition. You just have to be someone who wants to solve a problem now, without having to learn all the related theory first.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!!!!.......2007-09-05
If you are just coming into C# or have been doing it for a while - it doesn't matter - BUY THIS BOOK!!! Oreilly as we all know, makes very good tech/programming books and this one is one of the best I've had so far. This will be a book that will spend much less time on my shelf and much more time next to me on my desk.
Good book.......2007-08-10
Being an advanced programmer I was looking for books to use as references or to further my skills. This book has proven a valuable asset.
Excellent C# 2.0 Resource.......2007-07-12
The C# Cookbook, Second Edition has been updated and revised for C# 2.0 and version 2.0 of the .NET framework, and despite the fact that version 3.5 of the .NET framework is imminent, it remains a must have book to have on hand. It is essentially a collection of examples showing how to solve specific programming problems (some of which you might not have even realised you have, such as boxing/unboxing and efficient string handling, to name just a few...)
The C# Cookbook has over 1100 pages and is arranged into 20 chapters, each of which focuses on a particular area in C#. Despite its size it is not daunting to read. Here are the topics covered:
1. Numbers and Enumerations
2. Strings and Characters
3. Classes & Structures
4. Generics
5. Collections
6. Iterators and Partial Types
7. Exception Handling
8. Diagnostics
9. Delegates, Events and Anonymous methods
10. Regular Expressions
11. Data Structures and Algorithms
12. Filesystem I/O
13. Reflection
14. Web
15. XML
16. Networking
17. Security
18. Threading and Synchronisation
19. Unsafe Code
20. Toolbox
This book is in O'Reilly's `cookbook' series Problem-Solution-Discussion format, and like other books in the series can either be read from cover to cover, or be used as a reference to shed light on a particular problem. Each `recipe' starts with a description of the problem, followed by a complete, documented code sample showing you how to solve it, along with a detailed discussion of how and why it works, and any drawbacks. This format can also serve as an excellent way of mastering aspects of C#.
Like the other O'Reilly cookbooks, this book manages to strike a perfect balance between reference and instruction on real problems developers encounter every day. Hats off to Jay and Stephen for creating such a useful resource.
If you are a developer who writes C# code for a living, I would be surprised if you do not find something useful the first time you pick this book up. If you are thinking of buying just one book on C# 2.0, make it this one. Highly recommended for beginners and experts alike.
[...]
Vital reference for solving problems and learning C#.......2007-04-14
Another book that's great as the occasional reference. This is another huge tome and it's chock full of topics from generics to security to XML.
Each topic is a recipe in a Problem/Solution/Discussion/See Also format. The solution is a snippet or set of snippets to solve the specific problem and the discussion is s walkthrough of the ins and outs of both the problem and how the solution fits the bill. Occasionally there's a good discussion of the pros and cons of solutions.
This isn't a book for reading cover to cover, but there's a lot to be learned browsing through the recipes, and you're sure to get answers on a wide range of topics including solid use of generics, exception handling, I/O, web bits, and networking. The chapters on security and reflection are particularly useful because they offer up good insights on approaching secure coding correctly and good techniques for dealing with reflection.
Highly Useful.......2007-02-19
This is exactly the sort of book one needs when beginning a new programming language, and still useful later. It is a large comprehensive set of examples.
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C & C++ Windows Programming
| Development
| Microsoft
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Programming ASP.NET, 3rd Edition (Programming)
Learning C# 2005: Get Started with C# 2.0 and .NET Programming (2nd Edition)
C# Cookbook, 2nd Edition (Cookbooks (O'Reilly))
Programming .NET Components, 2nd Edition
CLR via C#, Second Edition (Pro Developer)
