Title: Murach's C# 2005

Author: Joel Murach

Publisher: Mike Murach & Associates

Book Link: http://www.murach.com/books/csh5/index.htm

Reviewed by:  Jeff Hoffman

Findlay Area .NET Users Group

Murach’s C# 2005 is well written and has great examples.  The table of contents makes it an easy to use reference, while the layout makes learning quite simple, the code chunks help bring a deeper understanding to both the C# language and programming in general.  

When code is first introduced throughout the book it is presented both with the method definitions and with a practical example.  The description section that follows each example greatly increases the understanding of any example presented, whether it be a code example, a picture, or a graph. 

In the book, anytime a new object is introduced, a table of sorts detailing common properties and methods is also included.  These tables are invaluable, quickly providing a good understanding of the function for each object, and providing an excellent reference and refresher for anyone no matter the depth of their understanding of the given object. 

Many examples include pictures that easily guide you through the examples, and make learning C# easy even for someone who has never before used Visual Studio.  The pictures also make it easy to tell whether the user was following the examples properly.

Database programming can be extremely difficult for many programmers.  The way Murach explains databases and database programming bring a much deeper understanding to begin database programming with a true understanding of what you are doing

The only difficulties I uncovered while using the book I believe were brought on by the use of Microsoft Vista as an operating system.  These problems were mostly related to linking Visual Studio and SQL server.
 

Title: Programming .NET Windows Applications

Author: Jesse Liberty & Dan Hurwitz

Publisher: O’Reilly & Associates, Inc.

Price: $49.95 U.S.

Book Link: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pnetwinaps/index.html

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

Reviewed by:  Kathy Mason

Findlay Area .NET Users Group

This comprehensive book weighs in at over 1000 pages providing Windows application developers with a thorough coverage of topics from getting started all the way through to deployment. 

Examples are provided in both C# and VB.NET so readers can follow along with their preferred language. 

Helpful tips and traps information is provided throughout the book which could save you a lot of hair-pulling and muttering to yourself “Why doesn’t this work?” 

The content is well-organized and clearly written.  The really good news is that you can have your content and read it too since the print is very crisp on bright white pages and the screen shots are also clearly visible. 

On the downside, there are some minor errata which the reader will be able to easily spot.   Also adding a bit of humor sprinkled here and there would help the reader to get through this weighty tome. 

Overall, I would recommend this book if you are starting to develop .NET Windows applications or if you are looking to expand your knowledge in this area.

Just published: Murach's ADO.NET 2.0 Database Programming with VB 2005 In the past, you've downloaded Microsoft-related material from our web site and said that you'd like to hear about our new books. So I want you to know that we've just published a new edition of our ADO.NET book, now entitled Murach's ADO.NET 2.0 Database Programming with VB 2005. Just like the first edition, this is a great book for anyone who wants to learn ADO.NET coding. That's true if you're coming to it without any database programming experience. It's true if you've been prototyping database applications using the .NET 2.0 data sources feature and are ready to go deeper. And it's true if you've mastered the basics of ADO.NET coding but don't know how to use features like untyped datasets, data adapters, and Crystal Reports. And in all cases, this book makes a quick reference you'll be glad you have close at hand. So if you'd like to get your copy as soon as possible, you can place your order right now, either online or by calling us at 1-800-221-5528. Or read on for more details. What does this book do? #1: For rapid application development and prototyping... This book shows you how to use the ADO.NET 2.0 tools, like data sources and the DataGridView control, that enable you to create working database applications in a minimum of time, with a minimum of coding. #2: For serious production applications... This book shows you how to go beyond the RAD tools, using heavy-duty coding and ADO.NET 2.0 object data sources to build 3-layer Windows applications that consist of presentation, business, and database classes. #3: For web applications... This book shows you how to use the time-saving ASP.NET 2.0 data controls as well as ADO.NET code and object data sources for everyday business applications. #4: For XML data handling... This book shows you 4 ways to work with XML data in Windows and web applications. #5: For report generation with Crystal Reports... This book provides a work-saving tutorial on how to create, format, and display Crystal reports in Windows and web applications. What if you have the earlier edition, Murach's VB.NET Database Programming with ADO.NET? You definitely need this new edition. In fact, we've redone this book from start to finish, both because of the changes in database programming in .NET 2.0 and because we wanted to improve the training approach. So you won't just get training on new tools and techniques. You'll also get a new organization and approach that will train you more easily and thoroughly. And you'll have an even better reference book to keep at your side as you develop database applications on your own. Have you seen our other books for VB 2005 developers? If not, I hope you'll take a look at these titles: Murach’s Visual Basic 2005 Murach’s ASP.NET 2.0 Web Programming with VB 2005 Murach’s SQL Server 2005 for Developers Like Murach's ADO.NET 2.0, they're all focused on what professional developers need to know on the job every day. And they all interface easily with the ADO.NET book. To find out more, please go to our web site At our web site, you can view the complete table of contents for the ADO.NET book, download the VB source code used in the book examples, and try a sample chapter. Then, to get your copy of Murach's ADO.NET 2.0 Database Programming with VB 2005, you can continue online or call us at 1-800-221-5528. Either way, I think you'll be delighted at how quickly this book will help you master this challenging subject. Thanks for your time, and have a great day! Mike Murach Mike Murach and Associates Publisher of Professional Programming Books 3484 W. Gettysburg, Suite 101, Fresno, CA 93722-7801 www.murach.com murachbooks@murach.com (800) 221-5528 If you’d prefer not to be on our email list, you can automatically remove yourself by using this link.