Foundations of LINQ in C#
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| Foundations of LINQ in C# | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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LINQ is the project name for a set of extensions to the .NET Framework that provide a generic approach to querying data from different data sources. LINQ will premier in Visual Studio 2008, and will become the next must–have skill for .NET developers. For more information about LINQ, you can check out the author’s portal at www.linqdev.com. Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 is all about code. Literally, this book starts with code and ends with code. In most books, the author shows the simplest example demonstrating how to use a method, but they so rarely show how to use the more complex prototypes. Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 is different. Demonstrating the overwhelming majority of LINQ operators and protoypes, it is a veritable treasury of LINQ examples. Rather than obscure the relevant LINQ principles in code examples by focusing on a demonstration application you have no interest in writing, Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 cuts right to the chase of each LINQ operator, method, or class. However, where complexity is necessary to truly demonstrate an issue, the examples are right there in the thick of it. For example, code samples demonstrating how to handle concurrency conflicts actually create concurrency conflicts so you can step through the code and see them unfold. Most books tell you about the simple stuff, while few books warn you of the pitfalls. Where Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 returns your investment is in the hours, and sometimes days, spent by the author determining why something may not work as expected. Sometimes this results in an innocent looking paragraph that may take you a minute to read and understand, but took days to research and explain. Face it, most technical books while informative, are dull. LINQ need not be dull. Written with a sense of humor, Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 will attempt to entertain you on your journey through the wonderland of LINQ and C# 2008. What you’ll learn
Who is this book for?This book is written for the proficient C# developer, but you do not need to be up on all the latest C# features to understand the material. When you finish this book, you will be up on all the latest C# features. Related TitlesBeginning C# 2008 Databases: From Novice to Professional Pro C# 2008 and the .NET 3.5 Framework, Fourth Edition Pro LINQ Object Relational Mapping in C# 2008 About the Apress Pro SeriesYou have gotten the job; now you need to hone your skills in these tough competitive times. The Apress Pro series expands your skills and expertise in exactly the areas you need. Master the content of a Pro book, and you will always be able to get the job done in a professional development project. Written by experts in their field, Pro series books from Apress give you the hard–won solutions to problems you will face in your professional programming career. |
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| 08-08-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is a very comprehensive and well structured LINQ learning guide. It can be used as a structured tutorial or as a reference guide, as definitions and sample code for each method call are complete.
What is really nice is that this book works well in eBook (Kindle) format. I am usually reluctant to buy technical books with code listings for the Kindle, but all the listings in the text are zoomable images and easy to read in the landscape rendition. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-27 04:55:15 EST)
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| 08-08-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I am always looking for new tools to make my job as a developer easier, more efficient, allow me to write code that is more easily maintained and just make things more exciting. The problem that comes with learning these new tools (such as LINQ) is finding the time to learn them to the point that they are useful. This style of this book made it very easy to read with excellent code examples, providing me with the knowledge to get started using LINQ in my current project within a week of reading. Lastly, I was able to contact the author (with a timely response) about a question I had using LINQ in my project. Joe was friendly in his response and very approachable. Highly recommended!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-27 04:55:15 EST)
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| 08-06-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I'm an intermediate level C# programmer (I think) and have been using ADO.net with SQL-Server to build a database application for a client. When I read about LINQ earlier this year, it sounded like something too good to be true. I started with a couple of other books, but found practical explanations of getting things to work lacking. I get the impression, the authors are too far advanced and just assume we have fairly expert knowledge of some of the nuts and bolts things that are elementary to them, so they don't explain these things.
Joseph Rattz's book does not assume we know how to do a lot of this stuff. Rather he explains in detail, how to get LINQ up and running, and to actually get a query completed. I was able within an hour to run SQL Metal to generate an entity class (basically a map from SQL Server to corresponding data objects), and run some of the example queries in the book. That said, this is not a lightweight book for someone new to programming. It's just that he does an excellent job explaining a complex subject. It gets into advanced topics on LINQ and requires some knowledge of C#. If you plan to use this to work with SQL Server, you should also have some experience with that also. Summing up, there is just something about Mr. Rattz's writing style that makes this book easy to read and understand. I find I'm actually enjoying reading this book, and I certainly can't say that about most technical books I study. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-08 06:27:07 EST)
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| 07-04-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I actually met Joe in a Books-A-Million in Montgomery, Alabama... He is a very nice guy too! The book is chock full of code, it is concise and it is worth every penny and then some. If you want to learn about how to use LINQ effectively, congratulations, you just found your book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-08-06 00:30:06 EST)
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| 07-02-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Once I had heard of LINQ I had spent a lot of time reading through the MSDN docs, but I wanted more information about it. Pro LINQ was the answer. It gave a very thorough run-down of each of the various technologies involved with LINQ as well as a breadth of useful examples to illustrate the points that were made. In addition I thought that the book had a nice progression of topics that left you wanting to continue on to the next chapter. LINQ is an awesome technology, and I feel that this book is a great tool to add to your arsenal to help better utilize it to its fullest capabilities. This book was definitely written from a developer's standpoint, but I didn't feel that it threw too much at you. I would highly recommend this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-04 08:37:17 EST)
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| 06-01-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This book is incredible at explaining the new LinQ functionality and since many of the enhancements made to C# were made to accomadate LinQ, it also does an excellent job at explaining the new language enhancements in a concise fashion. Highly recommend this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-03 00:32:50 EST)
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| 05-30-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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It's very rare to find a book on any programming topic that works as both an introduction to the subject as well as a reference for seasoned users. Joseph Rattz's book should be the first stop for anyone hoping to learn about LINQ. The examples given make what could have been a potentially massive learning curve even for experienced ADO.Net users a lot smoother.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-02 00:31:39 EST)
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| 05-25-08 | 4 | 0\3 |
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Reading this book you can get the illusion that LINQ is just about XML. There is so much more - pretend that LINQ has noting to do with XML and see how it can change your project delivery!
LINQ in Action This is the book that really shows what LINQ can do. It is VERY easy to read and get upto speed using this book - its a must have. Once you have mastered this book then look at others. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-31 00:31:39 EST)
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| 05-22-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This book is no mere introduction to using LINQ, and it's not a wordy expansion of LINQ framework details available on MSDN. It's also more than a complete reference, although it is that too. In thorough but readable sections it describes and shows uses of the C# 3.0 enhancements for LINQ, spends quite a bit of time on deferred and non-deferred operators, and then in hundreds of remaining pages covers LINQ to objects, XML, datasets, and SQL, in tip-filled and illuminating detail. All with lots of code samples. Nearly six hundred pages in length, it's hard to imagine that the book has left much un-said about using LINQ in real-world applications. If you have a little experience with C# and LINQ, this is the book that will take you into the big leagues. It's the book that Microsoft should have published a year ago. Buy it!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-26 00:32:08 EST)
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| 05-08-08 | 5 | 2\2 |
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No doubt about it. If you are learning/using LINQ, this is THE book to have. Author did an excellent job explaining the material and giving numerous examples, that work, about the material. Had to mention the "that work" part as I get so frustrated when I buy a book and the examples do not work. I could tell this book was a "labor of love" and he didn't just crank out a book to make $.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-23 00:30:53 EST)
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| 05-06-08 | 5 | 2\2 |
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This book is very well thought out. The author helps you understand some subtleties of relational algebra (without really saying it) and helps you think like a LINQ head. It's a different way of doing things, but he shows that if you get a basic understanding of a handful of concepts you can grow it from there.
awesome book! (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-20 03:58:46 EST)
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| 04-16-08 | 4 | 3\3 |
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Microsoft must be under new management, we are getting a slew of new, truly useful tools that are making pretty big strides forward for faster more enjoyable C# development and ease of maintenance. The latest technologies seem well worth taking the time to master. I find the combination of LINQ and the Sync framework couldn't have come at a better time. While the book mentions that LINQ to SQL only supports SQL Server, that is no longer true as you can also use (at least) MS SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5 (which is required for the Sync Framework). You can't use the visual object relational designer with SSCE but the book documents SQLMetal, and you can use that to create your context.
Overall I found this to be a very good book but it has a few flaws. If like me you are interested in LINQ for a current or upcoming database project here is what I would suggest. First don't start with this book, finish with it. Start with the ten excellent screencasts by Mike Taulty. Then read this book. Your reading will go much faster and you'll get a satisfyingly sated feeling. The author will probably hate me for saying this, but if you already know SQL or ADO.NET 2.0, I would suggest reading Chapters 1-3, then skim 4 and 5 just to get an overview of the operators available. Then read part 5 (Chapters 12-18) on LINQ to SQL. After you digest that I would suggest whichever topics interest you the most, then I would finish with a more thorough read of Chapters 4 and 5 on Deferred and Nondeffered operators, which in my mind are really a thoroughly documented reference section. The reason the author will hate that, is he doesn't want readers to use LINQ for just database purposes, and he states that many times in the book. In fact, I think that is why he put the LINQ to SQL section at the end. However, he seems to have made a significant effort to make any part readable on its own, so I see no problem with skipping to the end so early. The book doesn't really cover data binding, but there is a lot of good information on that available on the internet (the above mentioned screencasts show some of them, and an overly long video on Channel 9 with Young Joo from August 2007 shows even more). I also have a few nit-picky things that drove me crazy. The most significant one being the amount of repetition and unedited console output. I was also none too happy that the author didn't mention that the Visual Studio Command prompt was under the START menu not an IDE menu. But then again without the author I wouldn't even have known there was a Visual Studio 2008 command prompt. The weakest part of the book is the index, it is downright anemic. In the several weeks since I've finised the book the index has NEVER helped me find things I remember reading. If you find items of interest you better pencil them into the back cover if you want to find them again later. If one book ever needed a free PDF, this one is it, but they charge $10 for it. Maybe that is why they made the index so bad, to encourage you to fork over another $10. That said, I also found a good half-dozen or so gems in the book that saved me significant time. Now I could tell you what those are but I think you should buy the book to find out. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-20 03:58:46 EST)
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| 03-14-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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I agree with all of the above positive reviews. Excellent book. I just wanted to comment on the publisher. This is my 3rd book(my other two were a book on WPF and C++/.Net) published by Apress and they have all been very good. I don't know if that is just dumb luck but they do an excellent job.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-25 12:16:46 EST)
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| 03-08-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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This is a great book for learning LINQ. Lots of code examples, fairly exhaustive and does well at explaining concepts. However, the first chapter must have been given special attention knowing it would be the sales pitch for the book. The rest of the book falls into a more rushed fashion, evidenced by typos (mostly in code), and sometimes condescending tone. Also, if there are two extension methods with the same signature, and one has the word Descending tacked on the end, please don't take another four pages to describe its usage. LINQ to Entities is not covered at all, and they don't claim it is, just a heads up to the potential buyer. All that said, this is overall a great book on the subject, but it could use a little polishing.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-14 01:39:34 EST)
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| 03-06-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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As I understand it, this was Joe's first book, and apparently no one told him that he did WAY too much work.
I liked the chapter on the improvements to 2008, and I liked the overall message that was communicated in this book which was that these are not just simple changes to the language, these are fundamental changes, which will shift the way that programming in C# is done. Anyway, great job Joe, you could have produced half to three fourths of what you did, and I would still have given you a 5 star rating. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-08 02:42:29 EST)
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| 02-20-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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Very good book. I opened the Amazon box and sat down and read 1/5 of it in one sitting (which was definitely not my intention). A real page turner.
Great stuff, well organized and thought out. Good both for reading front to back and for random access for reference purposes. I particularly enjoyed the second chapter which really explains the new language features in C# and how they tie together in order to support LINQ. I'd definitely recommend this book to any C# developer and already have to my coworkers. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-06 13:55:51 EST)
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| 02-19-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I really like this book. If you want to get the taste of LINQ, this is a good book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-06 13:55:51 EST)
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| 02-11-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This book is really exceptional, first of all it leave the topic LINQ to SQL at the end of the book, because it focus primarly on the base concept of LINQ to object and then it moves to the linq to xml, dataset, sql etc.
The book is written with simple language, and it cover a lot of thing about LINQ. What I miss more is a section on "how to write your own linq provider" that would be very useful. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-18 23:06:56 EST)
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| 02-01-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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LINQ is latest interesting tool to come from Microsoft, along with Silverlight, WPF and the Ajax toolkit. One of difficulties about these new technologies is that there is not enough documentation readily available. This book is the first one that has really captured my attention, maybe because it's the first one on the subject. Apress books are always a great buy, however in this instance, I reviewed the eBook version, which I have to say is not the easiest to navigate. I might be a cutting edge developer but I am also an old fashion type of guy, I like the feel and smell of new books! Anyway back to the subject, LINQ. I think we can all say we are newbies on the subject except for those who are familiar with ORM (Object Relation Mapping) technology. LINQ implementation is quite different than the other ORM tools and can be surprising in some ways sometimes for beginners. The author here has taken the broad option of covering LINQ for both beginners and professionals. It something I like a lot because it avoids the need for two books on the same subject, which often can mean you never quite find the right piece of code you are looking for. Kudos to the author who admits that this is his first book; I think he should continue writing. I would have no problem recommending another book by the same author .
The introduction is a well written exercise, where the writer gets the reader's attention using some clever basic 'hello' messages coded with LINQ before he delves into a deeper understanding of the language. The style is straightforward, taking an honest approach. You won't find any pompous statements in the book saying something like 'I know what I am talking about, I was born with LINQ!', but instead you find a more frank admission that the author has also learned by writing on the subject himself. I am looking forward now to a VB version of the book, because this is the only negative comment I can make. It would have been easy to write the examples in VB and C# in the same book. I can code in both, but I know you have subtle differences. LINQ is not only for database gurus, and I like the fact that in the book the LINQ to SQL has been pushed further down the content list. What is also good is that because the book is well structured you can jump directly to any section. I would have added more diagrams and graphics to the text to lighten what is a heavy read. Another little thing but useful for the beginners would have been to have some explanations on using the LINQ designer class in Visual Studio 2008, which is quite absent as far as I could see. Now I do hope that my review will encourage you to buy this book because not only is it the first one on the subject, but because it covers almost everything you need to know on the subject. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 03:44:31 EST)
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| 01-11-08 | 5 | 3\3 |
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I've been very impressed with the scope of this book and Joseph Rattz' writing style. I think he really gets his message across to his audience effectively and the text is very approachable. This is definitely a 'Pro' level book as he doesn't waste time explaining unrelated programming concepts - he assumes you understand those already.
He starts out looking at Linq and how it applies to objects, how this applies to XML and then Linq-to-Sql. In the course of this, he looks at fundamental things like how the execution actually works at runtime and shows you how to examine this on your own in very nice detail. He also takes time to explain things like tracking down the sql that is being generated (with respect to Linq-to-Sql). Excellent book - it definitely earns a spot on my bookshelf. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 03:44:31 EST)
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| 01-08-08 | 5 | 3\3 |
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When I first heard someone describe LINQ, I thought "Oh, another ORM... that doesn't sound very exciting".
Upon further research I discovered that LINQ is actually quite a bit more than just "another ORM", in fact, I would say it is one of the more interesting things from Microsoft lately. The book Pro LINQ does a very good job of covering this new technology, and it does so in a way that you would expect for a "Professional" level book. For example, I found it immediately appealing that Chapter 1 starts with a code example before ever getting to any regular text. The rest of the book follows suit. There are plenty of explanations, but sometimes seeing the code & result provides the clearest view. The author does a good job of explaining the technology in detail, why it is useful, and very practical tips on how to make the most of it. The book covers using LINQ to query Objects, XML, DataSets and finally SQL. I have used the book as an introduction to the topic, and for that it has done an excellent job. It appears that the book is comprehensive enough to also serve as a working reference book, but I have not personally had the chance to use it as such yet. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-01-11 10:29:40 EST)
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| 01-07-08 | 5 | 4\4 |
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When I first heard someone describe LINQ, I thought "Oh, another ORM... that doesn't sound very exciting".
Upon further research I discovered that LINQ is actually quite a bit more than just "another ORM", in fact, I would say it is one of the more interesting things from Microsoft lately. The book Pro LINQ does a very good job of covering this new technology, and it does so in a way that you would expect for a "Professional" level book. For example, I found it immediately appealing that Chapter 1 starts with a code example before ever getting to any regular text. The rest of the book follows suit. There are plenty of explanations, but sometimes seeing the code & result provides the clearest view. The author does a good job of explaining the technology in detail, why it is useful, and very practical tips on how to make the most of it. The book covers using LINQ to query Objects, XML, DataSets and finally SQL. I have used the book as an introduction to the topic, and for that it has done an excellent job. It appears that the book is comprehensive enough to also serve as a working reference book, but I have not personally had the chance to use it as such yet. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 03:44:31 EST)
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| 01-07-08 | 5 | 4\4 |
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Well written book. Tips he gives in the first chapters are worth the price of the book alone. I just bought another copy so I have one at work and at home. I am constantly going to the book and finding the sample code I need. Very deep examples and explanations on everything. He never assumes you know something so he explains everything in detail sometimes more than once.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 03:44:31 EST)
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| 01-01-08 | 5 | 2\2 |
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This book claims to be about code, code, and then more code. I completely agree with the author's claim, it is code from front to back.
The book covers every feature of Linq in great detail, but one of my favorite parts of the book is chapter on the C# 3.0 Language features and other parts of the book that show how to take advantage of the Linq language features in everyday application code. The author goes into great detail in every part of the of the book. The author also has a great companion site that is being updated with the latest new features coming out, like LINQ to XSD. The accompanying code is very usable and well organized. The only thing lacking would not be a legitimate complaint, since the authors claim code level detail and not architectural level guidance, but I will mention it anyway. I would have like to have seen more guidance on architecture and how Linq fits into the big picture. That is not covered, but like I said, they didn't claim to, so I can't ding them. The point of the comment.... 2nd edition ...hint, hint..... If you want to get into the guts of Linq, this book is definitely for you. I highly recommend it for every .NET 3.5 programmer. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 03:44:31 EST)
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| 12-22-07 | 5 | 4\4 |
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Very detailed and comprehensive book. The author did a great job of introducing LINQ where a beginner or advanced developer could easily understand. This is not a book that will collect dust on your shelf after reading. Personally this book will remain on my desk for quite some time.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-01-08 02:53:23 EST)
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| 12-21-07 | 5 | 6\6 |
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This book provides a *very* comprehensive treatment of LINQ. It establishes the background and foundation for LINQ, and then describes in effective detail and with sound examples, the different facilities and uses for LINQ. I heartily recommend this book for anyone getting into the world of LINQ.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-01-08 02:53:23 EST)
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| 12-17-07 | 5 | 3\3 |
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I can't believe that this book was degraded, and also was given a star by a reviewer who pretend to know everything about LINQ. This is the best book out there for any serious developer who want to learn about this new technology. the book is well structured and was written in a way that beginners as well as experienced developers can get up to speed very quickly. I'd like to thank the author for doing such a marvelous work on this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-21 19:50:41 EST)
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| 12-15-07 | 5 | 2\2 |
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This book is simply put, great! It begins by teaching you LINQ, through various code samples, continues with showing C# 3.0 enhancements, and then speaks about LINQ to Objects, LINQ to XML, LINQ to Dataset, and, finally, LINQ to SQL. Many code snippets and much insructive text should assist anybody, from novice to beginner, master LINQ in all its flavors. The book's title "Pro" is perfectly justified by the content.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-17 03:45:32 EST)
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| 12-14-07 | 5 | 0\2 |
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I don't know what book to buy: LINQ in Action or Pro LINQ. Please give me a piece of advice.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-17 03:45:32 EST)
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| 12-14-07 | 1 | 1\5 |
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I'm big into LINQ, and this was one of the first books available on the subject. I stopped reading after about chapter 4.
In chapter 4, he begins explaining all of the different method calls that you can make through LINQ. What he fails to do is explain both the LINQ syntax as well as the direct method calls, missing a tremendous opportunity to go over how LINQ is compiled into the individual methods. To make matters worse, he spends the first part of the chapter explaining an example class and collection to use for the examples, but uses that example very rarely, instead focusing on a very basic collection of strings. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-17 03:45:32 EST)
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| 12-14-07 | 4 | 3\3 |
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LINQ is one of the coolest ideas to come out of MS in the past few years. Its tight integration with Visual Studio 2008 makes data access more intuitive and we can FINALLY drop the "SQL as strings" syntax in favor of something that can actually be validated at compile time instead of "blowing up" at run-time.
I've spent a fair amount of time researching LINQ and even played with it somewhat. This book would be great for those who at least know the basics of LINQ and what its purpose is. I honestly can't think of a topic about LINQ that was not addressed in some detail in this book. The writing was complete with lots of examples to illustrate the points. An earlier reviewer has said they "stopped at chapter 4" because of the lack of detailed query language syntax descriptions BUT I don't understand because there is an exhaustive definition of the language in chapter 2. I think their 1 star review was unfair and borderline malicious. Until something comes along better, this would be my pick for the best LINQ book on the market. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-17 03:45:32 EST)
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