Pro C# 3.0 and the .NET 3.5 Framework, Fourth Edition
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Book DescriptionThe first edition of this book was released at the 2001 Tech Ed conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Since that time, this text has been revised, tweaked, and enhanced to account for the changes found within each release of the .NET platform (1.1, 2.0, 3.0 and now 3.5). The last version, .NET 3.0, was more of an augmentative release, essentially providing three new APIs: Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Windows Workflow Foundation (WF). As you would expect, coverage of the "W's" has been expanded a great deal in this version of the book from the previous Special Edition text. Unlike .NET 3.0, .NET 3.5 provides dozens of new C# language features and .NET APIs. This edition of the book will walk you through all of this new material using the same readable approach as was found in previous editions. Rest assured, you'll find detailed coverage of Language Integrated Query (LINQ), the C# 2008 language changes (automatic properties, extension methods, anonymous types, etc.) and the numerous bells and whistles of Visual Studio 2008. What you will learn
Who is this book for?If you're checking out this book for the first time, understand that it targets experienced software professionals and/or students of computer science (so please don't expect three chapters devoted to "for" loops). The mission of this text is to provide you with a rock-solid foundation to the C# 2008 programming language and the core aspects of the .NET platform (OOP, assemblies, file IO, Windows Forms/WPF, ASP.NET, ADO.NET, WCF,WF, etc.). Once you digest the information presented in these 33 chapters, you'll be in a perfect position to apply this knowledge to your specific programming assignments, and you'll be well equipped to explore the .NET universe on your own terms. Related TitlesBeginning C# 2008 Databases: From Novice to Professional Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 Pro LINQ Object Relational Mapping in C# 2008 Pro ASP.NET 3.5 with C# 2008 About the Apress Pro seriesYou have gotten the job; now you need to go hone your skills in these tough competitive times. Apress Pro Series books expand 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 manner. Written by experts in their field, Pro Series books give you the hard-won solutions to problems you will face in your professional programming career. |
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| 06-21-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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Very comprehensive. Low errata rate. For the most part, you can it read it wherever you are (i.e. you do NOT need to have VS running so that you can look through the "mystery" code that shows what the book does not.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-02 06:30:44 EST)
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| 06-20-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I found this book while searching around for one that covered new features of .NET 3.5. I have been working with .NET since before the official release of version 1.0, but got behind after 3.0 came out. I floundered about buying this for several months, debating spending the money on hundreds of pages of material that I already knew just to get a few nuggets that I wanted. The table of contents showed that it did cover the topics I was after in 30 ~ 50 page blocks. When I finally bought it, I discovered that I couldn't be more pleased. I skimmed through the parts that I was already familiar with, and even then learned some things. In fact, I came across a new feature of ADO.NET that directly answered an issue that I was having right at that moment. The sections on material that I was less familiar with were very easy to read and great for getting a workable understanding of the technology and how to begin using it.
I highly recommend this book both for a developer who is new to .NET and as a great reference to seasoned .NET developers. For the n00b, this is a thorough reference that leaves no stone unturned. For the old timers, it is a good, concise reference for the new stuff and a valuable "mental reboot" so you don't get stuck in that rut of writing .NET 1.1 code using a .NET 3.5 compiler. Mr. Troelson is thorough, detail oriented and very readable. This book has earned the right to retire several older, well worn references on my desk. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-23 01:14:20 EST)
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| 06-16-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I've read chapters 1-13 in their entirety read part of 14 and 15 and skimmed the ASP.NET chapters. It may be a while until I look through the rest of what's in this huge book, so I may as well review it now.
This book is really two books in one. The first part, Chapters 1-14, cover C# the language. The rest of the book covers stuff about the .NET platform. The first 13 chapters of this book are nothing short of outstanding. I have many years of experience working with C#, but I haven't done any C# programming at all for the last year, so I felt that I needed to refresh my knowledge of the language, as well as learn about what has been added since version 1.0 This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for. Not only did I relearn everything about C# that I had forgotten, I learned a lot more than I ever knew. I feel like I know C# better now than I ever did before. The author of this book doesn't just explain the language, he also explains what's going on behind the scenes in the CIL, so you really get a full understanding of exactly what's happening when your C# code is compiled. Delegates are the part of C# that I always found the hardest to understand. This book explains delegates better than anything else I've read, I feel like I finally understand them. The author of this book also avoids the two things I hate most about certain other computer books: (1) He never uses unprofessional nerd-language like "Wow, this technique is really cool!" Yes, some computer books have sentences like that and I think its demeaning to the programming profession. I don't recall reading through any bad grammar--the author is a very good writer. (2) The code samples are short and to the point. There's nothing I hate more than unnecessarily long code samples (except for the nerd-speak). But is this book all perfect? Not really. I wish the author just cut it off at chapter 14 (which introduces LINQ but really doesn't go into enough detail for one to understand it) and sold the book for half the price. This book is too big and too expensive. For example, the ASP.NET chapters don't seem very useful. ASP.NET is a huge topic, way too big to be covered in three chapters. I think the three chapters here would be too confusing for an ASP.NET beginner, and not comprehensive enough at all for the professional ASP.NET programmer. Despite my annoyances at the books size and coverage of material that's unnecessary, I'm so happy about the quality of the first 13 chapters that I give it 5 stars. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-22 00:30:22 EST)
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| 06-08-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Any serious C# Developer out there gotta have that profound, well structured textbook. I would like to thank the author for his continuing effort to not only sharpen every new version, but also his clear and simple way of explaining the subject. I've already got the Pro C# 2008 and THE .NET 3.5 Platform. What are you waiting for? Go order a copy at the amazon web site and let the fun begin.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-16 05:37:58 EST)
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| 06-01-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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Few reasons why this book was not given 5*****
1. Size of the book. I believe it doesn't need to be this big 2. Order of the chapters is bit distracting. For ex. Linq is introduced in CH14 and no further discussion until CH24 3. Some of the examples are copy and paste from several versions of the same program with minor modifications. So there are slight incompatibilities. Not show stoppers though 4. Real hard topics (Understanding Object lifetime, Behind the scenes of Linq etc.) are more like touch and go type More or less this is a great book for a bit experienced programmer (C++/Java/C# 2.0). Not for new comers, I guess. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-09 00:30:40 EST)
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| 05-27-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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If you have tinkered with C# at all this book is going to take you to levels, that in retrospect, will leave you wondering how you have grown so much. I have read approximately 150 pages of the 1000 plus document and already understand to a great degree the logic and structure behind the .Net Framework.
This book points out very early the fact that C# is directly related to the .Net Framework on an intimate level that will profoundly influence your understanding of and approach to developing systems in the .Net vein with C#. This document will enliven your strategy and empower your ability to leverage technology from a number of different angles within the scope of the .Net Framework as it pertains to C#. Some really excellent points that are touched upon include: specialized tools for decompiling .Net assemblies, tools for the optimizatiofn of your code and systems, tools that enable you to effectively document your code, some simple examples along with a little tutorial involving the Mono Framework (a.k.a - Linux .Net), and reviews as well as setup instructions for various .Net development tools like Sharp Develop (a free open source C# development IDE that can even be run from a USB Flash Drive). This book is a defacto tool for anyone wishing to become competent and proficient with C# and .Net cohesively. I actually look forward to reading again and "Pro C# 2008 and the .Net 3.5 Platform" is a hard one to put down. It seems as though that every time I re-read the the material I am seeing something new or finding inspiration to explore topics in a different way. This is probably why I haven't made it past page 150 and that is incredible as in that short a time span I've come to understand and question so much. This document is truly magnificent. The author is a Microsoft .Net MVP programmer and makes educational software products for children and adolescents. Troelson's expertise hits the mark relentlessly with a delivery that I have yet to find an equal. He cashes in on his own experiences with a damn the torpedos approach and gets you to the town hall ahead of schedule. This man is a master craftsman and should not be overlooked or underestimated and Apress does a fantastic job of showcasing his wisdom with a nicely layed out and sturdy bound hardcover that is still worth the [..], here it's [..] roughly, that I paid for my copy. If you design or program in C# and you feel that you can take or leave this book do yourself a big favor and check out a few preview chapters of it at the Apress site and see for yourself. Otherwise I would have to merely look on and wish you the best. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-02 00:30:23 EST)
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| 05-20-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Even though I find the Apress look and design to be a bit dry and blah, the content of their books cannot be ignored. With 'Pro C# 2008 and the .NET 3.5 Platform', Apress continues their wonderful tradition of great books and this 4th Edition is no different.
With long books like this I like to give a Chapter Overview as I feel it gives a good flavor for BIG books which is necessary: 01. The Philosophy Of .NET 02. Building C# Applications 03. Core C# Programming Constructs, Part I 04. Core C# Programming Constructs, Part II 05. Encapsulated Class Types 06. Inheritance And Polymorphism 07. Exception Handling 08. Object Lifetime 09. Interfaces 10. Collections & Generics 11. Delegates, Events, Lambdas 12. Indexers, Operators, Pointers 13. C# 2008 Language Features 14. LINQ 15. .NET Assemblies 16. Type Reflection, Late Binding, Attribute-Based Programming 17. Processes, Appdomains, Object Contexts 18. Multithreaded Applications 19. CIL And Dynamic Assemblies 20. File I/O And Isolate Storage 21. Object Serialization 22. ADO.NET Part I: Connected Layer 23. ADO.NET Part I: Disconnected Layer 24. Programming With LINQ APIs 25. Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) 26. Windows Workflow Foundation (WFF) 27. Programming With Windows Forms 28. Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) + XAML 29. WPF Controls 30. WPF 2D Graphical Rendering, Resources, Themes 31. Building ASP.NET Web Pages 32. ASP.NET Web Controls, Themes, Master Pages 33. ASP.NET State Management Techniques A. COM & .NET Interoperability B. .NET Development With Mono As can be seen, this is a VAST book that spans a ton of topics. The only "problem" with books of this sort is that they are not great teaching books in my opinion. You can learn from them, but they are better served as references and a book that has more brevity used to learn the topics here. I would advise the same thing. Programmers that open this book up should have a solid background with a programming language already and if this is the case they will have a lot easier time mucking their way through this text. Another issue to bring up is that a book this large cannot focus specifically on one topic too much or the length would be 2-3x larger which certainly doesn't work for a 1,500 page book as is. If you need the focus to be web development, this book does a good job of introducing the reader, but only around 100 pages are spent over a couple of chapters. When picking this book up, keep in mind that you are getting a full overview of C#. If you do that you will find this book immensely useful and educational. ***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-28 05:42:26 EST)
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| 04-20-08 | 4 | 1\1 |
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I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about learning C# and is coming from an older .NET platform or from previous C/C++ experience. The book is extremely thick, yes, but wastes little space. The examples are detailed in explaining the topic at hand but do not carry extraneous details that could distract from the current topic.
I would also recommend this book to anyone who might not have constant access to a computer to test out the topics. I find this book to be one of the few programming books that I can sit down with in front of the fire and read without having to get up every five minutes to see how an example really works. This book manages to fully explain the topics in such a way that the explaination is complete; a visit to the computer to try and understand the text is rarely needed. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:30:41 EST)
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| 04-14-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Ho trovato un'ottima guida in questo libro. Gli argomenti trattati sono spiegati in maniera eccellente: breve introduzione, esempio banale e poi una trattazione approfondita dell'argomento. Un breve sommario conclude ogni capitolo e permette di fare un ripasso di quello che si e' letto all'occorrenza.
E' un libro che consiglio sia a chi inizia per la prima volta a programmare in c#.net (seppure sono necessarie delle basi di programmazione oop) e naturalmente ai piu' esperti, pubblico a cui sembra essere destinato. Devo dire che ho trovato in questo libro un fedele compagno di lavoro, visto che e' corredato anche di un ottimo indice analitico e, per chi lo acquista subito, dell'intero pdf full searchable. Mi assumo la responsabilita' di consigliarlo a tutti :). (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-19 17:06:34 EST)
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| 04-07-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is a book that I'd expect from Apress pro series. As a java developer, I've had no prior experience with .net. This book has walked me through and tought me the .net concepts and the c# language in no time. Very straightforward, no blabla, and thorough. Also with 1300+ pages and being hard-cover, it is a bargain. Highly recommended.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-14 22:19:28 EST)
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| 03-28-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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It's a great book for an experienced programmer who already knows Object Oriented Design and Programming, because many important concept (like inheritance and polymorphism) are explained very briefly.
But if you come from Java, C++ or any other C++-derived language, you'll feel familiar with the concepts explained and begin developing in C# quickly. The development tools explained are principally Visual Studio 2008, but also some other IDE and compiler are explained. Maybe a little disappointing the examples, and some suggestion of exercises at the end of each chapter would be very usefoul. Anyhow, 4 stars. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-08 20:04:53 EST)
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| 03-24-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Andrew Troelsen has done a remarkable job. The book
does a great job of explaining C#. Every time I had a question about a specific topic he would answer it with in a few pages. This is not a reference book. It is a book that through thoughtful text and coresponding examples leads you through C#. It is an intense book and every word and example needs to be examined so don't expect an easy trip. Pro C# 2008 and the .NET 3.5 Platform, Fourth Edition (Pro Series) (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-28 12:38:15 EST)
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| 03-11-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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This book far exceeded my expectations. Every topic I was interested in was covered in great detail. I skipped chapters covering topics I was already familiar with, and this did not cause any confusion for me later in the book.
Keep in mind that this book is an overview and will not make you an expert in any one area of C# or .NET. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-24 14:15:45 EST)
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| 03-01-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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This book is pleasure to read. Very nicely structured and really comprehensive with its 33 chapters and over 1300 pages. About half of it is devoted to the new features in 3.0 and 3.5, while the other half covers "the old stuff", but not at beginner's level, so it's not boring. Overall, a highly recommended reading.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-13 09:40:07 EST)
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| 02-25-08 | 3 | 0\2 |
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Today when you want to know more about Asp.Net, due to a relentless number of new features (Ajax, silverlight, Linq, etc...), you have the choice of buying books on each of the topics or more general reference books that try to cover all the topics in one.
Pro ASP.Net 3.5 in C# 2008 falls into the second category. I am not convinced that this is the best direction to take for .Net 3.5. I rather suggest that buying a book on each of the topics you are interested in learning about could prove more useful and thought provoking. However, if you want to take on a mammoth sized book (more than 1400 pages!) then this is the right reference text book for you. Another thing I want to comment on before I discuss the actual content is the title of the book itself, which is somehow misleading. The 'Pro' part in the title seems to indicate the authors are targeting more than beginners. Yet I think this text is valid for anyone who wants to write ASP.Net applications - newbies and gurus alike. The introduction covers all the bases by talking about the basics you need to know or the tools you need to have to start an ASP.Net project. In fairness, the very short part about the daily use of Visual Studio is an interesting feature; showing how to write your code and debug it with the IDE is a too often forgotten part in other books. The chapter organisation is rather disappointing, maybe because this book is essentially an upgrade from the previous ASP.Net 2.0 edition. I don't understand why the Ajax Toolkit, which is now full part of .Net 3.5, is pushed back to the end of the book? The new rich controls chapter would have been better placed at the start along with the other HTML controls. I won't go on further about the details of each chapter, as I said before; this is a reference book, the kind of text you use when you want to find a specific entry from the index, like a good encyclopaedia. Regarding the code, C# obviously, because this book follows a dictionary approach, you won't find any complete applications in it, only snippets on all scenarios. This is not ideal as it does not allow you find solutions to your specific problems that easily. It's true that this book abounds with code samples. The only chapter where we can see the start of an application is the one on portals with web part pages. To conclude, I would recommend this book as a good thorough reference text that certainly covers everything you can imagine on ASP.Net 3.5. In that regard the authors have done a great job. However, I don't think we can sustain anymore similar types of text books that cover everything on .Net in one go. I think individual books on specific topics are the way to go in the future. Paschal L Founder & Leader of the Irish User Group www.developers.ie (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-01 18:56:03 EST)
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| 02-24-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I read every single page of this book (ok, I didn't read the index). While I disagree with a few very minor points I found the material to be quite readable and appropriate for a "Pro" level book.
This edition will definitely maintain a prime spot on my bookshelf for the foreseeable future. Great job Andrew. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-01 18:56:03 EST)
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| 02-20-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is an excellent survey of the .NET 3.5 technologies. It does not cover all topics (e.g. cryptography and MAF are missing), but does cover a large cross-section of C# & .NET. It has nice illustrations and clear explanations. While it uses a running example, you can still easily jump in at any topic and understand the code (I hate books where it takes more work to understand the running example than the topic at hand).
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-24 15:44:28 EST)
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| 02-03-08 | 3 | 3\8 |
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This was the first book I bought on 3.5 and VS2008, I should have waited.
Dont get me wrong this is a fine book if you are doing desktop apps or backend work. If you are developing web applications,there are far better books, less that 5% of this book has web relevance. Does cover getting started with the VS2008 IDE, covers many general matters, getting started in the VS2008 package. Almost feels unfocused - like writing a book and know knowing who it is ideally suited for. The tag 'Pro' is missused,its not really for professionals (as they would have an end in mind), more a collection of bits from MSDN that are overly explored. You need to have a look at this book before you buy it and see if these topics get you moved. Otherwise buy secondhand or expense it. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-20 18:56:47 EST)
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| 01-31-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This book meets it's objective. The author avoids complexities by using a very readable and pleasant language, and he can do so because the book is organized in a very convenient way.
I recomend this book totally. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-14 01:46:48 EST)
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| 01-30-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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If you are looking for a good general reference for C# 2008, look no further. This book does an excellent job of dealing a bit with every topic, so if you just need a refresher, or a good starting point, it will point you in the right direction. It is not designed to cover 100% of everything, and the author is very clear about that. What it does provide is a practical desk reference for everything C#. The author provides contextual scenarios and examples to help in understanding new topics, but does a good job of not simply repeating what is already available on MSDN. Well worth the $!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-14 01:46:48 EST)
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| 01-14-08 | 3 | 2\8 |
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I'm half-way though this book and although on a page by page basis it comes across very well, it dose seem to be one of those books that is a bit tiring to read. For example, he uses ildasm.exe to view the underlying CIL way too often for my tastes. There are times where it is helpful to understand how things work under the hood, but this book may have overdone it. It seemed to take a long time to get though some sections, which left me to wonder how helpful this book will be to me in applying the new features that I was hoping to become familiar with.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-14 01:46:48 EST)
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| 01-01-08 | 5 | 2\2 |
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Andrew hits the mark again. This is the 3rd version of this book I own. Everyone of them does an excellent job of covering all the new features in the latest release.
I skipped the .NET 3.0 version because there weren't many new features added to the C# language itself. I am glad I got this book for this 3.5 release because there are a ton of new features. This book covers all of them in detail. If you have never bought one of Andrews books, and you a serious about programming C#, you simply have too. He relates the language features to the pillars of OOP (inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism) in great detail. Understanding these pillars is a definite prerequisite to moving into and understanding design patterns. One of the other things I like about this book is the material on programming with .NET assemblies. The key to good architecture is developing with components. This material teaches you everything you need to know about .NET assemblies which you need to know in order to develop with .NET components. This is a must have for every C# developer. If you have not read this book, you are definitely not taking advantage of all the C# / .NET 3.5 language features in the language. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-14 01:46:48 EST)
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| 12-17-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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Well, I used the eBook edition, which has 1402 pages. Plus there's the bonus material you can get, taken the book to much longer. And still there are times when you want it to go just a little deeper into some topics.
But what a great book! It reads well, so there's no problem going from cover to cover. But as well as that, it's nicely arranged into sensible chapters, so you can come back to it as a reference as well. Of course it doesn't go very deep into many areas. It's not a book about WCF, but gives a good overview and foundation of it. The same applies for those other .Net 3.5 areas. But this is a book mainly about C#, and it would be three times the length if it tried to comprehensively cover all the rest. Andrew Troelsen has done a really good job with this book - it's going to be one that I leave (electronically) on my laptop so I can get to it quickly. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-14 01:46:48 EST)
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| 12-17-07 | 5 | 10\10 |
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Visually this book is easy to read. A detailed 37 page index and bold page numbers at the top of the pages make it easy to quickly locate desired information.
Sometimes the term "Pro" is used in the title of books that don't really deserve that classification. In my opinion, this book has very much earned the "Pro" designation. While the C# language is covered in detail, no time is wasted describing what an array or variable is. Another example, the book spends more time explaining how to implement encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism within the language than explaining these basic OO concepts. So if you are new to programming, look elsewhere. The style of writing might be described as a touch dry. Not much in the way of humor or such, but then again this is a "Pro" book. You are reading it for information, not entertainment. In many respects this book is a two in one deal. The first ~450 pages are a thorough coverage of the C# language. The remainder being an extensive look at the .NET framework. In short I would describe the book as a very comprehensive guide to C# 2008 and the 3.5 version of the .NET framework recommend it highly. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-14 01:46:48 EST)
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| 12-06-07 | 5 | 8\8 |
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I purchased this book to help me get up to speed with .NET 3.5 as it relates to C# and WPF. I was not disappointed with the C# coverage, and at 1332 pages, the author had to draw the line somewhere. WPF gets introductory treatment, but as the author points out, the subject is too large for this book (and he points the reader to a current book that specifically covers WPF).
Beginners to C# will find a thorough, readable presentation of the language with many short example programs from basic to advanced topics. Intermediate to advanced users will find this work a handy reference, with no dark corners of C# left unexposed. ASP.NET and ADO.NET are given several strong chapters (including an excellent introduction to LINQ), and WCF and WF each get a good introductory chapter; WPF gets good (but admittedly not-comprehensive) coverage starting at XAML, proceeding to working with WPF Controls and ending at 2D graphics, resources and themes. Of course, Pro C# 2008 really shines in presenting the new C# .NET 3.5 additions, why they are there, and when to use them (think "LINQ"). There is even a very good appendix on getting C# to interoperate with non-managed COM code. Beginners on up will find this a valuable addition to one's programming library. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-17 22:42:11 EST)
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| 11-28-07 | 5 | 6\7 |
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Troelsen's 3rd edition was one of my most thumbed-through C# books on my bookshelf. I found myself invariably rereading the same chapters each time gleaming just a little bit more than I had previously - and that for me is a good thing and what I really appreciate in his work; the examples he gives are ones which seem to keep on giving. On the first read through you get an appreciation for the technology used, subsequent perusals allow me to really hone down and understand the magic behind the code.
The 4th edition continues this trend and it is obvious that a huge amount of work went into keeping this book up to date. Where advances in the framework or language allow, you'll find that previous examples from the 3rd edition are still there but are now supplemented and enhanced by their younger 3.5 and 2008 siblings. Many aspects of the latest language editions are given enough coverage as to be useful without overbearing the overall tome (for example LINQ). In addition the author provides a good explanation as to the background for some of the new language features which, at first glance, may seem somewhat superfluous. If there is to be any complaint at all it would be in the index, for example Extension Methods merits but a single page entry which directs you to a page in the "Introduction to LINQ chapter", despite the fact that the subject itself is covered in its own section over nine pages in the previous chapter! In addition the pages feel a tish thin which doesn't help when the opposing page have one or more console screen shots (with black backgrounds) - but that's a minor gripe. Given the books size (it tops out at a toe-crunching 1370 pages) it's tough to see how much more the author could have packed in to this treat! Highly recommended. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-07 02:52:33 EST)
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