The book is well layed out and clearly written. It can be read out of sequence. Each chapter is self contained. It shows how you can get a free copy of MSDE sql server 2000 and deftly outlines the versions and how to get started using it. It begins with a good recap of basics of database. It follows with basics of sql. Then does excellent job of enabling you to handle administrative tasks of sql on your machine and getting started. It talks about new interface ADO, ASP Net and ties in xml. Well done. Got me going from startup.

I struggled for a long time to wrap my head around the new data access methodology of VB.Net. DataConnections, DataAdapters, DataSets, DataTables, DataGrids, DataViews, etc. It was all very confusing. This book divides up each of those components and shows how they stand independent of each other. Most helpful was how it introduced the dataset without using any database. Only when the concepts of the dataset were understood, did it tie in the dataset together to a database source. That approach is what got me past the confusion that was holding me back.

I didn't like the way the authors prefer to set everything in code instead of using the property pane and the designer but I got past that. Also, generally the code examples were more to demonstrate the principles being explained than to actually implement a technique one would like to do in a real-world application. That's not such a bad thing, but sometimes it's nice to have that too. I recommend this book for someone that needs to get the fundamentals of ADO.Net.

Very useful and clear explanations, methodological, covering all the important aspects that any developer would need for accessing data base with Visual Basic.net. highly recommended

Good book from two well-received authors and speakers that have gotten good ratings at our VSLive! conferences. / jim

This book helped de-mystify ADO.NET for me. Database access in .NET is a complex topic that was handled elegantly in this book. It's clear, concise, easy to read, and has a good mix of prose and step by step instruction that one needs to get a jump start with ADO.NET. I recommed it highly.

I have been coding in ADO .NET with C# for about a year before I picked up this book. My new project is in VB .NET so I saw this book as a chance to brush up on VB .NET syntax. I found the book easy to read and also found many places where I was introduced to new concepts and easier ways of accessing data than I had discovered on my own. I have recommended this book to several people already and will continue to do so.

This book is a good fit for those looking for precise practical information on building datacentric applications with vb .Net
From database design to Xml web services, through SQL queries, ADO .Net, Winforms and web forms, this book is extensive in scope, easy to read, and practical to the end