ASP.NET for Developers

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ASP.NET for Developers

First,let me say that ASP.NET for Developers was co-authored by MichaelAmundsen and Paul Litwin, who's the editor and the technical director at asp.netPRO.However, I have written this review as objectively as all other book reviewsI've written in the past.

ASP.NETfor Developers isprecisely what the title states - a book for developers. The book makes threeprimary assertions:

1)       Youhave developed ASP-driven Web pages in the past.

2)       VisualBasic .NET is your .NET Framework language of choice.

3)       Youwant your reference titles to cut to the chase. The book presents the leanessentials of what is necessary to accomplish a programming task.

The bookis essentially a CliffsNotes version of thicker - and consequently more expensive- ASP.NET tomes. ASP.NET for Developers offers no tutorials and nodissertations - just the facts.

The bookbegins with a quick overview of the .NET architecture and how ASP.NET workswithin the framework. Part II then provides a digest of the VB .NET fullyobject-oriented language, particularly as it applies to the changes made fromthe previous object-based versions of Visual Basic. The remainder of the bookis dedicated to ASP.NET topics. This includes a portion on developing ASP.NETWeb forms by using server and user controls; 80 pages about ADO .NET; 39 pagesabout Web Services; and the balance of the book, which is about configuring anddeploying ASP.NET solutions. A succinct appendix concludes the book with acomparison of VB .NET vs. VB6 and VBScript, featuring syntax changes.

The bookdoesn't include any explanation of how to build a complete Web site usingASP.NET, nor does it include any lengthy code tutorials. That's a consciousdecision on the part of the authors. I don't mean to imply the book is devoidof code. On the contrary, nearly half of the book's real estate is reserved forsnippets of code. These packets of code, which also are available for downloadfrom the book's Web site, are like the prose of the book: matter of fact and tothe point. No space is wasted on redundant or extraneous routines.

Ofcourse, this terse approach may bore some readers. It is also obvious that thebook publisher is providing its interpretation of the "In a Nutshell" type ofbook published by competing publishers. If you prefer extensive commentary oralready own ASP.NET nutshell-style titles, ASP.NET for Developersprobably will not suit you. Additionally, certain sections of the book may havebeen cut too close to the bare minimum. It is apparent that the authors optedto keep things moving along rather than get hung up or give preferentialtreatment to one topic vs. another. But the authors still should have grantedmore space to new concepts, especially in the area of XML Web Services. Perhapsas a result of this shortcoming, SAMS publishes a book entirely dedicated tothe subject of XML Web Services. Finally, additional comparative appendixes onASP vs. ASP.NET and on ADO vs. ADO .NET would have been welcome enhancements toround out the book's referential approach more comprehensively.

Thesecriticisms are minor, though. The book delivers what the authors intend it todeliver. It will serve as an inquiry-generating reference to other ASP.NETbooks that will impart deeper analysis of the segments this book presents. As aresult, this is the type of book that will have its pages tattered andearmarked over time, which is often indicative of a book that has served itsreaders well.

- Mike Riley

ASP.NETfor Developersby Michael Amundsen and Paul Litwin, SAMS Publishing, http://www.samspublishing.com.

Rating:

ISBN:0-672-32038-x

CoverPrice: US$34.99

(480pages)