Sebastopol, CA--As Microsoft's .NET Framework continues to evolve and stabilize, an escalating number of Windows developers are migrating to .NET as an application development platform or assessing it for that purpose. Newcomers will find that the .NET Framework is so new, different, and complex compared with previous programming approaches that a guide to the territory is critical to getting off on the right foot. The third edition of .NET Framework Essentials (O'Reilly, US $29.95) by Thuan Thai and Hoang Q. Lam provides these newcomers with the introduction they'll need to its languages, Common Language Runtime (CLR), and APIs. It is concise, insightful, and code-rich, offering a no-nonsense overview of key elements and programming languages central to all .NET application development.
"Developers with little knowledge of the .NET Framework will require a succinct but thorough overview of this emerging technology, and the new edition of '.NET Framework Essentials' serves this purpose," explains coauthor Thai. "We wrote this book with the intent that it would be the first book that seasoned developers would read for an understanding of the .NET Framework, so that they can hop right in and develop .NET applications and services."
Fully updated for version 1.1 of the .NET Framework and Visual Studio 2003, "NET Framework Essentials" covers all the bases--from the Common Language Runtime and key class libraries to the specialized packages for ASP.NET, Windows Forms, XML web services, and data access (ADO.NET). The authors survey each major .NET language, including VB.NET, C#, J#, and Managed C++, presenting a clear, practical look at the underlying technologies. ".NET Framework Essentials" also provides a handy reference to the most commonly used features of the .NET Framework.
Also included in the third edition of the book are:
A chapter on creating and working with .NET components, including examples coded in each of the principal .NET programming languages, and explanations of the Common Language Specification (CLS) and Microsoft's Intermediate Language (IL)
A clear explanation of ADO.NET, including its integration with XML and a survey of the most commonly used .NET XML classes with code examples
Chapters on web services, ASP.NET, and Windows Forms, with examples and discussions of SOAP, Web Forms, and other key technologies for creating .NET applications and services
Appendixes containing a list of Microsoft and third-party .NET languages, a glossary of common acronyms, a list of frequently used data types and their uses, and a guide to fining and using common utilities
New to this addition is coverage of the J# language and a chapter on .NET support for mobile devices.
Written for intermediate to advanced VB, C/C++, Java, and Delphi developers, ".NET Framework Essentials, 3rd Edition" is also useful to system architects and leaders who are assessing tools for future projects.
Praise for the previous edition:
"This is a fast-paced title that is written with experienced developers in mind, which means solid technical content and no verbose explanations. It is a short book on a big subject, but with impressive depth in places, such as when the authors find space for example code in the low-level IL (Intermediate Language). That means it gives great insight into how the Framework fits together, but risks losing touch with more general readers. The material is of consistently high quality, making this an excellent book for .NET developers."
--Tim Anderson, amazon.co.uk"This may be the best book for programmers new to the .NET platform. Not only does it get you started quickly, but also provides a quick reference to every major area of the new platform."
--Songmuh Jong, CompuNotes.com, May 2002
Additional reviews of the previous editions
Additional Resources:
".NET Framework Essentials, Third Edition" is also available on the O'Reilly Network Safari Bookshelf
More information about the book, including Table of Contents, index, author bios, and samples
.NET Framework Essentials, Third Edition
Thuan Thai and Hoang Q. Lam
ISBN 0-596-00505-9, 363 pages, $29.95 US, $46.95 CA, 20.95 UK
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1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
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