Reviews for Build Your Own ASP.NET 3.5 Web Site Using C# & VB 3rd Edition

1. Near perfect ASP.NET tutorial

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, December 12th, 2009

   I started off trying to read Wrox 'Beginning ASP.NET' but found it pretty dry and not that comprehensive as a tutorial so I gave up after a few hundred pages and bought this instead.
   
   Although the Sitepoint books always seem to be aimed at beginners I normally find the information to be pitched at the perfect level even as an experienced developer. In fact I find the title of the book a bit self-defeating as it makes it sound a bit lightweight when it is really a great tutorial for anyone, including professional developers who are new to ASP.NET. I really appreciate that they keep the information as concise and entertaining as possible and do not fill out pages just for the sake of it and then put the word 'Pro' on the cover ;-)
   
   After struggling with other books, I have been flying through this one. Within the first 150 pages it has covered most of ASP.NET in a very good level of detail while providing all examples in both VB and C#. I was also amazed at the depth in which this book covers SQL Server - there is enough information in there to get you up and running with SQL Server even if you had never used a relational database before.
   
   Overall, this has to be the best tutorial on ASP.NET.
   
   Probably the best combination for learning ASP.NET is this as a tutorial along with Pro ASP.NET in C# (Apress) as a more detailed reference.

2. Buy this book you won't regret it!

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, July 12rd, 2009

   This book is worth the read, the money and the time. What any beginner needs is a very good book, otherwise you will just be disheartened and frustrated if the writing style is boring, too technical or littered with erroneous code. And this is a very good book for beginners! This is the first book I have read about ASP.NET and I have no regrets whatsoever investing on this book. Although it will not make you an expert, I still feel like an expert because what it successfully accomplish is it gives you enough confidence to build from the solid foundation you have learnt. And what you will learn are the building blocks of web development using ASP.NET which includes the controls like GridView and DetailsView which you need to know in rendering your data, ADO.NET which you need to know to fetch the data from the datastore, and SQL Server Management which maintains your database. All of these components are vital in web development and everything in between from installation to the SQL script to creating your database. The author has an unassuming narrative style of writing with a highly cohesive theme, central to the title of the book, which makes you read more after every chapter you finish. The level of detail is well balanced between hardcore ie. too much detail your head hurts every page you read and what is necessary in building a functional database driven website. Hence in my opinion the writing style is exceptional. Many technical books are too technical, the level of detail become reference like, you lose interest in the material. This book is on the contrary. Also other authors assume a lot of important details such as installation and database concepts. Although mundane for example database concepts and SQL, depending on your level of experience, the writing style is never taxing. It is also worth noting the downloadable sample code simply work flawlessly for .Net 2.0 framework. The next book for me to read is the next step up: Pro ASP.NET MVC Framework. Because what this book does not talk about is the methodology in building sustainable and scalable web applications. I think I am now ready to read a more advanced book about using MVC on ASP.NET 3.5. Nice one.

3. Brilliant !!

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, September 12th, 2008

   I've tried other books, online videos, classes, the lot.
   I wish I'd seen this book earlier as it done it all for me. Perfect for learning, code alongside a real project, clear and effective.
   
   Get it now !!

4. Slap on the wrist

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, March 12th, 2008

   I titled this as 'Slap on the wrist' NOT for the book, but for MYSELF!
   After buying this book in early 2006, it was left out of sight amongst my many programming books little read.
   
   Having recently started a new job, I needed to convert from VB.NET to C# and pulled this book off my shelf for another look.
   
   What a pleasant surprise to see everything you need to construct a well driven website, laid out very simply, with good examples in both VB and C#.
   I SHOULD HAVE READ THIS BOOK SOONER!
   
   An ideal start for anyone new to intermediate level in ASP.NET with good explanations and no geeky stuff.
   
   It includes configuration of IIS, SQL Server Instances and the Web server,
   View and Session states, Control events, Validation controls, Database design, SQL, ADO.NET, Data lists, Datagrids and Details view.
   
   Also included is advanced data access, Security, User authentication and Roles, Working with Files and Email.
   
   Well worth the money!!

5. An absolute must own for newbies and pros alike.

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, March 12th, 2008

   I love this book SO much. I hate reading techie books, I find it difficult to learn from a book without being able to produce something "real" at the end. Most techie books provide snippets that are hard to understand in relation to the rest of the code you might have. This book starts a project in the early chapters and uses the things learned throught out each chapter to improve the project.
   
   This book takes you from nothing to something without the authors trying to prove to you that they know what they are writing about. What I mean by this is that they are able to explain the concepts in a nice clear and concise way that make it the first techie book I have not wanted to put down. They do this without using terms and examples that just make them look geeky and you feel stupid.
   
   Buy this book, you won't regret it.