Reviews for Microsoft .NET: Architecting Applications for the Enterprise (PRO-Developer)

1. Not what I had hoped

   Rated 2 out of 5 stars, April 12th, 2010

   I was disappointed with this book. I had hoped for a detailed practical guide to enterprise architecture using .Net. What I got was a wide ranging summary of a lot of topics that are covered better in other books.
   
   Do we really need yet another book that explains coupling and cohesion?
   
   The first chapter is a discussion of what Architecture is. Unless you're absolutely new to all of this it will contain little that you don't know already.
   
   Chapter two is a primer on UML. Again, if you're reading this book, chances are you already have at least two other books that cover this stuff. In fairness UML diagrams are dotted throughout the rest of the book, so it's fair that they give the back ground for those new to this stuff.
   
   Chapter three is more newbie oriented principles and practice. If you're making the step up from Programmer to Architect then you really should know virtually everything in the first three chapters before you start. If you don't you should be learning this stuff from better more detailed books.
   
   The remaining four chapters cover four layers in a typical architecture - Data, Business, Service, Presentation.
   
   There's some good stuff in here, but it all feels like a summarized version of other books. The mention of .Net in the title is misleading. There are examples using .Net, but this is not a .Net oriented book.
   
   At times it feels like the authors are deliberately trying to annoy the reader. On page 333 (towards the end of the book) they discuss Stored Procs, and quite rightly acknowledge that anyone reading this far probably knows what a Stored Proc is ... a subroutine.
   
   They then quote Wikipedia of all things to explain to us what a subroutine is!!!!
   
   It's bad enough that you are telling me what a subroutine is, but it is frightening to think that you felt the need to check Wikipedia for a definition.
   
   One of the reviews mentioned that this is a good companion to Fowler's book. I couldn't disagree more. If you are the type of developer that has read Fowler's book then you will get very little from this. In fact you'll spend a good deal of the time being annoyed.
   
   I'm giving the book two stars because if you don't know any of the stuff in here then it's probably a reasonable introduction.
   
   Microsoft's Resource Roadmap on the back of the book suggests that this falls in the Focused Topics category. Deep coverage of advanced techniques and capabilities, promotes full mastery of a Microsoft Technology.
   
   If the book was pegged in the Developer Step By Step category...Prepares and informs new to topic programmers, I'd have probably given it 4 stars. I still wouldn't have forgiven the Wikipedia reference.

2. Strong Practical Advise

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

   If you are an experienced OO-developer and want a good overview of what a layered architecture in .Net looks like this is the book for you. Plenty of practical advise from people who've clearly done what they're talking about for real. I often found myself asking, "...but what about such-and-such", only to turn the page and read, "You're probably asking yourself about such-and-such, well this is what we think....". Superb.

3. Still reading....

   Rated 4 out of 5 stars, October 12th, 2009

   At present, I'm still reading through the last couple of chapters, however so far has been an interesting read and helps to confirm some ideas that may have been heard or picked up from elsewhere.

4. A simple straightforward guide to designing applications.

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

   A simple straightforward guide to designing applications. If you are involved in any designing or developing solutions running under the .net framework then you really should read this book!
   This book takes you from first principles through how to, and more importantly why you should; architect a .net based application. The coverage is clear, concise and easily readable providing an enjoyable read whilst conveying the intricate nuances of this important topic. The text is frequently broken up by some simple diagrams and code examples showing how to apply the principles described in practice.
   Unlike most architecture and design books this is not a slave to pattern oriented design; patterns are used throughout this text but are not exclusively used. Having said that the coverage of patterns is done in a wonderfully pragmatic way with emphasis given to ensuring the best design for the problem at hand rather than conforming to some predefined structure.
   This book can be read in conjunction with, Microsoft® ASP.NET and AJAX: Architecting Web Applications (PRO-Developer), which provides a clear guide to applying these design principles to the world of ASP.net and AJAX.
   

5. Money well spent

   Rated 4 out of 5 stars, June 12th, 2009

   I am a fan of Dino Esposito for many years now,so when I saw the book I knew it will contain some goodies in it.I read the entire book back to back
   over and over not because they are difficult to understand, but because they are chock-full of useful information. I think every developers should have one.