Learning Visual Basic .NET

Most Visual Basic .NET books are written for experienced object-oriented programmers, but many programmers jumping on the .NET bandwagon are coming from non-object-oriented languages, such as Visual Basic 6.0 or from script programming, such as JavaScript. These programmers, and those who are adopting VB.NET as their first programming language, have been out of luck when it comes to finding a high-quality introduction to the language that helps them get started.

That's why Jesse Liberty, author of the best-selling books `Programming C#` and `Programming ASP.NET,` has written an entry-level guide to Visual Basic .NET. Written in a warm and friendly manner, this book assumes no prior programming experience, and provides an easy introduction to Microsoft's most popular .NET language.

`Learning Visual Basic .NET` is a complete introduction to VB.NET and object-oriented programming. This book will help you build a solid foundation in .NET, and show how to apply your skills by using hundreds of examples to help you become productive quickly. `Learning Visual Basic .NET` introduces fundamentals like Visual Studio .NET, a tool set for building Windows and Web applications. You'll learn about the syntax and structure of the Visual Basic .NET language, including operators, classes and interfaces, structs, arrays, and strings. Liberty then demonstrates how to develop various kinds of applications--including those that work with databases--and web services.

By the time you've finished `Learning Visual Basic .NET,` you'll be ready to move on to a more advanced programming guide that will help you create large-scale web and Windows applications.

Whether you have a littleobject-oriented programming experience or you are new to programming altogether, Visual Basic .NET will set you firmly on your way to mastering the essentials of the VB.NET language.

User review
Great foundation for Visual Basic.NET
This book reinforces my good experience with the O'Reilly computer books. It gives a very good background for understanding object-oriented code -- in a structured and well-ordered approach. It starts as a primer, but rapidly builds, explaining the concepts well. Using console applications gives you a firm foundation for understanding the ideas. There's even some good humor along the way!

User review
For a beginner programmer
I ordered this book to start learning Visual Basic .Net, but instead it spends the first half the book teaching me 'how to program', THEN it 'teaches me Visual Basic .Net'. I already know how to program, so the first half of this book is wasted on me. For exmaple, Chapter 6 talks about 'If' statements, 'Do While' loops, etc. Chapter 7 talks about operators (i.e. +, -, =). If you have very little programming experience and want to learn Visual Basic .Net, then get this book. If you know 'If' statements, 'Do While' loops, and Operators, then don't get this book.

User review
Bill in Albany
The book is too basic even for a first semester programming class. Running the code in Dos, come on, no new programmers are being taught that as their primary run environment at colleges anymore. I supervise the CIS/IT tutoring lab at a small college and working with the VB.Net Studio environment is one of the toughest things for students to learn. Also, with the current growth in XML students, learning VB.Net in the Studio IDE is all the more important. This is a decent `third` book to have on the subject. The author knows his stuff, he just didn't write it well or enough of it. Lastly, one other reviewer said his vb coding went back 7 years and he loved this book. Must've been the best man at the author's wedding.

User review
Great for First Time Programmers As Well
The book's back cover says that both seasoned programmers and new programmers will find the book useful - as a first time programmer, I agree. Syntax is discussed artfully, leaving more room for an exploration of concepts and practices - meaning that someone new to OOP will understand not only what to do but the best way to do it. Highly recommended for people ready to learn how to program.

User review
Must have Vb.Net book !
Superb book, especially for people with good amount of VB6 experience.

I myself have around 7 years of VB experience (started with VB 3 in college) and before stumbling upon this title, I tried the Sam's series and was greatly disppointed since such `beginner` books devote a great deal to the syntax, starting with how to open a project and draw a form ! This book wastes no such time in trivialities since it is assumed that as an experienced VB programmer, you already know all those things. In fact, only one chapter is devoted to the syntax and thereafter it builds on the OOP concepts. At the time of this writing, I have finished only half the book (till Structures) but from what I have experienced and understood so far, I don't think the author will let me down in the remainder of the book. In fact till this point, you don't even need the Visual Studio.Net IDE since you can happily type all the class examples in Notepad and run them from DOS prompt (Of course, you need to have the .Net framework installed, which again is a free download).

So, if you're disappointed or bored by those 24 hour/21 day titles, run don't walk, to get this book !