ASP.NET Developer's Jumpstart

The purpose of ASP.NET JumpStart is to show readers the practical applications of .NET and ASP.NET by illustrating how to build Web-based applications using Web Forms and Web Services. Emphasis will be on good programming standards and practices. The reader will be taken from an introduction of the VB .NET language to intermediate topics through a step-by-step approach, which gives the reader the opportunity to try out the practices presented in each chapter.

User review
Perfect
It's really a very very useful tool for the people who want to master ASP.NET through specific examples. The book works like you have a live teacher who understands your thoughts and questions. The writting is extremely clear and focuses on what you expect to learn. I know Ken from the past (I own all Acces Dev. Hand Book series) and Paul from Access VB Adv. Mag. Here simply they continue a successful tradition. Congratualtions!

User review
Book is excellent, the samples DO run
I think that Getz and Sheriff's reputations in the VB community are peerless. Their countless magazine articles and numerous books have helped me personally over the past decade, and their names are ones I look for and know I can count on.

This includes ASP.NET Developer's Jumpstart. I admit that getting the environment to sit up and beg is tricky, but I'm pretty sure I read in the Introduction that the basics wouldn't be covered. There are many texts and KBs to help with that.

If you have ASP.NET installed correctly, the samples run as described. This text was a big help to me, especially with its treatment of VB.NET in ASP.NET. The ADO.NET treatment was equally valuable. I couldn't recommend this book more highly.

User review
Samples do not run
The book and chapters looks great, however it is impossible to run the samples, I got a lot of wrong messages. I tried a lot of time without result. Do not buy this book.

User review
Jumpstart not nearly as good as the SAMS book
I was allotted money by my boss to get books to learn ASP to expand our websites capacity. I got the SAMS Active Server Pages 3.0 and this book based on reviews I'd read. I ALMOST NEVER USED THE JUMPSTART BOOK! Any time I flipped through for an answer to a problem, I found the book wasn't really laid out to help me. I was greatly disappointed. I threw this book away and learned all I know from the SAMS book.

User review
Author's Comments
As a co-author on this book, I feel compelled to respond to Andres' review. I've never done this before, but this review is so slanderous as to cause both Paul and me great distress.

Every book has typographical errors--that's the way the business is. If we're alerted to them, we're That's the great part about not having a CD--the samples can be updated `on the fly`.

As opposed to Andres' comments, the samples DO work, if installed correctly. Getting ASP.NET up and running prior to installing the book samples is crucial. Many, many readers have used the samples without incident, and have told us so.

In addition, either Andres contacted other authors, or sent email to the wrong addresses--both Paul and I respond to each and every email we get--usually, within minutes, if not seconds. Implying that we ignored his email is, to us, quite painful. One might accuse us of many things, but not answering email is NOT one of them.

We welcome user comments and questions, and have corresponded with many readers of the book. Our email addresses are prominently displayed within the book itself, and in many other places online. Please, if you're one of the very small minority who is having trouble installing or running the sample applications, let us know. With ASP.NET and Visual Studio .NET set up correctly, the samples install and run without a hitch.

Obviously, this is not the correct forum for discussions involving these reviews, but being incorrectly accused of ignoring a reader's email is inexcusable.