Microsoft .NET for Visual FoxPro Developers

For those simply curious about what .NET offers, this book provides a strong overview of the .NET framework and the C# and Visual Basic .NET languages and helps developers assess these new technologies through the lens of Visual FoxPro. Included are introductions to .NET, Visual Studio .NET, C#, and Visual Basic .NET. For developers who are ready to learn specifics about how to use .NET in their software development projects, it offers information on best practices to help climb the .NET learning curve and get up and running quickly. This information includes .NET business objectives, building Web applications with ASP.NET, .NET XML, and error handling and debugging in .NET.


User review
Take the fear out of .NET
The book hits the sweet spot in terms of depth and detail.

While there are indeed references to Visual FoxPro, there aren't that many direct syntax comparisons so you won't feel left out if you're not an active VFP programmer. The book would be useful to any database programmer or anyone who has worked with an OOP language who also wants to work in .NET.

The nice thing about the book is that he can assume that a VFP programmer who has worked with any VFP since 3.0 has a grasp of object-orientation, and so he doesn't need to spend a dozen pages explaining all the basics of OOP. Likewise, a VFP programmer has a solid basis of database fundamentals, so they don't need to be reiterated in the book.

He walks through in sequence,,,, a three tier windows form app, using business objects, then uses ASP.NET to get it on the web,,,,then turns it into a web service with a side trip to XML along the way. And he gives the code in both C# and VB.

The book is available in electronic format as well as a paperback.

User review
Concise and balanced and great read.
The McNeish book is an excellent treatment of the subject. I especially like the VFP developer slant which is really helpful. Beside that, the book is the best balance of thoroughness and conciseness of any .NET books I've read and I've read many. This should be read by non-VFP developers as well. The book is well designed as well. It's also nice that screen shots can actually be read unlike some contemporary computer books. This is not intended to be a `core reference` or a deep treatise on .NET architecture.

User review
So-so. There are much better books out there
This book is just so-so. There are much better books out there.

This book just doesn't give a good big-picture of .Net, so if you are new to .Net, you'll learn some concepts, but you won't see how they fit into the big picture all that well.

A premise of this book is that you can take your skills as a VFP developer and transfer them quite easily to .Net. That is not quite correct - you can take your skills as a PROGRAMMER in general and transfer them.

I honestly think that you are better off not trying to learn .Net from a VFP perspective, but rather to learn it from scratch. You'll only confuse yourself if you are looking for similarities. I believe that you are best off taking your generic programming concepts (i.e. OO design, structured programming, etc.), and going into .Net fresh. It's a whole different way of thinking, and all it takes is a good overview to get into that way of thinking. Again, I just didn't feel this book provided that.

User review
An EXCELLENT introduction not only for Visual FoxPro users
Don't let the name of this book mislead you! Even if you're not a Visual FoxPro developer, this book is an EXCELLENT introduction to learning to develop .Net applications.

Kevin McNeish did a great job in balancing theory and practice and an even better one at recommending `best application development practices`, probably because he draws on his many years of experience as a world-class trainer and mentor in the SW industry.

This is especially true about the Data Access chapters because, as any seasoned developer knows, `every application wants to be a DATABASE application when it grows up`!

The book's `rhythm` is great,,. never a dull moment, and lots of code snippets to experiment with your newly acquired skills, making it THE book you want to buy if you trully want to learn to develop .net applications.

User review
The greatest .NET book for ALL developers
This is the best book for the .NET book series, I think we should called it `.NET for all Developers` not just for VFP developer. There are so many books in the market place talking about .NET, but this book is one of the best which walks you through all the aspects with a great examples. GREAT JOB Kevin!!!