Customer Reviews

coecreations said
I bought this book because I got my start in computer science by learning ASP with a Sams book. Since that time I have earned my associates degree and am about to complete my BS in computer science.
As everyone else has already stated the book has many type errors. The most basic and obvious concepts are repeted over and over while the most complex issues are glossed over completely. My final and ultimate dissapointment in the book can in chapter 19, Connecting to the internet. The book has the reader do this in the very begining with a small paragraph explaining how you select 'yes' for the internet browser option while using the VB Aplication Wizard. So why devote an entire chapter explaining the same thing? Oh, the author does tell you about two other very important types of internet connections you can make using VB but it is just a mention. He does tell you what HTML is and show an example. HTML? give me a break I want the VB! Finally the chapter is concluded with a note, "This chapter is a high level overveiw of internet connectivity using VB. for a compete understanding buy another book." I would say by "high level overveiw" he means from far, far away, glossed over. Chapter 19 should never been put in print. I don't think the author thinks his readers are up to the task of comprehending the more complex programming issues. Or, he thinks we are just going to run out and buy another book in hope of finding the rest of the details. Well, he is correct I will be getting another book but it will not be one of his, and I don't know if I can ever trust Sams Publishing again.
This book should be re-named "Sams Give Yourself a breif Introduction to Some of Visual Basic's Easy Concepts."

kevin9984 said
Hmm this is weird, I am the only one who is writing a good review on this book. Whats up with that. Maybe the people who wrote the reviews are not actually programmers but confused minds. Please accept my apologies. I think this book is a very good source on VB 6.0. I used this during my Master's Program, during my Internship and in my professional life. I dont know what people are expecting, but this is a good medium level fast paced source on VB 6.0. If you have to write a quick VB App, and dont have much time on your hands, pick up this book. If you want to be a VB guru then this is not what you want. But for starters and quick reference people who use VB 6.0 from time to time, I would highly recomment this one.

minotar said
I have been struggling to learn VB 6.0 with this book, and I will tell you, it is terrible. The book starts out great, with a very thorough explanation and it doesn't overwhelm you. But, all the details it tells you not to worry about come back to haunt you as you progress. They don't just come back to haunt you; they slam you hard. This book goes from a snail's pace to WAYYYYY too fast, in a matter of pages. The book leaves out a ton of details. In one instance, you are asked to create a form with option buttons (radio buttons) that respond to the user clicking them with messages; well, they never even tell you how to write the code for an option button in the section that was supposed to cover it!!!!!! Horrible stuff here, people. To make matters worse, the book is strewn with a ton of errors! The very first problem they have you code has a mistake in it, that only a more advanced programmer would pick up on. The errors continue thoroughout the book and, in some cases, the whole program is completely out of wack. Not only this, but there are not many good sample problems to solve and the examples they give are incomplete, which only adds to the confusion. Simply do not buy this book if you are a true beginner and if you are not, then why would you need this book anyway???? I cannot recommend this at all, and am only giving it 2 stars based on the fact that it has a decent introduction to the VB world, but the substance is flawed. This book almost made me hate VB. Please stay away everybody:(

wyatt70 said
My company has a subscription to Safari Books Online, so I decided to see what Visual Basic books were available rather than buy my own book. I found this book and decided to try it out. What a mistake!

The key to learning programming is to get as much hands-on practice as possible. Therefore, it is critical that programming books offer as many coding exercises as possible. This book doesn't have enough coding exercises, and many of the ones it does have do not work! I've double-checked my code to make sure it matched what is in the book, and I still get the "compile error" that other reviewers have mentioned. Worse yet, I checked the "Updates & Corrections" link at the Sams website and found nothing.

In short, don't waste your money. I'm frustrated enough and I got it for free!

vlandeo said
Lots of syntax errors that will really trip up a beginner. They say that learning a programming language is easier than a language like Spanish or French, however in programming, your whole entire program is usless if one word is mispelled and you can't continue until it's fixed.

For example: there's a bonus project at the end of every chapter that takes about an hour to go through. Then, when you're finally done, BLAMM!! COMPILE ERROR!!! That's one whole chapter that you won't learn anything. They're not just typos either. There is actual code that doesn't do what he sais that it's supposed to and you'll have to decypher it on your own.

This guy seems like a good teacher and this book covers alot of importance, but errors and errors. If you're at least 6 months or more experienced with VB you might like this. Just don't pay attention to anything in the book.