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C # in a Nutshell (In a Nutshell)
by Peter Drayton, Ben Albahari, Ted Neward
List Price: $44.95
Our Price: $31.47
ISBN: 0596005261
Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates (September, 2003)
Edition: Paperback
Sales Rank: 23,983
Average Customer Rating: 4 out of 5
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Rating: 5 out of 5
Just what I wanted
When I need to learn a language, the last thing I want is a book that tries to teach it to me. Their teaching jut gets in the way of my learning.This book serves my needs ideally. It is a reference, not a tutorial. It covers the whole language and most or all of the standard API, in a book of modest length. Of course, that sacrifices detail. Fine. When I need information, I'll look here to find out what system facility does my job, then use the system help for details. This book really is the index that the help system lacks. This goes on the shelf next to Flanagan's "Java in a Nutshell." I have no higher praise for a language book.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Would've liked more code samples
If you have picked this book to learn C# because you don't have much time, most likely you will find that it's a hard nut to crack. In my view, it's a handy reference book for intermediate C# progrmmers who want to review key features of the C# language, essential programming concepts using the NET framework classes and the details of any of the 700 .NET Framework Classes in 21 important namespaces without using MSDN online libaray. If you often find yourself printing topics from Visual Studio NET Online Help and read them on weekends, then this book is for you. Section I (chapter 1- 4) summarizes key concepts of the C# language, illustrated with succinct code. Section II (Chapter 5 to 19) covers programming using the Framework Class Library, such as String, Collections, Streams and I/O, Serialization, Assemblies, Reflection, Custom Attributes, Garbage Collection, Threading and Interop.
I felt that each topic discussion is a little too brief and many important topics mentioned in the overview section of the book are not discussed at all, such as graphics, data access with ADO.NET, Remoting, Window Forms, Web Application, globalization, Configuration. In section III, some useful .NET Framework SDK tools are covered, which is very helpful. The last section is detailed listing of the most important core types/classes of the .NET framework. I like the UML diagrams illustrating class hierarchy and relationships. Personally I would like to see some code samples under important types. The book is 832 pages thick, I hope the future edition will add the missing topics mentioned above and more code, making it a 1,000 page reference book. -- Reviewed by Timothy D.
Rating: 4 out of 5
C# in a Nutshell - Supports my day-to-day efforts
In my opinion O'reilly continually puts out the best technical books and "C# in a Nutshell" further supports their excellent reputation. As usual with O'reilly's other offerings in their "in a Nutshell" series they leave out the fluff and provide just the facts. This approach makes "C# in a Nutshell" easy to recommend if you've already gotten your feet wet in C#. On the other hand if you're still green you're better off with books that offer a traditional tutorial approach and then come back when you're ready to get into some advanced topics or need a reference to the namespaces and C# implementation.Understanding this book is not a tutorial for the beginner will help acclimate yourself to what to expect. Even though the subtitle reads "A Desktop Reference" ample content exists to introduce beginning topics that lay the ground work for its reference sections. The first nineteen chapters, approximately two hundred and nineteen pages, cover beginning topics such as .NET Framework and C# basics to advanced subjects including reflection, XML serialization, and threading. The remaining chapters are devoted to a quick reference to classes in the namespaces. Several topics that I'm interested in, including GDI+ were mentioned only briefly and then referred to related namespaces. I'm hoping that GDI+ and other UI related material are covered in more depth in O'reilly's ".NET Windows Forms in a Nutshell" offering or the next edition of "C# in a Nutshell".
Code examples in the book were sufficient to reinforce my understanding of each topic and the 'animal tracks' notes were a nice touch and more than mere filler. Other niceties include UML diagrams detailing the namespace structures, DLL / namespace associations, and the C# API Quick Reference encapsulated in a Visual Studio.NET plug-in supplied on the included CD. "C# in a Nutshell" has already helped me in a VB to C# conversion project. I'm already looking forward to the next edition that may address some of the missing namespaces, otherwise it's a very important tool that supports my day to day efforts.
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