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Summary: For C++ programmers only
Review: A warning (which, in due fairness is on the cover of the book): This book is written for C++ programmers only. Although the COM interface is language-independant, one must know C++ code and nomenclature thoroughly to be able to navigate the examples and text. The author's contempt of other programming languages, particlularly Visual Basic, comes through fairly clearly when they are discussed (really only one chapter). If you want a book that shows how to implement low-level COM from another language and don't know C++, you may want to look elsewhere.
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Summary: Helped me learn how to use COM in 1 week
Review: I was not sure if I would ever master COM, but this book led me all the way. From the basics to actually using existing COM objects, it took me 1 week only. This book has less detail than Essential COM, which is helpful for the beginner. I fully recommend it for every C++ programmer who has to learn COM from scratch.
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Summary: The best available in market.
Review: Yes, this IS the best book I could find in the market about COM. Dale Rogerson comes straight to the point, explains the fundamentals in clear & concise manner, and keeps irrelevant details aside (unlike Don Box in "Essential COM", who talks more about the his "personal COM enlightenment", his "hair style", his "awe" of "extremely complex subject of COM", etc.). Dale Rogerson has made this subject very clear, simple & interesting.
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Summary: A great book for COM
Review: This book use very plain language to explain most complicated subject. It is well organized and easy to read. A good start to OLE and ActiveX
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Summary: A Must Have/Read
Review: This is a very well organized and exteremly useful book. If you are dealing with COM objects at any level you will benefit from it. Covers all aspect of COM nicely with a very clear and practical approach.
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Summary: The best for learning COM - no use of proprietary libraries
Review: This book explains the theory and implementation of COM objects very well. I find it refreshing to find a book like that that doesn't throw a lot of application framework baggage (read: MFC) at you to get the job done right.
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Summary: A good book for beginners
Review: The book is definitely a starting point for the beginners. Covers the basic architecture to a good extent, explains registry details to a large extent for inproc as well as Local server. But, it should have covered more details of writing the idl file for the developers who prefers to write every component detail on their own.On the whole, good book for beginners.
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Summary: Great for understanding what COM is.
Review: This book is great for COM beginners. At last I understand what COM is and what it's good for. The stuff I learnt from this book has already greatly improved my own projects and allowed others to use my components.
Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: This book is excellent overview of COM. It has very clear explanation on major issues of COM, although not very detailed. For me it has additional value, as a dictionary to COM, you can use it as a reference in technical language.
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Summary: The best way to *really* understand the fundamentals of COM
Review: Hi. In Inside COM, Dale Rogerson breaks down a software architecture that defies the limit of software reusability via an innovative model: Component Object Model. Rogerson demonstrates a very good understanding of COM. And in this book, he shares his in-depth knowledge via a breakdown of the foundation of COM. The concepts and advices Rogerson presents are imperative for understanding the architecture and creation process of COM components. For instance, the author analyzes object containment and aggregation and demonstrates fully implemented examples of both forms of components. Furthermore, he discusses the importance of reference counting in COM and possible problems programmers face when implementing aggregated components such as memory leak. Rogerson breakdown of COM architecture in this book definitely helps programmers learn COM at its core and move one step closer to designing and implementing their own COM components. COM design and implementation is an involved process. I believe even the experienced COM programmers would agree. However, in Inside COM Rogerson provides a clear analysis of the theories behind COM and demonstrates each aspect of COM architecture with valuable C++ examples. Lastly, he concludes the book with a complete C++ implementation of a set of COM components that utilizes most if not all the theories he discusses throughout this book. COM architecture offers developers an unparalleled flexibility and Inside COM is a key book to understanding COM. I recommend Inside COM to advanced C++ programmers and real-world COM developers. Kuphryn
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