Rating: 
Summary: Good content, but some lapses in code
Review: I used this book to help teach some young students the basics of VB. It provides a good listing of the VB environment and the "bells and whistles" as another reviewer mentioned, but did have some code areas that appeared to be missing the correct code. As far as getting one through the core starting areas for VB 6, this book provides a good start, even with the occasional missing code. I would rate this as a good place to start, but once you get your "chops", you will be ready for something a little more thorough and in-depth.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Quick Reference Guide to VB 6 DB Programming
Review: If you are in a rush to lay down the tracks while the train is moving, as is the case with most IT sites, this is the book that will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. And that light won't be the oncoming train either. Excellent Quick Reference Guide for professional programmers migrating to VB6 from other disciplines. Consider also purchasing a VB 6 Resource Kit to have nearby, in case you need to delve deeper into certain areas. But for the most part this book will get your project up and running quickly and accurately. Negligible number of errors - which is highly unusual for a Computer Book. Most of them are replete with errors. Now if Mr.Murach could put his talent into a SQL Server 7.0 book, I would be laughing.
Rating: 
Summary: If you program for a living. You need this book
Review: Ignore Dan Burton from New York,USA review. Gee Dan if it does not have a Cd, how about going up to the website? What a concept. This book gives a fair treatment to ADO and some basic concepts of how to program. After reading the user should be able to create basic business oriented programs in VB. This book was laid out well as it was written for training purposes so you can teach out of it or use it for a training course. If you want something practical that gives REAL WORLD business examples buy this book
Rating:
Summary: Not for the raw beginner- updated
Review: In 1983 I learned BASIC programming for the VAX. It was my best subject in college. I figured it would be easy to learn Visual Basic 6. It probably is but this book teaches more about the Microsoft Programming Environment than it does about writing computer programs.
The easiest way for me to learn is by studying examples. It uses the same example through several chapters.
Information in this book is often presented in non-linear form. Step F is sometimes presented between Steps A and C. I find this annoying.
I "ground" through this book page by page for Six chapters. I feel I learned the material but it wasn't easy. When it got to database programming I lost interest although I would like to learn it.
In all fairness to Murach I should metion I haven't used a computer in almost twenty years. I was learing Windows 98 in conjunction with VB6.
I plan to try another beginner book and return to Murach's to finish it.
UPDATE: After taking a few VB6 and SQL classes, I have a new appreciation for this book. I frequently return to Murach's VB6 to quickly see how something is done. It's a great reference. I still don't think it's for someone with no programming experience but I'm upping my rating from two to four stars.
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes I love it! Sometimes I hate it!
Review: It took me 6 chapters to decide whether or not I would keep this book. I decided to keep it! Since the exercises in this book are geared toward developing real world applications, I have found them to be quite challenging. In spite of my difficulties I am learning many new skills. I have submitted numerous e-mail help requests. Each response was answered promptly by one of the authors who have consistently provided the information I need to complete a project.I am writing this review from the perspective of an almost absolute beginning programmer. (I have completed John Smiley's Learn To Program with Visual Basic for Absolute Beginners. If I would not have already completed the exercises in Professor Smiley's book I would have been completely lost with this book.) Although this book states on the cover that it is "A True Beginning Book", I disagree with that statement. In my opinion, it is directed toward a Visual Basic Beginner who already has programming experience in another language. If you are an absolute beginning programmer, work through the Smiley book first, THEN work through this one. If this book is your introduction to programming, you will probably be lost and frustrated. I am giving this book a 4 star rating rather than 5. Although the material coverd in this book is first class all the way, I have difficulty with the teaching style. The authors take a mostly aduitory approach by telling you what to do (through the written word of course), frequently omitting a visual reference of what the completed code should look like. As a visual learner (those of us who learn by being SHOWN rather than being TOLD), I find this quite frustrtating. With more visual references of the completed code, in the book, on a CD, or on a website, this book would be a more beginner friendly experience. If you are serious about becomming a professional Visual Basic Programmer you owe it to yourself to get this book and DO the exercises. It may not be easy, but you will learn alot. For $45 you can't go wrong!
Rating:
Summary: I've tried other VB books, but this one's the best
Review: Murach's VB6 book is a refreshing approach to learning the VB language. I recently decided to train myself in Visual Basic and bought Peter Wright's book and the Waite Group's VB How-To. However, after reading those books, I still didn't have a clear undrestanding of VB. I then bought Murach's book and everything now makes sense. I love the layout of the book. Obviously a lot of thought went into the making of this book. If you're new to VB, you need to buy this book! Great job!
Rating:
Summary: Visual Basic Book Reviews
Review: Murach's Visual Basic 6 is another excellent VB book for beginners. I had never heard of Murach Publishing before, therefore, I didn't know what to expect from the book. All the material in the book is presented in an exceptionally clear manner which a beginner to VB will greatly appreciate. Microsoft estimates that 70% of all development done in Visual Basic is for database applications. Murach's Visual Basic 6 does an excellent job of covering many aspects of Visual Basic database programming. Seven chapters of the book are devoted to database programming. These include an introduction to SQL programming, the new database access technology ADO, the new VB6 data report designer, and much more. I really, enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wishes to develop a solid foundation in Visual Basic 6.
Rating:
Summary: Best VB Book Yet!
Review: Murach's Visual Basic 6' is by far the best VB 6 book I have purchased yet! The way the material is presented is great. For once someone had the right idea on how to make up a book. Having the examples on the odd numbered pages saves me time when I know a little about the topic. By looking at the example, I can quickly figure out where my mistakes are without having to read the whole chapter. Doing each step on the even numbered pages with full examples on the facing pages - not just "Hello World" - helps when I miss that one little thing that keeps the whole project from working (it also has saved me a tech support call when I was in a bind). The book is great! I recommend it to everyone from beginner to advanced.
Rating: 
Summary: Publisher takes reader for a fool
Review: Publisher has tried to increase number of pages by wasting lot of space. This book could have easily been printed on less than 300 pages instead of 600+. And over that half the book is wasted on to explain IDE. So the real content is only 20 percent . This book comes without CD so no text searches. I wouldn't pay $20.00 for this book.
Rating: 
Summary: No way "to pro"
Review: The book claims "it takes a beginner to a pro". No way. For beginner only. Compared to several other VB database books out in the market, the book is quite shallow. I recommend VB database how-to from waite and Database Access with Visual Basic 5 by Macnamus. Don't expect much real-world programming from the book. The sample applications are too simple.
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