.NET Architecture and Programming Using Visual C++

Rating:
Summary: I hope there's better
Review: I agree 100% with dc man2002 review. As an experienced/professional VC++ developer, I found this book completely useless as a reference to VC++ .Net. The book claims to cover UI development in VC++ .Net, but I don't think the acronym MFC was mentioned once in the book. I was looking more for something that would cover the new aspects of VC++ with a smooth transistion from 6.0 to .Net. I found myself starting to skip pages, then chapters, trying to find something to make the connection. I started to wonder if the author had ever written a VC++ 6.0 application. After reading a section about UI development that said something to the effect "You'd be better off doing this in C#", I was almost positive he hadn't. This book would be accurately titled ".Net Managed C++ Extensions."

Rating:
Summary: I hope there's better
Review: I agree 100% with dc man2002 review. As an experienced/professional VC++ developer, I found this book completely useless as a reference to VC++ .Net. The book claims to cover UI development in VC++ .Net, but I don't think the acronym MFC was mentioned once in the book. I was looking more for something that would cover the new aspects of VC++ with a smooth transistion from 6.0 to .Net. I found myself starting to skip pages, then chapters, trying to find something to make the connection. I started to wonder if the author had ever written a VC++ 6.0 application. After reading a section about UI development that said something to the effect "You'd be better off doing this in C#", I was almost positive he hadn't. This book would be accurately titled ".Net Managed C++ Extensions."

Rating:
Summary: Awful, Pushes C# and Managed extensions
Review: If you want to move from Visual C++ 6.0 to the newest version 7.0 or .NET, this book will either A) make you learn 600+ pages of managed extensions and C# that you don't need, thus you'll end up cursing Microsoft for making life so difficult for everybody; or B) will discourage you from using VC .NET altogether. Why not simply devote a tiny chapter to demonstrating how to do basic things familiar from VC 6.0 in unmanaged code and without C# ? The reader is lead to believe that Visual Studio .NET is unusable without these two.

For example, the authors claim that it is impossible to develop graphical interface in VC++ .NET and one has to design these features in C# and then optionally port them to C++. This is gross misinformation! One can do everything that was possible in VC 6.0 and much more without a single line of managed code or C#. Most importantly this new version of Visual C++ is standard compliant and supports all the newest additions to the language, including STL. MFC and everything else are expanded and improved etc. One doesn't need managed code or C# to use all these features. Granted, managed extensions might be helpful in internet programming, but again, they are not indispensible, contrary to what the authors will tell you.
I should admit though that the book was written about beta version of the Visual Studio .NET; the title is somewhat misleading however: the book is about .NET extension of Visual C++, not about Visual C++ .NET as one might think. Bottom line: this book makes you learn two new languages: managed C++ and C#, which you can do without.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book
Review: This book is proposed for the experienced C++ programmers. The book is very practical, with many examples, and includes a case study that is used to as a realistic demonstration that continues through many of the chapters. this book is intended for experienced C++ developers and provides all the practical insight they need to build Windows and Web Systems for Microsoft's .NET Platform using VC++. With this you can Leverage your Visual C++ skills in advanced .NET development! This book ".NET Architecture and Programming Using Visual C++" gives an innovative dimension of realistic approach to building Windows and Web system with the power of Visual C++.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is a great book, perhaps the best on Visual C++ .Net I've ever read. Very clear, covers many interesting and new topics.
Since there are not many books on VC++ .Net, and most of the .Net books cover C# and/or VB, this is really a must for any C++ developer who would like to move to C++ .Net.