Rating: 
Summary: The best single book available for the MCSD cert
Review: I wouldn't advise anyone studying to pass Microsoft VB's 175 or 176 exams to use just one book. However, if someone needed my recommendation for only one book, Foxall's "MCSD in a Nutshell" would be it. Unlike many other MCSD books, Foxall doesn't spend any time insulting professional VB programmers with beginner VB details (which, believe it or not, is what some MCSD books do in their first chapters). On page 9, he's already describing how to display a pop-up menu during program runtime. He assumes that if you need a beginner's tutorial, you shouldn't even be thinking about these exams.The book begins with a table dividing the skills & technologies tested on these two exams, the way every certification book should begin. Foxall's treatment of COM and ActiveX is outstanding. In fact, I learned more in the 38-page COM chapter than I did in all of Wrox's VB COM book. The chapters on "Packaging & Deployment" & "Visual SourceSafe" are also noteworthy, primarily because other books skimp on these topics while Microsoft still heavily tests on them. A final note: people will be drawn to this book mainly for help passing the MCSD exams. Let's not downplay the usefulness of this book as an excellent Visual Basic resource for advanced VB programmers.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Exam Prep!
Review: This book is a good exam prep book. It takes a no-fluff approach to passing the exams. The material in it is concise, and to the point. It tells you what you need to know to get the questions right on the exam. It also has good examples and would make a good programming reference for VB programmers. If you're trying to learn VB, this isn't the book for you. While experienced VB programmers will find very useful information in this book, it is not meant to teach VB from the ground up. The architecture section of the book, like most of the Architecture books, covers a lot about the Microsoft Solutions Framework. This makes sense considering the topic of the exam. However, the exam itself concentrates on case studies and being able to pick system requirements out of them. It also concentrates on good database design. There is very little on the actual MSF on the exam, and hence that section of the book is only partially useful.
Rating:
Summary: The Reviews were right!
Review: I purchased this book because of all the positive reviews it got.And it seems that everyone that I read was a good review.
So,I started reading it the day I got it.I have only been through the first 3 chapters . I have already learned more about COM and three-tier applications,than any MS Press book I have read.I would have to say the author does and outstanding job at going in depth about topics.Also,he lets you know what is more then likey to show up on the exams.He's not one of those authors who just knows VB,he is actually MCSD certified.I think that has to say a whole lot about him and his experince.
I would say coming from someone who has only read 3 chapters of the book and giving it 5 stars.That should say enough about this book as a study guide or just to sharpen your skills as a VB Developer.I recommend this book for any VB Developer to add to his library. NOTE:I dont recommend it if you are trying to learn VB ,that's probally not going to happen.
Rating:
Summary: The best single book available for the MCSD cert
Review: I wouldn't advise anyone studying to pass Microsoft VB's 175 or 176 exams to use just one book. However, if someone needed my recommendation for only one book, Foxall's "MCSD in a Nutshell" would be it. Unlike many other MCSD books, Foxall doesn't spend any time insulting professional VB programmers with beginner VB details (which, believe it or not, is what some MCSD books do in their first chapters). On page 9, he's already describing how to display a pop-up menu during program runtime. He assumes that if you need a beginner's tutorial, you shouldn't even be thinking about these exams. The book begins with a table dividing the skills & technologies tested on these two exams, the way every certification book should begin. Foxall's treatment of COM and ActiveX is outstanding. In fact, I learned more in the 38-page COM chapter than I did in all of Wrox's VB COM book. The chapters on "Packaging & Deployment" & "Visual SourceSafe" are also noteworthy, primarily because other books skimp on these topics while Microsoft still heavily tests on them. A final note: people will be drawn to this book mainly for help passing the MCSD exams. Let's not downplay the usefulness of this book as an excellent Visual Basic resource for advanced VB programmers.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Book
Review: I guess i'm late, cus microsoft is now phasing out MCSD! Anyway i did both 70-175 and 70-176 yesterday (April 26th, 2004) and i Aced both exams (900 and 814 respectively). I primarily used this book, it covers everything u need to know. The great thing is that Mr. Foxall actually did thesed xams and understands exactly what they're about and as such does an excellent job in presenting the material. The chapter on Package and deployment and COM are the best i've seen yet! THIS BOOK + TEST KING practice questions EQUALS PASS.
Rating:
Summary: A Tremendous Help
Review: I just passed 70-176 today and I have to give James Foxall's book a lot of credit. It covered all the areas covered on the exam and does an excellent job at it. I do have to say this, however, that his or anybody elses book alone will not guarantee a passing grade. You definitely need to supplement any book with Transcender. Transcender helped me uncover the areas I was weak in and Jim's book helped me brush up on those areas. The two together will go a long way towards success. I also have very little real world experience in VB. Most of it was through what I did on my own and what seems like a mountain of exercises. So any of you that have day to day experience in VB and haven't taken any of the exams, then this book + Transcender + your experience --- hey, you've got it made.
Rating:
Summary: That What you need for Test (70-175 & 70-176)
Review: This Is book is taking (Point) you exactly to the exam subjects , Thata All I can say.
Rating:
Summary: Made Me a MCP
Review: I cleared the MCP vb desktop exam with high marks and this is the book which really helped me achieve it.This book covered 90 % of the exam needs.The matter in the book is directly related to the exam , however it does miss certain details like the 'will events' of ADO.Neverthless I will like to thank Mr Foxall for a excellent book.
Rating: 
Summary: Unhappy Camper
Review: I am a programmer with over thirty years of experience so obviously I am one of those hopeless oldtimers who struggle with the paradigm shift. I purchased this tome some time ago in order to prepare for the VB exams. My decision was based on the 4 Plus star ratings, but I must tell anyone interested that I have been very disappointed in the book. I find it misleading, ambiguous and in some cases plain wrong. For instance, I got the exercise on pages 205-211 to work fine, although a brief explanation of why the index of the first option button was set to 1 would have been very helpful to a beginner. And, if the hands on exercise on pages 212-215 works you couldn't prove it by me. I've reentered the thing twice, checked that the database exists and can be browsed in Access. But for the life of me the thing doesn't work. I suppose this is a reflection of how little I've learned to this point and could be due to some failing on my part. However, I am sure that I have entered what is in the book and applied as much insight as thirty years of programming might provide, but when I click on the data control arrows nothing happens. That's my sad story. Thanks for letting me spout off.
Rating:
Summary: MCSD in a Nutshell + Transcender = Pass!
Review: This book and the Transcender courses help me pass both exams (70-176 Designing and Implementing Desktop Applications using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 and 70-175 Designing and Implementing Distributed Applications using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0). Please note: I used about 6 or 7 books as study guides. Material in all of the chapters could or will be on the either exam but pay attention to Chapter 13 - Packaging and Deploying an Application and Chapter 14 Visual SourceSafe and the Visual Component Manager. My exams had an overwhelming number of questions about these subjects. The author indicates at the beginning of each chapter what material is covered on each of the exams. With the exception of Chapter 12 (Creating Microsoft Transaction Server Components), I found the material in every chapter could be on either exam. Regardless of which exam you are going to take, if you read the chapters religiously, you will be prepared for whatever questions that are on either exam. When you combine this book with the Transcender courses, you will pass the exams. Good Luck!
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