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Hello guys. :)
So, I've finished this book about visual basic: Beginning Visual Basic 2010(Wrox Programmer to Programmer)
I want to know which book should I read next: Visual Basic 2010 Programmer's Reference (Wrox Programmer to Programmer) or Professional Visual Basic 2010 and .NET 4 (Wrox Programmer to Programmer). Which book would you suggest me?
The second one. No, the third one!
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I love these kinds of threads... oh wait... let me rephrase that ... [sarcasm]I love these kinds of threads[/sarcasm].
1) we don't know you.
2) we don't know what you're capabilities are.
3) we don't know how you learn best
4) we don't know what it is you want to do
That last one is the key... what is it you want to do in programming? Why are you learning it? What is it you want to accomplish? First off, make sure you have the basics down, and down good. Then think about what it is you want to do with your programming skills long term. If you want to get into gaming, then I'd say stop with VB now, pick up C#, learn about GDI, DirectX, and graphics, and possibly XNA. If you want to just fart around with programming as a simple side hobby, then, simply judging on the name alone, I'd go with the last book you listed. If you want to get into business development, then you might be better off with something that teaches something about database basics and SQL.
-tg
And then he will come back saying, 'Programming stinks!' ! :oQuote:
Originally Posted by techgnome
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-I'm a 15 year old boyQuote:
Originally Posted by techgnome
-I have two complex Visual Basic programs - here's the first one and here's the second one
-I learn best by watching video tutorials and reading books
-I want to be a programmer in the future
No, I won't, because programming rocksQuote:
Originally Posted by honeybee
"-I want to be a programmer in the future" -- that goes with out saying... the point that I was trying to make is that you need to decide what KIND of programmer you think you want to be... so once you learn your programming skills... ok, great... then what? that was the point I was making. I learned early on that I suck at developing games... I'm much more suited to developing business process and working with data, numbers, logic and developing business process solutions. I had a friend that was the complete opposite... he was much more suited to developing games than I was.
I'll tell you this though - I wouldn't get the Reference book - Visual Basic 2010 Programmer's Reference - as soon as you get it, odds are it'll be out of date... it probably already is anyways. You'll probably be better off learning how to use MSDN.
I don't know... I'd have a tough time recommending any of those...
-tg
side note... it maybe a personal thing, but you might want to reconsider your web design... it acted like it wanted me to use my whole screen for my web browser... really? Also, there wasn't much contrast, making it very difficult to read. Navigating the site didn't work very well, and when I did manage to find a working navigation page, as I clicked through the text got bigger then smaller. Not trying to be harsh, but it really is a poor design.
So you mean you don't ... umm... Never mind!Quote:
Originally Posted by despotovski01
In that case you could still take my suggestion :)
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Thanks for your suggestion. I know my website is poor and ugly. That's why I'm starting to learn HTML to make it better. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by techgnome
Um, learning HTML won't make your website better - it just gives you a bunch of tools. Think of it this way: does flash animations (learning Flash) or how to make animate gifs make web sites better?Quote:
Originally Posted by despotovski01
Likewise, learning to 'program' doesn't make you a programmer, any more than owning a 2000 Snap-on tool set makes you a mechanic. This is why learning what sort of programmer you'd like to be is much more important than the tools you use. You need the desire to make something.
I'd say that there's enough tutorials out there in the innertoobs to find an answer to any problem you encounter, or any task you want to perform. These days it's hard to recommend any book without it being blasted for being out of date or simply a rehash of documentation.
btw, I think you missed the meaning of Honeybees comment responding to technome. Or maybe you were simply ignoring the cloud in the room?
" I think you missed the meaning of Honeybees comment responding to technome. Or maybe you were simply ignoring the cloud in the room?" -- well you know, half of the time we're all just pulling stuff out of our arses....
-tg
I have been part serious, you know, so you should really skip the Programmer's Reference and go for the other book you had proposed.Quote:
Originally Posted by despotovski01
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Yes, that's my decision too. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by honeybee
Honestly, I fail to see why anyone would waste their money on a programming book if they've got an internet connection. I don't think I've looked at a programming book in years - I just reach for google.
The best way to learn is this:-
10. Think of an application you'd like to write
20. Try to write it
30. Resolve all the bits you got stuck on using google
40. GoTo 10
If, somewhere in that process, you can get someone else to set your requirements then so much the better because it'll force you into areas you wouldn't otherwise explore. Other than that it's just about practice.
Thanks for your suggestion! It made me to think again if I want to get the book. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkyDexter
Books are still much better than reading scattered articles on the internet on specific issues in programming. A big amount of time is invested in choosing the content, layout and the overall flow of a book than an internet article. If you want a good understanding of a topic, I would prefer a book over an internet article.Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkyDexter
I do agree though, that if you have any specific tasks to achieve, or issues to resolve, the internet might be the best solution, primarily because of its ability to search a diverse range of artefacts.
Plus books are easy on your eye and can put you to sleep. Not to mention there are no distractions when reading a book, the book won't bleep if you received an email while reading up on multi-threaded webservices!
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The last time I used a programming book was to raise my monitor height so that I could read the online tutorial better.
:lol: The Best answer for " How to use a Programming Book " :lol: I never knew this....lol. Found a better way to use my old programming books....:thumb:Quote:
Originally Posted by mendhak
I prefer to buy my professional books as PDF's that I store on the lap machine. I've always got one going. I get most of mine from APress. I own a copy of Nitro PDF Professional which I use to "mark up" the books. Beats carrying the things around. My laptop and iPhone4 are complete reading environments in themselves. The nice thing about having Nitro is I can make notes inline in the text for future reference but the PDF is always backed-up so the book doesn't wear out. It may go "out of date", but most of the concepts of a book on C#, for example, don't change much, at least not extremely fast.Quote:
Originally Posted by honeybee
Works for me, anyway. Helps me stay really organized and it's as clear as having paper text (actually more so because I can enlarge or shrink the text as needed).
-Max :D
Yeah, but then you miss out on a good excuse to make new friends by meeting them up on the pretext of exchanging books. Yours can be emailed in a jiffy, while mine would have to be delivered personally!
Oh, but today the dating also happens online! I guess I must be getting old...
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Perhaps, though I'm not interested in meeting people to swap books, nor am I interested in dating. I stopped dating 26 years ago ... well, sort-of. I still take my wife out on dates frequently, but that doesn't count here. ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by honeybee
Any titles I have right now that are hard-copy, I take and donate to the County Library when I'm done with them.
Hmm.... over here, books still work out cheaper, as not everyone can afford a tablet. It's much easier to buy a book for a fraction of the cost and keep reading it over and over. Plus sometime or the other you need power to charge those devices. Books take none, so they work out cheaper and convenient in that sense too.
When travelling in a crowded train, I wouldn't mind opening up a book and holding it to my nose to read, but I sure as hell don't want to do that to my tablet. I don't even take my cellphone out of the pocket, unless it's absolutely necessary, and then too I make sure I am standing somewhere safe where I won't drop the phone.
So, yes, e-books and e-readers might be great, but at present they still have to outperform paper in my world.
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Sounds like, in your situation, hard-copy works out best.
Just about everywhere I am right now I can have my laptop system right in front of me so that's where all my professional books go. Since I have a PDF editing program (Nitro) I can make notes in them as easily (and neater) than if I was writing in the margins. The PDF versions of these books are also about 40% cheaper than the printed versions of the same books. (Look up on APress.Com).
As for books like novels, those go on my iPhone4. I use EReader and iBooks. The retina display is at-least as clear [if not clearer] than a paperback in my hand and I can have all my titles in the device at the same time. Pocket library, literally. I use the iPhone as a phone when I'm not using it for this! ;-)
-Max
I think doing internet searches and using internet tutorials and places like this site definitely are very helpful but I think books also have their place. When I was building my website I used a book Visual Web Developer 2008 Step by Step and it helped me enormously and put a lot of information together in a handy package. Yes I had to pay some money for the book but it was worth it to me. If I was determined I could have gathered all that information and done all the things I did without the book but for me it was worth the money I paid. I recommend using both ebay and amazon. amazon sells used books and ebay too but not as often. I've also got books with defects in the cover but all the pages are good for next to nothing. You can save a lot of money if you're smart in your purchases.
EntityX, if I want to understand a subject thoroughly my first choice would still be a book. However if I am stuck in a particular problem, I would go for the internet search half the time.
Max, I shall keep your style of organization in mind for when I can do the same, though it won't be in the near future.
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[off topic]Quote:
Originally Posted by mendhak
this made my day haha thanks.
[on topic]
as FunkyDexter said
that is how I've learned programming, i never even opened a book about programming..Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkyDexter
"Cobol For Masochists"
I have yet to read a programming book that would teach me how to program efficiently but at the same time elegantly. I find that the best way to learn these things is to look at other people's code especially the open source ones and learn their clever tricks. Books are good to get you started but if you want to go to advanced levels it's all about accumulating experience and constantly applying those.
Cobol for Maoists ?? Am I missing something?
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Isn't that redundant?Quote:
Originally Posted by wossname
I recommend using both amazon and auction web sites. amazon offers used guides and auction web sites too but not as often. I've also got guides with problems in the cover but all the pages are good for next to nothing.