This book provides the best text resource currently on the market for SharePoint 2003 developers and other such technical savvy users who need to know not just the basics, but about the nuts and bolts of the SharePoint products and technologies. The book covers both SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Windows SharePoint Services and covers all aspects of design, development, deployment, through to customisation and troubleshooting.
On the cover, it claims that Bill English, the author has worked with the Microsoft SharePoint teams in producing this Resource Kit. I have used this book for over six months and it is obvious that Bill has in-fact worked along with them. Throughout, the author is able to provide vast in-depth information into SharePoint 2003, while still presenting the information in a clear, well-formatted and understandable manner.
The book is divided into eleven sections covering the introduction of SharePoint products and technologies, Architecture, Planning and Deployment, Administration, Information Management, Security through to Office Integrations and Maintenance. It covers all the areas of SharePoint from basic to advanced functionality and although the book hasn't answered all my questions thrown at it, I have found time and time again, it is the only one with a chance of doing so, or at least putting me on the right track.
Some of the material in the book is repeated on the MSDN web site in various articles, though the book is a lot easier to use than the Microsoft MSDN search facility.