Understanding .NET: A Tutorial and Analysis [Paperback]

This book is an explanation of key tenets of .NET and how the .NET technologies are related. The text is also mixed with straight shooting opinions, real-world application and analysis, and comparisons to other competitive computing environments. If you have had a curiosity about something in .NET, David probably addresses it in one of the analysis sections. The Microsoft camp and the Java camp alike will appreciate David's frankness as he tells it like it is, whether a Microsoft weakness or strength.

This book should be intended for:
* Those who need an overview of .NET like technical managers.
* Non-Microsoft developers who want to see what all the fuss is about.

If you want to score some points with your boss, provide this book as it is destined to be the next technical manager classic. What David did for COM, he has now done for .NET.

The 'Tutorial and Analysis' starts by putting .NET in context and defining the .NET Framework, Visual Studio.NET, the .NET servers and Web Services amongst other terms/concepts. This first chapter is also effectively an overview of the 6 chapters that follow it: Web Services, CLR, languages, ADO.NET, ASP.NET and the best overview of the huge .NET Framework Class Library I have come across. There are simple code examples demonstrating the theory but of course they are just "tasters" and further books for each major area are required in order to start coding for real.

Technical managers and newbies will be mad not to get their hands on this book; however for those with hands-on experience the benefit is there only if the big picture is still not clear.

Understanding .NET provides an objective and comprehensive overview of .NET, including chapters on how Web Services work, functionality of the Common Runtime Language, comparisons between .NET programming languages, how to work with the Class Library, new features of ADO.NET and ASP.NET, a description of .NET My Services, and how all of these parts fit together.

Most obviously, this book is a perfect starting point for developers who may be skilled in DNA or some other architecture but new to .NET. The familiar terminology and intelligent references provide engaging, informative reading, and there is enough density and new information to make every paragraph worth reading. This is not one of those easy-listening books where the reader is advised in the preface to skip the first three chapters.

This book also has much to offer developers who may have been working with .NET for some time but somehow missed the beginning of the movie. When plunging into a particular area of a new technology, especially one as vast as .NET, it is quite easy to never be completely clear about the main plot. By placing each major aspect of .NET clearly in context Chappell enables developers to back off for a moment to see the big picture, quite likely leading to exploration of new areas and a more comprehensive "understanding" of the environment.

For technical managers who want a clear understanding of the workings of the .NET Framework but naturally can't afford to make a career out of the details, Understanding .NET is a must read. This is perhaps as far into the details as a manager needs to go, but it should be mandatory material for any technical manager worth his or her salt. Because of Chappell's focused writing style, this book is even suitable for a layperson who needs to be a step ahead.

Understanding .NET is no sissy book, and at the same time it's not rocket science. It is an aptly titled volume with a wealth of information that everyone involved with .NET needs to know. --Review by David A.