Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 (Expert's Voice in .NET) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 (Expert's Voice in .NET)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 (Expert's Voice in .NET). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 (Expert's Voice in .NET) ReviewMicrosoft must be under new management, we are getting a slew of new, truly useful tools that are making pretty big strides forward for faster more enjoyable C# development and ease of maintenance. The latest technologies seem well worth taking the time to master. I find the combination of LINQ and the Sync framework couldn't have come at a better time. While the book mentions that LINQ to SQL only supports SQL Server, that is no longer true as you can also use (at least) MS SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5 (which is required for the Sync Framework). You can't use the visual object relational designer with SSCE but the book documents SQLMetal, and you can use that to create your context.
Overall I found this to be a very good book but it has a few flaws. If like me you are interested in LINQ for a current or upcoming database project here is what I would suggest. First don't start with this book, finish with it. Start with the ten excellent screencasts by Mike Taulty. Then read this book. Your reading will go much faster and you'll get a satisfyingly sated feeling. The author will probably hate me for saying this, but if you already know SQL or ADO.NET 2.0, I would suggest reading Chapters 1-3, then skim 4 and 5 just to get an overview of the operators available. Then read part 5 (Chapters 12-18) on LINQ to SQL. After you digest that I would suggest whichever topics interest you the most, then I would finish with a more thorough read of Chapters 4 and 5 on Deferred and Nondeffered operators, which in my mind are really a thoroughly documented reference section.
The reason the author will hate that, is he doesn't want readers to use LINQ for just database purposes, and he states that many times in the book. In fact, I think that is why he put the LINQ to SQL section at the end. However, he seems to have made a significant effort to make any part readable on its own, so I see no problem with skipping to the end so early.
The book doesn't really cover data binding, but there is a lot of good information on that available on the internet (the above mentioned screencasts show some of them, and an overly long video on Channel 9 with Young Joo from August 2007 shows even more).
I also have a few nit-picky things that drove me crazy. The most significant one being the amount of repetition and unedited console output. I was also none too happy that the author didn't mention that the Visual Studio Command prompt was under the START menu not an IDE menu. But then again without the author I wouldn't even have known there was a Visual Studio 2008 command prompt.
The weakest part of the book is the index, it is downright anemic. In the several weeks since I've finised the book the index has NEVER helped me find things I remember reading. If you find items of interest you better pencil them into the back cover if you want to find them again later. If one book ever needed a free PDF, this one is it, but they charge $10 for it. Maybe that is why they made the index so bad, to encourage you to fork over another $10.
That said, I also found a good half-dozen or so gems in the book that saved me significant time. Now I could tell you what those are but I think you should buy the book to find out.
Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 (Expert's Voice in .NET) OverviewLINQ (Language INtegrated Query) is a new addition to the .NET Framework that Microsoft will be releasing alongside the next version of Visual Studio ("Orcas") in mid-2007. It is set to revolutionize the way that database applications are constructed by providing developers with a standard set of queries that they can implement in the same way regardless of the data-source that they are working with. Whether it's an XML file, a text file, an Oracle database or a SQL database they're all accessed the same way through the LINQ syntax. This is an enormously powerful new feature that affects almost all users of the .NET Framework. As a result it's already being eagerly anticipated and generating a huge amount of buzz in the .NET community.Pro LINQ will be the first book published on the final release version of the software. It will provide a complete overview of this important emerging technology. In a detailed 500 pages readers are taken through all of LINQ's important features showing how the technology can be put to practical use quickly and simply. By reading this book they will be able to get ahead of the game and be ready when the new technology breaks.

Want to learn more information about Pro LINQ: Language Integrated Query in C# 2008 (Expert's Voice in .NET)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now