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Home > Archive > microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcsd > November 2002 > MSPress Certification Training Kit is Very Poor Quality
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MSPress Certification Training Kit is Very Poor Quality
|
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| MCSD Wannabe 2002-11-11, 8:23 am |
| I've heard and read several bad things about the MS Press
training kits for .NET, so what do people recommend? I've
also heard that one source won't suffice to pass - that
you need 2 or 3 different sources.
Suggestions?
>-----Original Message-----
>I just recently bought the self-paced training kit for
>exam 70-316/306 (Win based apps w/C# and vb.net), this
>book is full of errors and completely incorrect
>statements, In the first 3 chapters I found 4 glaring
>errors, one of which was a completely false statement
that
>is just nuts. I think it is completely irresponsible for
>Microsoft to allow such poor quality books to be
published
>in thier name especially when the book is meant to
prepare
>people for difficult certification exams.
>
>Here they are (the last one is the worst);
>These are just what I found in the first 3 chapters, I
>won't be bothering to read the rest of this sad text.
>
>MSPress Developing Windows-Based Applications with
>Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual C# .NET
>Training Kit for Exams 70-306 and 70-316.
>
>Page 55:
>In regards to the Form.Show method, the book states "This
>method causes an instance of a form class to load into
>memory...". This is wrong, the constructor call with the
>new statement loads the object instance into memory; The
>Form.Show method when called for the first time actually
>tells Windows to create the physical window and display
it
>on the screen, you can use the instantiated object and
set
>properties etc. before you call the Show method, for
>example:
>DialogForm myForm = new DialogForm();
>myForm.BackColor = Color.White;
>myForm.Show();
>
>Page 60:
>A code example to abort a form closing in the
Form.Closing
>event is written as follows;
>VB.Net:
>CancelEventArgs.Cancel = True
>and C#:
>CancelEventArgsCancel = true;
>This code wouldn't even compile because it uses the type
>name rather than the actual argument and should be:
>e.Cancel = true;
>
>Page 113:
>At the begining of the book on Page 9 a Note
>states "Throughout this book, when Visual Basic and C#
>terms are mentioned together in text, the VB term appears
>first, followed by the C# term in parenthesis." Which the
>book follows until page 113 (last paragraph) where they
>have: "Parse is a static(Shared) method,..." which of
>course should be "Parse is a Shared(static) method,..".
>
>Page 133:
>In regards to Read-Only properties, the book states: "In
>both languages, the private variable that holds the
>property value must be marked with the ReadOnly(readonly)
>keyword." and they state it again later in the
>instructions list to create a read-only property: "1.
>Create a private readonly member variable to hold the
>property value." The underlying field that a readonly
>property exposes does not have to be readonly itself,
this
>is completely ridiculous but is something that a green
>developer probably wouldn't catch, which also
>makes it insidious.
>
>.
>
| |
| Martin 2002-11-11, 6:23 pm |
| Try programming Microsoft Visual Basic.Net by Fancesco Balena.
When I studied for my original VB6 MCSD I used several training kits.
The one for SQL server in particular was very usefull. However when
looking for stuff for my .Net cert I was very dissapointed as I
skimmed through the MS training kits at a bookstore. Instead I
purchased 'Programming Microsoft Visual Basic.Net' by Fancesco Balena
published by MS Press. I am finding it to be an excellent resource.
This book will definetly be a keeper. Although not as step by step as
the training kits, it covers everything in much more depth. The only
major issue with this book for some people is that it assumes
knowledge of VB6. Not a problem for me but for a newbie this would
not necesarily be an appropriate book.
Martin
"MCSD Wannabe" <martinjjjj@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:< 3c0701c2898a$5e6c4040$3bef2ecf
@TKMSFTNGXA10>...
> I've heard and read several bad things about the MS Press
> training kits for .NET, so what do people recommend? I've
> also heard that one source won't suffice to pass - that
> you need 2 or 3 different sources.
>
> Suggestions?
> >-----Original Message-----
> >I just recently bought the self-paced training kit for
> >exam 70-316/306 (Win based apps w/C# and vb.net), this
> >book is full of errors and completely incorrect
> >statements, In the first 3 chapters I found 4 glaring
> >errors, one of which was a completely false statement
> that
> >is just nuts. I think it is completely irresponsible for
> >Microsoft to allow such poor quality books to be
> published
> >in thier name especially when the book is meant to
> prepare
> >people for difficult certification exams.
> >
> >Here they are (the last one is the worst);
> >These are just what I found in the first 3 chapters, I
> >won't be bothering to read the rest of this sad text.
> >
> >MSPress Developing Windows-Based Applications with
> >Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual C# .NET
> >Training Kit for Exams 70-306 and 70-316.
> >
> >Page 55:
> >In regards to the Form.Show method, the book states "This
> >method causes an instance of a form class to load into
> >memory...". This is wrong, the constructor call with the
> >new statement loads the object instance into memory; The
> >Form.Show method when called for the first time actually
> >tells Windows to create the physical window and display
> it
> >on the screen, you can use the instantiated object and
> set
> >properties etc. before you call the Show method, for
> >example:
> >DialogForm myForm = new DialogForm();
> >myForm.BackColor = Color.White;
> >myForm.Show();
> >
> >Page 60:
> >A code example to abort a form closing in the
> Form.Closing
> >event is written as follows;
> >VB.Net:
> >CancelEventArgs.Cancel = True
> >and C#:
> >CancelEventArgsCancel = true;
> >This code wouldn't even compile because it uses the type
> >name rather than the actual argument and should be:
> >e.Cancel = true;
> >
> >Page 113:
> >At the begining of the book on Page 9 a Note
> >states "Throughout this book, when Visual Basic and C#
> >terms are mentioned together in text, the VB term appears
> >first, followed by the C# term in parenthesis." Which the
> >book follows until page 113 (last paragraph) where they
> >have: "Parse is a static(Shared) method,..." which of
> >course should be "Parse is a Shared(static) method,..".
> >
> >Page 133:
> >In regards to Read-Only properties, the book states: "In
> >both languages, the private variable that holds the
> >property value must be marked with the ReadOnly(readonly)
> >keyword." and they state it again later in the
> >instructions list to create a read-only property: "1.
> >Create a private readonly member variable to hold the
> >property value." The underlying field that a readonly
> >property exposes does not have to be readonly itself,
> this
> >is completely ridiculous but is something that a green
> >developer probably wouldn't catch, which also
> >makes it insidious.
> >
> >.
> >
| |
| MCSD Wannabe 2002-11-11, 8:23 pm |
| Thanks, Martin! I'll definitely go check out that book.
Cheers!
>-----Original Message-----
>Try programming Microsoft Visual Basic.Net by Fancesco
Balena.
>
>When I studied for my original VB6 MCSD I used several
training kits.
>The one for SQL server in particular was very usefull.
However when
>looking for stuff for my .Net cert I was very
dissapointed as I
>skimmed through the MS training kits at a bookstore.
Instead I
>purchased 'Programming Microsoft Visual Basic.Net' by
Fancesco Balena
>published by MS Press. I am finding it to be an
excellent resource.
>This book will definetly be a keeper. Although not as
step by step as
>the training kits, it covers everything in much more
depth. The only
>major issue with this book for some people is that it
assumes
>knowledge of VB6. Not a problem for me but for a newbie
this would
>not necesarily be an appropriate book.
>
>Martin
>
>
>"MCSD Wannabe" <martinjjjj@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:< 3c0701c2898a$5e6c4040$3bef2ecf
@TKMSFTNGXA10>...
>> I've heard and read several bad things about the MS
Press
>> training kits for .NET, so what do people recommend?
I've
>> also heard that one source won't suffice to pass - that
>> you need 2 or 3 different sources.
>>
>> Suggestions?
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >I just recently bought the self-paced training kit for
>> >exam 70-316/306 (Win based apps w/C# and vb.net), this
>> >book is full of errors and completely incorrect
>> >statements, In the first 3 chapters I found 4 glaring
>> >errors, one of which was a completely false statement
>> that
>> >is just nuts. I think it is completely irresponsible
for[c
olor=darkred]
>> >Microsoft to allow such poor quality books to be
>> published
>> >in thier name especially when the book is meant to
>> prepare
>> >people for difficult certification exams.
>> >
>> >Here they are (the last one is the worst);
>> >These are just what I found in the first 3 chapters, I
>> >won't be bothering to read the rest of this sad text.
>> >
>> >MSPress Developing Windows-Based Applications with
>> >Microsoft Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual[/color]
C# . NET[c
olor=darkred]
>> >Training Kit for Exams 70-306 and 70-316.
>> >
>> >Page 55:
>> >In regards to the Form.Show method, the book[/color]
states " This[
color=darkred]
>> >method causes an instance of a form class to load into
>> >memory...". This is wrong, the constructor call with[/color]
the[c
olor=darkred]
>> >new statement loads the object instance into memory;[/color]
The[c
olor=darkred]
>> >Form.Show method when called for the first time[/color]
actually
>> >tells Windows to create the physical window and
display
>> it
>> >on the screen, you can use the instantiated object and
>> set
>> >properties etc. before you call the Show method, for
>> >example:
>> >DialogForm myForm = new DialogForm();
>> >myForm.BackColor = Color.White;
>> >myForm.Show();
>> >
>> >Page 60:
>> >A code example to abort a form closing in the
>> Form.Closing
>> >event is written as follows;
>> >VB.Net:
>> >CancelEventArgs.Cancel = True
>> >and C#:
>> >CancelEventArgsCancel = true;
>> >This code wouldn't even compile because it uses the
type[
color=darkred]
>> >name rather than the actual argument and should be:
>> >e.Cancel = true;
>> >
>> >Page 113:
>> >At the begining of the book on Page 9 a Note
>> >states "Throughout this book, when Visual Basic and C#
>> >terms are mentioned together in text, the VB term[/color]
appears
>> >first, followed by the C# term in parenthesis." Which
the[c
olor=darkred]
>> >book follows until page 113 (last paragraph) where[/color]
they[
color=darkred]
>> >have: "Parse is a static(Shared) method,..." which of
>> >course should be "Parse is a Shared(static) method,..".
>> >
>> >Page 133:
>> >In regards to Read-Only properties, the book[/color]
states: " In[co
lor=darkred]
>> >both languages, the private variable that holds the
>> >property value must be marked with the ReadOnly[/color]
(readonly)
>> >keyword." and they state it again later in the
>> >instructions list to create a read-only property: "1.
>> >Create a private readonly member variable to hold the
>> >property value." The underlying field that a readonly
>> >property exposes does not have to be readonly itself,
>> this
>> >is completely ridiculous but is something that a green
>> >developer probably wouldn't catch, which also
>> >makes it insidious.
>> >
>> >.
>> >
>.
>
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