Mike Murach and Associates has just published a 2008 edition of
their core Visual Basic book, "Murach's Visual Basic 2008." It's
described in detail at the Murach web site:

http://www.murach.com/books/vb08/index.htm

It teaches how to develop Windows forms applications the way the
best professionals do. To do that, it incorporates the features
that have made earlier editions such popular choices among
developers.

#1: It focuses on the essential skills that VB developers need
every day

Although that may sound obvious, some skills tend to be glossed
over or ignored in VB training. But in teaching how to use Visual
Studio 2008 and VB 2008 to develop Windows forms applications, this
book covers skills like how to validate input data, how to work
with different data types, how to use arrays and collections, how
to do structured exception handling, how to read and write text,
binary, and XML files...the kinds of skills needed to develop the
applications that businesses rely on.

#2: There's a 4-chapter section on database programming

Because database handling is so critical in business applications,
this book presents more coverage than is usual in introductory
texts.

To begin, it teaches how to prototype database applications using
rapid application development tools like the data sources feature,
datasets, and bound controls. But beyond that, it shows developers
how to start using ADO.NET to work directly with databases for more
processing control than the RAD tools offer.

#3: It teaches the OOP skills that many developers miss out on

Visual Basic is an object-oriented language, yet many VB developers
have only a hazy understanding of OOP. So this book includes 5
chapters that clearly explain OOP features like inheritance and
interfaces in the context of database applications. The intent is
to provide the kind of background that makes you a more savvy,
confident developer.

#4: It provides practical coverage of new features, especially
LINQ

LINQ is the big news in VB 2008. It allows you to query a data
source using constructs that are built into the VB language. That
way, you can use the same language to access a variety of data
sources, from databases to arrays to XML files. The introductory
chapter on LINQ in this book gives you a practical spin that will
prepare you for more in-depth LINQ training.

#5: Complete applications show how all the pieces interact

One key to mastering VB development is to have plenty of
applications that show how the features you're learning interact
and what problems you might run into as you work on your own. So
this book shows complete Windows forms applications for everyday
business functions. These can be downloaded for free from the
Murach web site, along with coding starts for the practice
exercises in the book.

#6: The paired-pages format lets developers set their own pace

Murach books have a distinctive format, where each two-page spread
presents a single topic. Both beginning and experienced developers
find that this format makes it easy to focus on the information
they need, whether they're using the book for training or reference.

"Murach's Visual Basic 2008" is available from all major retail
outlets and directly from the publisher at the Murach web site:

http://www.murach.com

Quelle: Pressemitteilung Mike Murach & Associates; 04.03.2008