Rating: 
Summary: Better TITLE: Welcome to Visual Basic and then chomp down.
Review: I'm an avid VB book collector and have been programming for 4 years now. I code for two major corporations. I really dislike alot of these self-taught books that recently hit the VB market. Peter's book starts off fine -- typos here and there? Maybe it was on purpose? :) The book is a little redundant - but that's good for beginners. You really need to have made decent grades in your past basic classes before you pick this book up. I think the author did a good job in keeping my attention and I really appreciate the excercises at the end of each chapter. The bits of humor made me think this guy really cared about this printed effort. Sort of annoying when he hands you meatier subject tidbits and then says "We'll get to that later". No need to do that in a true beginner's book. IF you are really planning to pursue VB programming, buy this book - chock full of VB facts and fun excercises. Better than most and worth more than what Amazon is charging.
Rating: 
Summary: I would like to give it more than 5 stars
Review: I have been trying to learn VB for the past couple of years. I have been looking for a book that will do just that. I am a mainframe programmer (cobol) and therefore I am new to this type of programming. I searched and bought several books on how to learn VB, learn VB in 21 days, learn VB step by step etc. But none of them really taught me VB. I was so confused with all those books. Most of the time the author (after the 3rd chapter) will assume that you have become an expert on the subject. So I will be lost after that. What many authors do not know, is to TEACH a person who DOES NOT know the subject. But Peter is a true teacher. Reading this book is like sitting in a class and following the teacher step by step. He takes the time to re-iterate subjects covered before so that we can re-enforce what we have learned so far. The book is Sooooo organized that by the time you are done with the book, you have learned the VB beginning (basics). Initially VB was like a puzzle thrown at me with no pictures to follow up. But, this book was like showing a picture so that we can put that puzzle together. It helped me a lot. Now I am working on Peter's another book (VB6 Objects). I have not finished it yet. But these books have given be a good head start on VB 6. Great job Peter!!
Rating: 
Summary: OKAY only for beginners!
Review: If you already have some experience in programming, I'd suggest you get a book that covers VB topics in a little more detail, rather than one that just tells you how to open a window,drop a control on the form and set properties in a space of five to ten pages - you get the idea, coz thats exactly what the book does all through.
Agreed that this is supposed to be a book for beginners but hey, anyone who has even a little bit of programming experience and possesses the intelligence of even a high school kid, does not need to be told things that are so obvious.
However for complete novices, who have no programming experience at all, this book may be of good use. All in all this is good buy for those who don't have any experience in programming at all.
Rating:
Summary: Chris Baker
Review: I rarely give 5 stars for anything, because anything can ALWAYS be improved on, but this book is close enough to perfect for me to warrant an exception. This book is perfectly suited for people new to programming, or to programmers who are new to VB. If you are already able to create projects in VB using objects, database support and ActiveX then you obviously need a more advanced book. It starts by familiarizing the reader with the VB environment and how programs are structured. Then he goes straight in to working with data and controls. He gives a Great intro into Obejct Oriented programming and what VB offers in the form of OO development. From there he smoothly guides the user through Database, Windows API, and ActiveX programming with a brief introduction to the principles behind COM. He even helps to guide the reader to additional resources after the book is completed. The examples are clearly explained and he even makes them fun. I would recommend this book to anyone who is beginning down the VB path as the FIRST book they should buy.
Rating:
Summary: A well written Book
Review: Thank you Mr. Wright's and WROX for one of the best Technical Learning Guides I have ever read. The lay out, example code, and exercises are fantastic. They helped me understand Visual Basic without all the pain that usually comes with this type of documentation. I had a little experience in C programming and have dabbled in some Access and Excel programming. This book was perfect for someone who wants to learn the fundamentals of Visual programming and basics of all that goes into a great program. The chapters were laid out great each one a building block on the first. At no time did I get too frustrated going through the example code and the exercises. I do have to admit that at times some of the exercises did challenge my feeble brain. Most the time I even built code and had it work without having to go to the downloaded example. By the way they did come in handy at times. Mr. Wright's I hope that you never loose your humor in writing. It makes reading and comprehension a much easier task. Thanks again.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book for VB 6 beginners!
Review: This is an extremely well written book. Peter Wright has this way of writing that keeps you hooked on to the book. There is a sense of humor which helps. The book explains the topics in quite good detail with screen shots so that one won't get lost! The examples are bug-free and work fine. The chapter on objects and classes, though short gives quite a clear idea of object oriented programming and how VB handles it.The only hitch I found was that Chapter 12 onwards, the book gets a little too fast and some things are explained very tersely. Moreover, there are quite a lot of grammatical errors in Chapter 13 that ruin the train of thought and are irritating! It's as though the editors didn't go through the last few chapters very well. Overall, a very good book for anyone who wants to learn the basics of VB 6.
Rating: 
Summary: Not exactly what I am looking for
Review: This book states "Even if You have never programmed before you will be amazed at how easy it is and how much you can do." I disagree. I am a c++ programmer but never used VB before. I read the first 200 pages then the book start going too fast for me to handle. The book starts slow which is good but not enough examples and practices over the easy areas. Then it goes to other topics with pace dramatically increased... it loses me in no time. I bought this book hoping it can teach me VB, so far I haven't learn enough to create any working program yet... I need to know enough VB to hand in a class room assignment in 4 days.. I guess I have to learn VB online by myself... book isn't that great for beginners.
Rating:
Summary: Clear explanation
Review: This book is excellent for developers who want to learn the intricate details (ya VB can be complex too guys !).
Overall this book with the Microsoft Press book make excellent references.
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Summary: if you don't know what OOP is, then this book is for you...
Review: honestly, if you are just looking for code samples, reference, algorithms...etc This book is not "it", in my expierence the web is by far the best reference which no book can begin to compete with...and oh did I mention it's free? However, if you are a shaking just born programming newbie with no clue what "class, method, event" are or does; then this book will ease you into VB world until you are ready for for what you REALLY want to do with VB albeit database or internet worm to annoy us. Personaly, This books has the BEST explanation what OOP is about and some simple code to proof it. I stole Peter Wright's "class, method, events" analogy and used it in my classroom; Most of the dumb confounded looks went away when I mention the word "class"
Rating:
Summary: For Novices Only, Illiterate Blather Otherwise
Review: Why on earth can't authors of programming books (and their publishers) get in into their heads that somebody picking up a book promising to introduce the reader to programming language x or y is fairly likely to be an industry-experienced programmer and college or university educated? Peter Wright could do with some elementary courses in clear and grammatically correct writing. I didn't spend my time and money to be told that "There are actually lots of different types of numbers." I know what integers and floats and doubles are, and I suspect many of Mr Wright's other readers do as well. What I did expect, however, was that the author would quickly and precisely show me how to declare and use these in VB. Likewise for the other standard programming stuff - arrays, functions, and what have you. So, if you have ever programmed before, and prefer your programming books in the style of K & R's "Intro to C", you are quite likely to toss this book aside, with disgust, and move on elsewhere. Merits 3 stars because of two reasons: (1)Despite the non-stop prattle, the bad writing, the lack of organization, and other defects, the author does seem to be enthusiastic about teaching VB, some of which can be catchy for complete novices. (2)I have seen WORSE computer books -- far, far worse ones I am afraid, and, for all its shortcomings, the author does seem to know his subject even though he decided to adopt the "let us dumb it down" approach in his presentation of it.
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