Rating: 
Summary: just look at the price!
Review: Buy it, you will know what I mean.
Buy it, unless you don't mind your precious time.
Buy it, you will understand why it's so CHEAP. It was cheaper.
Rating: 
Summary: complete for the beginner
Review: I am a third year student at UCLA and a programming major. I am currently in my second C++ course and needed some help with Windows programming. I bought Osborn's book Visual C++.NET.I have to tell you that this book is very complete. I wasn't so interested in the introductory C++ stuff because I had that in my first C++ course. (Well, okay - I had to review a lot of that material). However, the Windows code and how to write programs was great. We're using a text book in my course that has a lot of theory but not many examples. The Osborn book has GREAT example code. I was drawing shapes and pasting pictures in programs in just a couple of days. Others in my class couldn't figure out how to put images in code - I had to show them. My boy friend is in graduate school and he has borrowed this book twice - that is saying a lot because he is such a brain. Osborn - your book reall helped me.
Rating: 
Summary: C# ?????
Review: I bought this book to learn about the latest programming in C++. Can you imagine my surprise when I learned about a new language called C#. Now, I know, I've probably led a sheltered life - but I have become a programmer by being self taught. I thought C++ was the latest language. The book does a great job on C++ and how it relates to Visual Studio Net. I must confess that I've always had a rough time with the concept of pointers, but I think this book helped me on that one. Now the chapters on C# have gotten me interested in that language. Off to the bookstore again. Ha Ha
Rating:
Summary: Best of the best
Review: I have been using books by these authors and Herb Schildt for over 10 years. Not only do I like Osborne books but I like these authors. First, Osborne books are easy to read (not that small type - you know what I mean). Murry and Pappas also give a lot of short programming examples which are very helpful for new programmers. I liked the C++ coverage in the book but also liked the material on STL, MFC, etc. I'm about 1/2 through the book and found that the code works correctly. A good book if you want everyhting from soup to nuts in one book. But don't plan on carrying it too far - it is over 1000 pages.
Rating:
Summary: one after another
Review: I have been using books by these authors and Herb Schildt for over 10 years. Not only do I like Osborne books but I like these authors. First, Osborne books are easy to read (not that small type - you know what I mean). Murry and Pappas also give a lot of short programming examples which are very helpful for new programmers. I liked the C++ coverage in the book but also liked the material on STL, MFC, etc. I'm about 1/2 through the book and found that the code works correctly. A good book if you want everyhting from soup to nuts in one book. But don't plan on carrying it too far - it is over 1000 pages.
Rating:
Summary: Neither Complete Nor Accurate, Cut and Paste not even done c
Review: I have spent the last year and ½ working with .NET particularly in the area of Managed C++, C++ and COM Interop, and bought this book to see if there was anything they add to add. This book is touted as a "complete reference." So it is with great shock that in 1073 pages, they fail to even mention Managed Extensions for C++, which arguably is the single most important part of Visual C++.NET. Indeed, the index does not even contain the word "managed!" A person picking up this book may be expected to see a discussion of the profound changes that .NET brings to the Windows programmer. Not even mentioned. Strangely enough, we get a chapter, Chapter 24: C# A Windows Application" that has a chapter on C# without even mentioning .NET!
There is no overview chapter on .NET, the CLR and the CTS, and how they enable cross-language inter-operation. There is no chapter on the new keywords that Managed Extensions introduces like __gc, __valuetype, __pin and so forth. There is no chapter(s) on using .NET's BCL from C++, there is no chapter on how to migrate code to the managed environment, no chapter on mixing managed and unmanaged code, and no COM Interop chapter to name a few.
That's not even the worst part. I got up to page 13 and had to stop because of the sheer number of technical errors. On page 6, we have this interesting tidbit "For these developers, SQL debugging and MTS are integrated into the development environment making development of distributed-transaction-oriented applications faster and easier (SQL Server and MTS come with the Enterprise Edition of Visual C++)." Whoops! Forgot to cut this part out from the last edition and change it! This is a description of Visual C++ Enterprise 6.0! MTS has long since been replaced by COM+ and in some regards .NET. Neither SQL Server nor MTS comes with the Enterprise Edition. It just gets worse from there.
There's no excuse for books like this (and these two authors have been particularly bad at this in other .NET books like this). This kind of cut and pasting from previous editions and missing the boat on most of the meat of this new release does readers a real dis-service.
Rating:
Summary: More than you'll need
Review: I met the authors at COMDEX about 5 years ago at the Osborne booth. I'm sure they would not remember me. What struck me about these guys was how concerned they were about teaching people correct programming techniques. That thought always stuck with me. I saw this book in the book store and started thumbing through it - not intending to buy it. However, to my surprise, they have gone on to explain templates and the STL. These are topics that I did not know much about. I then spent about an hour in the book store checking out other chapters and finally decided to buy the book. Two days ago, I was writing Windows programs and including material from the STL. A week ago I had no clue how to do this. I guess Pappas and Murray are still working hard at getting the core material out to us! Good job, guys.
Rating:
Summary: More than you'll need
Review: I met the authors at COMDEX about 5 years ago at the Osborne booth. I'm sure they would not remember me. What struck me about these guys was how concerned they were about teaching people correct programming techniques. That thought always stuck with me. I saw this book in the book store and started thumbing through it - not intending to buy it. However, to my surprise, they have gone on to explain templates and the STL. These are topics that I did not know much about. I then spent about an hour in the book store checking out other chapters and finally decided to buy the book. Two days ago, I was writing Windows programs and including material from the STL. A week ago I had no clue how to do this. I guess Pappas and Murray are still working hard at getting the core material out to us! Good job, guys.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the best
Review: I spent 2 1/2 hours carefully studying C++.NET books (and over $5 on various cakes and coffee goodies). This is my opinion and why I bought this book. I am not so concerned about NET, but these authors certainly covered C++.NET in detail. What I do want to learn is C++. I was a COBOL programmer until a recent layoff and was told that C++ is the language of the future. I tried a couple of times to learn this language, and almost resorted to taking a class at a local college. Anyway, last week was my FINAL attempt to get started on my own. I bought this book and am already in chapter 8. I have worked my way through programming examples, created a few of my own and am building confidence that I can eventually master this stuff. Now - why did I buy THIS book. First, it's over 1000 pages. Second, it has tons of programming examples. Third, it is layed out in a simple yet progressive manner, and fourth - I like Osborne books (in general). So there you have it - my opinion in a nutshell.
Rating:
Summary: C++ Book
Review: I wasn't going to buy this book because I own the previous edition - BUT!
Pappas and Murray have out done themselves. This book has been completely
upgraded and restyled. It includes a complete description of the C++
programming language and an introduction to the new C# language. What
gets me about these programmers is how they anticipate what the user needs
to know. For example, they have continued to do an excellant job with arrays
and pointers. Their treatment of classes and methods is also very good.
The book is loaded with example code that teaches the concepts they are
presenting in short precise pieces of code. Excellant book. I would rate
it A++ not C++!!!!!!
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