Rating: 
Summary: It's exactly what I need
Review: I think it's the best book to guide you in system programming in windows step by step. I have studied another book, but it was so complicated to write a program in system programming. However this book is what I need. I'd like to buy the new edition of this book, but at the moment I havenot got enough money!
Rating: 
Summary: Nice cover, shame about the content
Review: I thought this book read like it was a patch to his earlier 3.1 book - not that I've read it so I can't say for sure. As far as I was concerned there were too many references to the 16-bit world. On the plus side, I like his informal 'chatty' writing style.
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Summary: Link to further information about the book
Review: I write Windows applications in 100% assembly language -- amazing but true! To find out how easy it is, have a look at the book. You can find an example program at my web site, plus a whole lot more information about the book:
http://www.arrowweb.com/goofee/
The book introduces the PC and CPU architectures, assembly language, DOS-Win interface, Windows 3.x and 95, ring 0, VxDs -- goes through everything, so is an excellent TEXTBOOK. Even if you end up programming in Visual C++, having all this low-level knowledge under the belt is a solid foundation.
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Summary: Essential Reading for Assembly Language Programmers.
Review: It is indeed pleasing to see work of this calibre coming from fellow countrymen (Australia). Barry's book opens doors that were previously either invisible or firmly closed in the eyes of MS-DOS real mode assembly programmers. His approach of 'begin at the beginning' makes sure that the reader has the basics before attempting to absorb new information. For those who like to scan through the pages, you may reach the conclusion that the contents are daunting. If you read from the beginning however, you discover that whilst the learning curve is STEEP, and there is a LOT of information to absorb, the layout and approach is logical and not half as difficult as first impressions. It is also pleasing to see that Barry appreciates that some of the material, whilst useful and neccessary, is very dry reading. The injection of a little humor breaks what would otherwise be boring. (eg: pp99 "ALL OF THIS STUFF DOWN TO CREATEWIN IS PRETTY HORRIBLE, SO LET YOUR EYES GLAZE OVER AND READ QUICKLY ONWARD TO CREATEWIN:"). In conclusion, whilst not a complete reference on all matters regarding assembly language programming in the 'Windows' environment, this book certainly gives you the feeling of having been given the 'rosetta stone'. With the provided further reading references, an MS-DOS programmer should be able to effiencently convert to the new world of 'Windows'.
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Summary: STEER CLEAR OF THIS BOOK
Review: Kauler has produced a book, published in 1997, that was last relevant in about 1994. Although he promises 32-bit Windows assembly programming (meaning Win9x), virtually everything is geared towards DOS or Win3.x. The included samples are missing pieces and won't assembly or link. I wish I could sent it back.
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Summary: Lame rehash or previous (also imperfect) edition
Review: Previous version of this book was just as badly structured and hard to read, but at least it was timely technically, and interesting. The new version (also obsolescent these days) is no more than a touch-up job, thus largely irrelevant. Moreover, all "new" (that is, 32-bit) stuff is geared towards 95 (not NT), and is largely useless because of that. If you don't have the old edition, I say it's worth getting for 5 bucks or less, purely for the general curiosity's sake. Otherwise, you should feel no regret by ignoring this book...
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Summary: Use of Assembly in Low Level Windows
Review: This book is NOT for everybody. But if you need to extract maximum performance from Windows 95/98, it is indispensible eg, Games, SCSI i/face, real-time I/O, etc. In conjunction with Walter Oney's "System's Programming for Windows 95" it is unbeatable. The appendix describing the Microsoft DPMI extensions is worth the price. It is the only work that addresses: TSRs with Windows, Call gate thunking and shared VM memory areas. (If you don't understand what these mean, this book is not for you; if you do then you will appreciate their importance and indispensibility for high performance apps, particularly I/O oriented ones.) I found Kauler's description of Assembly implementation of OOP innards most illuminating. The 1st 2 book chapters could be culled substantially, to a summary of x86 architecture & Assembly, and the space better used for subsequent chapters where the descriptions are somewhat thin. Since the number of books on low level Assembly hacking into Windows is just 1, and Ring 0 Assembly is the only way to handle multiple CDRs, RAID array, multi-DAT or other high throughput I/O apps -- this book stands alone, regardless of its warts. Oney's book lays out VxDs, Kauler's fills in the key gaps for direct DPMI calls, fast thunking, VM sharing and working through DOS REAL Real Mode (not V86). Kauler's irreverent style is somewhat flippant for this serious a topic.
Rating: 
Summary: Windows assembly review by barry kauler
Review: This book is really awkward old, uses old conventiones and does not deal with the properties of any new operating system. Of course it can not deal with the facilities of new processors since they were not on the market and simply not available.
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Summary: Don't Bother
Review: This book really didn't live up to expectations. I really should've sent it back and ate the shipping.
Rating:
Summary: interesting miscellaneous old information
Review: This is interesting stuff. However it's old and a lot of it has a kind of rambling, meandering quality like the author's just mentioning some stuff off the top of his head. A lot of it is geared toward Win3.1 and 16bit vs 32bit, but old info is maybe better than no info, since this is one of the only books out there on this subject.
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