Rating: 
Summary: It's like a big, fat tutorial. Want to see more from Wrox.
Review: A few months ago I decided to build a small e-commerce solution and picked ASP/SQL Server and IIS5 for the core technologies. Finding Matthew Reynolds's book definitely reduced development time and helped to quickly define a line of progress. I spent lots of time with this book, and got to know it in detail from the first pages to the last. A few negative aspects were: 1) The book is plagued by code bugs and typos. Most are already included in the errata, and of the undocumented bugs. I didn't find any that was critical but still wasted some time with the less-obvious coding errors. The Wrox support/forums were useless, spending time using your IQ power to solve the problems will be more effective.
2) The interface/usability/visuals of the site are simply lousy. If you are thinking about using it for a real production site, you will have to do what I did... rewrite tons of HTML/ASP and spend some time in Photoshop/DreamWeaver or similar packages. And that is for the visuals alone.
3) Lots of coding details aren't brilliant. Usability is also mostly ignored except for a few minor and very basic ideas (The logo on the top left should link to the home page, etc). Reynolds could have made the shopping experience better with just a few little details. Visually and from the customer's point of view, the site is terrible.
4) There is some annoying redundancy. A few aspects are mentioned too often. Perhaps newbies will value that, but I felt the space would be better used with other things (More XML use, for instance) If you are thinking about using the project as an easy production site, beware. The site is fairly generic, but many aspects (like the order pipeline system) will require lots of work to be adapted. Most VB code will need to be rewritten (plus the visual aspect already mentioned).
I also did not perform any extensive load testing, but suspect significant changes will be necessary to scale properly. Security, input validation and error-checking is also very basic or non-existent (the search engine appears vulnerable to SQL injection exploits, for instance). All this however, was expected, and is not really a limitation of the book, just be warned you will not get a 100% trouble free solution. As for difficulty, If you know nothing of ASP, SQL and VB, you will feel lost and should read other titles first. But if you're the kind of reader that likes to buy books always a bit more advanced, and learn on-the-fly, then don't worry. It is perfectly possible in this case. This might sound negative so far, but I honestly can't give it less than 4.5/5 just because of the problems mentioned. Books like this one aren't very common. Reynolds basically created a really fat tutorial and will practically hold your hand from start to finish. You will get a fairly clear (but simplified) view of the whole process of implementing a Microsoft e-commerce solution - planning, coding, hosting, customer care, etc. In my particular case, I organized a few basic areas to cover based on Reynold's tips, used lots of his VB objects as the basis for mine, and collected ideas. After a few weeks adding "extras", rewriting stuff and gathering more details from other sources, I came up with a very acceptable small e-commerce site. Overall...I didn't like Reynold's site, but I like mine, and I saved a lot of time building it thanks to this title. I know his approach works, because I have followed it from start to finish. It is not the best way to do it, but it works, and it has considerable potential to help you learn while you're building it. I look forward to similar approaches from Wrox on other technologies (ASP.Net, PHP/MySQL/Apache, etc) and now I check Reynold's articles on ASP Today and C# Today more often than before. Not perfect, but not bad... not bad at all... 4.5/5
Rating:
Summary: It's like a big, fat tutorial. Want to see more from Wrox.
Review: A few months ago I decided to build a small e-commerce solution and picked ASP/SQL Server and IIS5 for the core technologies. Finding Matthew Reynolds's book definitely reduced development time and helped to quickly define a line of progress. I spent lots of time with this book, and got to know it in detail from the first pages to the last. A few negative aspects were: 1) The book is plagued by code bugs and typos. Most are already included in the errata, and of the undocumented bugs. I didn't find any that was critical but still wasted some time with the less-obvious coding errors. The Wrox support/forums were useless, spending time using your IQ power to solve the problems will be more effective.
2) The interface/usability/visuals of the site are simply lousy. If you are thinking about using it for a real production site, you will have to do what I did... rewrite tons of HTML/ASP and spend some time in Photoshop/DreamWeaver or similar packages. And that is for the visuals alone.
3) Lots of coding details aren't brilliant. Usability is also mostly ignored except for a few minor and very basic ideas (The logo on the top left should link to the home page, etc). Reynolds could have made the shopping experience better with just a few little details. Visually and from the customer's point of view, the site is terrible.
4) There is some annoying redundancy. A few aspects are mentioned too often. Perhaps newbies will value that, but I felt the space would be better used with other things (More XML use, for instance) If you are thinking about using the project as an easy production site, beware. The site is fairly generic, but many aspects (like the order pipeline system) will require lots of work to be adapted. Most VB code will need to be rewritten (plus the visual aspect already mentioned).
I also did not perform any extensive load testing, but suspect significant changes will be necessary to scale properly. Security, input validation and error-checking is also very basic or non-existent (the search engine appears vulnerable to SQL injection exploits, for instance). All this however, was expected, and is not really a limitation of the book, just be warned you will not get a 100% trouble free solution. As for difficulty, If you know nothing of ASP, SQL and VB, you will feel lost and should read other titles first. But if you're the kind of reader that likes to buy books always a bit more advanced, and learn on-the-fly, then don't worry. It is perfectly possible in this case. This might sound negative so far, but I honestly can't give it less than 4.5/5 just because of the problems mentioned. Books like this one aren't very common. Reynolds basically created a really fat tutorial and will practically hold your hand from start to finish. You will get a fairly clear (but simplified) view of the whole process of implementing a Microsoft e-commerce solution - planning, coding, hosting, customer care, etc. In my particular case, I organized a few basic areas to cover based on Reynold's tips, used lots of his VB objects as the basis for mine, and collected ideas. After a few weeks adding "extras", rewriting stuff and gathering more details from other sources, I came up with a very acceptable small e-commerce site. Overall...I didn't like Reynold's site, but I like mine, and I saved a lot of time building it thanks to this title. I know his approach works, because I have followed it from start to finish. It is not the best way to do it, but it works, and it has considerable potential to help you learn while you're building it. I look forward to similar approaches from Wrox on other technologies (ASP.Net, PHP/MySQL/Apache, etc) and now I check Reynold's articles on ASP Today and C# Today more often than before. Not perfect, but not bad... not bad at all... 4.5/5
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary ASP Book and Approach
Review: An extraordinary ASP E-Commerce book that stands out as simply as one the best. I'll just hit the high points. First, the author's approach is not only exhaustively complete, but is based on proven methodologies. The genesis of Mr. Reynold's methodology appears to be based in the core of ASP, COM, SQL, MTS and e-commerce object models making and excellent design with this fictitious web storefront called "Jo's Coffee". Highlights: (1) Many times in this 600 page book was the ASP, COM, VBScript products and technology mentioned, making this book as applicable for today standards. (2)The author focuses on ASP basic requirements, dedicating a good portion of the book to discovering and prioritizing E-Commerce business model that will drive how E-Commerce Store fronts could dynamically evolve to support those huge stores. (3) The approach is realistic, which is evidenced by one of many interesting techniques the author provides. (4) The book is structured in such a way that it follows the E-Commece architecture project phases and stages. I like the way the author uses the ASP code in combination with the components for this project and checklists provided throughout the book. I also like the excellent code illustrations examples that depict process flows of the store provided in the body of the book. This book definitely delivers. As an tenured E-Commerce Strategic Architec the planning methodology and framework of this book is a great approach for the beginner to intermediate ASP Developer. Even the most experienced consultant will learn a few new techniques, and those who are new to E-Commerce strategic planning will learn how to do it the right way. Five stars go out to this outstanding book and my compliments to the author.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary ASP Book and Approach
Review: An extraordinary ASP E-Commerce book that stands out as simply as one the best. I'll just hit the high points. First, the author's approach is not only exhaustively complete, but is based on proven methodologies. The genesis of Mr. Reynold's methodology appears to be based in the core of ASP, COM, SQL, MTS and e-commerce object models making and excellent design with this fictitious web storefront called "Jo's Coffee". Highlights: (1) Many times in this 600 page book was the ASP, COM, VBScript products and technology mentioned, making this book as applicable for today standards. (2)The author focuses on ASP basic requirements, dedicating a good portion of the book to discovering and prioritizing E-Commerce business model that will drive how E-Commerce Store fronts could dynamically evolve to support those huge stores. (3) The approach is realistic, which is evidenced by one of many interesting techniques the author provides. (4) The book is structured in such a way that it follows the E-Commece architecture project phases and stages. I like the way the author uses the ASP code in combination with the components for this project and checklists provided throughout the book. I also like the excellent code illustrations examples that depict process flows of the store provided in the body of the book. This book definitely delivers. As an tenured E-Commerce Strategic Architec the planning methodology and framework of this book is a great approach for the beginner to intermediate ASP Developer. Even the most experienced consultant will learn a few new techniques, and those who are new to E-Commerce strategic planning will learn how to do it the right way. Five stars go out to this outstanding book and my compliments to the author.
Rating:
Summary: Most Thorough Book on eCommerce, for Beginners...and Better
Review: As an Internet consultant for almost 5 years, I'm often asked by Internet newcomers: "Okay, What do I need to take on/learn today; Networking? VB? ASP? SQL? Server-IIS? something else?". And since the answer is "Well, All of them of course.", people are still short a good way to start on each of those. Well Wrox brought a very good book for those Internet startups (with Microsoft technologies). You will most definitely find an answers to all of your first questions on the How-To of an eCommerce web site. Actually, the real title of this book would have been too long to fit since it does more than VB, ASP, SQL, and MTS. To my surprise, it also goes over Credit Card security with 3rd parties such as DataCash and CyberCash, it goes over simple Private/Public Key Pair, Order Pipeline, Hosting, Up-sell, Cross-sell, and even Marketing, + more. Also, I have to admit that the coding used is well-formed, neat & clean, and extensive. I'm sure that the example would bring new content to some seasoned eCommerce expert as well. Last but not least, if you are a complete newcomer in the programming area, you might want to consider having other book such as Beginning ASP 3.0, Beginning ASP Databases, Beginning VB6; at the same time than the Beginning eCommerce in case you are not sure of what the syntax means. Even though this book is pretty easy to follow, it also assume you have some programming knowledge (which can be overcome by those other books). Good Job.
Rating: 
Summary: Good all around for starters
Review: Book is good all around for starters. I have looked at other books but this one has some depth and a good example web site. (At least the one that I was interested in.)
Rating: 
Summary: Easy beginning and Advanced end
Review: Design of interfaces are not usually easy as the author show in their book. The Order Processing chapter is hard to understand if you don't have good knowledge about MTS. Finally the book have a lot of mistakes (some of then are reported in Wrox, but others not) In General the book it's OK, but only for Intermediate/Advanced programmers in ASP and VB.
Rating:
Summary: No Website code/support from WROX.
Review: Don't expect any code from this book from the WROX website - the book says it's available but I couldn't find it - and the people at WROX don't answer their email. I like the book, don't like the publisher much.
Rating:
Summary: Good starting point for e-commerce
Review: For whatever reason, there are a lot of E-commerce applications still running using Visual Basic 6.0, ASP 3.0, SQL Server 7.0, and MTS (i.e. Windows NT 4.0). These applications may be in the process of being converted to newer technologies or they may be "Legacy" code, but they still need someone to support them. Matthew Reynolds book provides the needed skills to do just that. This is a good book for aquiring those skills.
Rating:
Summary: Good starting point for e-commerce
Review: For whatever reason, there are a lot of E-commerce applications still running using Visual Basic 6.0, ASP 3.0, SQL Server 7.0, and MTS (i.e. Windows NT 4.0). These applications may be in the process of being converted to newer technologies or they may be "Legacy" code, but they still need someone to support them. Matthew Reynolds book provides the needed skills to do just that. This is a good book for aquiring those skills.
| 
