I don’t
know this W.G. Ryan, but he gives us a great review on the book.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/cm/member-reviews/-/A3GOFHR18MO3W1/1/ref=cm_cr_auth/103-4824175-3064628
Mr. Ryan:
I want to express my appreciation for these kind words:
As
an avid Compact Framework enthusiast, I buy every book on the CF that I can find.
As you may be aware, there aren't a whole lot of them out there, but they are
all really good. This one is no exception. If you do much with .NET, then you
probably know these authors already, and they lived up to their reputations
with this one!
Why would you want this book? Well, most
importantly it really explains the Why's of Compact Framework development.
There really are a lot of considerations and while the CF is very similar to
the full framework, there are a lot of differences. As a developer, this book
thoroughly explains what you are getting into and how to avoid many common
mistakes. However, even if you are a non-technical person this book will prove
to be a great asset if you are involved in decision making. After all, who
wouldn't want a mobile presence for their company? Well, like everything else,
it comes with some strings attached. In most instances they are trivial
compared to what you get. In others they may not be. Architectural
considerations are critical because you are dealing with limited battery life,
smaller processors and memory and reduced real estate. It's also a lot easier
to lose a PDA than it is a desktop and since many of the advantages of using
Handhelds are only realized when you have wireless access, issues like bandwidth
and security can make or break any mobile initiative.
I think the best part of this book is its
theoretical focus. It's very easy to run off and start coding, forgetting
architectural concerns. In these instances, many find that getting a great little
app that works great in a test environment isn't so good once you get it into
production. This book can help you minimize the chances of that happening.
Furthermore, it gives you a very sober perspective on what you will need to
deal with. Due to the fact that the CF has only been commercially released for
under a year, and PDA development hasn't been a practical reality for more that
a few years, there just isnt' that much literature out there. And this book's
focus on architectural issues and HOW TO Deal with them effectively will prove
how hip the authors really are.
I've been really impressed with the recent
direction of AW and they've been pumping out some really great titles. Couple a
good publisher with some really informed and talented writers and you have a
winner. Undoubtedly, this book is a winner.
