This is definitely the book to have by your side if you are programming with the ADO.NET Entity Framework 1.0.
The author touches on a ton of subjects that include: Data Binding with Windows Forms and WPF Applications, Using Stored Procedures with the EDM, LINQ to Entities Queries, Customizing Entities, Using the ASP.NET EntityDataSource Control, Using Entities with Web and WCF Services, Using the Entity Framework in n-Tier ASP.NET Applications and n-Tier Client-Side Applications, Handling Entity Framework Exceptions, Performance, Security, Multithreaded Applications, and much more.
There is a lot covered in this book. One of the coolest things about this book is the amount of new possibilities it introduces. Many which I would not have considered without seeing them in this book.
I also like that the book covers the architectural aspects of integrating EF into several different types of architectures.
The author drills into each subject enough to get a thorough understand. With all the material covered, that is rare, but the book is an 800 page whopper.
I have been working with the EF 1.0 since its release in August and can say that this book has more information jammed into it than all the other resources I have been using combined.
The book includes VB.NET and C# code examples.
The book has a support site (google for learnentityframework) with the code samples and the database scripts available. The downloaded code is also in both VB.NET and C#. It is well organized and very usable.
The book is very well organized and is a good read. The author has a good writing style.
All in all, I do not think you can do without this book if you are going to do anything besides play around with the Entity Framework.
Brilliantly compiled by author Juval Lowy, Programming .NET Components, Second Edition is the consummate introduction to the Microsoft .NET Framework--the technology of choice for building components on Windows platforms. From its many lessons, tips, and guidelines, readers will learn how to use the .NET Framework to program reusable, maintainable, and robust components. Following in the footsteps of its best-selling predecessor, Programming .NET Components, Second Edition has been updated to cover .NET 2.0. It remains one of the few practical books available on this topic. This invaluable resource is targeted at anyone who develops complex or enterprise-level applications with the .NET platform--an ever-widening market. In fact, nearly two million Microsoft developers worldwide now work on such systems. Programming .NET Components, Second Edition begins with a look at the fundamentals of component-oriented programming and then progresses from there. It takes the time to carefully examine how components can simplify and add flexibility to complex applications by allowing users to extend their capabilities. Next, the book introduces a variety of .NET essentials, as well as .N ET development techniques. Within this discussion on component development, a separate chapter is devoted to each critical development feature, including asynchronous calls, serialization, remoting, security, and more. All the while, hazardous programming pitfalls are pointed out, saving the reader from experiencing them the hard way. A .NET expert and noted authority on component-oriented programming, Lowy uses his unique access to Microsoft technical teams to the best possible advantage, conveying detailed, insider information in easy-to-grasp, activity-filled language. This hands-on approach is designed to allow individuals to learn by doing rather than just reading. Indeed, after digesting Programming .NET Components, Second Edition, readers should be able to start developing .NET components immediately. Programming .NET Components, Second Edition is the consummate introduction to the Microsoft .NET Framework--the technology of choice for building components on Windows platforms. From its many lessons, tips, and guidelines, readers will learn how to use the .NET Framework to program reusable, maintainable, and robust components. Following in the footsteps of its best-selling predecessor, Programming .NET Components, Second Edition has been updated to cover .NET 2.0. This invaluable resource is targeted at anyone who develops complex or enterprise-level applications with the .NET platform--an ever-widening market.
Essential Windows Phone 7.5 is the definitive guide to creating powerful, visually compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7.5 platform. Nine-time Microsoft MVP Shawn Wildermuth draws on his extensive experience teaching Silverlight and Windows Phone development, helping you to get started fast and master techniques that lead to truly outstanding apps. After introducing the latest version of Windows Phone, Shawn Wildermuth dives directly into the essentials, emphasizing best-practice examples and illustrating with code. You'll build a complete application from start to finish, then build on your skills with increasingly sophisticated techniques. From planning and design through application delivery, Shawn Wildermuth guides you through the entire mobile development lifecycle, showing how to make the most of Windows Phone 7.5's most important new capabilities. Whether you're a .NET or Silverlight developer going mobile, or an experienced mobile developer moving to Windows Phone, Essential Windows Phone 7.5 delivers all the skills you'll need. Coverage includes * Leveraging Microsoft's breakthrough Metro design language * Using phone features such as email, calling, search, Web browsing, and the camera * Designing the look and feel of your user interface with XAML * Interacting with users via Panorama, Pivot, and other controls * Mastering the new Silverlight Toolkit for Windows Phone 7.5 * Choosing the right application paradigm and functionality for your specific app * Incorporating touch, vibration, motion, and sound into your interfaces * Working with Windows Phone 7.5's unique hubs and tiles * Building location-based services that work with the phone's GPS * Storing data in Isolated Storage or Windows Phone 7.5's database support * Multitasking reliably, without compromising performance * Integrating external data via REST, conventional Web services, and push notifications * Preparing your application for the Windows Phone Marketplace
