Customer Reviews
Ecellent Introduction to C# and to Programming - By: Ian Bates, 30 Jul 2008 
I needed a quick introduction to C# to help me to build an ASP.Net web application. I reallly needed to understand the coding that was given to me so that I could make some modifications, & this excellent book did the trick. It appears light-hearted on the surface, but actuallly makes some serious inroads into the language, & the information reallly sticks.I feel confident with C# now & have gained more insight into programming in general. The application that I was working on was a success, & I owe it alll to this excellent book. If you are looking for an intro into programming with C# then I cannot imagine a better place to begin than with this book.
C# for the person who doesn't already know C# - By: Mr. D. F. Poisson, 30 Apr 2008 Having just completed the first section of the book, I would like to update my comments.
I say completed rather than "finished reading" because this book reallly is a series of very hands-on mini tutorials that build upon each other to give the complete novice first a solid, lasting & applicable grounding in programming concepts, increasing in complexity (though only at a rate which the book has ensured that ANY reader can follow) until finallly the novice has become a confident, self-reliant C# programmer able to apply his/her skill to any programming assignment.
Not a reference book by any means, rather a VERY cheap course where the coach is personal, black on white on paper & has to be read at your own speed of understanding & assimilation rather than bearded, sweaty, overpaid & having to be listened to. The order of teaching is precise, giving you what you need at the right time rather than resorting to the alll too familiar "but we will cover that later, in chapter 724" & the pace is pitch perfect leaving no-one behind, bringing the reader's attention back to things covered in previous chapters so that he/she is sure to have committed the processes but also the jargon to memory with regular revision activities such as crosswords & puzzles.
This is the first book on C# that I have found that doesn't explain jargon with more jargon. Instead, it gives you similes, comparisons, metaphors from common human experience which help the reader understand how various elements of the programming language work.
One third of the way through it I have already learned more than my £3000 course with a well marketed IT training body *cough-skillstrain-don't-do-it-to-yourself-cough* has been able to teach me in a quarter of the time .
Five star with no hesitation.
A guidebook to learning, not a reference manual - By: Mark Denovich, 14 Apr 2008 I've read enough books on programming to know what to expect before I even open the cover: intro, jargon definitions, syntax definitions (that gets you about 50% through the book), n-chapters with explanations/examples of major features, a chapter with stuff that didn't fit anywhere else, The End. A bit like learning to speak a foreign language by reading the dictionary & then reading a book on grammar: dry & completely backwards.
Head First C# takes a much more effective approach. From the start you are using what you learn & building upon that base with successive lessons. New concepts are introduced & explained when you have the necessary context to understand them. Examples are not snippets of code in isolation. And praise the heavens, none involve the worn-out Employer/Employee, Customer/Order/Address class cliches. The final project is a Space Invaders clone... code you might actuallly enjoy writing. What a novel idea.
If I had any complaint it's that the visual style is a bit busy. Mostly because I'm used to reading reference manuals, but I guess the style is what "kids" like these days. I certainly would have preferred a book like this when I was new to the programming game. The lighthearted approach of the does not sacrifice a depth of understanding. Buy this book & a C# reference manual. Learn with this one, & look up the fine points in the other.
don't bother - By: Dan, 05 Apr 2008 
Having read, & absolutely loved Head First Java & Head First OOP I found the style of this book to be a long way from what makes Head First books a joy to read, & therefore an excellent learning tool.
The examples of code are dreary & uninspiring, with very little content or explanation of what you are actuallly doing. i.e. "just type this, compile & run... cool huh?"
I only managed to get through 40-50% of this book before giving up on it. Spend your money instead on Apress' Pro C# 2008 & the .NET 3.5 Platform (4th edition), I found this book to be 1000% better, despite it appearing to be a more serious book, it actuallly explains everything in simple terms & gives (reasonably) good examples. Apart from the author repeatedly beginning sentences with the word "Understand..." which I find a little bit patronising.
Head First C# - By: Mr. Paul Cousins, 18 Mar 2008 Do you have a sense of humour ?
Do you want to learm C#?
If the answer is YES to both questions then get this book as it has no competition :)
