[AccessD] Tech books ...

As one of said writers, I hearily agree. 1500-page tomes such as ADH contain
lots of good stuff, but 1000 pages of fluff as well (from the p.o.v. of an
experienced developer). I would much prefer a series of books, each focused
on a particular subject. For example, using classes, doing replication,
upsizing, using parameterized sprocs in forms, and so on. Then you could
spend $20 instead of $80 and get all and only what you need.

Arthur

"Those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither." 
-- Benjamin Franklin 

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-admin at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-admin at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tom Adams
Sent: March 21, 2003 9:25 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: [AccessD] Tech books ...


To the whizzes that write books in this list.

A recent post that said they learned better from examples than from reading
books brought up a point I've been meaning to make.  I know the publishers
push you to include all Access user levels in your books so more will sell.
However that means that 80% of the book is useless for moderate to advanced
readers.

There are two points I'd like to point out (neither of which has a chance of
making it). 1.  Have a few overly documented examples if you will - but
include a bunch of heavy duty
     code for examples for the advanced programmers - with little or no
comments.  The documented
     examples in books are usually too simple to be very useful.  Real code
will teach most
     developers without the comments.

2.  As there are millions of Excel and Access power users through developers
- and sometimes they
     will be doing other apps - eg. Excel to Access, Excel to VB, Access to
VB and/or VB to Access,
     Access to Sql Server and Sql Server to Jet - consider writing a From X
to Y Dictionary.  Eg.
     From Access to VB, From Jet to Sql Server, etc.

     I've moved into VB for the last 6 months and would have paid almost
anything for an Access to Vb
     book.  Eg. Combo Box.  What a pain in VB.  Can't tell you how long this
took me to figure out.
     Makes me want to find one of the Access guys at Microsoft and give them
my first born child (I
     know, I know - she's a teenager and that's a punishment worse than
death to inflict on anyone but
     the thought is grateful.)

     I find that I know exactly what I want to do in Access but the
differences are often difficult to figure
     out.





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