In this book you learn everything you need to know about developing C# applications that access databases. If you are wondering why this is such an important topic, just consider how many applications use the functionality. At first glance, you might notice a few specialized ones such as Windows applications to view and edit human resources data or Web applications that display recent sport results. Look a bit deeper, however, and you quickly find that the vast majority of applications use database data in one form or another, even if it isn’t immediately obvious.

This book is the perfect starting point to learn about databases, and particularly about using MS SQL Server from .NET 2.0 applications written in C#. Over the course of the book, you learn the fundamentals of database technology, how the .NET Framework can be used to access databases, and how to get the most out of your code. Along the way you are presented with numerous helpful, easy-to-follow examples that demonstrate the techniques you need. Each example increases your understanding of a particular subject, and often provides you with tips and tricks that you can adapt to different contexts  in the future. Each chapter also includes exercises to reinforce key concepts, the answers to which are found at the back of the book.

The main idea behind the book is to present you with a solid understanding of the basics of database access in C#. You’ll also be exposed to many possibilities for future development. You will often learn about quite complicated techniques, but they are broken into simple steps and carefully explained. These explanations provide an appreciation for what is possible, and prepare you for handling additional resources about these subjects when you’ve finished the book. And you’ll be able to do that without facing instant despair at attempting to learn about a completely new subject because you’ll already know the basics of what you are doing.

In order to maintain good network performance, mechanisms must be provided to prevent the network from being congested for any significant period of time. Michael Welzl describes the background and concepts of Internet congestion control, in an accessible and easily comprehensible format. Throughout the book, not just the how, but the why of complex technologies including the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Active Queue Management are explained. The text also gives an overview of the state-of-the-art in congestion control research and an insight into the future.

Learn how to apply the concepts and techniques of Test-Driven Development (TDD) to writing software for Microsoft .NET. Two experts in agile software development teach#151;using a wealth of pragmatic examples in C# and other .NET development tools#151;how to use automated tests to drive lean, efficient coding and better design. You'll focus on .NET-specific issues for TDD, including the best time to employ the inherent features of .NET class libraries and how to use NUnit, a leading unit-testing framework for .NET. And you'll see real-world examples of TDD-for .NET projects, including a Microsoft ADO.NET relational database, a user interface created with Microsoft ASP.NET and Microsoft Windows- Forms, Web services, and other useful applications.

Many young programmers are interested in game programming. Learn VB .NET Through Game Programming is a self-paced learning tutorial designed to help any developer master the basics of object-oriented programming (OOP) with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET. Unlike other books on OOP, this easy-to-understand book provides readers with peer-level language, while illustrating concepts with definitive and intuitive game programming examples.

The goal of this book is to teach you how to get started programming in Visual Basic .NET by developing games. This book doesn’t intend to be a complete treatise of all the features and capabilities of this latest version of VB. Instead, it provides a series of example programs that illustrate basic features of the language and begins the huge task of introducing you to the contents of the .NET Framework. In addition, I introduce one more important programming concept—the concept of design. Now that object-oriented languages are more common, people have found that the various objects in a program can be designed to interact with each other in different ways; these interactions can make the program more or less complex or more or less adaptable to future features or enhancements.

To illustrate the importance of design on a program, I’ve taken the time to walk you through the development process of several of these programs rather than simply presenting you with the final version of the game. By learning how to solve a program one way, then improving upon that design in a second or third version of the program, you’ll begin to recognize when your own designs might be headed down a wrong path and some redesign is in order.

This book assumes you’ve had at least some experience in software development before diving into the first chapter and that you now want to learn Visual Basic .NET. Perhaps you’re a VB 6 programmer, for example, in which case this book will help describe the syntactical differences between the languages, as well as introduce you to the .NET Framework classes that will be new to you. Perhaps you’re experienced in an older technology such as mainframe programming and are looking to update your skill set to something more modern. Whatever the case, my assumption is that as you crack open Chapter 1, “Developing Your First Game,” you’ve written programs in some other language so that you have a jumping-off point.

This book is the fastest, best way for experienced programmers to truly master real-world Visual Basic 2005 development. You won't just learn syntax and features: you'll build a complete, robust, data-driven application. You'll put Visual Basic 2005 to work in solving real business problems, overcoming the practical challenges of building production systems, and you will learn to see Visual Basic 2005 projects as they were intendedas complete, cohesive solutions. Patrick's engaging style and crystal-clear explanations will help you stay focused, learn fast, and apply what you've learned.

Start-to-Finish Visual Basic 2005 is the perfect tutorial for existing Visual Basic programmers moving to Visual Basic 2005, programmers moving from other traditional procedural languages, and experienced Visual Basic .NET/2005 programmers who want to deepen their skills in developing entire projects.

Each chapter discusses a major programming topic and then follows it up with a practical implementation of that topic: the creation of the Library database program. I don't show every line of code in the book; if I did, the book would weigh 53 pounds and cost $254.38, plus tax. The code and the book's text are united in one purpose: to train you in the skilled use of Visual Basic on the .NET platform, so that you can develop the highest-quality applications possible. The text and the source code both include valuable resources that you can use every day in your programming life.

Written by expert web developers from Price Waterhouse-Coopers, ASP.NET Database Programming Weekend Crash Course will quickly enable you to create dynamic data-driven web applications using Microsoft's exciting new .NET technologies.

Open the book on Friday evening and by Sunday afternoon — after completing 30 fast, focused lessons — you will have mastered the skills necessary to begin creating robust, dynamic, data-driven web applications with ASP.NET. Starting with ASP.NET basics, expert authors Jason and Tony teach you what they need to know to begin creating ASP.NET applications quickly, and then dive into building database applications with ADO.NET, Web Services, SOAP, XML and more. This book is a must have for any developer building web applications on Microsoft's new .NET Framework.

Bestselling author Jesse Liberty and industry expert Alex Horovitz uncover the common threads that unite the .NET 3.0 technologies, so you can benefit from the best practices and architectural patterns baked into the new Microsoft frameworks. The book offers a "Grand Tour" of .NET 3.0 that describes how the principal technologies can be used together, with Ajax, to build modern n-tier and service-oriented applications.

The series format is a step by step tutorial intended for the Intermediate to Advanced programmer looking to be challenged in a new area. Each book in the series meets the 2 aims of a developer when learning a new technology, firstly to learn the techniques and tools, but secondly how to accomplish their goals with that particular technology. Many other books aimed at this market fall short of the Intermediate to Advanced label. Although containing advanced material, many have long elaborate introductions, which are at the expense of more technical information later in the book. The Professional Projects series contains only a brief introduction, and quickly moves the reader onto more challenging material. Sections Overview Section Lays the groundwork for understanding the particular development issues surrounding the uses for the application. Projects Section Presented projects are increasingly more complex in an attempt to guide the reader through practical development scenarios and to represent real world examples. Beyond the lab Serves as a summary for what the reader has just learned and roadmap for readers to search for further information. It also resents a skills path and suggests related technologies that need to be studied. Reference Appendix Acts as a quick reference and covers the main commands that a developer will need to use. An invaluable tool to a new developer.

The Microsoft .NET Framework is exactly what its name implies: A general system onto which a lot of application-specific technologies are stuck. Essential ASP.NET With Examples in C# assumes you know something about the .NET way of doing things, and want to know more about how you can use its ASP.NET facet to implement robust and stylish Web applications. Fritz Onion, in a manner typical of this series, introduces key ASP.NET concepts logically, and with lots of code listings that make it clear how the concepts should be translated into reality. The truth be told, Onion excels at combining conceptual information with practical examples. This is unusual among writers of technical books, who tend to be good at (at best) one or the other.

Typically, the author approaches a capability of ASP.NET–validation of submitted form data, say–by presenting a quick summary of the problem and then attacking it (or components of it) with code. The code segments (which tend not to be too long, and so relatively easy to trace and comprehend) are then dissected, and special attention called to details of particular interest to the local problem. It's a great way to learn if you already have a grasp of the basics, as you can either go hands-on with your own system or absorb the author's wisdom through the book alone.

Microsoft Speech Server is becoming increasingly popular. There are three primary components developers wanting to develop speech applications need to be familiar with: the Speech SDK, Telephony, and ASP.NET server controls. Each of these can be used independently, but in many cases, all three need to be used to build truly compelling applications.

Pro Microsoft Speech Server 2007 walks intermediate to advanced developers through the basics of speech and telephony technology. It then addresses Microsoft's specific implementations and what it can do for most companies. From there, the specific components are discussed individually in depth. You'll create an application from scratch, building upon an existing web site, but adding brand new functionality as well. All of the issues associated with setup, security and administration, development, debugging, and deployment are included in the walkthroughs.