It's been a long time, but I've steadily progressed in reading this book and finally I got it done. It's been also a long time since I've really tried to review a book, so we'll see how this goes on. :-) About the book
Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Ajax
Authors: Matt Gibbs, Dan Wahlin
Publisher: Wrox (Wiley)
ISBN: 978-0-470-10962-5
336 pages
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Professional-ASP-NET-2-0-AJAX-Programmer/dp/0470109629
Professional ASP.NET Ajax 2.0 is the latest book by Matt Gibbs and Dan Wahlin. It is written and tested with 1.0 release version of ASP.NET Ajax for ASP.NET 2.0. The book is aimed at ASP.NET developers looking for AJAX features and generally for web developers looking for ASP.NET and AJAX together.
The book consists of acknowledments, intoduction, 11 chapters and an index. The chapters with brief summary of each are as follows:
Chapter 1: Developing Next-Generation Web Applications.
The chapter discusses background of the need for rich web applications and why end users and developers would want AJAX to answer this need. It's also covered what ASP.NET Ajax is, what are its bulding blocks at client-side and server-side technologies.
Chapter 2: Partial Page Updates
The chapter covers making partial page updates with UpdatePanel, UpdateProgress and Timer controls as well as how to participate partial page update lifecycle in client-side scripting.
Chapter 3: JavaScript for the ASP.NET Developer
The chapter provides deeper introduction to JavaScript from ASP.NET AJAX standpoint. It covers javascript basics plus prototypes and closures.
Chapter 4: Understanding the ASP.NET Ajax Client Library
The chapter introduces ASP.NET Ajax Client Library's type system, base class library, Intellisense support and error handling plus debugging features.
Chapter 5: Using the ScriptManager
The chapter provides Introduction to the ScriptManager control and covers using ScriptManager with ASP.NET Application Services, error handling, localization, globalization and script location customization.
Chapter 6: ASP.NET Ajax Networking
The chapter covers XmlHttpRequest object, making and managing web requests and passing data in JSON format.
Chapter 7: ASP.NET Ajax Application Services
The chapter covers ASP.NET Ajax's authentication and user profile support.
Chapter 8: Rich AJAX Toolkit Controls
The chapter provides a peak to ASP.NET Ajax Control toolkit, and demonstrates the use of the rich controls in the toolkit with simple examples.
Chapter 9: Testing and Debugging ASP.NET Ajax Applications
The chapter introduces test and debug features of ASP.NEt Ajax such as debug and release scripts, Error class and different debugging tools like Visual Studio, Microsoft Script Debugger, Fiddler and Web Development Helper.
Chapter 10: Deploying ASP.NET Ajax Applications
The chapter covers deployment of ASP.NET Ajax such as installation, web farm deployment, configuration, script compression and after-deployment steps like performance monitoring.
Chapter 11: Building Custom Controls
The chapters introduces custom control development, both at client-side and at server-side, in ASP.NET Ajax with a sample case.
Pros
The book provides a really nice introduction to ASP.NET Ajax as a technology because it basically covers the entire development landscape. It's written in insightful way so there's no questioning of content's accuracy. Some development principles behind ASP.NEt Ajax / Ajax focused web development is also "revealed" which gives value to the book.
Cons
The book lacks a good sample project which ties it to the real-world usage. Code samples are simple and serve as tool for introducing technology but they leave a developer to wonder how to use it in his real-world project. Should he start with easy way: partial page updates or should he use more manual way (scripting and JSON with web services/page methods). There's always balancing and that side of consideration is bit lacking. Of course, in the end it is reader's responsibility but this matter is what differentiates a good book from a great one. But luckily it is still a minor drawback with this book.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
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