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Showing posts with label Dummies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dummies. Show all posts

Objective-C For Dummies

Posted by Shira Joliet on Monday, May 10, 2010
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Great Price "Objective-C For Dummies" for $16.82 Today



Okay, I want to state that I'm a newbie at programming. I've tried a few other books on Objective-C, but I`ve never gotten past the first few chapters. So with this review, I plan to do a couple of updates as I work through the book. The reason I chose this one is because it stood out in one simple area. The author had sense enough to type the code samples in the book in monospaced font with a light gray background. That way, as you read through the book, you can visually see when he's instructing you to add code to a project.

I've started working through similar books that had lots of background content with the code and instructions not well highlighted. Now this may not be a big deal to those with coding experience, but when you're brand new to a language, these little conventions really help.

Goldstein also does a good introducing an analogy for how Objective-C works in a computer. He avoids lots confusing lingo and knows how to illustrate what he's describing.

For others who are newbies like myself, I suggest first making sure that you have the latest version of Objective-C 3.2.1. If you installed X-Code from your Snow Leopard disk, you will need to update or replace it from the Apple's Developer Site with 3.2.1.

Secondly, I would get a book stand so that you can easily follow along with the author as you work through the book. I'll try to throw up a picture of my set up. Also, if you can, get a second monitor for your computer. It's really great have a second monitor when you're working in projects like this one. You put instructions or code examples on one monitor and your current project on the other. It's great also for say watching an instructional video on one monitor and following along on the other.

Finally (for now anyway) this book does provide the code examples on CD if you need them, and you probably will. No matter how carefully you follow along with the instructions, you're not always going get things right. The code examples can save you some time and frustration.

I'll be updating this book review as work through it.

Objective-C For Dummies Features

  • ISBN13: 9780470522752
  • Condition: NEW
  • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.



Rating :
Price : $29.99
Offer Price : $16.82



Objective-C For Dummies Overviews

Learn the primary programming language for creating iPhone and Mac apps

The only thing hotter than the iPhone right now is new apps for the iPhone. Objective-C is the primary language for programming iPhone and Mac OS X applications, and this book makes it easy to learn Objective-C.

Even if you have no programming experience, Objective-C For Dummies will teach you what you need to know to start creating iPhone apps. It provides an understanding of object-oriented programming in an entertaining way that helps you learn.

  • iPhone and Mac apps are hot, and most are created with Objective-C
  • Covers Xcode 3.2, which is included in Mac OS X Snow Leopard
  • Explains object-oriented programming concepts in a straightforward but fun style that makes learning easy
  • Ideal for those with no programming experience as well as those who may know other languages but are new to Objective-C
  • Prepares you to start creating iPhone and Mac OS X apps
  • Understand Mac programming concepts and patterns, and why to use them
  • Bonus CD includes all code samples used in the book

Objective-C For Dummies gives you the tools to turn your idea for an iPhone app into reality.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Affordable Price at Store Check Price Now!



Customer Review



The driest of dry programming books - D. R. Smith - Brooklyn, NY
I have some programming experience (as well as engineering and finance degrees) so I am used to reading dry material, but this book is very hard to get through. There are many authors that do a great job of explaining programming in an easily understood, clear and non-condescending way. Unfortunately this is not one of those books. (Sorry Mr. Goldstein, next time get a better editor.)

I wish I could return this book, but I marked up the first couple of chapters. Now it is a paper weight.



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iPhone Application Development For Dummies

Posted by Shira Joliet on Monday, April 19, 2010
Labels: , , , 0 comments

iPhone Application Development For Dummies Review




I have no programing experience; however, this book makes it easy to understand how it works. It is very good at explaining little intricate details. I recommend it!

iPhone Application Development For Dummies Features

  • ISBN13: 9780470568439
  • Condition: NEW
  • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.



Rating :

Price : $29.99

Offer Price : $16.82

Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days




Overviews

Making Everything Easier!

With iPhone? Application Development for Dummies, Second Edition, you'll learn to:

  • Design small- or large-scale iPhone applications for profit or fun
  • Create new iPhone apps using Xcode?
  • Get your applications into the App Store
  • Work with frameworks

Got a good idea? Turn it into an app, have some fun, and pick up some cash!

Make the most of the new 3.1 OS and Apple's Xcode 3.2! Neal Goldstein shows you how, and even illustrates the process with one of his own apps that's currently being sold. Even if you're not a programming pro, you can turn your bright idea into an app you can market, and Neal even shows you how to get it into the App Store!

  • Mobile is different ? learn what makes a great app for mobile devices and how an iPhone app is structured
  • What you need ? download the free Software Development Kit, start using Xcode, and become an "official" iPhone developer
  • The nitty-gritty ? get the hang of frameworks and iPhone architecture
  • Get busy with apps ? discover how to make Xcode work for you to support app development
  • Off to the store ? get valuable advice on getting your apps into the App Store
  • Want to go further? ? explore what goes into industrial-strength apps

Open the book and find:

  • What it takes to become a registered Apple developer
  • How to debug your app
  • What's new in iPhone 3.1 and Xcode 3.2
  • What goes into a good interface for a small device
  • How applications work in the iPhone environment
  • Why you must think like a user
  • What the App Store expects of you
  • What makes a great iPhone app

Visit the companion Web site at www.dummies.com/go/iphoneappdevfd2e for source code and additional information on iPhone app development.

Affordable Price at BlogBestPrice.com Check Price Now!



Customer Review


Not Great - Bobo - Dallas, TX
I have gotten through the first 7 chapters of this book. I am going to switch to something else. I just feel like it is taking so long to actually accomplish anything. And from looking some of the intro videos from Apple, the author seems to be going the long way around the barn for everything. Here is what I want from an development book.

1) Outline the structure of what you are going to do
2) Fill in the appropriate code with explanations
3) Run the code

- Then repeat this process with expansions and improvements.

Here is the format of this book

1) Blab on forever about concepts, inserting lame jokes
2) Code things without explanation, just saying, we will explain why later
3) Go back and try to explain things after it is coded
4) Randomly switch topics like a stream of consciousness. Oh, why don't we stop here and worry about an icon....

I did not realize how bad I had it until I watched an apple developer conference video where the speaker demonstrated the power of Cocoa and Interface Builder to put together an application in an hour that does more than what I have gotten so far out of 7 chapters.

I just don't trust that this author is really sharing from his vast understanding of the best way to get things done.


Not the correct style/content for a development book - Manuel A. Ricart - Cottage Grove, MN United States
The content of the book is basic and is OK as an introduction, however there are a few things I don't like about this book:

1) Some key steps are usually missing or not highlighted enough. For example, in order to dismiss the keyboard on the "ReturnToMe" application, there's a very important setting that needs to be made in Interface Builder, without it, it doesn't work. This part is missing.

2) The code samples are fairly crude code. Instead of using a single value to determine something, additional instance variables are created. Not elegant, and worse not reusable. In this case, the sample code was to scroll a text field to account for the keyboard showing/hiding. Similarly values like phone numbers are stored multiple times in the code. A more elegant solution is to simply store the value on the UI where its shown, and to read it from the button/label when necessary.

3) Presentation of code samples sometimes direct the reader to "insert the after this text" type of thing. I understand the need to save space. However when right next to this I find screenshots of XCode that are useless for any purpose (like adding accessor methods), the logic doesn't hold. Scrap the picture and list the code, as this is always more useful to the reader.

4) While there's a lot of text to try and motivate development of useful apps, the sample apps spend time on useless minutia and skip important tips. For example a bit of effort goes into developing a 'hidden button' to what amounts to setting a preference for the application. The space would be better served by showing how to set an application preference. Other details like customizing the keyboard that will show when the user taps on a field is more useful and directly affects the usability of the application for the user. The sample doesn't do what the text preaches.

5) A cool feature on the ReturnToMe application is enabling the user to dial the number. However the way this was implemented is silly. Instead of providing a pointer to the API to dial a phone, the phone number is placed in a UIWebView (to get the feature for free). The code to this is 100X more than calling the API directly. - [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL [..]]. And yes, I want to see how to use the UIWebView, but that usecase is the wrong place for it.

After the initial application, the book jumps into a larger application. I find larger samples to be less useful to the reader than small recipe type snippets that cover API ground. While a complex app is cool, it should simply be a downloadable sample for readers to examine.





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