[Mono-list] Beginner C# Book

[billg]

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 00:02:39 +0100, "Paul" <paul@all-the-johnsons.co.uk>
said:
> Hi,
> 
> > I picked up and started Sams "C# Primer". It dates from 2001, but it
> > seems to be taking a nice, slow, make-no-assumptions approach.
> 
> And if it's anything like the other SAMS books I've had the misfortune
> to read, full of errors!
> 
> > Wrox books are full of obvious typos, even in second editions and
> > later. Who proofreads their stuff?
> 
> Dunno, but it can't be anywhere near as bad as Linux Games Programming
> from Prima-Tech or *anything* Herb Shildt has done...

I'm about 100 pages into the Sams book and haven't seen any glaring
typos yet.  Overall,I've had mixed experience with them. In general, it
seems the "computer book" trade is full of products with poor quality
control. Even if someone does catch the typos, they often appear to be
edited by someone with no awareness of the subject:  bad organization,
lack of continuity, etc. These are the tell-tales signs of bad writing
that editors are supposed to fix.

I also picked up a Wrox book that is a fountain of typos and reads as
an unpolished collection of lectures notes, and maybe it is. But, it is
the third edition, time enough for the typos, at least,to have been
corrected.

O'Reilly isn't perfect, but their books are professionally written and
edited. So is Prentice-Hall, and I've read some awfully good books from
the Dr Dobbs folks at M&T. 

At first glance, this subject seems a bit OT, but I think it is
pertinent to any
newborn language that's trying to attract fans and users. A beginner's
Mono book -- keyed to the Linux platform -- from a quality publisher
would provide a real boost.