This is the .NET 2.0 edition of Murach's best-selling C# book. As its title implies, it teaches you how to develop Windows business applications from scratch, integrating all of the new 2005 features like data sources, generics, code snippets, refactoring, partial and static classes, and anonymous methods. But most C# 2005 books cover the same things. So here are several ways this book differs from the others.

#1: There's a 5-chapter section on database programming
This is crucial in business applications, and it's an area that's changed dramatically from earlier versions of C#. So this section shows you how to use the new SQL data sources and the DataGridView control to develop database applications with little or no C# code. Then, to understand what's going under the surface, you'll learn to code ADO.NET to work directly with databases. Finally, you'll learn how to create and use object data sources, also new in C# 2.0, to create 3-layer applications that keep the presentation code separate from the data access code, while providing the data binding that's one of the key benefits of using data sources.

#2: The OOP section deals with business objects, not cats and dogs
Knowing how object-oriented programming works is key to being a top C# developer. Many books explain OOP by using examples that are meant to be easily understood, like illustrating objects with animal classes such as mammals, cats, and dogs. However, the analogy breaks down as you try to figure out how to apply it to business applications. So this book presents business objects like customers, invoices, and products to show you how OOP is applied in the real world.

#3: It teaches development the way it should be done today, using Visual Studio
Today, no developer should miss out on the productivity features of Visual Studio 2005. So we don't waste your time showing you how to code programs using limited tools like text editors. Instead, chapters 1-3 teach you how to set up and use VS 2005 to develop Windows applications so that you can take advantage of time-savers like refactoring and the interactive debugger right from the start. Then, later chapters cover VS tools for specific tasks, like one-click deployment.

#4: Complete applications show how all the pieces interact
The key to mastering C# development is to have plenty of real-world examples that show you how the features you're learning interact...and that help you avoid the problems that you can run into as you build complex applications. That's why this book gives you complete applications for functions like order entry (these can be downloaded for free from the Murach web site).

#5: The paired-pages format lets developers set their own pace
Murach books have a distinctive format, where each two-page spread presents a single topic. Both beginning and experienced developers find that this format makes it easy to focus on the information they need, whether they're using the book for training or reference. To see how this works, you can download sample chapters for free from the Murach web site.