This is, as the name suggests a programming guide. It's not a tutorial, nor a reference manual. Rather it takes you through the steps you need to use Visual J++ 6.0. It's very much a guide to VJ++ 6.0 the environment, not a Java tutorial. It tells you how to use Java in VJ++ 6.0, assuming you want to do as much as possible using the Microsoft com.ms.* classes. There is no mention of Swing, RMI, JDBC or many other SUN classes, though to be fair it does carefully point out the Microsoft non standard extensions, such as the new keywords and conditional compilation directives. It covers Forms, DLLs, Active X, and ADO. Indeed everything you would expect in a Microsoft Windows programming guide. There are however some very strange chapters; 'Managing Projects with Source Code Control', for example, is just half a page long and tells you to read the online documentation. I can't see why they didn't either include it properly, or omit it completely. On the other hand there is a section on compiler errors that occupies over a hundred pages and I can't see why anyone would want a printed copy.

It's all very clearly explained, well written and precise, but is essentially just a hard copy of most of the online documentation that you get with the product anyway. If you want a paper copy to read rather than sitting at the screen, then this is the book, but otherwise there doesn't seem much point in purchasing a copy.