Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!

I hate code samples in technical books! No seriously, this is bile I’m not afraid to give a permalink to (nor am I afraid to end a sentence with a preposition, so there!).

Even the shortest code samples are a pain to type in. And if they show anything reasonably interesting, they’re probably too long to type in.

Of course, nobody actually types in the sample code, they grab the code from the companion CD (blech!) or download zip files containing the code from the companion website.

With Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 (print edition | kindle edition) we experimented with a different approach. We made our sample code available as NuGet packages.

It seemed fitting given that ASP.NET MVC 3 included NuGet 1.0 as part of the product. The benefit of this approach is that there’s no fiddling around with downloading and unpacking files and copying source files into the right place.

Throughout the book, you’ll run into a call-out with a command that says something like Install-Package Wrox.SomethingOrOther. If you’re following along with an ASP.NET MVC 3 project open in Visual Studio, it’s as easy as installing that package and you have the source code nicely organized and immediately runnable!

Along with the easily installable code samples, the book covers all the cool new features of ASP.NET MVC 3 including EF Code First Scaffolding, NuGet, and Razor.

For those that like to dig deeper, the book covers the concept of dependency injection and ASP.NET MVC 3’s support for it as well as Test Driven Development (TDD) with ASP.NET MVC. These chapters were written by Brad Wilson, who’s also a co-author of the xUnit.net unit test framework.

Along with Brad, I had the pleasure of also working with Jon Galloway and K. Scott Allen. This was a bit of a reunion for K. Scott, Jon, and I as we co-authored a book with Jeff Atwood (aka CodingHorror) a lifetime ago.

Since Brad and I are on the product team, we were able to sprinkle in behind-the-scene tidbits from the product team that provide insight into how or why certain decisions were made when it came to the product design.

If you read the book (again, available in both a print edition and a kindle edition. Don’t be shy about collecting them all! Winking smile), please do write a review on Amazon.com. We appreciate all the feedback we can get and already have ideas on how to improve the next one!

Also, a lot of folks have asked me why the Kindle is priced more than the paperback in some areas. We’re not really in control of that. The suggested retail price of the two editions are exactly the same, but Amazon provides different discounts for each edition.

As to the question, why are the suggested retail prices the same? I really don’t know but I plan to suggest that the electronic edition ought to be cheaper.

What others have said

Requesting Gravatar... Justin James Aug 07, 2011 3:14 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Phil -

Interesting idea, and I like it, but it also presumes that the reader is sitting at their desk near a computer with Visual Studio installed while reading the book, which is not true a lot of the time.

J.Ja
Requesting Gravatar... Maciej Gos Aug 07, 2011 3:17 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Hi Haacked,

I just buy this book. As soon as I receive I write review.
Requesting Gravatar... haacked Aug 07, 2011 4:10 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
@Justin I probably didn't make it clear, but the NuGet packages are in addition to the source listings which are still printed in the book.
Requesting Gravatar... Dave Aug 07, 2011 4:21 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
So, how long before this will show up in my Safari Books Online library?
Requesting Gravatar... Phillip Aug 07, 2011 4:27 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Pass, will wait for book by Steven Sanderson and Adam Freeman, or Dino Esposito. They are proper books. These 'Professional' books are never good.

www.amazon.com/.../ref=sr_1_1

www.amazon.com/.../ref=sr_1_2
Requesting Gravatar... Simon Bartlett Aug 07, 2011 5:16 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Wow, the Kindle version is almost $20 more expensive than the print version, what a bargain - not.
Requesting Gravatar... Euan Aug 07, 2011 5:22 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Cool idea. Any idea when the book will be released in the UK? I've got it on pre-order on amazon.co.uk and the release date has been pushed back 3 times
Requesting Gravatar... Brad Aug 07, 2011 5:25 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Thanks Phillip, I just ordered both those books.
Requesting Gravatar... Jason B Aug 07, 2011 6:09 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Thanks Phillip. I just ordered the 'Pro ASP.NET MVC 3 Framework' book, I agree those 'professional' books, are never 'professionally' written. Just rubbish.
Requesting Gravatar... Sean Killeen Aug 07, 2011 7:10 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Don't forget that the PDF e-book is also available! Plenty of us prefer that format. You can find it on the Wrox site at http://www.wrox.com/WileyCDA/WroxTitle/Professional-ASP-NET-MVC-3.productCd-1118155351.html. Looking forward to reading it!
Requesting Gravatar... Steve W Aug 07, 2011 8:40 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Nuget packages for source code - that's a really great idea - it will make things so much smoother, no stopping to load the cd / find the download link etc. :)
Requesting Gravatar... ctrlShiftBryan Aug 07, 2011 9:16 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
@simon stuff like this is why the publishing industry is doomed. I think they are as clueless as the music industry.

I just bought a 4 book set print copy of game of thrones for $16. I can sell the books when I'm done reading them. Or give them away to a friend.

The kindle version was $40...
Requesting Gravatar... Mitch Labrador Aug 07, 2011 11:19 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Good job! Just bought it for my kindle and I like it. Nice easy to follow writing style with enough beginning content as history lesson, but you waste no time getting to the advanced meat of the matter.
Requesting Gravatar... Robert Corvus Aug 08, 2011 2:35 AM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Hi Phil,

I'm thinking about publishing a book, so I'm curious about why you went with Wrox vs self-publishing? You and the other authors are already well-known (legendary, even) and I'm thinking most who will buy your book are already reading at least one of the author's blogs. If buyers don't already know you, I would think they would easily find your book on Amazon. Is Wrox doing anything to market your book beyond what you yourself are already doing? I'm thinking Wrox would get you into the hardcopy convenience stores like Borders (oops) or Waldenbooks (oops) or Barnes&Noble (they're next), but how much will you make there compared to how much you'll make self-publishing straight to Amazon?

Your fan,
Robert
Requesting Gravatar... gs Aug 08, 2011 9:14 AM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
kindle edition <3
Requesting Gravatar... haacked Aug 08, 2011 1:38 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
@Robert I think it's mainly to get the books in the stores. But to be honest, I haven't put a whole lot of research into comparing self publishing vs using a publisher. It's an interesting idea. :)
Requesting Gravatar... Justin James Aug 08, 2011 2:01 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Phil -

Thanks for the clarification! That makes a lot more sense. :)

J.Ja
Requesting Gravatar... Siderite Aug 08, 2011 5:32 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Just make it a video series, with those little annoying bubbles pointing to code that is posted in Google+ and host it on YouTube as a vlog. Lol!

I always like clear links to downloadable code, but usually, when I am reading a book, I am in the subway. Removing the code sample from the text would not help me. 0.02$
Requesting Gravatar... robi.y Aug 09, 2011 8:04 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Any plans to update the nerddinner tutorial to v3?
Requesting Gravatar... Justin B Aug 09, 2011 10:58 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Phil,
My first impression was that code samples were only available via NuGet as well. That certainly makes a great addition when following along with the book!
Requesting Gravatar... Jason Aug 10, 2011 3:26 AM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Why was NerdDinner removed from the book? That was a fantastic sample app? The only sample I see in the TOC is Music Store, but it seems like a much smaller example.
Requesting Gravatar... andrew boudreau Aug 18, 2011 11:56 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
great book, just finished it.
Requesting Gravatar... pretty_cool Sep 21, 2011 2:32 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Great book,I want to buy it
Requesting Gravatar... Stephen Sep 21, 2011 5:02 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Amazon UK doesn't have the kindle edition available anymore :( shame cause I might have got it (if it wasn't more expensive than the physical book....)
Requesting Gravatar... William Sep 27, 2011 4:25 AM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is NOT available ON KINDLE!
The Kindle version of Pro ASP.NET MVC 3 is no longer available for the US. Please bring it back!
Requesting Gravatar... bob Oct 07, 2011 5:50 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Although using nuget is great when you have a copy of VS and an active net connection how can I get hold of and view code samples if you don't have a copy of VS on the computer you are using.

I have tried looking @ the wrox site but all I get is a page with no download links when I try to get the sample code.

www.wrox.com/...

P.S. Is it possible to get the mvcscaffolding stuff installed on a pc without a net connection too?

Thanks
Requesting Gravatar... Adeyinka Oluwaseun Doyin Oct 18, 2011 4:54 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
Best book so far on ASP.NET MVC.....really recommending it to newbies in ASP.MVC....Great work !!!!!
Requesting Gravatar... Rob Nov 09, 2011 1:18 AM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
@haacked What happened to the Kindle edition??? I only buy tech/programming books either in eBook (Kindle) or PDF format because it's much easier to read & code the tutorials at the same time! Especially with a dual monitor setup.

Why is the Kindle edition not available? Please make it available, pretty please!
Requesting Gravatar... haacked Nov 09, 2011 8:36 PM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
@Rob I'm not sure. I talked to our publisher and they're looking into it.
Requesting Gravatar... Edward Wilde Dec 08, 2011 3:49 PM
# kindle edition re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
any news on the kindle edition? as of 09/12/2011 couldn't find it on amazon
Requesting Gravatar... Asif Ashraf May 05, 2012 9:28 AM
# re: Professional ASP.NET MVC 3 is available!
I still remember my first Microsoft Exam book: Que's Certification Guide for MCP for Windows Forms Applications for .NET Framework 1.1 --- And amazing thing I did at that time that I typed in ever single example and That was major breakthrough in my life of programming. The things which I did at that time were never repeated again. Now I have much much blot of experience but I still think I wouldn't be that smart if I couldn't accomplish that code typing.

But I agree, things are not simple windows forms now. So Thumbs up for the Nuget. That's powerful like Phil Himself.

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