BKVBPTKT.RVW   950727
 
"Visual Basic Power Toolkit", Richard Mansfield/Evangelos Petroutsos, 1995, 1-
56604-190-2, U$39.95
%A   Richard Mansfield
%A   Evangelos Petroutsos
%C   PO Box 2468, Chapel Hill, NC   27515
%D   1995
%G   1-56604-190-2
%I   Ventana Press
%O   U$39.95 800-743-5369 919-942-0220 fax: 919-942-1140 dludlow@vmedia.com
%P   914
%T   "Visual Basic Power Toolkit"
 
The stated objective of the book is to "cover sophisticated, advanced topics";
presumably of programming functions and algorithms; and to have these topics
explained in a very clear and simple manner.  "Advanced" seems to be synonymous
with "graphical", since the overwhelming majority of the book is dedicated to
visual effects.
 
There is material on optimization, database functions, OLE automation,
recursion, and encryption.  The performance suggestions are fairly mundane and
the database concepts are simplistic.  (The SQL introduction may be valuable--
it's being used a lot these days.)  OLE automation is merely the ability to
"call" a macro in another program, if this presentation is accurate.  The
authors don't seem to be entirely comfortable with recursion, and their
explanation is more difficult than is necessary.  There is a thousand-dollar
prize for cracking the encrypted message in the book.  However, the use and
discussion of RANDOMIZE and RND is an unnecessary refinement: the cipher is
essentially a variation on the "one time pad", and therefore not subject to
decryption methods.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995  BKVBPTKT.RVW   950727

======================
roberts@decus.ca     rslade@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca     rslade@cyberstore.ca
  I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with
   sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use - Galileo
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94311-0/3-540-94311-0