Palm Programming in Basic

By Jon Kilburn

- This is the first and only book on Palm OS programming that explains programming without using C - This book is geared to the largest developer market in the world, Microsoft Visual Basic. - Covers 3 major compilers for the Palm OS Platform, plus covers other Palm issues such as conduit development and Internet Web Clipping. - Includes tutorials for getting started and building an application using each language.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1893115496
• ISBN13: 9781893115491
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Apress
• Length: 388 Pages
• Weight: 1.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

The best technical support I've had in years!

Probably the most common complaint that this book will get is for the lack of the example code on a supporting CD. When I emailed author Jon Kilburn (his email address is in the book) requesting the NS Basic source code he not only got back to me within a few hours but had attached the source code, the raw artwork, the final project, and a letter detailing the NS Basic software version to bring my attention that software updates may have rendered some of the code "old". If I wasn't already going to give it 5 stars, I would for the support alone! As for covering all the material, none of the NS Basic books out there cover everything in the detail one might hope. That said, "Palm Programming in Basic" by Jon Kilburn and "NS Basic Programming for Palm OS" by Michael J. Verive are by far the two most comprehensive titles for NS Basic programming and, combined, cover all the features in quite a bit of detail. Both have a different style of writing and presenting the information (as well as different examples of code and coding methods) so if you have difficulty grasping one of the authors, jumping to the other will usually provide that breakthrough you're looking for. The other two references I use the most are the "Palm OS Programming Bible, Second Edition" by Lonnon R. Foster and the NS Basic user group. The Palm Bible covers a lot but is non-NS Basic specific and the user group has hundreds of example projects with descriptions that you can use to jump start your projects.

A Great Way to get going in Mobile Development

A Great Way to get going in Mobile DevelopmentWith the smart hand-held device space growing at 40% per year it's no wonder the sharp enterprise developers are looking to the mobile space for the next wave of software opportunities. Jon provides an insightful overview of the space and options for implementing mobile applications. Jon's hard work really shows in the detailed examples and analysis of issues critical for the mobile developers. This book is great for the beginner and experienced Visual Basic developer alike...

Excellent book for beginner programmers to the Palm OS

As the owner of a software company that recently began programming in the PDA market, I was hard pressed to find a book that dealt with programming for the Palm that was neither based on the C language or written for an engineer. Kilburn's book was our oasis. It is straight forward, easy to understand, and does not confuse the beginner with advanced topics as do other programming books that I have seen. The book is well written and presented in such a manner that the reader can make an intelligent decission on which of the three development tools described in the book is best suited for them, without bias of one product over another. For experienced programmers wanting to develop software for the Palm OS platform, this book will help them decide which tool is best suited for their needs. For the beginning programmer or hobbyist, Kilburn kept the code examples simple and easy to follow. My employees that read this book gave it a thumbs up. I would recommend this book to anyone that is getting started in programming for the Palm OS platform.

Excellent Foundation

I develop in both AppForge & NSBasic. I found this book to be a great foundation book and filled in some gaps I had in understanding Palm programming and using these tools. His piece on creatively using Grids in AppForge to simulate a dynamic array was worth the price of the book for me. It solved a nagging headache for me and gave me a number of ideas on how to use Grids in creative ways. His chapter on Conduits helped the light to go on for me. It also let me compare AppForge, NSBasic, and CASL in an apples-to-apples comparison, showing each ones strengths (and weaknesses). This is not an in-depth 'Bible' and doesn't claim to be. I look forward to an in-depth book focused on the individual languages and hope someone comes up with one.

The Best Palm Programming Reference Available

Jon's book is an essential reference for programming for the Palm platform. If your serious about programming in this environment, you'll appreciate Jon's professional analysis of three prominent languages. Palm Programming in Basic is an important supplement to the documentation provided with each language, and Jon demonstrates his mastery in the field with this very readable book.