The Open Source Zone

This book is a fast and easy intro to gtk and gnome programming. It contains large, complete examples which are good if you want to do what everyone else is doing. However, I'm trying to draw data and I need something better than calling gdk_gc_set_foreground(); gdk_draw_point(); 256 times for every data set. <p>He uses a large number of gdk routines without providing any overview. The routines are explained where they are used but it's very haphazard. Most of the routines I need seem to be missing.<p>The references for Gtk and Gnome widgets list functions, enums and signals for each but doesn't explain anything about them. Parameters and return values are only discussed in the text if they are actually used.

This book started out very good, although it doesn't explain alot of the widgets and getting data from the widgets very well, for example i had search for around 2 hours for ways to get data from the OptionMenu widget that was not explained at all in the book. The book also lacks good discription for what each function does in the GTK+ reference.

This book is informative, well designed and, in general, a good book.<p>The only thing I did not like about this book is the errors that it contains and the fact that the publisher doesn't publish a list of errors. Sometimes the explanation says one thing and the code that goes with it says another. (ex: Take a look at page 27 (the code) and take a look at the explanation on page 28. It claims that if eventDelete returns TRUE, the window closes. The code says otherwise)<p>Please put some pressure on the publisher so that he corrects the book in a second printing.

This book is informative, well designed and, in general, a good book.<p>The only thing I did not like about this book is the errors that it contains and the fact that the publisher doesn't publish a list of errors. Sometimes the explanation says one thing and the code that goes with it says another. (ex: Take a look at page 27 (the code) and take a look at the explanation on page 28. It claims that if eventDelete returns TRUE, the window closes. The code says otherwise)<p>Please put pressure on the publisher so that he corects the book.

GNOME/GTK+ Programming Bible is a good book but has many short commings. The good part is that it discusses some of the more advanced features of GTK+ and GNOME; specifically Paned windows, MDI windows, and Scrolled windows. The examples are generally very simplistic and way too many of the function call parameters are never explained. In the listing of GTK+ and GNOME features, the main calls are completely omitted; listing calls that support the main Widget building call. Only the function prototype is given, with no explanation as to the meaning of the call parameters. This said, I still find it a very useful book for the examples it provides that do not appear in the other books. The appendices appear to give a fairly complete listing of: Inheritance, Arg Settings anf Getting, Enumeration Types, Signals, Functions by Return Type.