Beginning ASP.Net 4.5 in C# Coding Skills Kit Includes Book and Wrox Skills Challenge Powered by Innerworkings
by Imar Spaanjaars

I found this link on Goodreads, what is this? How does it work? I read the description but still don't see how it is useful.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...om_search=true

As a starting point, here's a walkthrough of one of the lessons in the similar Windows 8 App dev training using InnerWorkings.
http://blogs.wrox.com/2013/03/29/wro...g-walkthrough/

Same concept with ASP.NET: there will be a web app you need to make some modifications too, you'll read the needed changes and write code. If you already know how to do it, you'll jump right in, open the code, make your changes, and grade it to see if you got it right. Or if some of the functionality is new skill, you'll read Imar's book sections and the training tells you which sections are useful to prepare for the code challenges.

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Jim Minatel
Associate Publisher, WROX - A Wiley Brand
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Thanks for the reply. I'm going to look into this further. But my time is limited. I still have a lot of questions not answered.

Ok i found the link hear. It answers the pricing question. http://www.wrox.com/WileyCDA/WroxTit...118727290.html. Its a whopping $190. Which is what i thought. Amazon has it for $120--not too bad but I already have a book and no desire for a paperback.

1) Does the software really know if you coded the project correctly? My experience with any type of artificial intelligence is that it is a weak substitute for the real thing and could teach you wrong because everything is a "cardboard box." Say I'm learning a natural language? AI only gets it right when i happen to say it precisely the way it is pre-coded to be expressed. Other variations may also be right but... they were rejected because you can't code for everything. That doesn't mean i can't learn anything from it. It just means I'll have to struggle to deal with the software's limitations.

2) I already have the book. I don't want another copy. I assume it can be purchased outside the bundle? I've not checked yet. Sorry

3) Is it 7 hrs a chapter? 7 hours an exercise? (I really love the idea, but 7 hrs seems like a lot of time with competing interests. I'm already in school and am supposed to be spending that each week on my class.)

4) When you say i'll have to do research, what does that mean? and how long will it take to find the solution? That scares me only because I don't like spending weeks or days looking for a solution--being sent on wild goose chases.

5) Does it give you an answer if you can't figure it out and does it tell you where you can read more?

6) Now if this product is really good... it sounds like it will be a bit expensive. I'm also wondering if I will actually ever use it. One thing about spending money on something is when it doesn't work or it doesn't keep you motivated and it just sits there.

7) Is there a trial that can be downloaded and tried to see if you like it? Most of these places won't let you return if you open the package. So if i dont like it I'm stuck with it. That is a steep price to pay for just trying something new. This seems to be the answer to this question. Trials are available here: https://www.innerworkings.com/dotnet/learningtrial

I'm interested. I've often dreamed of having a supplement along with a book. But i would think anohter book with practical or maybe just practice exercises would be cheaper.

Thanks again.

Hi Maurice,

I work for InnerWorkings and below I'll try and give you some answers to your questions.

Please leave question 2 with me for the moment. I'll contact you separately on that.

Ok i found the link hear. It answers the pricing question. http://www.wrox.com/WileyCDA/WroxTit...118727290.html. Its a whopping $190. Which is what i thought. Amazon has it for $120--not too bad but I already have a book and no desire for a paperback.

1) Does the software really know if you coded the project correctly? My experience with any type of artificial intelligence is that it is a weak substitute for the real thing and could teach you wrong because everything is a "cardboard box." Say I'm learning a natural language? AI only gets it right when i happen to say it precisely the way it is pre-coded to be expressed. Other variations may also be right but... they were rejected because you can't code for everything. That doesn't mean i can't learn anything from it. It just means I'll have to struggle to deal with the software's limitations.

We’re very aware that different solutions are possible for almost every coding situation. The InnerWorkings judging engine uses a variety of different tests – not just direct code analysis or comparison – to figure out if you’ve created a good solution to each coding challenge. In fact, we tend to rely on the results that the code produces as a first check, and then check other key aspects of the solution to ensure that it really is what the coding challenge set out to teach. Thousands of developers have relied on our coding challenges and found them accurate and useful.

2) I already have the book. I don't want another copy. I assume it can be purchased outside the bundle? I've not checked yet. Sorry



3) Is it 7 hrs a chapter? 7 hours an exercise? (I really love the idea, but 7 hrs seems like a lot of time with competing interests. I'm already in school and am supposed to be spending that each week on my class.)

To complete the entire course, you’re tasked with solving 24 coding exercises. We estimate that the total amount of coding time should be about 12 hours on average. We assume that this is new material to most users and so we estimate they will require the same amount of time to read the relevant chapter/information before they’ve enough knowledge to complete the code challenge. Obviously, this is totally dependent on the base line knowledge the user already has.

4) When you say i'll have to do research, what does that mean? and how long will it take to find the solution? That scares me only because I don't like spending weeks or days looking for a solution--being sent on wild goose chases.

Don’t worry, we try to leave the goose chases to real hunters. Each code challenge is accompanied by context sensitive links to the relevant book chapter which should provide you with the information you need to complete the challenge. Additionally, you’ll also have some links to relevant web article and also our Personal Tutor service. So if you’re stuck you can automatically bundle up your code sent it to our Personal Tutor. The PT’s role is to examine your code and give you clear guidance to help resolve the solution.

5) Does it give you an answer if you can't figure it out and does it tell you where you can read more?

As well as the Personal Tutor service, each code challenge is accompanied by a set of walk-through instructions called Steps. They will take you through a step by step approach towards solving the challenge

6) Now if this product is really good... it sounds like it will be a bit expensive. I'm also wondering if I will actually ever use it. One thing about spending money on something is when it doesn't work or it doesn't keep you motivated and it just sits there.

You’re exactly right. Motivation is critical. And learning new techniques can be lonely and difficult. We try to make the coding challenges reflective of real-world problems so that our users feel the knowledge they acquire will be of direct benefit to them in live development situations.
In most cases we find users go through to complete the full course and many say that being able to get an instant response from the code judging engine is a key factor.

Our PT’s will also stay in touch and try to help you continue your learning progress.


7) Is there a trial that can be downloaded and tried to see if you like it? Most of these places won't let you return if you open the package. So if i dont like it I'm stuck with it. That is a steep price to pay for just trying something new. This seems to be the answer to this question. Trials are available here: https://www.innerworkings.com/dotnet/learningtrial

That is the best place to try it for free. However PT support is not available on the trial version.

I'm interested. I've often dreamed of having a supplement along with a book. But i would think anohter book with practical or maybe just practice exercises would be cheaper.

Thanks again.[/QUOTE]

I read over this information earlier today and I'm just getting back to it.

So you mean 24 hrs total (average across 1000s of users) or about 2 hrs per exercise.

Finally, we have a Personal Tutor and we have this code engine both for a limited time of 1 year from what I've read.

1) Can we extend this subscription and for how much for the extension?

2) If we choose not to extent the subscription what do we actually have left? Does the software itself provide any benefit after the 1 year is over?

3) At this link for the book/course (https://www.innerworkings.com/catalo...5-in-visual-cs), there aren't 24 lessons listed. Is there a way to see all the lessons and the assignments before purchasing the software? Are each one of the topics listed at the link broken down into smaller lessons?

I think that is all my questions unless you raise some new questions from your explanations. I really appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions. Im thinking about buying the software in a few weeks i just need to see how the next few months go with school. Thanks.

Hi Maurice,

That's correct. About 24 hours in total or 1hr (not 2) per exercise.

You can extend the subscription at the end of the year for the same license fee. However, we believe that most people will have used the materials within the year and will be moving onto new materials within the Wrox/InnerWorkings Code Skills library.
If you choose not to renew, all the software will still be available. You just won't be able to judge your code submission or access Personal Tutor support.

My e-mail address is [email protected]. If you drop me a quick line I can also answer question 2 from yesterday which will in turn answer your third question.

All the Best,
Bob