At first glance, it seems as though reading this hefty tome from cover to cover, front to back, would be a daunting task. However, readers should remember that the book’s value is its ability to be used as a resource and a reference; it is full of powerful tools for customizing business applications. Thus, its style is amenable to linear reading or jumping from topic to topic. Regardless of the manner in which it is read, this primer provides development basics through many examples and step-by-step instructions.

As the authors clearly point out, SharePoint is many things to many different people. It is an application, a platform, a server, a framework, and a database to coders, beginning developers, administrators, power users, and experienced developers. The SharePoint community is made up of information sources, consulting firms, and third-party developers, as well as the many forums, books, conferences, and Web sites that are dedicated to promulgating SharePoint as a platform of products and technologies that can handle just about every need in the world of the Internet and Web applications.

The book uses many different formats and aids to deliver its message: figures, including flowcharts and error-page screen shots, clarify the issues that users may encounter; tables and several pages of code listings show programming characteristics related to the various functions of SharePoint; and blogs and companion Web sites ensure that help is available in many different forums and formats. Throughout the text there are “Tip,” “Note,” and “Caution” boxes; definitions; and answers to “Do I need to worry about this?”

SharePoint allows users to create Web applications without having to understand classic Web site development, and provides templates for integrating charts and maps. The book covers creating forms to handle user input, automating tasks, and Web content, document, and records management.

I do have a few minor criticisms. First, an acronym list with meanings would have been helpful (and should be included in a future edition). Second, I really do not agree with the authors’ use of Wikipedia as a “down-to-earth” source. Finally, as an academic myself, I am surprised that the authors fail to provide a bibliography or reference page.

Despite some shortcomings, the book is indeed very helpful for understanding what is behind the tools, functions, and programming applications in everyday computing life that users take for granted.