Greetings everyone,
I have a problem. In my school its required I learn Visual Basic 2010. I know there are much better programming languages out there but unfortunately I have to learn this one. Guys, its mandatory there is nothing I can do about it. Please don't beat me with sock full of batteries.

Anyway to get to the point. I found out best way to study for me is to sit down with printed book, understand the methods and then attempt to use them (either on examples I make up or on the ones from the book).

Objective :
So here is the deal. If you have any tips on good books which would help me understand and learn Visual Basic 2010, or any tips in general please post them here. I am looking for books that would cover basics to OOP and beyond. Simply from basics to advanced.

The prizes :
Magicka key from the Paradox Amazon bundle
3 dollar GOG game from any future sale (simply PM me, if you will be the winner, when anything will be on sale for that price and you would like to have it)

End
Late night of Friday 7.12.2012

Optional
If anyone would know about good book for programming in C# as well, that would be just great.


Thus there will be two winners. Also if anyone wants to have DOTA 2 just mention it in your post and I will hold separate "winner pick" for that. Also winners will be picked at random.

I apologize for any grammar errors but I am writing this at 3 AM.

Well, here's a couple starting places. There's so many books there's almost too much choice!

Microsoft Visual Basic 2010 Step by Step: by Michael Halvorson

Mastering Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: by Evangelos Petroutsos

Not entering; just hoping this may help or at least get you started.

Visual Basic 2010 Programmer's Reference by Rod Stephens

When i took it we used **** but I didn't really use the book that much(more to look up specifics or syntax stuff than teach myself reading it) since my teacher was good and went over everything so well. And I didn't use any other texts so not sure how much better or worse it is from any others. (obviously not entering the giveaway with this crap just trying to help, maybe you could look up the title or somebody else will have something to say about it)

edit-
derp. wrong textbook. managed to autopilot the one I was using now into the text...I'll have to find mine for that....

edit2-
ah, it was said anyway. "visual basic 2010 programmer's reference".
so never mind i guess. anyway, goodluck it isn't really that bad once you get the hang of it
edit3- fixed typo that "look op" instead of up was bugging me

I've always figured you could get one of those Teach yourself books in 21 days to give yourself a head start. Then, just make sure you have access to MSDN reference.

In my days, we used to call Visual Basic the cram tool. When you need to get something done fast and dirty, it's a great choice. To be totally honest, you'll get into the swing of things very quickly. It's that easy.

Teach Yourself Visual Basic 2010 in 24 hours
http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-Visual-Complete-Starter/dp/0672331136

in for the $3 GOG

suggestion:

Sams Teach Yourself Visual Basic 2010 in 24 Hours Complete Starter Kit
by James Foxall

24 1 hour sessions and comes with a DVD. each lesson builds on one another.

good luck in learning the language!

Count me in for the $3 GOG game. And thanks and +1 for your generosity, Detlik!

Also, a little promotion in the giveaways' directory:
http://www.gog.com/forum/general/how_does_one_make_a_gift_aka_gifting_on_gog_for_dummies/post492

How about Microsoft Visual Basic 2010 Step by Step (oops, DieRuhe say it first), or Beginning Visual Basic 2010, for starters?

I hope some of our recommendations helps you with your purpose, mate!

Easy and cheap: use the help within Visual Basic 2010.
I'd like the $3 GOG game.

Thanks everyone for help so far. Just to clarify, even if you will bring a book into this discussion that was already recommended, you are still up for the giveaway. That way I will at least know it truly the best. I will upload the main post with this information.

Also this purely as a cherry on the imaginary pie, but if anyone would be aware of good C# programming book that would be awesome.

The deadline is set for Friday 7.12.2012 (during night of GMT+1)

As much I would love to get Magicka I don't know anything about Visual Basic 2010, so the only thing I can do is wish you luck with learning and finding a good book for that :)

I forgot to touch on the C# part of your query. I had to learn C# through .Net two years ago and found the transition fairly easy. Since I didn't have a Windows box, I mostly used a Mono book to get started with concepts.

I used these two:
Mono: A Developer Notebook
http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596007928.do

Practical Mono
http://www.apress.com/9781590595480

There is quite some *nix stuff happening there, but the basic gist of C# coding is the same.

BUMP!

I teach a Visual Basic 2010 class at the local community college. Guys, it's mandatory there is nothing I can do about it. Please don't beat me with sock full of batteries.

I used the Step By Step book by Halvorson for my class, and I didn't like it. I won't be using it again next semester. It's light on the programming theory, and some of the chapters are woefully useless... there's a chapter about graphics and animation (why is this important?) and a chapter on printing (who prints these days?), and just a token amount of web programming at the end.

So, I'm afraid I can't tell you what to get, only what not to get.

I'm thinking an iPhone with FaceTime. Maybe I can get the school to pay for it if it's for educational purposes. "But, Mister Administrator," I would say, "I need an iPhone5 with 4G-LTE because some guy named Detlik on the GOG forums needs help!"