Building basic foundations is the aim of Greg Perry and Sanjaya Hettihewa"s Visual Basic 6 Programming Starter Kit 2.0. This book and disc package, which comprises Teach Yourself Visual Basic 6 in 24 Hours and the Learning Edition of Microsoft"s Visual Basic 6 package is an excellent way to get stuck into the rudiments of the language. With the emphasis on front-end design, Perry and Hettihewa provide a competent and straightforward overview of the functionality VB offers the programmer without delving too far into the inner workings. All of the basics, from form design to making the most of the standard Windows controls are covered here in a style that makes the book easy to pick up when there"s a spare moment. The downside of such an approach--after all 24 hours is not a long time-- is that some topics don"t receive as much attention as they might. Database programming and ActiveX are glossed over a little too lightly, but having said that it"s unlikely that beginners will plunge straight into these elements without the kind of prior knowledge his book imparts. These omissions aside, there is plenty of useful advice and information on debugging, distributing finished applications and using the built-in Internet-capable functions, which more than makes up for the weaknesses in other areas. --Chris Russell