Mykland takes care to explain every aspect of the programs he includes in this book, even going so far as to discuss what event-driven interfaces are and what the most elementary C statements do. Sometimes he includes really long code listings without much explanatory commentary in the immediate context, but you're usually able to figure out what he's doing by referring back to earlier sections. As you work through the explanations and exercises, you'll develop a solid understanding of how the Palm OS takes in, processes, and displays information. Experienced C developers won't find this book overly elementary, though, as Mykland digs fairly deep into the Palm OS's capabilities (including a considerable bit about its database format). A concluding section on tricks you can use to minimize bugs and speed the development process is particularly valuable. --David Wall