Review of Palm OS Game Programming (Premier Press Game Development Series) (Paperback)

I should have believed the two readers who rated this book with
2 stars. I'm not sure if they found the same errors that I have
found below but I don't think my debug-ROMs on POSE with all
debug options turned on lied to me.

I bought the book based on its Table of Contents.What a fool
I've been!

I tested the first example Chapter3.prc and it gave the
following error after I tapped any of the launchers :

"Found 3 memory leaks for Chapter3(unknown version) Information

concering the leaks can be found in the log file."

Chapter4.prc ran ok.

Chapter6.prc's animated sheep application ran but again when I
tap any of the application launchers:

"Found 12 memory leaks for Chapter6(unknown version). Information
concerning the leaks can be found in the log file."

Chapter7.prc = "Found 31 memory leaks..."

Chapter8.prc ran but provided no way out. Tapping or pressing
the application launcher and hard buttons can't exit the program.

Chapter9's Elastic.prc & Inelastic.prc = "Found 13 memory leaks..."

Chapter10.prc = "Found 19 memory leaks..."

Chapter12.prc = "Chapter12(unknown version) called SysFatalAlert
with the message "DataMgr.c, Line 3362, Null dbID passed".

The book is hypocrital in the sense that it says to turn ON ALL
debugging options and yet I feel the author turned his OFF when
he developed the applications in the book.

Plus the makefile doesn't work using GCC! I assume the makefile
is specific to one of the proprietary tools he used.

I'll still read this book for the theory but I will definitely
write my own game engine. I can't trust his engine.

Next time, I won't buy books with reviews/ratings split two
ways. I wish I could return this book but I can't since
returning it to Amazon will be a costly excercise on my part.

Product Description
To the average person, a Palm OS PDA is merely a handy calendar and address book. As a game programmer, however, you see its potential as much more than that. You see a device ready to be programmed with an array of exciting games. This book shows you how you can accomplish just that. Beginning with a detailed discusion of how the OS works, you will soon be writing your own programs as you learn about loading and drawing bitmaps, physics, Artificial Intelligence, and many advanced concepts of Palm OS programming. Before beginning, you will need to have a working knowledge of C and C++ as well as some experience using a Palm device, although experience programming a Palm is not required. As you progress though the book, you will develop a game framework that you can use as you create your own games in the future.

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