IT programming books related reviews
Product: Book Paperback
Title: PHP Pocket Reference, 2nd Edition
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Rasmus Lerdorf
Rating: 5/5
Title: PHP Pocket Reference, 2nd Edition
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Rasmus Lerdorf
Rating: 5/5
If you can code you already know PHP, you just need to be "reminded" of all the built in functions and a few little details. This book does just that, cheaply.Some CGI background is helpfull if you have never done any web programming, but any intelligent programmer should be coding PHP in half an hour with this book.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: MCSE Database Design on SQL Server 7 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-029)
Publisher: Coriolis Group Books
Authors: Jeffrey Garbus, David Pacuzzi, Alvin Chang, David Pascuzzi
Rating: 4/5
Title: MCSE Database Design on SQL Server 7 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-029)
Publisher: Coriolis Group Books
Authors: Jeffrey Garbus, David Pacuzzi, Alvin Chang, David Pascuzzi
Rating: 4/5
After these same author's truly worthless "SQL 7 Administration Exam Cram", it was a pleasant surprise to see that this book is at least in the right neiborhood.Although I haven't taken the test yet and can't verify it first hand, the material in this book seems fits well with what brain dumps and other info I've seen.Now if I could just get my money back on their first book...
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server 7 in 10 Minutes (Sams Teach Yourself)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: William Robison, William Robinson
Rating: 5/5
Title: Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server 7 in 10 Minutes (Sams Teach Yourself)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: William Robison, William Robinson
Rating: 5/5
After reading "Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL, Quick steps for fast results, in 10 Minutes," by Ben Forta, Mr. Robison's pales. The material in general is good, however the details are presented in a string of possible command parameters ... - making it difficult to follow for the novice.I would suggest that the book be rewritten along the lines of Mr. Forta's approach.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Core PHP Programming: Using PHP to Build Dynamic Web Sites (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Pearson Education
Authors: Leon Atkinson
Rating: 3/5
Title: Core PHP Programming: Using PHP to Build Dynamic Web Sites (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Pearson Education
Authors: Leon Atkinson
Rating: 3/5
This was the first book I bought on PHP. I had bought Core Java 1 & 2 before as recommendation from a friend and was thrilled to find Core PHP. I liked it from the start. I was just beginning PHP programming for a database course and used this as reference. I had some programming experience in Java, and therefore didn't need a real beginners book to start me up on PHP.
However, as time went along and I got a little more advanced in PHP I found the book fell short on me. I couldn't always find what I was looking for and since I was programming online anyway I found myself more and more ignoring the book and just using the php online manual at php dot net where you can find any function and everything is up to date. That is the beauty of PHP as it is. So I think most people would be better of finding a book that helps them along with programming (I honestly couldn't say which, I have only used this and php.net) instead of a reference, like this book is, or trying to be. You don't really need a reference since php.net is a good enough and free reference on it's own.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Oracle PL/SQL Programming, Third Edition
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Steven Feuerstein
Rating: 5/5
Title: Oracle PL/SQL Programming, Third Edition
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Steven Feuerstein
Rating: 5/5
This is a very well written book, a must for any ORACLE PL/SQL Programmer. Along with the ORACLE Built-In Packages book, they both provide undocumented features and helpful examples.
Product: Book Hardcover
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 7 Administrator's Guide
Publisher: Muska & Lipman/Premier-Trade
Authors: Ron Talmage
Rating: 1/5
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 7 Administrator's Guide
Publisher: Muska & Lipman/Premier-Trade
Authors: Ron Talmage
Rating: 1/5
My big problem with this book is the redundancy between it and the Microsoft documentation, particularly the BOL. Anything of value in this book is also in the BOL. The rest -- glib comments and generally poor writing -- you can do without. I'm a SQL Server trainer, and our books committee recently rejected this one for all the reasons above. Suggest that you do the same.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: MDX Solutions: With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services
Publisher: Wiley
Authors: George Spofford
Rating: 4/5
Title: MDX Solutions: With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services
Publisher: Wiley
Authors: George Spofford
Rating: 4/5
Unlike Whitehorn this author clearly understands MDX. MDX semantics are complex and mudled but he tries to explain them. However, the result is still as not clear as it could be. What does the filter expression *really* mean...
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Murach's SQL for SQL Server
Publisher: Mike Murach & Associates
Authors: Bryan Syverson
Rating: 3/5
Title: Murach's SQL for SQL Server
Publisher: Mike Murach & Associates
Authors: Bryan Syverson
Rating: 3/5
I realize everyone gave it 5 stars but my question to all of them is did you read the entire book? This book is absolutely excellent..... for a reference book and a quick refresher book on How To ... but it does not teach. Teaching is more than a quick synopsis page of what the command does and a page of reiteration of that same info. True the Murach style of side to side page of one topic is a very good thing but... teaching is not a complete chapter on some topic with a conclusion (Perspective) at the end. Teaching requires additional lessons and exercises at least at the end of each chapter to reinforce and to give hands on for the material just covered. This book after the first two chapters has none. Zilch, nada, zero. No reinforcing exercises what so ever. You have your "How To's" on each two pages, a usual one paragraph conclusion and terms reiteration at the end of each chapter and then on to the next chapter. Yes you can learn from this style but it will be a bit difficult and it is one of the very few books I have ever had in my 18 years of IT where there were no additional re-inforcing exercises to "cement" what you just learned. No hands on after the chapter. That cost this book a 3 Star rating. BTW, I completed the whole book before I wrote this. I am going to have to get another SQL book to assist in "cementing" the How To's into my skillset.
Product: Book Hardcover
Title: Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Authors: Ron Soukup, Kalen Delaney
Rating: 4/5
Title: Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Authors: Ron Soukup, Kalen Delaney
Rating: 4/5
This is a great book for giving a novice SQL 7 user a detailed understanding of how SQL 7 really works. While not billed as an exam prep guide, this text was absolutely key to getting me past 70-29. I highly recommend it for anyone who needs to learn SQL or wants to attain their MCDBA.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Sams Teach Yourself Transact-SQL in 21 Days (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Lowell Mauer
Rating: 5/5
Title: Sams Teach Yourself Transact-SQL in 21 Days (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Lowell Mauer
Rating: 5/5
I had a previous background on Oracle, and was about to head a C/S project based o MSSQL Server. Firt I tried "SQL Server 6.5 Programming - Unleashed" (I had SQL background, didn't I?). Ugh! I found T-SQL was far depart from Oracle (mainly PL/SQL). So I looked for something syntax oriented. "Teachyourself..." was the final answer to shed light on MSSQL implementation of SQL scripting (IMHO, the worst implementation I saw). Despite any weakness in T-SQL itself, the book is well organized and easy to follow (took 15 days, but you know, I was in a hurry). If you're comming from any other SQL dialect, stop by this book to get T-SQL insight.
