IT programming books related reviews
Product: Book Paperback
Title: PHP/MySQL Programming for the Absolute Beginner
Publisher: Muska & Lipman/Premier-Trade
Authors: Andy Harris
Rating: 5/5
Title: PHP/MySQL Programming for the Absolute Beginner
Publisher: Muska & Lipman/Premier-Trade
Authors: Andy Harris
Rating: 5/5
While, of course, focusing on the aspects of PHP and MySQL programming, the first few chapters of the book also make sure to teach the fundamentals of all programming - scope of variables, arrays, the different options for loops, etc. This was extremely helpful to me. With the in-depth example programs and the useful "Challenges" at the end of each chapter, I was programming in PHP from day one. The only problem I had is that he doesn't cover the configuration of PHP much at all, and the example programs on the CD require a certain configuration of PHP that is not standard with installations - so, I had to alter his code in order to see it work on MY computer.
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
Most of the examples and tutorials can be found from many references on the web for free, including the code exchange and news forum. Otherwise, this book is for those who wants 'packaged' information and got no time to do own research.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: PHP3: Programming Browser-Based Applications with PHP
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
Authors: Dave Medinets
Rating: 4/5
Title: PHP3: Programming Browser-Based Applications with PHP
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
Authors: Dave Medinets
Rating: 4/5
We use much PHP3 for our http://www.siliconmail.com site. This book has been a great guide and resource for our development team. Definite recommendation to anyone looking to learn PHP3 or expand their knowledge of this server side scripting system. Boston Media Corporation Development Team,http://www.bostonmedia.com/
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Professional SQL Server 7.0 Programming
Publisher: Wrox Press
Authors: Rob Vieira
Rating: 5/5
Title: Professional SQL Server 7.0 Programming
Publisher: Wrox Press
Authors: Rob Vieira
Rating: 5/5
Most technical books on advanced subjects leave much to be desired. They are often too academic and are for the most part a repeat of the manufacturers standard literature, (for example Microsoft's literature). Robert Viera has written a book that is easy enough for the beginner to follow and yet aimed at the serious professional dealing with real world technical problems. Professional SQL Server 7.0 Programming tacles the challenges that programmers face in the real world and it does it with in-depth discussion and examples. You hardly need to refere to other sources for more information.What's more, I was pleasantly amazed when the author returned my email cry for help within a half hour. I was faced with a Microsoft bug in SQL 7 and Microsoft tech support was no where to be found. Mr. Vieira's prompt response saved the day. I don't expect the author to substitute for Microsoft technical support, but the incident convinced me that he was a working programmer's writing from the view point of a programmer.I look forwards to buying any other books that he will author. How about one on MS Visual Interdev or ASP?
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Professional SQL Server 2000 Database Design
Publisher: Wrox Press
Authors: Louis Davidson, Wrox Author Team
Rating: 3/5
Title: Professional SQL Server 2000 Database Design
Publisher: Wrox Press
Authors: Louis Davidson, Wrox Author Team
Rating: 3/5
My background is as an ASP developer and new dedicated DBA / Data Architect. I've done pretty extensive data modeling and implementation for several small to medium sized ASP applications. I am a big fan of the Wrox P2P series. This is my 8th Wrox purchase.I was disappointed in this book, but I'm having trouble putting my finger on exactly why I was disappointed. I read every word, which is rare for a technical book, but I just don't feel like I learned in the areas that I really wanted to learn. My two main goals for this read were to learn how to better build business rules into my databases and to reinforce and validate data modeling techniques I have been taught from mentors.Extensive coverage is given in the first half of the book to the logical design (extensive to the point of obnoxious). Tips on how to break down your notes for entities and relationships and the like are abundant. A theme I kept repeating to myself over and over as I read was that this is big-time overkill for anything other than an enterprise-scale application. I'm as big an advocate of documenting client interviews as the next guy, but come on - breaking down every paragraph looking for verbs is just overkill. There was no advice given on how to solicit valuable information. Reports are discussed, but I'm a firm believer that reports can tell you much more about an application's true value than anything else. I very much prefer to start by asking the question "What information do you need from the system to do your job better than you do today?" than to start out by asking, "What do you do all day?" I find it the only way to break users out of the paradigm that they have worked in for so long and it leads to much more innovative useful applications. Nothing like this was in the book. I learned how to go through notes that magically appear, and that reports will shed light on missed pieces of information and new pieces of functionality, but who doesn't know that that has designed a database?Davidson is a BIG advocate of normalization. And while there is no substitute for a well-normalized database for application stability and data integrity, Davidson advocates the breaking out of tables for the most meaningless of reasons. Those that develop applications on top of his databases much hate all the extra work he builds in. I disagree with his assertion that the database should be built to anticipate any possible changes to the user-expected data. You will spend forever trying to anticipate changes, and even longer coding over the massive database you have built. For example, in order to store a user's address, Davidson advocates a six-table structure with five joins. Are you kidding me? What coder wants to deal with all that just for the possibility that some time down the road the users may want to add Address Line 10 to the application.Davidson also follows an annoying pattern for demonstrating his normalization techniques. He presents a data model with problems, introduces a concept, applies the concept to the tables and comes up with a better model. This is great, except that he continues to build on the same example throughout the book. So, other than the very last model, all the ones before it are incorrect. You have to read every word in order to get to the correct answer. It makes it impossible to pick up a chapter to use as a reference, because if you create a solution similar to the one demonstrated, you will have an improperly normalized database. Fine for a book you read front to back, but not so good for a reference manual.The implementation details of the book were even more disappointing. Davidson is not an advocate of an N-Tier approach to coding. He believes that as many of the business rules that can be incorporated into the database should be built there. He openly says that he butts heads with his developers and system architects over this issue. I'm not surprised. While I suppose that building the business rules into the database is good for data integrity, I think the biggest advantage for the DBA is job security. I believe that a well-built database should be flexible to changes in business rules and that the data should be stored independent of those rules whenever possible. We all know rules change, and I don't like messing with a production database if I can help it. I would rather have flexibility in the model and trust my business tier coders to do their job.The chapters on Stored Procedures, UDFs, Triggers, and the like are too complicated for a newbie and too un-detailed for an experienced developer. I found Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming by Robert Vieira a much better reference for both the basics and best practices.I guess I've written enough. I still feel there is value in this book. For someone that has never designed a database before or has no formal training, it may be a good reference, but I fear it will be too complicated for a true newbie. There are valuable bits of advice and I broke out my highlighter more than once. In particular, Davidson offers some simple modes for overcoming common problems such as attribute change history.Three stars - I just had too many disagreements with the author to go any higher.-HawkeyeGK
Product: Book Paperback
Title: MCSE Administering SQL Server 7 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-028)
Publisher: Coriolis Group Books
Authors: Jeffrey Garbus, David Pascuzzi, Alvin Chang
Rating: 1/5
Title: MCSE Administering SQL Server 7 Exam Cram (Exam: 70-028)
Publisher: Coriolis Group Books
Authors: Jeffrey Garbus, David Pascuzzi, Alvin Chang
Rating: 1/5
The worst exam cram in the universe. I don't think these guys have any idea about the test or how to prepare for it. Don't even waste your breath asking for the title at the book store, and if somebody hands you a copy for free simply tell them that they can throw it out themselves.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: PHP and MySQL Web Development, Second Edition
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Luke Welling, Laura Thomson
Rating: 5/5
Title: PHP and MySQL Web Development, Second Edition
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Luke Welling, Laura Thomson
Rating: 5/5
While I have an extensive programming background, this was my first book on PHP. It is an excellent resource for beginner (with some programming experience) to intermediate programmers.You can basically code anything in PHP :)I have read this book three times in one month, everytime learning more. It is well worth the money!!!
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 for Dummies
Publisher: For Dummies
Authors: Anthony T. Mann
Rating: 3/5
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 for Dummies
Publisher: For Dummies
Authors: Anthony T. Mann
Rating: 3/5
This is a good book if you are a "rank beginner" and you don't need to do anything complex with SQL. It's missing a lot of information that could be considered more advanced.I bought it to help me with my SQL queries in Active Server Pages and I just haven't found it to be that useful. One of my employees, who knows nothing about SQL has found it to be very useful, however.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Microsoft SQL Server(TM) 7.0 Administrator's Pocket Consultant
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Authors: William R. Stanek
Rating: 4/5
Title: Microsoft SQL Server(TM) 7.0 Administrator's Pocket Consultant
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Authors: William R. Stanek
Rating: 4/5
For those administrators out there that are responsible for SQL servers, this is a must-have book. Being somewhat partial to MSPress books/manuals, I was especially impressed with the "handi-ness" of this one. Not very heavy on underlying technological details, but a great aid when you're looking for an answer or stored procedure switch.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Teach Yourself Pl/SQL in 21 Days (Sams Teach Yourself)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Tom Luers, Timothy Atwood, Jonathan Gennick
Rating: 4/5
Title: Teach Yourself Pl/SQL in 21 Days (Sams Teach Yourself)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Tom Luers, Timothy Atwood, Jonathan Gennick
Rating: 4/5
I started learning pl/sql a couple of weeks ago. I am halfway through the book(i am not doing a chapter a day:). I find it very easy to comprehend ,even by a novice. I think it is a really good start if you know some sql. There are a few small flaws(typo errors) which are no problem.
