IT programming books related reviews
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Admin911: SQL Server 2000
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
Authors: Brian Knight
Rating: 5/5
Title: Admin911: SQL Server 2000
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
Authors: Brian Knight
Rating: 5/5
This book is a must have for both administrators and developers. I own several books on SQL Server but none have paid dividends like this one did. It is clearly written, not overly technical, and extremely informative. I especially like the Code Blue sections which provide information and advice on items that most of us have been tripped on. It is like having an experience technical guru on your desk for 30 bucks. The sections on Data Transformation Services and Linked Servers are extremely well done.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: SQL: The Complete Reference, Second Edition
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media
Authors: James R Groff, Paul N. Weinberg
Rating: 3/5
Title: SQL: The Complete Reference, Second Edition
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media
Authors: James R Groff, Paul N. Weinberg
Rating: 3/5
The 'complete' reference leaves out some minor details like how to access databases, what associations to apply to them, how to use the software (even a minor indication would be nice - I know how to click .exe). And there's the little detail of not being supplied passwords to USE the software, and of course no web sight faq source or any way to contact the authors) If you're starting out this complete reference isn't quite complete enough
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Inside Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 (Microsoft Programming Series)
Publisher: Microsoft Pr
Authors: Ron Soukup
Rating: 5/5
Title: Inside Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 (Microsoft Programming Series)
Publisher: Microsoft Pr
Authors: Ron Soukup
Rating: 5/5
It is not often I give 5 stars (except when I eat Chinese food). I learned more about SQL Server from this single book than any other source. Concise and clear explainations. Detail where it needs to be. I used this in developing my first SQL Server 6.5 app. I am so confident now I can talk intelligently with DBA's and systems people. From VB to admin to BCP to T-SQL. If I had a reference like this for other products I would have very few books. Great!
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Professional SQL Server 2000 DTS (Data Transformation Services)
Publisher: Wrox
Authors: Mark Chaffin, Brian Knight, Todd Robinson
Rating: 4/5
Title: Professional SQL Server 2000 DTS (Data Transformation Services)
Publisher: Wrox
Authors: Mark Chaffin, Brian Knight, Todd Robinson
Rating: 4/5
I'm a new DBA and an ex-ASP developer. When I found myself needing to import flat files exported from an AS400 into a new SQL Server 2K database, I turned to this book for guidance. I'm glad I did.I've used the DTS wizard a million times, and I thought I knew DTS's capabilities. I had no idea it was as powerful as it is. Due to the usual downtime the first week of a new job, I was able to run through every example in the first four chapters. All worked flawlessly and were extremely enlightening.The first 4 chapters essentially explain the DTS Designer (very different and more powerful than the wizard) and the 17 built in tasks that DTS can perform. By the end of the week, I was importing data from all over the place, scrubbing it with VBScript built into the job, and capturing any errors in logs.The remaining chapters deal with more specialized topics, and I expect to refer to them as needed. There is a very good introduction to VBScripting for those that might need the basics or just a syntax reference. Other topics include creating custom tasks, error handling, and data warehouse loading.However, if you are looking for a guide to using the DTS object model, this is not the text for you. The book limits its scope to the GUI. It provides an excellent introduction to using DTS, and I know that the jobs I have been able to create have saved me a ton of time at work, even if they are heavily dependant on embedded VBScript.Four Stars-HawkeyeGK
Product: Book Paperback
Title: PHP and MySQL Web Development
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Luke Welling, Laura Thomson
Rating: 3/5
Title: PHP and MySQL Web Development
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Luke Welling, Laura Thomson
Rating: 3/5
PHP and MySQL web development is a good book that covers many aspecs of PHP and MySQL in simple, easy to understand instructions. But the reality is, that PHP is a scripting laguage with limits, and ASP.NET is taking over!
Product: Book Paperback
Title: The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Stored Procedures, XML, and HTML (With CD-ROM)
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Authors: Ken Henderson
Rating: 5/5
Title: The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Stored Procedures, XML, and HTML (With CD-ROM)
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Authors: Ken Henderson
Rating: 5/5
When I heard that Ken had written a book on XML for SQL Server, I knew I had to have it. I ordered it the day it came out and I have been tearing through it since. I had the first Guru's Guide book and I knew if he did for SQL XML what he did for TSQL, it would have to be one fine book. I was not disappointed.There is chapter after chapter of great coverage of the XML features in SQL Server. Ken starts with the basics and ramps you up to the most advanced topics on the subject. If you are one of those TSQL programmers who wants to know what all this XML stuff is about, you have found your book.I am confident that anyone who reads this book will agree with me that it is the best book on SQL Server XML in print.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Beginning Php 4 (Programmer to Programmer)
Publisher: Peer Information
Authors: Chris Lea, Allan Kent, Ganesh Prasad, Chris Ullman
Rating: 4/5
Title: Beginning Php 4 (Programmer to Programmer)
Publisher: Peer Information
Authors: Chris Lea, Allan Kent, Ganesh Prasad, Chris Ullman
Rating: 4/5
As always, Wrox does an excellent job presenting this particular web development language.Their "Beginning PHP4" walks you through PHP from the beginning (windows and unix installation and basic syntax) through database connectivity, XML, and even generating graphics.This book assumes you have a thorough knowledge of HTML 4 and although not clearly stated, experience with other web scripting languages (especially JavaScript) or even C would be very helpful for the beginning PHP developer.As with anyone wishing to learn a programming language you cannot expect the book to do it for you. It will show you the path, but you're going to have to do the walking. Write the examples, build the samples, and this book will work out fine for you.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Oracle SQL Tuning & CBO Internals
Publisher: Rampant Techpress
Authors: Kimberly Floss
Rating: 5/5
Title: Oracle SQL Tuning & CBO Internals
Publisher: Rampant Techpress
Authors: Kimberly Floss
Rating: 5/5
I think that Kim Floss has done an excellent job in making a very complex process understandable and clear. Oracle cost-based SQL optimizer tuning is inherently complex and very difficult to explain and Floss has risen to the challenge.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who must tune their Oracle SQL.
Product: Book Hardcover
Title: Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Authors: Ron Soukup, Kalen Delaney
Rating: 5/5
Title: Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0
Publisher: Microsoft Press
Authors: Ron Soukup, Kalen Delaney
Rating: 5/5
Don't get this book right away if you are a beginner, or want an SQL reference. DO get this book if you want to know the details of SQL Server. If you already know SQL, and if you already have some sort of data structures background, you can learn HOW the product works in order to fully exploit its usefulness. The book doesn't preach about the product, and the writing style is clear and straightforward. I have found the book to be extremely accurate, and I wouldn't say it's a stretch to say that this book is almost the K&R of SQL Server. Analogy is rarely used in the text - this is meant for computing professionals who have a background in the discipline. I found it to be a fascinating and useful book. Ms. Delaney is also active on the SQL Server newsgroups, and has an "Inside SQL Server" website on the 'net. The authors really do care about the quality of this book, and it shows. I'm going to buy the next edition as soon as it comes out.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Oracle PL/SQL 101
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media
Authors: Christopher Allen
Rating: 5/5
Title: Oracle PL/SQL 101
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media
Authors: Christopher Allen
Rating: 5/5
I read this book cover to cover in two days! The book is well written and easy to follow. All concepts are explained clearly and concisely. The examples and excercises are appropriate and relevant to the material covered in the book. This is a good place to start for anyone interested in learning more about Oracle.
