IT programming books related reviews
Product: Book Paperback
Title: SQL Server 2000 Fast Answers for DBAs and Developers
Publisher: Glasshaus
Authors: Joseph Sack
Rating: 5/5
Title: SQL Server 2000 Fast Answers for DBAs and Developers
Publisher: Glasshaus
Authors: Joseph Sack
Rating: 5/5
This book has 100s of relevant and useful "How Tos". Very useful.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Apache Jakarta Commons : Reusable Java(TM) Components
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
Authors: Will Iverson
Rating: 4/5
Title: Apache Jakarta Commons : Reusable Java(TM) Components
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
Authors: Will Iverson
Rating: 4/5
"Apache Jakarta Commons" shows the reader the power of the Commons libraries. It provides a very brief overview of the available components and goes into detail on 12 of them. APIs are explained through both class diagrams and description. The author provides best practices, warnings and project ideas. The book gets started right away, on page three.
The code examples are clear and well commented. The consistent coding standard throughout the book helps with readability. The author highlights differences between the sample code and "real apps."
The book is meant for experienced Java programmers. The author assumes readers have knowledge of JSPs, Servlets, Swing and UML. Most importantly, he assumes readers are comfortable with learning by reading through code. Readers are not assumed to have knowledge of the specialized topics such as XPath or encryption.
Note that this 325-page book is really a 201-page book. Appendix A is the entire API of the Commons lang project - word for word. I found the printed API to be difficult to read since the methods tend to run into each other. Since the other Commons projects have APIs online only, readers have to be comfortable using the online JavaDoc anyway.
This is the type of book that readers will find either valuable or minimally useful. For those who like bound versions, this book gets you started quickly. For those who like online documentation, the UML diagrams are the primary benefit given the online JavaDoc and code samples.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Oracle 9i Java Programming: Solutions for Developers Using PL/SQL and Java
Publisher: Peer Information
Authors: Bjarki Holm, John Carnell, Tomas Stubbs, Poornachandra Sarang, Kevin Mukhar, Sant Singh, Jaeda Goodman, Ben Marcotte, Mauricio Naranjo, Anand Raj, Mark Piermanini
Rating: 5/5
Title: Oracle 9i Java Programming: Solutions for Developers Using PL/SQL and Java
Publisher: Peer Information
Authors: Bjarki Holm, John Carnell, Tomas Stubbs, Poornachandra Sarang, Kevin Mukhar, Sant Singh, Jaeda Goodman, Ben Marcotte, Mauricio Naranjo, Anand Raj, Mark Piermanini
Rating: 5/5
O9iJP is loaded with examples, on integrating Java with Oracle technologies such as PL/SQL, SQL*Loader, interMedia Text, and more. Rather than a guide to Java, JDBC or PL/SQL, this book is first and foremost a collection of useful tips and tricks, that I found of great value.For example, in one of my own applications, I had been using C procs for extended file handling (working with directories, etc.). The file handling package developed and illustrated O9iJP showed me a much better alternative, as I had been having contsant maintenance problems with the C procs (related to listener setup, etc.).
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Apache Server for Dummies
Publisher: For Dummies
Authors: Ken A. L. Coar
Rating: 5/5
Title: Apache Server for Dummies
Publisher: For Dummies
Authors: Ken A. L. Coar
Rating: 5/5
If you would otherwise be put off by the "For Dummies" title, don't be. Ken is a long time member of the Apache Group. This book is written in such a way that it's useful for both the novice and the experienced Web site administrator. The first Apache book I read offered nothing I hadn't picked up in the comments in the configuration files. A few years later, I read Ken's book. "Apache Server For Dummies" offered lot's of new information. The book is organized in such a way that each topic is presented in sections of increasing complexity. If you've found what you need, you can stop. If you want more, you can keep on reading within each topic.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Mastering Oracle SQL, 2nd Edition
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Sanjay Mishra, Alan Beaulieu
Rating: 5/5
Title: Mastering Oracle SQL, 2nd Edition
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Sanjay Mishra, Alan Beaulieu
Rating: 5/5
The collaborative work of Oracle experts Sanjay Mishra and Alan Beaulieu, Mastering Oracle SQL is now in an expanded and updated second edition covering Oracle Database 10g. An extensive reference, meant for the experienced programmer looking to elevate his or her skill in Oracle SQL to the point of expertise, Mastering Oracle SQL especially focuses upon the software's strengths such as regular expressions, interrow calculations, recursive queries, analytic and advanced GROUP BY functions, and more. Examples, sample code, and detailed walkthroughs for applying Oracle SQL to given tasks and challenges make Mastering Oracle SQL a practical and thorough tool for independent study and professional use.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Database Implementation Training Kit (Training Kit)
Publisher: Microsoft Press Rating: 3/5
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Database Implementation Training Kit (Training Kit)
Publisher: Microsoft Press Rating: 3/5
I took the Microsoft Course and purchased the book and the new book by Lance Mortensen. I nearly passed. The problem is that the material required for the test is in many cases not covered in the books. The new Transender exam is available in beta form.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: The Practical SQL Handbook: Using Structured Query Language (3rd Edition)
Publisher: Pearson Education
Authors: Judith S. Bowman, Sandra L. Emerson, Marcy Darnovsky
Rating: 5/5
Title: The Practical SQL Handbook: Using Structured Query Language (3rd Edition)
Publisher: Pearson Education
Authors: Judith S. Bowman, Sandra L. Emerson, Marcy Darnovsky
Rating: 5/5
I found this book to be very informative. Unlike some reviewers, I didn't find find this book to really be geared toward one type of database or another. The authors had to use something, and Sybase SQL Anywhere was it. I felt that the authors of this book did a good job of keeping the SQL general, where it could be used on most databases. I used this book in conjunction with Personal Oracle8, and found that the basic commands are the same. However, after completing this book I would strongly suggest getting a book more specific to whatever database you use. Overall, this book gave me a solid foundation in being able to perform basic SQL functions (i.e creating views, tables, understanding business rules, etc.)and a great buy for someone with little to no knowledge about SQL.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Database Implementation Training Kit (Training Kit)
Publisher: Microsoft Press Rating: 4/5
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Database Implementation Training Kit (Training Kit)
Publisher: Microsoft Press Rating: 4/5
As I said in the title, I used this book and passed the exam. I used a couple of other resources but this book was by far the most important and best. The only downside is that it is not the book for someone who is completely new to relational database development. Although it makes an effort you really need to have at least a basic understanding of relational databases and how they work. I had a fair bit of experience with MS Access so I knew some of the fundamentals of using cursors and SELECT statements.The other downside to this book is that it will make a lousy reference. I will be selling this book now that I am done since the way that it is ordered in lessons results in much detailed information being left out. The Nutshell book looks to be more helpful in this regard.Martin Ritchie MCP (VB6 desk, VB6 dist and not SQL 7.0 Impl.)
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Programming PHP
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Rasmus Lerdorf, Kevin Tatroe
Rating: 5/5
Title: Programming PHP
Publisher: O'Reilly
Authors: Rasmus Lerdorf, Kevin Tatroe
Rating: 5/5
This book is well written and an extremely easy read. The coverage is very very comprehensive yet concise! If you were worried about dragging through another 1400 page wrox book just to grasp another language, you will want to run and get this book. You will pick up PHP fast with no delay. It is around 380 pages along with a nice reference area of php functions. If you are a web developer who wants to pick up PHP quickly simply purchase this book. Folks with only html experience can also expect to have an excellent understanding of PHP by the end of the book, although I suggest that the book be read by someone with some form of previous web programming experience. This is only because certain coverage is very efficient and may be hard to keep up with if you are a complete novice in web programming basics.Did I forgot to mention that the co-author is the creator of PHP!! :)
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Php 4 Bible (Bible (Wiley))
Publisher: Hungry Minds
Authors: Tim Converse, Joyce Park
Rating: 5/5
Title: Php 4 Bible (Bible (Wiley))
Publisher: Hungry Minds
Authors: Tim Converse, Joyce Park
Rating: 5/5
I found this book to be one of the best programming books I've read. I was new to PHP, but have a year of Perl, Javascript, VB, SQL and HTML under my belt. I was, frankly, very impressed by the clarity of the information and how easy it was to pick up the language by using this book. Some have commented that it's not a book for newbies. Perhaps so if you have no experience whatsoever (although I even question this limited assertion), but I must say it was refreshingly easy to understand with my relatively limited programming background. The authors had a great knack for providing the important overview information that put the language in context while getting down to brass tacks by showing specific examples. Within a few short hours, I felt like I knew how to do everything I needed to in order to be a solid PHP programmer. And sure enough, when I wrote my first script to test out its Web database functionality, it took almost no time at all to make it work exactly as I wanted. The book also adds something else that I wish more programmers would pay attention to, which is programming style. Programmers should, but usually don't, think of writing their code as a novel. A person with a basic knowledge of the language should be able to read the code in the bathtub and determine exactly what the program does. Most programmers, in my experience, appear to strive to write obfuscated code, with mystery or assumed variables, logical shortcuts, etc. You won't see variables named $dls or subroutines named fdap in this book and the authors discuss good programming practices on a number of levels. I think if I can understand any complaint about this book, and it's not my complaint, is that the term "Bible" in the title might be misleading. It seems quite comprehensive for moderately complex Web programming tasks, but I imagine - and it's just my inkling since I am new to PHP - that the book probably could be much more detail-oriented for the much more sophisticated user. In summary, if you are learning PHP for the first time or know a little but need more formal grounding or need a more comprehensive treatment, this is a terrific book.
