IT programming books related reviews
Product: Book Paperback
Title: The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Authors: Ken Henderson
Rating: 5/5
Title: The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Authors: Ken Henderson
Rating: 5/5
Before I read this book I didn't know what I was missing. Now I know the full power of the language. Deep stuff, deep deep stuff.Thought the book might be a little on the light side since it was relatively short (app. 600pages), but every page is jampacked with useful goodies. I find myself rereading pages whole chapters even to get everything thats there.Bottom line: best darned SQL book out there, bar none.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Oracle PL/SQL Interactive Workbook (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
Authors: Benjamin Rosenzweig, Elena Silvestrova
Rating: 4/5
Title: Oracle PL/SQL Interactive Workbook (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
Authors: Benjamin Rosenzweig, Elena Silvestrova
Rating: 4/5
This book is excellent for someone new to programming and/or Oracle PL/SQL. The book contains one lab after another to allow the true beginner to practice concepts. Cursors, exceptions, procedures, functions, packages and triggers are all covered. Keep in mind that this is not a reference book. To learn the topics that are covered in this book you will have to work the labs. Combining this book with a reference book will set you on the right foot. As of this writing (April 20, 2000), the website for the book ( ) was not up so I can't comment on that.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Mastering PHP 4.1 with CDROM
Publisher: Sybex
Authors: Jeremy Allen, Charles Hornberger
Rating: 5/5
Title: Mastering PHP 4.1 with CDROM
Publisher: Sybex
Authors: Jeremy Allen, Charles Hornberger
Rating: 5/5
I probably own more computer books than the local library. Some are very good, others are downright terrible. Mastering PHP 4.1 is in the former category.For starters, this book covers the newest version of PHP. An added bonus is the coverage of connecting to a PostgreSQL database. Other authors seem to assume that the only database in use with PHP is MySQL.The authors employ an excellent writing style. Important concepts are not "glossed over," and at the same time you are not continually reminded of the obvious.Excellent work, and that you.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Professional Apache (Professional)
Publisher: Wrox Press
Authors: Peter Wainwright
Rating: 5/5
Title: Professional Apache (Professional)
Publisher: Wrox Press
Authors: Peter Wainwright
Rating: 5/5
I bought this book in january and have been reading snippets here and there. things change rapidly with apache (right now I'm working on webdav--which wasn't even released until a month ago for apache). Still, 98% of the book is up to date and the author organizes the material extremely well. I found especially helpful the discussions on installing mod_perl, security and login access. My only complaints are that the book doesn't easily list respective functions of the standard modules on a single page, and that it doesn't list some of the apache offshoots, like apache for java and xml. I know that Oreilley is working on updating their earlier apache book (which wasn't really worth reading anyway), so there's bound to be excellent books about apache coming down the pipe. However, this book has answered every question I have had, and covers things more thoroughly than a web how-to might. Highest recommendations.
Product: Book Hardcover
Title: MCDBA SQL Server 2000 Database Design Study Guide (Exam 70-229)
Publisher: Osborne/McGraw-Hill
Authors: Syngress Media Inc, Anil Desai, Jeffery Bane, Craig Robinson
Rating: 4/5
Title: MCDBA SQL Server 2000 Database Design Study Guide (Exam 70-229)
Publisher: Osborne/McGraw-Hill
Authors: Syngress Media Inc, Anil Desai, Jeffery Bane, Craig Robinson
Rating: 4/5
I recently passed 70-229 exam. I used this book as my preparation guide though I frequently referred to SQL Server Books Online. The book is easy to read and explains the topics well. The review questions at the end of chapters are quite good to test your understanding of the materials. However, expect much tougher scenario based questions in exams. I found the book somewhat lacking in depth in the coverage of replication, the use of query analyzer tools, and transaction and locking issues. So, you may want to turn to Books Online to help you out there...
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server 2000 in 21 Days (2nd Edition, Book Only)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Richard Waymire, Rick Sawtell
Rating: 5/5
Title: Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server 2000 in 21 Days (2nd Edition, Book Only)
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Richard Waymire, Rick Sawtell
Rating: 5/5
I've read the reviews here - some of which complain that it's not detailed enough - but I disagree. Technical books almost always fall short when it comes to detail about specific topics simply because there's a limit on how many pages one wants to wade through!! When one needs specific technical details about a topic, you don't pick up a "teach yourself in 21 days book". The book did an excellent job of accomplishing what it states -the users leaves with a solid overview of SQL Server, with adequate foundation laid to uncover other information needed. I was also pleasantly surprised to see the non-technical lingo used to cover database design basics as well - ambitious coverage, well done!
Product: Book Paperback
Title: MySQL/PHP Database Applications
Publisher: Wiley
Authors: Jay Greenspan, Brad Bulger
Rating: 2/5
Title: MySQL/PHP Database Applications
Publisher: Wiley
Authors: Jay Greenspan, Brad Bulger
Rating: 2/5
Being a Civil Engineer by training, I needed a book that quickly put me into PHP/MySQL with the least possible hassle and maximum efficiency. This book did it! I started just reading through without highlight anything (to be able to return it if not convinced), but liked it much that by Chapter 2, I put my name on the book.I would certainly recommend it to people with little or some programming experience that are more comfortable with a procedural approach. Starting from zero knowledge of PHP, I read the book in about three weeks and got the shopping cart operating in about five, great for someone like me doing this as a hobby.Areas where this book can be improved is its managment and explanations regarding Regular Expressions. Also, the section in the Appendix that deals with intalling Apache web server needs improvement. Jay, you need to walk the reader step by step (as you do in the body of the book) through the coldness of Apache. Is kind'a scary to have a DOS window in Windows with Apache sitting right there with no clue of what's next! I look forward to Jay's 2nd edition of this book to see this corrected.Good job Jay!
Product: Book Paperback
Title: The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Authors: Ken Henderson
Rating: 5/5
Title: The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Authors: Ken Henderson
Rating: 5/5
What I like about this book is its originality. In a world where hordes of shoddy books compete for limited shelf space with flashy covers, copious screen prints, and coverage of beta products, this book stands head and shoulders above the rest. It has literally raised the bar for all technical books.Why do I say this? I say it because of the extreme density of the material. I say it because the prose is among the best I've ever come across in a technical book. I say it because of the wry humor and insight offered throughout. I say it because of the technical depth that picks up where the BOL leaves off and goes into things that only an expert would even know let alone be able to write about it.This book changed my life. Get it, read it, and refer to it often - you won't be sorry.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: PHP and MySQL Web Development, Second Edition
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Luke Welling, Laura Thomson
Rating: 4/5
Title: PHP and MySQL Web Development, Second Edition
Publisher: Sams
Authors: Luke Welling, Laura Thomson
Rating: 4/5
When I found the first edition of this book I thought it was, hands down, the best general PHP/MySQL book out there. Therefore, I was very interested in seeing if the second edition would be as good. The good news is that the authors have done an excellent job of updating the book. It is not a simple rehash with an extra chapter thrown on at the end. In the first chapter I found the answer to a problem I had after updating my version of PHP. This book also manages to strike that difficult balance between being a good instructional manual and an adequate reference book. No one volume can cover everything and experts will undoubtedly need more specialized books to help them create their esoteric programs. Absolute beginners, especially those who are still struggling with HTML may find it too much. For anyone with a little programming experience, of any kind, or someone like me, an intermediate to advanced PHP user it is a book that will get multiple coffee stains and dog eared pages.What this book offers, and where so many other technical books fail, is that it follows a very well conceived learning progression. Topics are offered in a logical order, with small illustrative examples that mostly follow a theme (an auto parts store). Later, after the major concepts have been well introduced, we get complete applications. Far too many programming books are written by people that may be experts at their niche but don't have a clue about how to actually teach. Wellington and Thompson are good teachers and good writers. From an instructional standpoint this is easily one of the better programming books around.After reading the other reviews, I'm a bit concerned by the multiple references to buggy code. I have not tried to use the provided code verbatim but have taken the ideas and produced my own, so I can't verify the errors. For the person who gave it one star because he couldn't follow the PHP installation instructions, I understand your frustration but welcome to the world of compiling your own applications. I've been able to follow instructions that others can't and vice-versa. One missed command and tough luck. I used the Linux instructions with no problems. (for once) So, it's 4 stars because of the unresolved code errors. I've checked the book's website and there is nothing there but a duplicate of the CD. If it had a list of corrections and perhaps a forum to go with it, I'd give the book all five stars, with pleasure.
Product: Book Paperback
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Bible with CD-ROM
Publisher: Wiley
Authors: Paul Nielsen
Rating: 3/5
Title: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Bible with CD-ROM
Publisher: Wiley
Authors: Paul Nielsen
Rating: 3/5
This is a great book. It's throughout and easy to read. Every time I've turned to it, it has the information I need.Unfortunately, it is plagued by a poor index. Even the most basic SQL is missing from the index. For example, if you are interested in the TOP clause, you won't find it between "tools, developer" and "torn-page detection". Instead you need to look under "Select statement, rows, return few (top keyword)".With a better index, this book would be more than a great learning tool, but a great reference tool too.
