5 comments about PHP & MySQL Everyday Apps For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. This book is challenging and informative. Some basic knowledge of PHP MySQL is required before beginning this book.



2. I downloaded it, but not could not find the accompanying cd. can anyone post a link to it!



3. if you need a first impression, just found out that computers exist, if you think PHP stands for a new boygroup, then this is the book for you.



4. This is a very good book to get practical skills in PHP development with MySQL appliances.But before buying it, it is important to understand that this book is not for beginers, this book assumes that the reader have a least basic knowledge of both tools.



5. The applications on the CD are not "working and ready for you to install." Not at all.
   
   In fact, if you do exactly what the book says, your apps WILL NOT work. Why? Because the code is wrong. Not only are there errors in the database instructions, but the PHP and inc files have numerous errors.
   
   Even after downloading the "corrected files" and following the new instructions for the database found on the author's website, some functionality is simply broken. The CMS kinda-sorta works, but not really because there is no file upload form as you see displayed in the book. Just not there. Obviously the result of some error in the file include, but you'd have to be a php expert to figure it out. Without being able to add or delete records from a database, well, a CMS is pretty useless, isn't it? Yes it is.
   
   The most important applications on the CD (shopping cart and content management system) are rife with errors. This cripples them to such a degree that they are worthless as is. And corrected. And especially if you are a "dummy."

5 comments about Postfix: The Definitive Guide.

1. If you're looking for a comprehensive guide on setting up a Postfix mail server, then this isn't the book for you. For those that are already familiar with setting up MTAs, the information provided in "The Definitive Guide" is probably enough, but this book only covers a subset of the Postfix configuration parameters and does not provide the step-by-step instructions that many people may be expecting.



2. PostFix is a replacement mail server, MTA, for Unix based systems that
   formerly used Sendmail or other variants. PostFix was written to be a
   drop in replacement for Sendmail but with it's own variations on control
   files.
   
   This book outlines most of the common issues in dealing with setting up
   PostFix. The author takes the reader through the design concerns outlined
   by the author of the program, Wietse Venema, who wrote the forward of the
   book.
   
   Sendmail has been a staple of the mail delivery world but it has a well
   deserved reputation for being hard to setup, administer and understand.
   The O'Reilly book on Sendmail is at least 3 times as large as this book.
   There is alot to learn about its' macro language and using M4 to build
   control files. Sendmail is a very hard program for a beginner to
   understand and configure properly.
   
   The author spends the first few chapters discussing how a mail server is
   supposed to work; how the DNS system interacts with the mail system. There
   are well laid out block diagrams to show the flow of email through a
   system. Any SysAdmin who has spent time administering a mail system can
   probably skip the first few chapters. Those who are new to running a mail
   server should find the begining chapters enlightening.
   
   PostFix mostly uses easy to read control files that don't require processing.
   The program can be set up to use the Unix standard mbox delivery format or
   the newer maildir format. The book explains the pros and cons of the 2
   storage formats both from the MTA perspective and the pop or imap
   interface.
   
   Most of the more common configuration tweaks used in securing a Sendmail
   system also apply to a PostFix installation. They are just easier to set
   up in PostFix with the examples provided.
   
   The book has a section devoted to setting up secure mail relay using the
   Cyrus SASL libraries. It details setting up the password database via the
   Unix standard or shadow format, SASL, LDAP PAM or MYSQL formats. The
   author discusses ways to further secure the connection by using TLS
   connections to ensure passwords are not compromised.
   
   PostFix has some built in anti-spam tools. The book has a chapter devoted
   to to pros and cons of the various approaches. Examples of "reasonable"
   and "paranoid" approaches for setting up PostFix are provided. A simpler
   apporoach than jumping directly into Spam Assassin or other
   spam pre-processors
   
   Mailing lists are another feature that PostFix can manage. The book has
   examples of various simple ways of setting up mailing lists short of
   installing a separate program like MajorDomo. This is a handy feature.
   
   There are Appendixes intended to walk a user through the compiling process
   which will help users not familiar with using Make. There is a listing of
   the PostFix parameter commands and what they all mean.
   
   PostFix the Definitive Guide is a well written, easy to read step by step
   instruction book for using the PostFix mail server. Using this book as a
   reference, an experienced SysAdmin should make the transition from
   Sendmail to PostFix without much trouble. For someone new to the world of
   MTA's, the book should answer most of the questions associated with
   getting a PostFix mail server up and running.
   
   This is another O'Reilly book that should be on a SysAdmin's bookshelf.



3. I wasn't looking for esoteric information on how to administer Sendmail. I was looking for a book on Postfix and that's what the author provided. I got the book based a lot on the quality of O'Reilly books and the editor's reputation. Andy Oram is a top notch editor. I recommend this book to any Linux or UNIX person wanting to substitute Postfix for sendmail. Postfix is a drop in replacement for systems configured for sendmail but Postfix is not a monlithic program with lots of vulnerabilities. The author expalins that perfectly.



4. I've got all three books in the field, and this is a good book. Unfortunately, although Kyle's book was co-written by the author of the software, I believe that "The Book of Postfix: State-of-the-Art Message Transport" by Ralf Hildebrandt is a better choice.



5. I bought this book as soon as it came out, and I was reading the docs online more than the book.
   
   What I was really hoping for from the book was how to setup some of the more complex postfix installations, at the time anyway, that the book was supposed to cover. It turned out the book did a poor job explaining what I was trying to do, and I was back to reading forums to get my answers.
   
   The online docs are a much better source of information then the book.

5 comments about PHP5 and MySQL Bible.

1. As the other reviewers have stated, there are quite a few code errors. However, I was impressed by the content. The dialog within the book is comprehensive as well as enjoyable. This is not a dry manual. It does jump around, but with so much covered, there's no correct navigational path to develop each topic in succession. I found it great to read the book, but create my own code based on examples found in the book. (Copying the code line by line didn't help me. However, copying the general information contained really expanded my knowledge.) This is a book for beginner and intermediate programmers interested in PHP.



2. This book is not meant to be a profound cache of code-snippets. Indeed there are some coding errors. I freely admit that I learned raw html "OJT" years ago, with little reason or time to learn anything more involved that wasn't required of me. I was a designer, typesetter and layout hanger, not a programmer. I have no experience in C or in Java. Call me a programmer groupie, I have dozens of family, friends and acquaintances who program miracles daily in all different alleys while I play a "very aesthetic game of tiddleywinks". When I began getting clients who wanted websites that DID things instead of just glorified yellow-page ads, this "turkey" asked all of the "eagles" which way to turn -- they looked at what I needed and what paths that might lead to, and they all said PHP. I started playing around with canned PHP webapps about two years ago, and I quickly picked up how to install mods and then modify those same mods no sweat, but even with a few different sorts of PHP/MySQL in 24 hours, one week, etc. books -- I never really understood the WHY's and HOW's of the GUTS of those webapps [framework, huh?!], let alone how to create even the simplest of freestanding flat calls, all of which have recently begun to make my life SO much easier. I quickly learned that those 24 hours/one week/etc. style books are ALMOST STRICTLY made for folks with C and Java experience even though the books desperately claim otherwise. Why did I choose this book? Because a few friends of mine who have been working with PHP since near the beginning told me that this was one of the few version'd books that always has a worthwhile amount to offer both beginners and seasoned pro's, as well as everyone in between. I actually started reading this one cover to cover, and was not the slightest bit disappointed in my investment. Let me clarify -- I actually COULD read this one cover to cover without wondering what magical decoder ring I was missing. Instead of a code snippet "Instant PHP" book, I finally wound up with one that I can look at the examples in the book, and without even trying the examples verbatim, write my own similar but original code for what *I* want to accomplish. I don't know Jane Adams, I am not her banker, and I don't know what I would do with her recipe database so 6 page long examples of how to code any of that to be used verbatim in 24 hours are of little value to me. Yes, the book jumps around -- there's a heck of a lot to cover here! 1000+ pages might seem rather hefty, but it has been a godsend for me. Take the reviews however you will; I found it extremely educational AND entertaining, and having seen dog-earred copies in the offices of some of said "eagles" -- I am fairly certain there is some great stuff in here for PHP pro's too. If you really feel the need, give it a few minutes at your local bookshop -- then come back to Amazon for the killer discount. You won't be disappointed!



3. This book often uses concepts and code explained only in following chapters. I should have read the other (bad) reviews on Amazon before buying my copy in a library. Unfortunately I was in hurry. Now I am at page 202 and I am not sure whether I should continue or quit and wait 8 more days to get a better book.



4. I purchased this book off the shelf before reading any reviews. I was looking for a specific solution for one of Viking Water's clients, so I reviewed the books by looking through their indices. Of all the PHP books on a well-stocked shelf, this was the only one to tackle dynamic drop-down lists, which is my heartburn of the moment.
   
   After reading through 1/4 of it (skimming in some cases), I agree with other reviewers that it may not be the best way to learn PHP from scratch. If you're conversant with "C" or Perl, it can be a slightly useful tool. However, if you're new to programming this may not be the book for you since a lot of PHP is modeled on "C" and the authors unconsciously assume a basic familiarity with that language, even though they attempt to cater to the non-C programmer.
   
   One of the interesting features of the book is that the authors often explain surrounding HTML code, even though the book assumes a familiarity with the HTML language. If you're not an HTML guru, it will be nice to have the explanation right in front of you rather than having to haul out (or look up) your HTML reference. For instance: their explanation of the subtle difference between POST and GET would be very interesting to someone who is weak in that area.
   
   However, the code examples are poorly commented which can make them difficult to follow if you are trying to learn the language(s) involved from scratch.



5. Most of the Bible series of books are worth the money you pay for them, and this one is no exception.
   
   Good informative book, great for the beginner and a good read for the advanced.
   
   Not good for reference, but then it isn't supposed to be.

No comments about College Algebra (Student's Solutions Manual ).

5 comments about MySQL, Second Edition (Visual QuickStart Guide).

1. Well organized with a practical approach. Buyers without previouis acquaintance with PHP programming language will have some difficulty. Otherwise the text is a great 'introduction'.



2. The book is a bit out of date since it's assuming mysql version 3 is current and currently mysql v5 is what is currently released, but it has good instructions on installing mysql on multiple platforms as well as managing on multiple platforms



3. Learning MYSQL can be a little daunting for beginners because its open-source and you have to do some research in getting the right information sometimes. This book is aimed at the beginner who wants to get their feet wet with MYSQL and also how to use it with many of the more popular development platforms such as Java, Perl and PHP.
   
   It is easy to read through because of its column-based format with enough snapshots and visual guides to prevent you from getting eye strain. º
   
   It first focuses on getting up and running on MySQL with the installation process on Windows or Mac or Linux (and UNIX). The book gives you all the links to install all the components of the database plus additional tools that will streamline you development process. There is also good information on how to upgrade your version of MySQL
   
   The next chapter explains how to get you up and running in MySQL in the three different OS¡¦s with specifics on: Using mysqladmin, setting root password, using mysql client, setting up user privledges (creating new users) and starting and stopping services. A kinda detailed brief overview of how to be a MySQL admin.
   
   Chapter 3 focuses on database design which usually can be kinda boring talking about normalization, importance of keys, table relationships, etc but the book only gives you the information you need with nice visuals to reinforce what is tauaght.
   
   Chapter 4 goes over the MySQL and SQL commands in creating a database and table(s) with emphasis on field data types. Chapter 5 is a very useful chapter on basic SQL commands, since what is a database without the user knowing SQL, right? The author very succinctly reviews the SELECT statement for retrieving data, the UPDATE statement for updating records, DELETE and INSERT (you can guess what those two do). The book also goes into detail about table JOINS and filtering data with the WHERE, LIKE and GROUP BYclauses. A great resource chapter for the times you forget your basic syntax (which most people do from time to time).
   
   Chapter 6 through 9 reviews how each of the more popular server-side web languages (PHP, Perl, and Java) use MyQL is used to retrieve, populate and update via web pages. The book provides code examples of the MySQL functions are specific to each language. Starting from how to connect to the database; how to execute commands; how to retrieve and display data (looping through records); how to incorporate error handling and how to secure your data. Depending on your preference, you will at least one of these chapters very helpful.
   
   The next chapter focuses on new features in MySQL version 5 (stored procedures, triggers and views). These are somewhat advanced topics to a point but are covered wonderfully that even the newbie can understand.
   
   The book finishes up with database administration issues such as performing and scheduling backups, logging, importing/exporting and repairing corruption issues.
   
   A great introduction to MySQL that really can be your all-in-one reference as well.



4. This book is excellent for someone with no experience with MySQL. (Like Me!) It steps you through installation, setup, and use without assuming prior knowledge.



5. Larry Ullman has seemingly made a career out of his expertise in PHP and MySQL. And his expertise in both is unquestionable. Fortunately for those of us who wish to quickly grasp the essentials of these two technologies, Ullman is also an excellent teacher and writer.
   
   MySQL walks you gently through the beginner to early intermediate level of familiarity with the platform.
   
   It does not treat any aspect of MySQL in great depth - which is a plus, not a minus. Cruising this book will not make you an expert on MySQL, but it will place you firmly in control of the fundamentals so you can more comfortably continue on the path to becoming a MySQL. Think of it as "training wheels".
   
   Overall, a thorough, painless introduction to MySQL for the rank beginner.
   
   Jerry

4 comments about MySQL Tutorial (All in One).

1. This book assumes some familiarity with the basics of databases, and knowledge of some web application language with which you can write your queries.

   Its a nice overview of MySQL's capabilites and quirks. After reading the first few chapters I am more convinced than before that MySQL is the best database choice for all but the largest, most critical applications.

   If you're an experienced techie and you want the heavy details on MySQL, get one of the $50 encyclopedia-weight books. If you want a nice introduction and instructions on how to work with basic queries, try this book.




2. MySQL is the database used by many commercial and open source security products. Although the user is often "shielded" from interacting with the database directly, it's important and sometimes crucial to know basic MySQL administration.

   "MySQL Tutorial" is the perfect companion to any security tool which depends on a MySQL database. For example, no one seriously expects to collect large amounts of data with Sguil and Snort unless a MySQL or similar database is working in the background. "MySQL Tutorial" gives the right details on the right subjects for those running integrated MySQL databases.

   This book is not for Oracle gurus. It's for people who need basic understanding of MySQL installation, configuration, security, and administration. I found the authors' explanations clear and relevant, hitting the high points I would expect in a 267 page book. The text is example-driven, using a sample "employee" database to demonstrate various administration tasks.

   The only real fault I found involves the scripts at the publisher's Web site. They create a sample database whose naming convention differs from the book's description. For example, the scripts create an "employee_skills" table, but the book speaks of "employeeSkills". The best answer to this problem is to manually correct the scripts prior to running them, or to type in the examples by hand.
   
   "MySQL Tutorial" met my expectations, with a page count and price far more reasonable than many tech titles available today. I recommend this book to anyone who uses MySQL in a role supporting intrusion detection systems, Web servers, or similar applications.




3. Luke Welling and Laura Thomson have the special gift of taking information, disseminating it, and making it simple to understand for everyone. This is the second book I bought from these authors (Php and MySQL Web Development) without any complaints.
   
   It is nice to see books of this size (250 pages) at this price point coming out. Nothing is worse than those large tomes that weigh a ton and cost an arm and a leg. You should be able to get through this in a week, which is perfect for busy professionals.
   
   This tutorial is written very clearly and does what I want from it - nail down the 80% of the necessary information needed to get work done. After each chapter there is a quiz to test your knowledge. The authors tackle both the user and administrator side of using the product. One of my favorite sections in the book is the Database Crash Course which discusses normalization.
   
   If you are serious about using mySQL in your web projects, look to this book to get you started quickly. This book won't turn you into an immediate mySQL expert. But what it will do is give you the skills to be proficient. It was good enough to get my projects started on my website, KerryOnWorld.com. This is a top 30 book in my 15-year technical library. That is how much I like it.



4. I'm looking at you, Microsoft Product Writers, although you're certainly not alone. In 240 pages and 2 days I learned, easily comprehended, and retained more about the fundamentals of a SQL server than I ever did reading many of those "Introduction To..." behemoths.
   
   The book starts with introducing you to both the product as well as database design and efficient database/table creation. Following this is an excellent overview of using MySQL and the MySQL-flavor of SQL focused on language (query language keywords, functions, etc), table types (MyISAM, InnoDB, etc), and transactions. You're reading is concluded with an excellent overview of general administration and optimization. Each section is broken down into discussion, fully-functional examples, a quiz, and to-do exercises, ensuring that you get to implement and solidify the skills you just acquired.
   
   At the time of my writing this, the book is 4 years old, and the version of MySQL it addresses (4.x) has already been upgraded. I knew that when I purchased the book, and it doesn't matter as the fundamentals haven't changed. MySQL may have released improved GUI tools to accomplish many tasks as well as introducing additional features, but the underlying SQL language, design methods, and structure is the same, and knowing/understanding the fundamentals improves your efficiency and makes using the product easier.
   
   As the purpose of this book is to teach you the fundamentals of database design and creation, this will not be your last purchase. But for those new to MySQL, you can not go wrong starting here, even now.

3 comments about Expert MySQL (Expert).

1. This is an advanced book.
   You can use it to learn the internals of MySQL as well as the internals of a Database Management System (DBMS).
   It will teach you how to make changes to the MySQL source code.
   An alternative name for the book could have been "MySQL internals".
   I really like it and I find it very useful.
   
   PS. It contains C++ code.



2. This book lives up to its title by offering expert advice on how to use MySQL to its fullest. Expert MySQL goes deeper than just syntax and samples, offering useful information on the internals of MySQL. Even though there are a lot of titles on MySQL, this book would make a worthy addition to the library of any MySQL developer or DBA.



3. Expert MySQL starts with a section on the anatomy of a database system including the common types of systems. This is often missing in database books and a very important part to understand if you going to use one to its fullest potential. Other sections include one on the source code and one on extending and debugging MySQL. The author devotes a chapter to embedded MySQL including building embedded MySQL applications as well as one on adding functions and commands. The third and final part of the book covers advanced database internals and includes a good section on query optimization.
   
   Throughout Expert MySQL the author has included notes embedded with the text, sidebars offset by a different shading, and other notes, diagrams, and illustrations as appropriate to help the reader understand the text. There are also plenty of coding examples. My book had some printing problems towards the back with pages that had a vertical black line running down the center of the page. This sort of problem is highly unusual with Apress but occurred in my copy nonetheless. Chapters 10, 11 and 12 have exercises at the end to help ensure that you understand the concepts. The answers to the questions are included in the appendix.
   
   This is not really the best book for the person new to MySQL but is more appropriate to the person who understands MySQL and wants to extend its functionality into new areas. Expert MySQL is recommended to those people who want to learn how to modify and extend MySQL.

5 comments about MySQL and Java Developer's Guide.

1. I have bought this book because I had expected to find there some more advanced hints and tricks, especially about performance tuning and bottlenecks of Java and MySQL applications. Unfortunatelly, this book only covers the very basic problematics. It is a good kickstart for beginners, but only for them. Experienced developers should pick a general J2EE book instead.



2. I have not come across the errors in this book that some other reviewers have talked about and the code I wrote using info from this book works. My only bad words about this book are that the sections were not really ordered in with any logic, and were not very long. This was Ok though because they give enough information and coresponding well explained code examples to get the job done. I thought I was in trouble because the first half of the book didnt talk about using java and mysql on a web page but half way through they talked about servlets. With this book you can code a three tier web application that runs a store driven from your mySQL DB or you can write stand alone apps with mySQL functionality. In short this book is effective where it counts.



3. This book is fantastic, it teach step by step.
   I hope you can buy this book if you are a beginner in MySQL but if you have some level in java languaje.
   -------------------------------------------------------------
   THIS ARE THE CHAPTER
   
   1. AN OVERVIEW OF MYSQL
   2. JDBC AND CONNECTOR/J
   3. WORKING WITH MYSQL SQL
   4. INSTALLING MYSQL, JAVA, AND CONNECTOR/J
   5. USING JDBC WITH JAVA APPLICATIONS AND APPLETS
   6. ACHIEVING ADVANCED CONNECTOR/J FUNCTIONALITY WITH SERVLETS
   7. MYSQL TYPE MAPPING
   8. TRANSACTIONS AND TABLE LOCKING WITH CONNECTOR/J
   9. USING METADATA
   10.CONNECTION POOLING WITH CONNECTOR/J
   11.EJBS WITH MYSQL
   12.BUILDING A GENERAL INTERFACE FOR MYSQL
   13.DATABASE ADMINISTRATION
   14.PERFORMANCE AND TUNING
   
   APENDIX A -> MYSQL DEVELOPMENT AND TESTE ENVIRONMENTS
   APENDIX B -> DATABASES AND TABLES
   APENDIX C -> THE JDBC API AND CONNECTOR/J
   APENDIX D -> MYSQL FUNCTIONS AND OPERATORS
   APENDIX E -> CONNECTOR/J LATE-BREAKING ADDITIONS
   
   ------------------------------------------------------
   
   EXCELLENT BOOK.
   THANK YOU MARK MATTHEWS
   JIM COLE
   JOSEPH D. GRADECKI



4. I'd never done anything with databases, and SQL was an almost total mystery. So when I decided it was time to "modernize" a tracking tool I'd developed for my team using Perl and a simple flat file "database", I knew it was the opportunity I'd been waiting for to learn something useful and new: database programming. And while there are a lot of ways to develop a database application, I've always kinda wanted to learn Java.
   
   A search for references on databases and Java didn't turn up a lot of hits that looked useful, and this book was about the only serious or substantial work focusing on my need. I bought it with some trepidation; but found it straightforward, approachable, and reasonably comprehensive. Armed with this book plus the MySQL PDF manual and Sun's online Java reference for additional details, I forged ahead and in a couple of weeks of "spare time" programming, I've designed a reasonable and usable database schema, implemented it, and populated my database with data recovered from various project archives. My tool's "not all there" yet, but I expect this book will remain relevant as I expand my humble command line tool into a servlet and GUI... it has good simple examples of all that, too.
   
   I wouldn't lay claims to being an expert database or Java programmer, but it's pretty cool to be able to say this book helped me become competent in just a few weeks of part-time development.



5. I'm currently enrolled in an Undergraduate Course in Relational Database Systems. I was getting tired of reading incomplete tutorials around the internet on how to use JDBC and MySQL effectively so I bought this book bought last week on Amazon Marketplace. It was ridiculously cheap (About $3), but after seeing how useful it is, I definitely would've paid the regular price. One of the authors, Mark Matthews, actually wrote the Connector/J driver for MySql!
   
   -This book is a tutorial, NOT a reference.
   -All of the code and examples used in the book are available online so you don't need to waste hours retyping code to get the feel of it.
   -The book assumes you are somewhat competent in Java and goes into applets, beans, and EJBs, but I think someone who knows C++ and really understands OOP will be able to manage alright.
   
   Good luck!

5 comments about Beginning PHP5, Apache, and MySQL Web Development (Programmer to Programmer).

1. I bought this book a couple of days ago after reading the cover (Bad Jon, never judge a book by its cover) and learning that it teaches you in both Windows and Linux. This is not the case. I am still in chapter one trying to configure Mysql under Linux. There is very basic linux setup configuration and then the book just assumes Windows is what you will use. I am retiring this book and picking up another.



2. Great book for those, like me, who wants to start from zero with PHP5 and MySQL. I had no previous knowledge about this two languages, and in short time began to understand about it all. You may buy this book for sure!



3. For a novice in these 3 fields, it's a good introductory and step-by-step guide to get familiar with them.
   However, since the book was first published in 2005, many contents about installations are outdated. An update in these parts will benefit new readers because it can help them get into the main topics easier.



4. This is a decent book, but the MySQL syntax is very out-of-date. If you're working with a current version of MySQL, this isn't going to do you any favors. Until they see fit to update this volume, I recommend buying something else.
   
   I've had great luck with "PHP, MySQL and Apache" by Julie C. Meloni (Sams Teach Yourself) third edition (2007). Its example projects are different and not quite as applicable to what I'm needing to do, but who knows - they may be just what you need. The biggest benefit is that it uses the mysqli commands that PHP 5.xx demands.



5. I would truly love to give this book 5 stars; however, as some of the more recent commentators have indicated, it's out of date. Unfortunately, that's a show stopper when you're using the most recent version of MySQL! I was going over this book as a refresher course, since I have been generally well satisfied with Wrox's books, but the outdated syntax in the MySQL sections are real deal-killers. It's been years since I touched PHP, so I figured I could pick this up and get back into the groove of things and truly get into MySQL at the same time -- no dice on that one.
   
   In short, this book is largely handicapped by two things:
   
   1. It needs to be revamped for the latest version of MySQL and PHP (6 is right around the corner), and
   2. The errata section on the website needs to point some of these things out.
   
   I'm giving it four-out-of-five stars because it would have been a righteous book in 2005.

1 comments about A Guide to MySQL.

1. This is a great reference book. I have used this book in college frequently and am still using it in the work place. Easy to follow, organized very well, great examples. If you need a reference book this would be a good choice.