No comments about Oracle Power Objects Developer's Guide (Oracle Series).

5 comments about Building Oracle Websites.

1. This is a GREAT book! I was asked by my boss to figure out what it would take to place our inventory database on the Web for our suppliers to access. This book not only showed me a number of ways to do that, but gave me some great tips. This is NOT a book to buy if you want to learn how to do Oracle programming. It clearly states it though in the front matter. But, if you already know how to access an Oracle database and want to learn how to couple an Oracle database with a Web application, then this is a "must buy" book.



2. This book was very useful in deciding on many aspects of web development with an Oracle. The author explained the application development tool and CGI scripting selection process, the make-up of a development team, HTML and other pertinent topics very well. I feel very comfortable with the project I have to tackle.



3. ...and you will learn how to make Oracle-based web sites from this book, as long as you do it on WinNT and as long as you do it the one way the author explains, which is through proprietary executables. Anyone looking for CGI access via PERL or other "open" languages will be better served with other books. I'm sure it's fine for beginners, but if you're implementing Oracle on any other platform that NT, this book will be of no use.



4. It didn't help me at all, too generic



5. I was hoping some of the reviewers were wrong. At least I was hoping to get some useful samples to connect web/HTML to Oracle database. I am wrong! The whole book is repeating and repeating some concepts/subjects about HTML, database and etc. They maybe good for presentations (managers), not for real people doing the work. When I "finally" read the key chapter 14, Accessing Oracle databases using CGI programs on page 301, I was hoping "this is the chapter" that I was looking for. I was totally disappointed. No explanation of how the cgi programs "query.exe (and others)" connect the HTML to Oracle. Anyway, if you are just getting into web/database business, this book may give you good concepts of it. However, this book is already outdated! I am sorry to buy this book. Hoping people not repeating my mistake.

5 comments about High Performance Oracle8 Object-Oriented Design: Your Complete Guide to Creating Fast, Efficient Database Systems.

1. The introduction of this book claims that "valuable information can be found here" (sample case study, chapter 8). What I found is a bunch of incorrect sample codes everywhere in the book. I expected this book will address how well Oracle8 support ORDBMS. Instead it makes me wonder if the wonderful object oriented design concept presented in the book can be implemented in Oracle8 or not. Not a well edited book.



2. Mr. Anstey has written a fantastic book. He compares and contrasts traditional RDBMS modeling to OBJECT modeling. This book should be in your library if you can even spell "ORACLE"!

   He also teaches the reader how to implement Objects using Oracle8 and all of its new features. I particularly enjoyed Chapter 4 that discussed modeling for Oracle's data types.

   The book is loaded with information tying the two methods together. I am a visual learner, and Mr. Anstey has at least 5 or 6 very detailed drawings to help the user "SEE" and understand what he is discussing.

   He even has one chapter devoted to tools used to design an Object database. Another powerful chapter is on Data Warehouses. He discusses bitmapped indexes, index-organized tables,the Partition Option, and Star Queries. Mr. Anstey covers all bases, even distributed systems using REPLICATION,the SQL3 Standard, planning your Oracle8 databases to take advantage of the Object features, and the future trends of the Object technology.

   All in all, a WONDERFUL book written by an author with a great technical sense of both technologies. Both thumbs up Mr. Anstey!




3. Although I appreciate the amount of effort required to write a book, I simply can not recommend this one. The book describes unimportant or familiar concepts (like the traditional relational model) in too much detail and new or important concepts (like the Oracle8 object extension syntax) in not enough detail. Many of the diagrams do not appear to relate to the topics being discussed and the examples are too few and far between. I felt that the author used terminology inconsistently or at the very least did not define terms adequately. One might argue that the book is about object-oriented design and not about Oracle `syntax' but if you want to learn about OO check-out books by Booch, Jacobson, Fowler, Rumbaugh, Wirfs-Brock, etc. If you want to learn about Oracle objects try "Oracle8 Design Using UML Object Modeling" by Dorsey et. al.



4. I have founded many errors in chapter 8 of this book and I want to contact with its author



5. The topics are explained understandable. Should be especially good for beginners. It is a book that summes up Oracle 8 features, that werent there with Oracle 7. But even when talking about object oriented design the authors talkes about the traditional waterfall phase model... anyway, The book is one of those you read thru to see what's the matter and then deepen the parts you want to know more about with other books. A very good enhancement to this are the Steven Feuerstein books on PL/SQL and Packages. If you should deal with Oracle 8i (with the JVM and Corba/IIOP in the Server and stored procedures possible to write in Java) the book is of no use at all. Fazit: Good for beginners to get an overall view

5 comments about PC Roadkill.

1. Reading this book (which I did in an afternoon, as I'm sure you also will), I was amazed to realize that, in about twenty years, we built not only a personal computer industry, but a true folklore, complete with tales for all kinds of subjects! Those of us old enough to remember will find the book deeply nostalgic. And all you "new kids on the block" will be amused at some of the things we used to consider "state-of-the-art"... Anyway, very, very funny (the old ads alone are worth the price of the book). A Must Buy!!!



2. This was one of the funniest books that I have ever read. It describes what really happens in the computer industry. From swimming in Lake BillG at Microsoft, (named after Bill Gate's e-mail address, BillG@microsoft.com) to the numerous hilarous code names and then final products (for example Marvel was a code name for The Microsoft Network, but after a threatening note from Marvel Comics, Microsoft changed it). If you really want to laugh, have a good time, and see what really happens inside the computer industry, this is the book to read.



3. Overall, I enjoyed an inside look at the history of how the computer industry got where it is today. Only a techno geek would like this book though. Luckily I happen to be one!



4. I love this book. I've reread it several times since I bought it. The stories are hilarious, the behind-the-scenes information fascinating, and it's fun to reminisce over products of days gone by. The book is sitting in my lap...I came to Amazon.com hoping to find a sequel...if you've been around computers for a few years, you must buy this book!



5. I absolutely loved this book. The included stories and easter eggs in software are great. I really like the pictures of shirts handed out at some conventions that are pretty funny. In short, the book rules and its worth it if you work in this computer industry. Even if your a word processor you'll find this book funny! (Joke!)

No comments about Professional Oracle 8i: Application Programming with Java, PL/SQL and XML (International Edition).

5 comments about Oracle Certified DBA Exam : Question and Answer Book.

1. Although I have been a DBA for sometime and have quite the collection of reference material, this book lacks the "concise" explanations after each question/answer that it advertises. The proofreading seems to have been an afterthought as well. I find that the official Oracle material and practice exams are by far more useful. This book is for database professionals who already have an intermediate level of knowledge who wish to get their certification.



2. Aside from the numerous spelling errors, even the "concise" explanations after the question/answer portions of this book are pale. This book is for people who have at least an intermediate level of knowledge of Oracle to get anything from this book or at times to decipher some of the explanations that make absolutely no sense at all. The official Oracle DBA certification exam guides and practice tests are the way to go for your certification!



3. Aside from the numerous spelling errors, even the "concise" explanations after the question/answer portions of this book are pale. This book is for people who have at least an intermediate level of knowledge of Oracle to get anything from this book or at times to decipher some of the explanations that make absolutely no sense at all. The official Oracle DBA certification exam guides and practice tests are the way to go for your certification!



4. A very poorly compiled, full of errors (spellings and contents) practice workbook. None of the three authors has actually passed the OCP DBA certification. This book should be entitled Element Oracle 101. It is definitely not the book that can help you to prepare the real OCP exams. I already returned the book and asked my money back. Very surprised the Prentice Hall can publish such a useless book. Shame to PH!



5. A very poorly compiled, full of errors (spellings and contents) practice workbook. None of the three authors has actually passed the OCP DBA certification. This book should be entitled Oracle for Dummies or Element Oracle 101. It is definitely not the book that can help you to prepare the real OCP exams. I already returned the book and asked my money back. Very surprised the Prentice Hall can publish such a useless book. Shame to PH!

4 comments about Moths to the Flame: The Seductions of Computer Technology (Bradford Books).

1. There are a lot of reasons for thoughtful concern about the proliferation of computer technology in our society. Invasions of privacy, loss of contact with our fellow beings, etc., are all very valid concerns! To his credit, the author (obviously a well-accomplished professional in the computer science area) raises these perhaps unpopular themes. However, having once raised the issues he does not follow through with sound analyses of the problems and recommendations for their amelioration. Frankly, some of what he has to say comes across as barely thought out and silly. At one point he discusses a particular negative ramification of computer technology (I don't have the book in front of me so I cannot be certain which one it is. He describes the problem, indicates that it may have an adverse effect on us, and concludes that the presence of the problem has many implications, and then drops it. I, personally, would have liked to have known what some of those implications are! The whole book looks like it was written too fast and edited poorly. Save your money.



2. "For two decades now I've been awaiting a book explaining computers and their social consequences to literate readers," claims the author. Readers with similar hopes will not find satisfaction in this book. Rather, Rawlins casually addresses important issues concerning the role of computers concerning privacy, war, and poverty with no apparent insights or solutions. His descriptions of technologies are insultingly simplistic; one wonders if an average high-school student might have more interesting views on computers. This book's lack of footnotes and bibliography adds support to this reader's suspicion that the author just wrote down whatever came to mind. If Rawlins still wonders about computers and "their social consequences," he might try reading Niel Postman's "Technopoly" or any of the brilliant works of Theodore Roszak.



3. Hey, I'm only half way through it but I'm loving this book. What's wrong with me? I found his chapter on e-books and publishing to be right on the mark and couldn't help but think of Napster when he talks about "dinosaur killers" in chapter 3, and Stephen Kings recent e-Book offering. I even double checked the publishing date as the book seems so current.

   Sure he is not as deep here as Postman or Roszak, but if you want an entertaining book you will buzz through in a couple of hours, get it.




4. In the preface, the author poses many naturally interesting questions like "Who will become the information aristocracy and who will becomes the infoserfs of the next generation?". The book proper, however, doesn't do much to answer them.
   
   Primarily, the author rambles on vaguely about the possible synergy between humans and computers/robots in the near future. He also highlights the challenges that the complexity of recent and future technologies pose. There do appear some interspersed interesting tidbits, as well. But, in the end, this book is not really thought-provoking. If you are even moderately aware of modern technologies that pervade human societies in developed economies, you will not gather any novel impressions from this book.

No comments about Easy Oracle Pl/sql Programming.

3 comments about Oracle8 Data Warehousing (Oracle Press Series).

1. The book provides a good and almost impartial overview and introduction on the subject covering almost everything that has to be said about DataWarehousing. It is well organised, easy and fun to read. It definitely gave me a good understanding on a subject that I had no prior knownledge. I recommended it.

   However I have a few comments which do not alter the value of the book : a) I would like to see a short introduction , no more that ten pages , which explains the subject and it's relation to the Oracle Tools. It took me quit a few pages of reading to discover it. b) I would like to see more details on the Star Schema since it is a central concept. Moreover I would like to see a few real life examples of models implementing the star schema. c) I would like to see more on the Oracle Express Solution and especially the Express Server (it's architecture etc.)and posibly a few examples.




2. I order a steak not a hamburger! I immediately associated with the conceptual - high level portion - of the book which covered: building the data warehouse team, managing the data warehouse project, the data warehouse design (very important chapters outlining usage of the star schema), and implementation of the data mart. I found the first half of the book to make alot of sense. Having a Masters of Oracle DBA, I found the physical database chapters on (partitioning and tuning valuable). However, OLAP chapters seemed too sketchy. I would have preferred an in depth discussion of installing and running the Oracle Express Server (Multidimensional database) , integrating express objects with Visual Basic or Forms, and connecting Discoverer to the Multidimensional Database, as subject matter. I found the OLAP section discussing Oracle Discoverer to narrow. The chapters covering Oracle Discoverer administration significantly less through than the Oracle Tutorial Documentation. Here my questions to the author: What about building item hierarchies, creating cross-tables, or cross-table master detail reports, introduction to Discover filters, and security -> Oracle Book explaining Oracle Products. Bottom line, I think the author missed the boat by igoring the significance of multidimensional databases and how to interface with them using oracle products.



3. This text is a waste of time and dollars. I really could not even suggest who the target audience might be. The book is just a haphazard collection of ideas with no in-depth content all presented in the most confusing manner possible.

   For anyone looking for some solid advice on Data Warehousing look elsewhere. Even the Oracle side of this Oracle Press book is weak.

No comments about Oracle Education; Knowledge, Performance, Success: Server SQL Language Quick Refernce.