5 comments about PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide.

1. This is an excellent book. All the codes works! I recommend to buy it. It is worth for the money.



2. This is definitely not for someone new to programming or relational databases. The pace is fast which works well if you already know those things but need to know how to do them in PHP and mySQL. Those new to either of those two concepts should probably look for something more basic



3. Larry Ullman's "PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide" is great because it can be applied to real world websites. Mr. Ullman does a fine job in conveying the finer points of PHP.



4. Larry Ullman's extensive experience as a developer and writer shows. This book is very well structured and builds upon itself intuitively to the reader. The exercises are pragmatic. The only thing that he might have touched upon in this book is OOP--fortunately his book PHP 5 Advanced: Visual QuickPro Guide covers the subject extensively.
   
   This book also provides several key reference tables that I go back to often, e.g., MySQL data types (pg 110...got that memorized). So, the ongoing value is there. There have been a few times where the index didn't point me to the page I was looking for even though I know it's in the book somewhere.
   
   I noticed that Larry's next book is on AIR (has his enthusiasm shifted, or perhaps it's just that he's covered PHP from every conceivable angle at this point??). While I'm sure he'll shed valuable light on AIR, I look forward to his return to PHP prose.
   
   On a side note, Larry makes himself tirelessly available to his readers on his forum and via email. That's pretty extraordinary, too, I think, yet I'm bewildered how he finds the time.



5. This book is a complete waste of money. You can find all the material covered here for free online. The book is difficult to read because of all the author's tips, the small size of the letters in the text, and because the text in each page is divided in two columns wich is absurd. buy something else instead.

5 comments about CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions.

1. very helpful if you already have a basic knowledge of css. lots of great tips and tricks for the aspiring web master.



2. If you're completely new to CSS or even if you've been working with it for quite some time but haven't quite mastered properly laying out your site with pure CSS, this book will change your [web design] life!
   
   To summarize, this book took me from "still partially relying on tables for layout" to "completely free of table-based-design"



3. If I were to recommend one professional level book on CSS, this is it. It offers real world solutions that work across browsers and that are fully standards compliant. Explanations are clear. Examples are well chosen and described and I've found solutions for head scratching problems that actually work.
   
   This is probably not the first CSS book that a web designer should buy. Take the "Advanced" part of the title seriously. But if you have your HTML and chops and a basic understanding of CSS, it definitely belongs on your bookshelf. Or if you're like me, it will be handy on your desk with coffee stains on the cover. It's my first choice reference for anything CSS related.



4. This book is well written, a breeze to read from cover to cover. It is laid out well, with a logical progression of topics. And it cleared up many misconceptions I personally had with how to use CSS. Unfortunately, CSS references on the internet often use bad techniques due to a misunderstanding of what some key declarations mean. In my attempts to emulate some of these techniques, I frequently found myself having to make large amounts of change for browser compatibility, etc. This book has shifted my perspective on how things should work. Since then, my time spent fine tuning has been minimal.
   
   I would highly recommend it to anyone who was self taught and having troubles getting things to work like desired. Great for beginners up to intermediate too. I think anyone who is truly advanced in CSS will be familiar with most of what is covered, but maybe not bad as a reference.



5. This book was in a sense life changing for me. It helped lay the foundation for my understanding of CSS and ultimately led me to a job in web development. The writing is very accessible and easy to read. I highly recommend it for anyone who is starting out with web standards.

5 comments about The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3 with CSS, Ajax, and PHP.

1. it is an excellent book. I'm not sure what exactly I actually expected from a book that has Dreamweaver, CSS, AJAX ad PHP (and MySQL) in its title. But one thing is for sure - this book is truly great because this book does something that a lot of other technical books do not do - it teaches you to use several technologies in a chronological way, by adding functionality to the same web site. You do not learn things by following many unrelated examples, but rather by following a step by step instructions which will lead you to the final product - a functional dynamic web site. I find this system of teaching to be the best, because it shows you the actual process of implementation of the techniques and technologies and how they work together on the same page. Teach by example. But beware, that this concept of teaching does not exactly explain the why's, but rather concentrates on the how's giving real world examples without pushing the reader to use a certain approach only to later explain why that particular approach was bad and show a good one.
   Although this book is intended for beginners in programming, some of the stuff was rather hard to comprehend and you certainly should not entirely rely on this book alone and seek some more examples on the subject, just to give you more clarity. And you certainly should know your way around Dreamweaver. The author will give you a quick overview of the work environment and CSS, but this is not the book you want if you can't work with Dreamweaver at least at the upper beginner level. That applies to your knowledge of CSS too.
   This is not a quick study book. You will see immediate results, but to understand what is going on and be able to use the knowledge to make your own applications will require a lot of determination and effort on your part. I personally like that - no pain, no gain. However, if you have the will to go through a lot of coding, reading, looking for that missing semi-colomn in your code and do not want to be bothered by childish examples and exercises, your perseverance will be awarded and this book will make you a better web developer. It's 5 stars and a big THANK YOU MR POWERS from me.



2. This book is a wonderful assistant for people they like to dive into DW and PHP. It completes all my questions and it's tips are rule!



3. I haven't finished this book yet. I have completed the chapter on how to setup a testing server for php. So far I am very pleased with the book it has allowed me to setup a server and test my php code. This book is well worth the price just for this.



4. I have read many books on programming. While I have gleaned some value from just about every book, the page-count-to-learning ratio hasn't been great. And on a few occasions, I hit a roadblock where I simply wasn't getting what author was telling me I should be completely proficient with at that moment...anyone else experience that?? Makes me feel like a coloring-by-the-numbers code monkey. I've gone back to some of those books once I have gained some proficiency on the topic (elsewhere) to find that those authors made things unnecessarily complex. Who knows why, but it sure pisses me off.
   
   I give you this background, so that when I say that this book is absolutely without equal in delivering actionable, easy-to-understand content on almost every single page, that is no exaggeration. I lost count of the number of times I came up with a question, only to read the very next sentence which usually went something like this, "...you are probably wondering why this is the case. Here's why..." It was incredible! And the exercises start to ween you off of the minutia at precisely the right pace (for me, anyway). It was a great confidence builder when the author wrote, "You should be comfortable with these steps at this point..." and I totally was.
   
   Truly excellent work by David Powers and Tom Muck (who did the technical review). And they've kept their errata/updates site up-to-date with DW CS3, which definitely came in handy as I encountered current-version discrepancies with things like Spry 1.6.
   
   One miss was, the very last exercise did not work for me. After thoroughly reviewing the sample code, my code, etc. I submitted it as errata...waiting for a response.



5. I'm currently taking a class in PHP/MySQL and it's use in eCommerce, and this book has really helped me along the way! The author shows you the ways in which Dreamweaver can help you to reduce your development time, but still produced some really great, dynamic sites. He goes into detail on some of the code as well, which is helpful. Additionally, the author is very honest and recommends other resources for items he covers in a limited manner. If you want to learn more about connecting to a database or just using PHP for simple mailing forms, as well as some nice CSS tips, this book is for you!

5 comments about Professional SharePoint 2007 Development (Programmer to Programmer).

1. I have read many SharePoint books and indeed this is one of the best. The topics have been covered in great detail. The book starts of with an in introduction to the Microsoft Application Platform and how SharePoint Server integrates into the Platform. It then goes on to cover the various features of the product and how to develop applications using those features. The chapter I liked most was the "WSS V3 Platform Services" which covers in detail creating site definitions, custom field types, features, solutions and web parts.
   
   If you are developing SharePoint solutions I suggest you read the book



2. I always find WROX books are the best value for money. This book is no exception. The details this book provides is atypical and that is what I find very useful. Devil is in the details and we need that for programming.
   
   If you are interested in Solutions Development on SharePoint Platform, this book is a very good companion.



3. Working on a few projects I needed to find some good Sharepoint 2007 reference books. This book is excellent with the examples it provides and the way they authors explain it to you. Very easy to understand, clear and concise.
   
   I do however wish they had more real world examples like for example when working with events in sharepoint they would show you how to retrieve the id's from the list lookups when assigning to another list programmatically, or how to change the permission of a selected item for a selected specific group or person, or access active directory.
   
   Other than that, it is a good book that will help you get along your way.



4. I was given this book by one of the Author (John Holiday) during a training on Enterprise Content Management. I have collected quite a few books on SharePoint most proclaiming to be a developers guide but they have chapters after chapters devoted to configuring WWS 3.0 or MOSS. However, this book gives you a very good start and provides step by step guide on creating various solution.
   I would recommend this for all beginners and intermediate developers!!!



5. The book is good but the source code of Chapter 13 is missing.
   It's very frustrating to learn a new technology and see problems with the source code.
   Wish the authors can take time to check the source-code is uptodate before releasing a book, or at least put it for download after complaints.
   If the authors can update the source code, it will be great.
   Otherwise a good book.

5 comments about Learning Python, 3rd Edition.

1. After getting a review copy of Learning Python, 3rd edition, I had forgot how much really great material was in the book. If you are interested in learning about Python 2.6 and Python 3000, and have some experience with Programming in another language this is an excellent book.
   
   This book is not a reference book like the excellent Python Essential Reference, but more of a example driven guide through features of the language. I would pick this book up even if you know Python, as it covers new language features that have not been documented in some books.



2. This book was very handy as a reference when having to learn python in depth pretty quickly, only gave it 4 stars because it didn't go deep enough in a few areas for my taste but I keep going back to it now and then and I'm glad I have it on my bookshelf.



3. If you are a top-down learner this book is not for you. You can safely pick "Dive into Python".
   However, if you are the bottom-up type, you will not regret. While the Python slogan promises "one way to do it", Mark Lutz will show you four, and explore every detail, like complex list comprehensions, closures and the diamond inheritance pattern. This is why you will wait 200 pages (exploring data types) until the introduction of the first Python statement, and 200 pages more for the first script.
   But if you cross the details, you will get excellent understandings of the core Python logic, which will save you countless debugging hours in the future.
   The OO part alone worth the entire book. It's going from the very basics of OO programming up to elementary design patterns and some advanced OO implementation issues in Python.
   One last caution: although 600 pages, this book should be really read cover to cover. It's a true tutorial, which gradually develops the major concepts (sequences, assignments, references, objects, namespaces etc) from the ground up, with (midterm?) exercises. Give yourself a few hours to really learn, exercise your brain (and fully grasp 100 ways to silently override your variables with namespace mistakes). It's a great book.



4. I'm talking about the 3rd edition. It's the first book about Python that I read, so I can't make a comparison. It may be just the best first book out there, but I'm not impressed. The book reads like a draft, not a book in its 3rd edition. The author just keeps repeating himself on minor points in subsections back and forth. It's 700 pages long, but I wish it were half the length, after cutting needless elaboration and repetition. Perhaps the older editions are more concise. On the other hand, we readers may not have a choice.



5. Python has the reputation to be a language that is easy to learn. Well, why do you need a book more than 500 pages to only learn the language then? The answer is that even if you can learn the basics very fast, it has a lot of bells and whistles that can take time to master.
   
   This book covers only the language not the libraries, but covers it very well. Highly recommended reading once you'll want to use the language to write something bigger than a script of 10 lines.
   
   4 stars only because I would have expected some exposure to the standard libraries as well for a book called "Learning Python"

5 comments about Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series).

1. Being a total noob to programming, my friend got me into learning about Objective-C and Cocoa. I have bought many books on the subject and I'd like to say that this book helped me with my understanding of objective-c programming language.
   
   Thanks to the authors



2. Contents of Disign Patterns are more and more classical in software engineering. The work is unaguable the basis which lead to a growth of design patterns. This particular issue is a high-quaulity hardcover on heavy paper, and good print. Its an issue for all who like to have a personal library of important book in superior quality. Well useful are the two bookmarks available in the robust binding.



3. This is a great book on design patterns. Not only does it cover the theory of what each pattern is and it's respective use. It also gives very concrete examples of the proper use of each pattern in C++. I highly reccomend this to any serious programmer.



4. Most of the books I have read about object oriented programming were about some specific language and failed to provide a more general way to think about solving problems without writing a lot of code. This book was a missing link for me and I wish I had read it sooner. The authors provide you with elegant ways to use object oriented language features to simplify your programming solutions.
   
   When the specs on your project change and you have to re-factor your code, you may be able to use a design pattern from this book to simplify your solution and make your design more flexible with regard to the parts of the spec that are changing quickly.



5. unlike the last pattern book i reviewed (see my other reviews), this one has an attractive cover. i like blue.

5 comments about Essential ActionScript 3.0 (Essential) (Essential).

1. Great book, well explained, very complete on all topics... in my opinion a must for all flash-developers. Even if there might be chapters you might want to jump as an experienced professional, this book is the perfect reference to sit on your desk and help you out when you don't know or don't recall some issue or maybe want to know the most accurate form of doing something.



2. Excellent. This book was recommended to me by a colleague, and I can't recommend it enough.
   
   As a C# and VB.NET programmer, I had plenty of experience to jump into the middle, but I found myself enjoying the early chapters so much that I decided not just to skim them, but to read them as carefully as the rest of the book. And in doing so, I was rewarded with tidbits of information that I would have otherwise missed.
   
   Anyone who wants a thorough understanding of ActionScript 3.0 would find this book incredibly valuable.



3. I mean in actionscript 3.0 you define variable as var x:int = 10 not var x = 10; that makes me confuse that it will deviate from standard later in book so why to continue. But like the style which is good for beginner who is not good at OOPS...



4. As an interface designer I've been working with Macromedia products since 1992. I feel that regarding the interface aspects of designing and producing a multimedia application the products have just devolved over time. I'm glad that Macromedia is no longer around and hope that Adobe will do better on this aspect.
   
   Actions Script 3 is just the last nail in the coffin of my relationship with this products: how can it be that at this point in time it take this book more than 600 pages to get to a level were you can actually move a movieclip on the stage? Were are the introductions to the readers that come from ActionScript 1 and 2 to at least make it easier for them to get up to speed?
   
   I think that Colin Mook's other books on the subject are good-the Actionscript 2 one was very good- but the amount of work that this one ask of the reader and the level of abstraction of the language truly trumped all my attempts to actually getting anything done.
   
   At more than 900 pages this is a heavy burden to carry around, but no electronic version comes with the book. I had to download one from bittorrent ,even though I bought one here in amazon, just to be able to search thru it and have it always with me. in the end the book is just sitting on a shelve collecting dust, I rather work in actionscript 2 for the time being.
   
   Spend your money elsewhere unless you already work with OOP at a fairly advanced level ( JAVA for instance): you will make a better investment in paying someone to code for you if in a hurry.
   
   Boy how I miss Mtropolis!



5. If you have a good background in Computer Science and you are brand new to ActionScript and Flash in general you will be frustrated.
   
   If you want to use Adobe Flex Builder (free for 90 days) and you go by this
   book then you'll find that none of the examples in Part I will give you anything, but an idea. If you want to evolve the discussed example you'd have to wait till Part II. Meaning by the time you get to do anything you'll loose any desire to evolve any of the examples from part one.
   
   I prefer to evolve the discussed example so I can remember it.
   For example Reader exercise on page 211, tell you to first read Part II of the book to come back and actually do it. That means I have to suspend my ongoing learning (including my desire) and skip ahead. Annoying.

5 comments about WordPress For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. I'm an amateur trying to use Wordpress to get my family weblog looking and behaving in accordance with my vision for it. I've taught myself a little html/css/php/etc but was hitting a wall with the wp codex and I hoped this book would get me over. Well, I didn't learn much besides what is easily picked up in scanning the codex howto. This book was a bit too superficial for my needs. What I would really like is someone to step through the code line by line, explaining what calls are being made and why and how they can be manipulated. This is too difficult for me to follow just looking at the wp files themselves. And that is not the audience for this book. So, my fault for buying this book, erroneously thinking that it would not in fact live up to its title.



2. 
   The two books :
   WordPress Complete by Hasin Hayder
   and
   WordPress for Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson
   are worthwhile sources for the individual that lacks the expertise to setup the WordPress program. Now don't misunderstand what I say next. If you are a complete novice, get the books. Be fully aware that both books will NOT be sufficient to reach normal insanity while getting WordPress setup, if you're requirements go beyond the norm. Am familiar to Blogging and a bit aware of WordPress usage, but it became a total nightmare to reach the results that I was looking for. Seriously lacking are examples of "how and where" to actually insert / place what was being expounded upon. Seemed that every set of "how to" was chopped off at the most critical point and leaves one floundering and frustrated, Both books and even the official sites lack the explicit "where to insert" the talked on code. Many so called experts suffer from the "I know it so well" syndrome" that they overlook the "critical" aspect from a novices point of view. To have elaborated on a specific subject, without giving the most crucial bit of information "showing an example of where" is, to me a cardinal offense. It is recognized that it is near impossible to cover every detail required for total success with an installation, but what is covered, SHOULD be presented with clear and full details. There is no middle ground here. You are either sailing along smoothly, or you are floundering from lack of crucial details. I was in the latter group. WordPress by the way is a neat program, and for most users, will be relatively easy to master. If you have certain specific needs, be prepared to sweat it through, along with much aggravation.



3. Whether you're new to blogging or a pro, the platform you choose matters. WordPress is the present and future of blogging. Of course Web 2.0 is a buz-phrase these days, but WordPress is on the cutting edge of incorporating the most promising features of the latest web technologies. Lisa Sabin-Wilson's WordPress for Dummies provides the single-best start to a whole new way to blog yourself through the 21st century.
   
   If you're intimidated by the idea of starting WordPress, let these items ease your concerns:
   
   Everything you need to get started with a WordPress blog is included cover to cover;
   
   - You don't need to know HTML or CSS but you'll be inspired to learn;
   
   - The book tells you how to distinguish your blog;
   
   - Simple lists are provided for finding key features of WordPress;
   
   - Resources for expanding your blog's potential are included throughout the book;
   
   When Sabin-Wilson says that you can set up your own hosted WordPress blog in minutes, she's not kidding. She gives you the big picture,and then pixelates that picture with important details.
   
   And don't worry about updates since those can be found on the author's blog or publisher's Dummies site. You need a resource now and this one will serve your needs.
   
   Once you're set up, you'll be so educated about WordPress that you'll not only be blogging on the most democratic platform but also involved with one of the most friendly, intelligent and devoted open source communities in the world. Soon you'll be customizing your blog to the bliss you'll be following for the rest of your life.
   
   Not sure where to start blogging? Stuck fiddling around with your blog's limitations? Interested in improving the world through a remarkable blogging platform? Then do yourself a big favor and invest in WordPress for Dummies.



4. I bought WordPress for Dummies a few weeks ago. I have been very impressed so far (I'm more than halfway through the book). Lisa explains why you need to do certain things and points out situations where you need to be careful before changing parameters. The book is broken down into easily digestible chapters and is easy to read and comprehend. If you are new to Wordpress and need help, I'd highly recommend this book.



5. i have dozens of wp sites and bought this book for one of my bloggers. it is a very useful 'how-to' companion for anyone working with wordpress and blogs.

3 comments about Adobe Flex 3: Training from the Source.

1. I found this book very easy to digest. It covers all necessary ground with very good examples so that could get you up to speed in a week. Book suggests 40+ hours. But, It even took me less than that.



2. Adobe Flex 3 Training from the source is a good book for beginners and has something that advance user could use. I am not a fan of tech books, but this does not read like one. The information is solid and covers a breath of knowledge. The authors use a grocery store website as their example. The design of the website is not inspiring, but this is a manual about programming not design. I found that the code is readable and the examples are focused. This is helpful when I am looking for examples for a perticular purpose. The index is well done so my searches are quick. The length is a little overwelming, but it is no differnt then any other tech book. I gave it four out of five stars.



3. I found this book very helpful with great examples that allow you to absorb the concepts and see them in action.

5 comments about Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition (Missing Manual).

1. For anyone that is not familiar with the wonderful, easy world that is the Apple Macintosh, consider yourself a poor, ignorant soul. Ever since the first Macintosh computer was launched in 1984, the Mac has been the most user-friendly computer available to the masses, and with the newest operating system X Leopard Edition, the same is true, only times X!!!
   
   For existing Windows users who have decided to make the switch because they got their slick new iPod and loves the way it works or they just got a look at a Mac recently and decided it was for them this is the perfect manual for making the switch!!
   
   Covering basics like getting e-mail up and running, importing bookmarks, listening to music, viewing digital pictures and all the other important parts of everyday personal computing is all contained in this book. Written by the amazing David Pogue, every topic is covered in an easy to read manner and this manual is chock full of images on nearly every page!!
   
   For all recent Mac OS X users or people who have made the switch, this book truly SHOULD have been in the box with the OS. It's an incredibly well-written resource, and while it's full of hard data and examples, it's really fun at the same time!!
   
   ***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED



2. I have to strongly disagree with the reviewer here who suggests buying the "Leopard Edition Missing Manual" instead. Yes, there is duplication of content here, but there is also content that is NOT in the other book, and I think a Windows Switcher is going to be much happier with this book than the other. In an ideal situation, I'd give them both and have them read this first.
   
   Sure, it could have been done better, and maybe there really is no need for two thick books. Maybe all the "switcher" stuff should be taken out of the "regular" book and all the "this is the way a Mac" works stuff should be taken out of this - then the two could and should be sold as a set for those who need or want both. Certainly both these books could use some trimming; they are fat and hard to handle.
   
   This is the book I'd give my wife if and when I can get her to give up her Windows PC (I hate that stupid thing and cannot wait for it to die!). She'll be much happier with this than she would be with the other book.



3. great reference book and step instructions for mac 10.5. makes using the new os. 10.5, a delightful experience with right on topics and shortcuts. should have been included by apple with the purchase of the duel core processor and upgraded os



4. With the advent of yet another Windows version, and the professed capability to have Windows and Mac OS on the same computer, I have made the switch (or more accurately, are in the process of divorcing Windows). This easy to read and well indexed reference has been just enough information to get me from my IBM Thinkpad with Windows XP to the MacBook Pro running Windows XP in a VMware Fusion virtual machine. It is amazing to have the Windows toolbar at the bottom of the screen and the Mac doc on the side.
   
   It doesn't have all the answers, but with the documentation that accompanies the VMware Fusion I have all I've needed, and not too much fluff or technical verbage in the way. I stumbled into the book while traveling, but it is the one I needed to make the transition smooth, yet keep an understanding of how it works at the user level.
   
   The perfect addition to the sparse (but necessary) manuals that accompany your new Mac, and a copy of VMware Fusion.



5. Very helpful resource to ease your pain during switching from PC to mac. Even mac users can earn me details.