5 comments about Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Querying (Solid Quality Learning).

1. Coming from an Oracle shop over to a MSS shop I was looking for a book that would provide me with the features of T-SQL, as well as act as a handy reference. The book is likely good as a teaching resource, albeit the English usage is horrible. As a quick reference, though, it's less handy than navigating the M$ online resources.
   
   A must for every MSS dba's desk? Nah. Not even close. I have a doctorate in MIS and this is exactly the kind of convoluted writing that makes practitioners wince when they see someone with a Ph.D.



2. Normally I don't write a review but I liked this book enough to do so. I am a programmer not an SQL developer. I knew the basics but not the details and I had to write complex queries in SQL 2005 so I researched books for couple days before I bought this one. I have never heard of CTE, APPLY, ROW_NUMBER or PIVOT to mention few. This book at the beginning gives you the basics to understand how queries are processed internally, the difference between the types of indexes and how to read the execution plans. Then it dives into the language. Each example is well thought. The example goes over the syntax, performance and also optimization. I read all of it and did most of the examples.



3. The MS SQL books have dramatically risen in quality in a few short years. When SQL 7 and 2000 were released, there were may be 1-3 book which were truly outstanding. For SQL 2005, however, there are at least 5-10 books which are truly worthwhile and this is one of them.
   
   The reason why the quality of books has risen is the expertise of the authors. For this book, the authors are either MS SQL MVP or have been involved with the creation of MS SQL at Microsoft.
   
   Generally speaking, the book has high level expert description of the underlying MS SQL 2005 architecture and T-SQL commands. But it lacks a nice flowing writing style which hempers the understanding to a willing reader. This book is an another example of authors who are inept at explaining the subject matter which they are an expert much like a professor who can't teach.
   
   I also felt some parts of the book were sloppy or not as detailed. For example, the authors state that one of the steps of T-SQL query tuning is the need to correlate wait stats with problematic queries. Yet they never provide an adequate example (other than providing a useless query of SYS.DM_OS_PERFORMANCE_COUNTERS table) of how to connect wait stat with a specific transaction. This is a huge missing link.
   
   PROS:
   1)Awesome details on Indexes and Query plans
   2)Solid advice on how to improve T-SQL for better performance.
   
   Cons:
   1)Not for the beginners. The book goes straight to the harder subjects (PIVOT, APPLY, complex joins etc).
   2)Does not cover simple or fundamental subject matters.



4. This is the 2nd book of the 4 part "Inside-SQL" series, with each book I imagine, appealing to a different reader. Having a programming background, I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series ("The Storage Engine"), which on it's own is also an excellent book.
   
   As mentioned in other reviews, this book is definitely not for beginners. The authors assumes a basic level of SQL knowledge from the reader as he launches into complex Transact-SQL examples - unlike most books which start the reader with simple SQL examples and progress through to complex ones.
   
   While reading this book, it was easy to compare it's contents with Ken Henderson's popular "A Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL", with the latter book becoming more and more outdated by the improvements in Transact-SQL since it was published. If you're a fan of Henderson, you will quickly become a fan of Itzik.
   
   A benefit of this book is that unlike most SQL 2005 books, this is not an update on SQL 2000 material, but instead starts at the 2005 level. The author focuses on the new syntax introduced in SQL 2005, and then, moves onto older SQL 2000 syntax and compares both the complexity and the performance differences between the two. This itself is invaluable to those of use that code in Transact-SQL and feel more comfortable using the "old ways". This book highlights how the new syntax is in fact simpler and more efficient - we just need to take the time and effort to understand and become familiar with the new language changes.
   
   The book starts by discussing the logical processing of a SELECT statement, which helps the reader to understand the hows and whys of writing a query. I finally understood why I can't use an expression's alias in a WHERE BY or GROUP BY clause (as the SELECT line is one of the last parts of the statement to be processed). Throughout the book, the author often defines a problem and allows the reader to formulate an appropriate solution. He then reveals MULTIPLE solutions and explains why each is good or bad. The book ends with a selection of "logic puzzles" that test the reader's ability to solve logical problems. This was both fun and informative.
   
   After reading this book, I found myself changing the way I constructed SQL queries at work - for the better!



5. Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Querying (Solid Quality Learning)
   
   This is a great reference or review text. The content is fairly meaty and will take some chewing. For example, the book starts right off by breaking down the query engine process into it's processing steps and taking the reader through examples of the result sets at each step in the process. It might be overwhelming for someone starting out, but it's a great place to dive into a deeper understanding of the data engine.

5 comments about Head First SQL: Your Brain on SQL -- A Learner's Guide (Head First).

1. Straight up best tech manual I've ever purchased. Feels like a 101 language workbook, reads like a breeze, and at the end of the sitting you know something. It's not dry, it's not tedious, and its playful approach doesn't in any way water down its comprehension.
   
   Truly an excellent effort, really happy I purchased it, please keep writing these.



2. The book was in the condition as was described: completely new. and fast shipment. thanks



3. If you are developer and need to refresh your SQL knowledge or if you want to learn SQL very fast and with some fun - it is book for you. This is not a book for Database Administrators. Second disclaimer - they use examples for MySQL, so if you are using different DB, you need to translate some of them.
   
   I believe I do not need to convince you how good are "Head First" series, so let's focus on the content.
   
   It starts from explanation what DB is and some easy SELECT queries, so you can read this book without any knowledge in DB world.
   
   Next chapters cover UPDATE, INSERT, DELETE, primary/foreign keys, ALTER, ORDER BY with most common aggregation functions (like MAX, AVG), inner/outer joins and more. There is also place for some theory and DB patterns.
   
   As always, couple of the last chapters contains a bit more complex information like roles and privileges, constraints, unions, intersections and subqueries.
   
   In summary, it is very good book that gives you short introduction to DB world (with some advanced knowledge). I do not know anything that is required in my day to day job that is not in this book.



4. If there is one book in head first that deserves attention (apart from Servlets book) it is this. All the programming books are great anyways (Exception is Head First Design patterns, PLEASE DONT BUY that one!).
   
   SQL Head first helps in visually knowing what is going to happen, especially when running mutltiple OUTER JOINs and writing subqueries etc. Thanks to this book (and a combination of SQL Cookbook and SQL Tuning (for more advanced people)).
   
   Here are some of positives of this book :
   1.) Starts out at very basic level (this can be annoying for some folks, who already know much of the stuff, but then this book is not for you then, try SQL Cookbook or SQL Tuning). I would still say this book can be kept as a good reference, as even seasoned people can be helped from visually organized "notes" in there.
   
   2.) Advanced Select section is awesome, JOINS and subqueries and Associations are explained very well. (In this case diagrams help in better visualizing things and helped me understand and recall the concepts really well, After a long time i am not trying to "remember" what the syntax of a clause is in SQL, instead i just visualize things (an example of this would be a sum(xxx) and a group by ... and how the diagram illustrates it very neatly, if i want to use a complex JOIN query or a multiple group by, i don't have to google anymore).
   
   Cons :
   1.) Some of topics could have been covered in a better way, example tuning etc.
   2.) is @ medium level, for advanced topics i still refer to SQL cookbook or tuning book (by Dan).
   
   All in all it was a great buy for me.
   
   Regards
   Vyas, Anirudh



5. At first I was a little thrown off by all the images and quips (I guess I'm used to boring, dry guides). After a while I was actually drawn into the book and how it guided me through learning SQL. I must admit that I had a somewhat rudimentary understanding of SQL but after completing the book my queries a sharper & more complex.
   
   I do want to put it out there; this isn't really a reference book, it's primary focus is to teach you the fundamentals of SQL, not really the fancier functions or tricks that you can use in SQL.
   
   There was only one short coming to the book; some of the samples did not contain answers. I know it's petty, but there were times I would've liked to have known the answers.
   
   I would confidently recommend this book to anyone looking to learn SQL.

5 comments about Java Persistence with Hibernate.

1. As of the writing of this review in early 2008, there is no other work in the marketplace quite like this text. At over 800 pages, Bauer and King cover a lot of ground, starting with the object/relational persistence paradigm and continuing with domain models, mapping, and conversations, addressing specialized situations along the way such as working with legacy databases. Database development is not for the faint of heart, and serious work in this space requires understanding of both object-oriented technology and relational database theory, not to mention the associated business domains. Although this book has received a relatively high amount of positive reviews, readers have also understandably shared their complaints. While at the same time Java Persistence with Hibernate is probably not for everyone, there really are not that many alternatives to learning the necessary material. As with other development frameworks, it is a given that familiarity with the online documentation for Hibernate is required, with the realization that this documentation really only starts to be of benefit once the associated tools start being used. This book provides solid background to prepare the reader for the road ahead, but the reader should also be reminded that the entire book does not need to be read, nor does the material need to be read in order from front to back in order to prepare for that road. Much of the material will probably just not make sense until one gets their feet wet with the technologies. These are the reasons I choose to refer to this text as graduate school training. As Immanuel Kant, the great German philosopher, once said, "experience teaches nothing without theory, but theory without experience is mere intellectual play". The change in name for this second edition of the book reflect the fact that Hibernate is now an implementation of the Java Persistence API. Be aware that the authors traverse back and fourth between the conformance of Hibernate to JPA, and what Hibernate provides apart from JPA. I think the decision of the authors to present material on these technologies side-by-side was a wise one, because it helps keep the reader reminded that these are not separate technologies and that there are architectural tradeoffs between sticking to JPA and using Hibernate functionality beyond the specification. Well recommended.



2. This is the the BEST book for hibernate. better than hibernate in action and other books.
   
   Gavin King Rocks.



3. Got this book when I started working with hibernate at work. This book and its sample code saved me weeks of effort.
   
   Hibernate is an OK framework, but a steep learning curve. This book will help you significantly reduce that learning curve.



4. I have finally found a great resource on persistence. This book allows you find enough detail quickly to get going and enough in-depth knowledge and understanding to keep you coming back. A must own.



5. Some of the reviews for this book are a little harsh.
   
   This is the most complete book on Hibernate on the market. It covers everything, and I mean everything. From mapping to annotations, to whatever, it's in here.
   
   The book is written by the makers of Hibernate, and you can find an answer to pretty much every question you'll ever have explained in extreme detail, and in a very, very technical way.
   
   The book uses the Caveat Emptor application as a reference. You keep going back to that example, which you can download from the hibernate site. It is a very complete and intricately developed application that is a reference for how to develop enterprise ready applications that could be deployed to pretty much any mission critical environment.
   
   This book is amazing. Some reviewers have tried to use this as a Dummies book or How To book and have been frustrated, and have given this book poor reviews. That's not fair. Imagine trying to learn to swing a baseball (or cricket) bat by taking pitches from a major league pitcher. You wouldn't learn a thing, as every pitch zoomed by you at 100mph. This book is like the big league pitcher, helping you develop and design applications that are ready for the big leagues. When you understand that, you can understand why people who are new to the technology, and looking for very simple and straight forward examples, can get frustrated with this book and give it 1 or 2 stars. Really, those reviews are not fair.
   
   If you are new to hibernate, you should start of with something a like Hibernate Made Easy: Simplified Data Persistence with Hibernate and JPA (Java Persistence API) Annotations. If you are using mapping files, then Hibernate: A Developer's Notebook is the other book you should get.
   
   Overall, this is a five star book written by the people that know Hibernate the most. We're very luck to have a book like this to help guide us through the really, really, really tough stuff.

5 comments about Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Unleashed.

1. After reading Microsoft's books about their own products, this book is a knight in shining armor. It dives into the nitty-gritty details and actual gives useful information, instead of regurgitating sparse on-line documentation.



2. I did not realize this book is HUGE after I got one. This book demonstrates every functionalities that MS SQL Server 2005 has and illustrates every functionality in details. Therefore, this book is worth to buy. Besides, the delivery was faster than I expected. GOOD SERVICE!



3. I'm really sorry, but I have to write how I feel about this book after 11 chapters for people who consider buying it. This book is totally unorganized, chapters are written so poorly and don't explain the bottom of topic and can be very confusing. There are also lots of printed errors. I could go on and on like this from paragraph to paragraph of book. I still can't belive how can someone write this bad book.



4. This book covers most aspects of SQL 2005. Some topics are only covered at a perfunctory level (Business Intelligence, SSIS, T-SQL etc). But many of the topics, especially archtectural ones, are covered with high level of expertise.
   
   If you need to buy one book that covers most aspects of SQL 2005 then this should be the one. It is better and more comprehensive than "SQL 2000 Unleashed", which was also an excellent book.
   
   Here are the topics the book covers especially well:
   1)SQL 2005 Install and upgrade
   2)Replication
   3)Data Mirroring and other high availability solutions.
   4)Index and Statistics.
   5)Locking and Deadlocks.
   
   There are better books out there for each of individual the topics of SQL 2005. But there are no book I know of which covers them as comprehensively at a high level as this book.



5. Very valuable when it comes to referencing all the functionality SQL Server 2005 has to offer.
   Microsoft(R) SQL Server 2005 Unleashed

5 comments about Access 2007: The Missing Manual.

1. This book was simply amazing...Matthew MacDonald...what can I say about him? Well, for starters, he is amazing, he is actually the single greatest book writer of his generation...I have come to learn so much from him and his method of teaching. It isn't dry or boring, it's a book I could read before going to bed and actually enjoy...You know what, I'm going to tell you what...you buy this book and it does not meet, nay, exceed every one of your wildest expectations, well then you can hold me, Michael GARY Scott, personally and financially responsible. You rock Matt, keep these books coming!
   
   =]



2. This is the summary review of four Access 2007 books:
   "Special Edition: Using Access 2007" (Special)
   "Access 2007 Bible" (Bible)
   "The missing Manual of Access 2007" (Manual)
   "Access 2007 for dummies" (Dummies)
   
   In sum, the special edition is the best. Buy the special edition. Even you are a fresh beginner on Access.
   
   (My story? Well, I read the dummies first. Then looked at Manual, doesn't like it. So I got the bible. Still unsatisfied. Finally, I got the special edition.)I know some basics on Access 2003 and only use Access when Excel is not enough to handle my data. I started with "Access 2007 for dummies" and finished it in a couple of hours. Then I turned to "Access 2007 Bible" and "The missing Manual", the manual is the worst one and the bible just provides basics, well, maybe a bit more than, that the dummies book already covers.
   
   The special edition provides more examples and detailed explanation on: Query, Forms, Reports, Pivot table.Not sure about the VBA part.
   
   I also like very much the reader-friendly layout and enjoy its "what is in real world" sections at the end of several chapters.
   
   This book also provides a good summary of basic database concepts like normalized, the importance of index, joints. The summary is very helpful especially you are a beginner.
   
   The cover of the special edition claims that the special edition is the only Access book you need. Well, maybe not the only one, but if you have the special edition, you definitely don't need the Access 2007 Bible, The missing manual and the dummies book.



3. This book really is as useful as the title suggests. For a newbie, learning Access is a lot more than just learning what buttons to push - you really need to pick up ideas and strategies about relational database design. I found this book very practical, illuminating some things I was really stuck on. There's a lot of information in it, and I found it really clear and helpful.



4. The book does what it promises: explains to you in a fun and engaging way how to use access and explaining you the most important features while at the same time giving you the tools to learn about the least important features by yourself. An excellent book to start working with access and making very decent databases.



5. I bought this book to go straight to the information I need when I need it. It is well organized and clear. Would recommend.

5 comments about MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-431): Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Implementation and Maintenance (Pro-Certification).

1. Good book to have and I like the packaging.
   
   No regrets for this business



2. I bought this book because I had the opportunity to take a training course by one of the co-authors, Mike Hotek. Mike is an awesome teacher as well as writer. This book had very clear practical examples ranging from how to create a table to replication and database mirroring. I found that if you want to learn the just-above-the-basics of SQL 2005, this book is for you. Even if you don't know anything about SQL 2005, this book will give you an insight on how to get started.
   
   The chapters are organized quite well, starting with how to install SQL 2005 and moving on to creating basic objects.
   
   I would recommend this book for several reasons:
   1) A great reference on basic SQL syntax as well as the main functions of SQL 2005
   2) A great learning tool for the exam.
   3) Easy to read and understand.
   
   Great job on this one. I have already purchased the 443 and 444 books and am eager to read into those as well.



3. Many examples in this book can not be compleated with the "Evaluation Software" the is included with the book. Chapters 14, and 15 both reference features not included in this version of the software.
   
   The book has been reading very nicely and I believe that I have learned a lot from it but I have become very frustrated with the way the not all the examples/practice areas can be accessed with the limitations of the included software



4. I'm about 1/3 of the way through this book. As a moderately experienced SQL Server developer, I find the book useful as an exam prep beause it briefly reviews and previews the information, although it relies on the reader already being somewhat familiar with the subject.
   
   For example, the text explanations and code snippets are good, but there are very few screenshots or other figures.
   
   Don't get this book if you don't already have some experience with SQL Server.
   
   Do get this book as a review or summary of what you'll presumably need to know for the exam.
   
   Conrad



5. I had to use this book for a class. It has many mistakes and the quizzes at the end of the chapters ask questions that weren't even covered. Everyone in my class including the instructor agreed that this was not a good book. It either barely discusses or doesn't even cover things that the quizzes ask you about. I am going to find another book to study from before I even think about taking the test. The labs were terrible also, some of them couldn't even be completed as set up by the book. I wouldn't even waste my money on this.

5 comments about Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services 2005.

1. It's sometimes hard to review a technical book without reviewing the technology the book discusses so I'll start by stating that Microsoft Reporting Services impressed me greatly but Microsoft's documentation is as bad as always. There's room for improvement but it's already better than Crystal Reports. Now on to the book review.
   
   I am familiar with SQL Server and Crystal Reports so I was looking for a book that didn't spend too much time on stuff I already knew. This book spent the first three chapters discussing database basics so I skipped them.
   
   I started reading the book in earnest at chapter four which discusses the report wizards. This is a quick way to throw reports together in Visual Studio and Brian Larson presents the information logically and clearly. It became quickly clear that I was reading an exceptional book. I'm guessing Brian had an experienced editor because the book is largely free of the gramatical errors that have been plaguing technical books recently. What impresses me even more is that all the examples worked flawlessly and were meaningful exercises that I will refer back to as I start to implement Reporting Services.
   
   The book references a database you need to download from the Osborne website. The instructions to do so are very clear and I had no problems whatsoever downloading and installing it. The only problem I had was that the user id in the examples (GalacticReporting) does not have access to the stored procedures. You need to give GalRep the 'Reporting' role. Minor problem.
   
   Brian, correctly, doesn't spend much time on the wizards and quickly gets into the meat of the application guiding the reader through successively more complex reporting scenarios. At first tasks are performed using point-and-click methods, then using quicker but more advanced methods. Finally Brian started taking shortcuts such as providing stored procedures. I saw Brian using this technique all through the book and I liked it.
   
   The first real problem I encountered with the book in is chapter 10 in the section on deploying custom assemblies. This is an area that Reporting Services is very weak and I hope to see Microsoft improve in future releases. You have two options - alter the config file or deploy via the GAC. Brian only mentions the first option and very poorly. He doesn't mention the GAC at all whereas I think the GAC is the better option. But in the next section on security Brian is back to his old form and does a splendid job of explaining a subject I normally have a very hard time with.
   
   The explanation of report caching, snapshots, and subscriptions is exceptionally good and does a great job of explaining these potentially confusing subjects. Again, his examples are well thought out and very simple to follow. As they occur after the section on security he points out what security tasks/roles are required to perform these function which was a great idea.
   
   I wish Brian had spent a little more time explaining the logging mechanism in chapter 11. He refers the reader to the Microsoft documentation which is actually wrong. The book could have spent half a page explaining how to create and populate the logging database and implementing the sample reports. It would have saved me a lot of trouble.
   
   The only other issue I have with the book is late in chapter 12 where Brian explains how to implement a custom, forms-based, security model. The example works well especially considering how complex it is, but I could not get the debugger to attach to the authentication dll even though I followed Brian's instructions to the letter. However, having Googled the problem it seems many, many people have problems attaching the Visual Studio debugger to already running threads so I suspect Bill should take some of the blame at least.
   
   Overall Brian Larson should be very pleased with his work. It's well worth the money and he has done us all a great service. He should buy his editor a beer too.



2. Got this book last week but I just started to read and do the chapters a few days back, and I'm not into chapter 6 already and finding it really helpful and easy read. The book is well laid out, and for a beginner like I find the steps so easy to follow.
   
   Also, the author was so helpful when I emailed him regarding the Galactic DB setup and he responded immediately within 30 minutes! Now, that's a plud factor! Highly recommended for beginners and intermediates but not so much for experts (as my officemate was looking for a peculiar way of doing the report in a matrix data region required by the business but can't find any that advanced format...)



3. I have been more than happy with this book and have recommended others to purchase it also. I feel this book is easy to follow and great for the experienced and also for the beginner.



4. This book served as a decent read as well as decent reference material for using SSRS.
   
   I could have done without the author's attempts at humor with lines such as "Be prepared. You're about to enter... the Matrix!". I would have preferred a "dryer" more serious approach however I can live with the writer's style because the book delivered on content.



5. I just worked my way cover-to-cover and did every exercise. Sure, there are some errors in the book and sometimes it is not as clear as I would like and it does help to be a DBA but I think the book is rather above average in its accuracy. The book is not useful as a reference. But I highly recommend it as a great start. If you are not going to download the problems and do the exercises, then do not buy this book. The value is in doing the exercises.

5 comments about Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes (3rd Edition) (Sams Teach Yourself).

1. This is my first review and I'm sad to say it is a negative one. I bought this book after having read all the other positive reviews. I discounted some of the few negative ones.
   
   This book requires you download and run a couple of scripts to create and populate sample tables. I provides HORRIBLE instructions on how to do this.
   
   This guy, Ben, was nice enough to create a site where users can ask him questions. You will be lucky if he responds to your question but even if he does, it will be rather smug, and in my case, incomplete.
   
   I bear no ill will towards this guy, but caveat emptor - unless you are already very comfortable with struggling mightily with lots of time to burn to get basic questions answered - don't buy this book.



2. This is a true beginner's book. This is a book for people who know nothing about SQL. It is very helpful for starters.



3. SQL in 10 minutes?? ......I thought this guy was kidding. He wasn't. The main reason why I couldn't get a job was because I didn't know SQL, within one hour I read the book, tried all the examples, wrote SQL on my resume, applied for a job and got the job the next day requiring SQL experience :)
   
   This language is so easy to learn, it feels more like an application than a programming language. It seems as though the whole language is really just 3 words, select, from & where, although I'm still new and theres probably a tonne more but I didn't need to know that to get the job.
   
   Compare it to learning c,c++, Fortran and other languages for the first time where you learn to define variables, learn the functions, test cases, inputs, outputs, etc, etc. SQL you pretty much type in the inputs and you receive the outputs...its a really intuitive language, anyone can start learning within minutes. Highly recommend this book, its also probably the best quick reference out there if you need to solve a particular problem.



4. Good intro and you do learn the language and how to understand and write it by using this book



5. When I went for a job interview a few months ago all I knew about SQL was that it had something to do with databases. When I informed the interviewer I didn't know SQL, the look on his face let me know I was doomed. So as soon as I left that interview I got online and purchased this book determined to learn as much as I can, in an inexpensive way, and quickly. Wow! This book turned out to be all of those things. It is very easy to understand and made SQL seem like a breeze. I loved the examples and plan to purchase an intermediate-advanced SQL book very soon. Hope SAMS Teach Yourself can help me out with one of those too. With their help I think I can add 'knowlege of SQL' on my resume.

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 LINQ in Action.

1. When I first started reading about LINQ and playing with it I got a feeling LINQ is HUGE. That regular developer that doesn't have a lot of time to learn will need years to conquer the art of all that is LINQ.
   
   But after reading LINQ in Action I realized this is not the case. The book systematically explains LINQ and since you probably already know something about LINQ fills the gaps. It's fast to red, has a nice flow. First it covers the basics, then explains about LINQ Objects, followed by LINQ to SQL and LINQ to XML and closes with a nice wrap-up. On books homepage you will find extra chapter dealing with LINQ to DataSet.
   
   What I missed in the book is more about using LINQ in three-tiered designs. There are just a few statements about this in the book and few lines in sample code. What I would like to see is a chapter on how to use LINQ when there is WCF service in application design. I know it's a painful subject, but some guidelines would still be nice.



2. During my attempts to learn LINQ and implement it into my work, I've searched several sites looking for answers related to syntax, deferred execution, LINQ to XML, LINQ to SQL, and LINQ performance statistics. I spent hours going from one site or blog post to the next. This book covers all of these topic and more. If only I had this book sooner...



3. Linq in Action is a clear and deep presentation of a technology that, even in its first incarnation, is increasing the productivity of programmers, and setting an even higher standard for dynamic websites and programs. The authors, who were instrumental in the development of Linq, proceed in an intuitive path from the basics of the technology, all the way to very sophisticated ideas and examples. The authors also participate online to answer questions and add even more material for an even more through presentation. I recommend this book for any developer or aspiring developer.
   
   Paolo



4. I am a newbie both in visual basic and Linq, and I have to say that this book is really great. It provides a LOT of understandable explanations, that are so useful for who's not a guru already.
   
   There are tons of examples, plus quite a lot online resources that can be extremely useful.
   
   Great book, probably one of the best on LINQ subject, and it's definitely worth the price



5. A good book, very complete and full of infos. All topics are well and deeply explained. I give only 4 stars for two main reasons
   1. I don't like the writing style. It is too friendly, I prefer a formal and clean one.
   2. Some explanation is 'obscure' and needs to be rewritten, for example the SelectWith extension method.
   Anyway it really worths to have a copy on your desk.