5 comments about Data Mining with SQL Server 2005.

1. Some people commented on the poor editing: typos & some wrong pictures. True. (It detracts, but you can figure it out easily)
   Some stated that it is not a good general overview of Data Mining. True (though it has a bit of a summary)
   Some stated that is doesn't discuss business applications in detail. Yes, (it only makes brief reference to them).
   Some stated that it is very vendor specific. Hello, read the title - SQL 2005.
   
   It is a must read for anyone who wants to take maximum advantage of SQL Server 2005 Data Mining. It goes thru all the algorithms, tells you how each one works, how to tune them & how to embed them into your applications. It compliments the Books On-Line materials, tutorials & sample code that ship with the product.
   (interesting how people pay for a textbook & never bother to read the copous amount of materials that ships with the product.)
   
   It does give you a bit of background in DM, & does walk you thru using the tools (SSMS & BIDS) used to create & administer the Data Mining.
   It doesn't talk about using the Data Mining Viewer controls in Visual Studio 2005.
   
   It is an easy read & very informative. Especially if you go to the trouble of downloading the samples & data from the web site & actually build the models with the book & step thru the code.
   
   While it isn't really an indepth treatment of DMX in the way that "George Spofford's MDX Solutions" is for MDX. It does give you more than enough examples to be able to create, train & predict from the models.
   
   It also gives enough to embed your DM models into your applications, Use them from Excel & take full advantage of the DM built-into SQL Intergration Services.
   
   If you want an DM Overview for business use - check out Barry Lindof's book



2. I was really impressed with this book. It had a great introduction to demystify the typic of data mining. Since the learning curve on this topic is so high, these first few chapters are essential. It then immediately jumps into a practical example to help the reader bring it all together. The chapters get progressivily more difficult through the book and there's a chapter for each of the algorithms. The author team did a fantastic job and I'd highly recommend it.



3. I have only recently started to get involved with Data Mining. I have been doing back end work with Analysis Services for a couple of years and we're ready to move on to the next level.
   
   This book was amazing! The background in Analysis Services and Databases helped a lot, but the book covered all the topics in an easy to understand order. Sure, the chapters on the different algorithms can be very in depth, but apart from explaining the actual mathematical formulas, there is a huge amount of information about each algorithm that each developer MUST use when designing a Data Mining solution.
   
   One of the reviewers commented that they can still not write a DMX statement. I'm confused by that statement! I am writing DMX statements using only the information I got out of this book. Sure, there are a few spelling mistakes here and there, but using the sections in the book where the syntax is fine, I've managed to run all the queries without issues.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



4. I bought this book specifically to gain insight into the output I've gotten from using a couple of the data mining algorithms; unfortunately, there's even less on output interpretation than there is in the SQL server help files. Flipping through the book leaves the impression that the authors are trying to be everything to everyone, and end up only scratching the surface except in describing the algorithms.
   
   I would have given it a 3 star rating anyway because it is useful to understand how the algorithms work, but went with 1 star to balance out one of the authors giving himself a 5.



5. 1) The book uses many examples based on the AllElectronics database. However, the book does not provide the AllElectronics database. Nowhere on the net where you can download AllElectronics database, even on the publisher website. This book is supposed to show us how to design and run data mining on SQL Server 2005, but it fails to do that since the examples in the book are not runnable. I've read many books about Data Mining for SQL 2005. All of them have runnable code except this book.
   
   2) At page 45, the author used the Customer_id as a data column in Customers table in database schema of a mini data mart, but later on, in the examples, he uses CustomerId as data column. In many places in the book, I found many inconsistencies between the database schema and the column names used in the query. Since the authors did not bother to provide the schema of the database, it is very confusing to keep track of what is going on after an MDX query.

5 comments about Microsoft® SQL Server(TM) 2005 Integration Services Step by Step.

1. Terrible CD companion. Most samples have errors, don't run as installed due to incorrect paths and missing connection strings and database auth's. Very frustrating book to learn from if used as a STEP by STEP as the title indicates. Seek a different learning source.



2. I have a project to create a data warehouse, ETL the data and report from the new data warehouse. I have no SQL server 2005 experience at all. But after I read this book and follow the book step by step. I was able to create my DW ETL data to corresponding DIM and Fact tables and created my reports from my DW correctly without any problem. This book has very clear concepts and very practical steps. If you like to learn-by-doing on SSIS. This is the book does it all.



3. I found this book to be quite informative. Given that I am a first timer to SSIS, there were some useful examples. There could have been more substance around the Datawarehousing part of the book. The examples provided on the CD were shockingly packaged. There were files missing and incorrect CD's. This is disappointing given that I bought this book because it was a Microsoft Press publishing.



4. I agree witht the previous readers that the book was hastely done without any thought for quality! A lot of examples from the book differ drastically with the examples in the cd.(and even with the electronic copy of the book that came w/ the cd!)
   
   I tried to salvage the situation by visiting MS Press for some errata announcements, but i was even more confused in the web-maze that they hyperlinked me to.... to no avail (surprise, surprise!)
   
   If you have a limited budget on reference books... dont buy this one.



5. If you're new to SSIS, this book is great. It covers the fundamentals in an easy, step-by-step way.
   
   It is true that there are quite a few errors in the book. Before diving in you should visit the errata list on the website, but that should be the habit whenever working through a technical learning book. The exercises on the accompanying CD had quite a few problems, but nothing that couldn't be worked through.
   
   As a surprise bonus, Chapter 12, "Data Warehouse Concepts", was an excellent introduction to the topic and it made me understand things I haven't been able to grasp before.
   
   Altogether, a very satisfying book.

5 comments about Optimizing Oracle Performance.

1. I purchased this book and did not open it for about 4 months. After reading the first 25 pages or so I became motivated to read more and finish it. It took me about 2 weeks to read through the entire book. The author does a really good job of detailing how to use Oracle tracing to troubleshoot performance related issues. With no shortage of Oracle performance tuning books this is definitely one of the better ones. This book must be one of the best performance related books because you can read it cover to cover. The book is packed with detail so you will reread several pages a few times, kind of like being in college and spending a couple of hours reviewing a couple of pages out of Calculus book.
   
   If you are at all serious about becoming better at Oracle tuning this is a great book to read.



2. I like the wait approach very much. DIS buk prezNts a scientific approach 2 prob diagnosis & performance optimization. DIS aLowz optimization F4tz 2 b consistent & repeatable. DIS buk tAkz Oracle prob diagnosis & tuning out of d realm of bn a BWO art.



3. This book is so interesting that on a couple occasions I've fallen asleep reading it, because I want to "find out what happens next" -- not because it is boring. Even the chapter on queueing theory that has a lot of math in it is understandable and interesting, even though I have a mild aversion to math.
   
   It has highlighted a lot of very useful techniques to ensure you focus on the true problems, and not the various ratios we've taken as absolute truth for so many years. I can't wait to try these concepts out!



4. There are certain "camps" in the worldwide Oracle community. For example, there is the "Oak Table Network" of "Oracle scientists" who seek thorough understandings of issues backed up by details, tests and proofs. Contrasting is the "Silver Bullet" family of field-tested generals who prefer rules of thumb and quick fixes even it means some false understandings and occasionally being wrong. Cary Millsap (of the Oak Table Network) stands as someone respected by both sides.
   
   Cary Millsap worked at Oracle for 10 years on system performance before co-founding Hotsos in 1999 [...]. He is one of the most trusted sources on matters of Oracle system performance, and "Optimizing Oracle Performance" is considered his finest work (4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon). The best way to learn more about him is to see for yourself. Here are some of his most popular articles:
   
   "Diagnosing Performance Problems" from Oracle Magazine. A brief summary of what is covered in this book[...]
   
   "Introduction", the first chapter from "Optimizing Oracle Performance."Chapter 1: [...]
   
   "Case Study", the 12th chapter from "Optimizing Oracle Performance."Chapter 12 (Case Study): [...]
   
   "Performance Management: Myths and Facts." One of his most popular articles.[...]
   
   "Why a 99%+ Database Buffer Cache Hit Ratio is Not Ok." Another of his more popular articles.[...]
   
   While everyone will have their own favourite parts of the book, I think most readers would agree that getting a good taste of the author's performance tuning philosophy is one of the highlights. "Method R", not to be confused with "System R" (ie. SQL), is not about looking at STATSPACK, cache hit ratios, or V$ tables and guessing. The author wanted to devise a system to identify and resolve the top performance concerns of an organisation with reliable, predictable results. The first few chapters put this method in writing in perhaps the best way since the introduction of "YAPP" (Anjo Kolk).
   
   "The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the fraction of the execution time that the improved feature is used." - Amdahl's Law
   
   After several years of research, the author discovered that Extended SQL Trace Data was at the centre of "Method R". Some of the articles should give you a good taste of what Extended SQL Trace data is, if you didn't know already. By the time you finish reading this book you will know exactly how to collect and interpret all the little "ela=17101 p1=10 p2=2213 p3=1 ..." within into something meaningful. For some, that justifies the price tag right there.
   
   So in essence I would have re-named this book "Method R: Optimizing Oracle Performance Using Extended SQL Trace Data," because that is basically what this book is about. There are some reasonably "stand-alone" chapters on other topics, for instance on the Oracle Fixed View tables (Chapter 8) and on Queueing Theory (Chapter 9), but that is not the primary focus of the book.
   
   Those that are expecting a more broad treatment of the subject of performance tuning may be justifiably disappointed that it basically covers only this narrow aspect. However, it is covered very well, and it isn't really covered anywhere else. The author makes no apologies for this, claiming that extended SQL trace data is the only resource you will ever need for diagnosing and solving performance problems.
   
   "You cannot extrapolate detail from an aggregate." - Cary Millsap's preference of SQL extended trace data over fixed views (system-wide average performance characteristics)
   
   Indeed, some people might contend that the author spends a little too much time stating his beliefs, defending them, and patting himself on the back. But I think it adds a certain flavour to the book, and I respect an author who backs up his statements.
   
   "Proving that V$ data are superior to extended SQL trace data because of the 'missing time' issue is analagous to proving that its safer to be in a room with a hungry bear if you'll just close your eyes." - Cary Millsap
   
   The book can be a tough read in the sense that the author goes very deep into the material, and generally each subject is treated thoroughly. Chapter 9 on Queueing Theory can be a particularly overwhelming chapter. But the material is served in bite-size pieces, and broken up with tips, tricks, stories, diagrams and code (sometimes 3+ pages worth at a time, embedded directly in the middle of a chapter). There are even worthwhile exercises at the end of each chapter.
   
   In the end, I enjoyed this book and I'm glad I got it. I don't consider it a "must have" for your Oracle collection, but I definitely feel it is quite worthwhile. I recommend it especially to those who read his articles and were very comfortable with his writing style and philosophy, and also to those that need a book on extended SQL trace data (because this is basically the only one). But even those in the "Silver Bullet" camp will be glad to add another tool to their belt.
   
   Thumbs up.



5. This book covers Oracle 8 and 9. But its technical explanations are very much valid for Oracle 10g.
   
   Although the author's beautiful explanation of 10046 traces and waits are worth its weight in gold, much of the information could have been condensed into fewer pages. Regrettably, most of the book are fillers. The author tries to explain much of his thoughts in mathematical formuls (nothing difficult) but it didn't add to the comprehension of the topic.
   
   One thing which made this book stand out was the problems and exercises at the end of each chapter. They were helpful, and unique among Oracle books, in enabling the reader to understand the topic more thoroughly.
   
   Overall, I recommend this book. But I have read better, and more comprehensive, books on the Oracle performance.

5 comments about PostgreSQL (2nd Edition) (Developer's Library).

1. This book lives up to it's claims for "the comprehensive guide to building, programming and administering postgresql databases". I'm a MySQL guy, but may have to do a little pgsql to support a third party app, so I was looking for a book that would bring me up to speed.
   
   The quick review is this... I give this book 3 stars, because it's so huge and covers so much territory that, in my opinion, it does a middling job of it. I would have preferred a more focussed book. I think, given it's goal of being so comprehensive, it is about as good as it could be and if you really need to know everything - from sql, to developing extensions, to embedding this in your c/c++ programs and administering things AND want a single book that covers it this is probably the book for you. If you don't need quite that much, or are willing to go to more than one book to get it, I think you would be better served to look elsewhere.
   
   The longer review...
   
   Honestly, I don't know why books on databases almost invariably are terribly dry reads, but this book, following the odds, falls into that category. It's a hefty tome weighing in at about 1000 pages divided into 3 sections.
   
   The first category, about a quarter of the book, is an introduction to sql and postgresql in particular. It does quite a nice job of introducing your standard sql commands, datatypes and basic administrative commands (like creating tables and the like). This part goes from basic to fairly advanced, covering topics like outer joins and creating new datatypes. I suspect it'll be review for those familiar with sql but reasonably usable for those delving into sql, even if they don't immediately understand all of the more advanced concepts.
   
   The section ends with a chapter on performance, something I was particularly interested in given postgresql's reputation. Here the authors talk about standard performancy things like indexes, using various tools to figure out what a particular query is actually doing, all worthwhile. But they never go into any detail about the performance implications of using some of the more advanced postgresql features like composite types and table inheritance. I was quite disappointed to find not even a whisper of this type of information in the book.
   
   The second section, about half the book covers programming with postgresql. This is a very broad chapter - covering many aspects of what it means to program this database. From server side programming using PL/pgSQL to extending the database with custom functions and types. They discuss creating clients in c, c++, java, perl, php, tcl, python and .net. Each one of these languages gets a chapter about 30-50 pages long where they go over the basics of how that language typically connects to the database and then goes through a process of creating a basic client and refining over the course of 4 or 5 iterations to become more and more robust and full featured. This is the bulk of the book and because it's so wide spread, I think most people will only be interested in one or two of these chapters - the rest of which will probably be uninteresting.
   
   The last section is the final quarter of the book where they go over the administrative requirements of the database. They admirably try to direct people to download and compile their own binaries, but cover installation from binary on unix and windows. They have an excellent reference on the things you can tweak to configure the runtime environment. They also cover backing up the database, replication, internationalization and security. Although they mention performance optimization in the intro to the section, they don't actually discuss it anywhere in the section.
   
   So, to sum up. If you really need to know about all aspects of pgsql and are looking for a one stop shop, this book is - I think - as good as you're going to find. But if you're looking into only a particular aspect (developing, administereing, etc..) or don't mind going to more than one, I feel confident that there's other books out there that will cover those topics in better detail.



2. PostgreSQL 2nd Edition is a phenomenal book if you're a programmer, and a great book if you're a non-programming admin. As someone whose programming ability reaches only ever so slightly beyond bash scripting and WSH, the parts of this book that were really worthwhile to me were those devoted to the administration of PostgreSQL. Backing up, recovering, and performance tuning were excellent resources, especially to someone who had never set up or administered a database. Speaking of which, the very beginning of the book, covering what exactly a database is, terminology, and setting up and creating schema were invaluable. To have all the information in PostgreSQL 2nd Edition consolidated in this one book makes it a must-have for any admin's bookshelf. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars from me was because I'm not a programmer, and I couldn't take away every single ounce this great resource had to offer.



3. I'm upset that this book that I've been trusting for the past month or two has such an egregious error in its discussion of regular expressions on page 51. I wish the authors had left out any discussion of regexes if they weren't going to actually test their assumptions about a topic on which I assume they know little. :-(



4. I am a database application developer with MS SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase and many other RDBMSs experience.
   This book allowed me to start working on PostgreSQL immediately.
   Pro: comprehensive, good examples, good supplement to the documentation.
   Cons: is not deep enough for me (does not explain format of a transaction log file or WAL file, for example), but, I guess, I should read the PostgreSQL code for this.
   If you are new to databases you would need to read some other books first.



5. As a developer with many years IT experience in control systems and only a little in databases and none with Postgres, I found this book to be extremely helpful. It covered a huge amount of topics with examples and put them together in a way that made it more efficient than googling!
   
   It helped that I knew what topics I needed in looking for answers but the chapters were self explantory in the topics they covered which I believe would allow a beginner to make quick progress in learning Postgres.
   
   Cavaet: If you are after a book to learn SQL and database design (normal forms) you will be disappointed, this book is not for you.

No comments about Data Services with Silverlight 2.

5 comments about Pro T-SQL 2005 Programmer's Guide (Expert's Voice).

1. I really enjoyed this book. It presents the essential new features of SQL 2005 in a well written easy to read manner. If you are a SQL Developer and want to get up to speed quickly on SQL Server 2005 this is the book for you.
   
   The chapter on encryption is excellent and worth the price of the book by itself.



2. This book is well written with clear examples and excellent coverage of T-SQL. Great to read cover to cover but also very useful as a reference source. I highly recommend it.



3. This book is is easy to read and does an excellent job of introducing the new features and tools in T-SQL 2005. The book covers all the new features of SQL 2005 very well and I was especially impressed with the section on encryption.



4. Pro T SQL Programmers Guide is an excellent resource to jump start your SQL Server 2005 development efforts. Michael Coles presents clear, concise examples that will guide the reader from T-SQL fundamentals to the use of the new xml data type,http endpoints, sqlclr programming, encryption and more. A clear read with great practical examples.
   
   
   
   I would highly recommend this book as a reference and guide book for t-sql developers, dba's and development professionals



5. Short Summary:
   Pro T-SQL 2005 Programmer's Guide book examines SQL Server 2005 T-SQL from a developer's perspective. It covers a wide range of developer-specific topics in SQL Server 2005. This book covers many newly introduced topics in depth. This book is written as a practical and useful guide to help database developers who mainly deals with T-SQL. This book is really hit the spot with appropriate .NET code at few places where needed. This book assumes a basic knowledge of SQL but it is really easy for new beginners developers to understand and advanced developers to enjoy further reading.
   
   Detailed Summary:
   One thing I really liked about this book is that it can be either read cover to cover, or it can be used as a reference guide for one particular topic. Index of this book is extremely well organized and aids to find the right topic very quickly. Books is structure is many chapters and each chapter justifies the chapters with good details and proper amount of examples.
   
   Each chapter has excellent advice and knowledge and filled with sample code (available online). The book is targeted specifically at SQL Server 2005 and the innovative ways to code T-SQL, new functions and commands. If is very easy to get started with this book and it immerses in comprehensive reading in no time. This book addresses many details and comparisons with T-SQL in very organized way. The examples are in very accurate and useful as well sufficient to targeted topics. This book addresses many of the real world issues with examples, discussions and solutions.
   
   This book start with providing a brief history of T-SQL and the ANSI SQL standards. SQLCMD and SQL Server Management Studio are new tools to explore SQL Server 2005 and are covered in depth in beginning of the book. Chapters which covers Common Table Expressions (CTEs), new datatypes, operators, keywords, functions, and control of flows are really interesting and with necessary explanation. Readers of my blog are very well aware of my interests in Error handling and debugging. Interesting enough for me there is one whole chapter dedicated to that. The regular T-SQL concepts which I write a lot about Stored Procedure, Triggers and Dynamic SQL each have their own chapter. One thing many T-SQL book does not cover in depth is XML, XQuery and XPath which are properly discussed and their importance is explained properly. Last three chapter of the book which covers SQLCLR, .NET Client Programming and HTTP Endpoints requires the Microsoft .NET FrameWork 2.0, as it contains some code which are written in VB and C#.
   
   One thing which I always liked in any database book is, use of sample database AdventureWorks. I strongly believe that all the example should be independent from previous examples and should use default database. If you have not installed default database AdventureWorks, you can get its latest location by searching in my blog SQLAuthority.com. All the script of examples are available to download online. No book is free from the errors and website for this book have errata list, which is surprisingly very small.
   
   I will list few tips from book which interested me. This will give brief idea how good this book is.
   
   "TABLESAMPLE always returns an approximate number of rows because of the way it samples data. The required percentage is the number of data pages SQL Server retreves in full to fulfill your TABLESAMPLE request. The number of rows returned by TABLESAMPLE will often be slightly less, or greater, than the specified amount."
   
   "Anytime you use dynamic SQL, make sure that you take precautions against SQL injection, that is, malicious SQL Code being inserted into your SQL statements. In this instance we're using the QUOTENAME function to quote the column names being dynamically generated to help avoid SQL injection problems."
   
   Following one example really caught my eyes while reading the book. It seems Author accurately described the situation and put his suggestion regarding syntax.
   "The ANSI SQL:2003 standard includes a MERGE statement that performs the same function as the upsert type of SP. The prerelease versions of SQL Server 2005 included the MERGE statement. Though it was well-publicized during the prerelease period, the MERGE statement was unceremoniously dropped from the production version. We can only hope that Microsoft brings it back sometime in the near future."
   Good news is Microsoft have included the Authors request in future version of SQL Server. SQL Server 2008 CTP 4 has included MERGE Keyword.
   
   Rating: 4 and 1/2 stars
   
   In Summary, A book for every developer who want to take full advantage of the power of T-SQL on SQL Server 2005.
   
   Pinal Dave
   Principal Database Administrator
   (blog.sqlauthority.com)

5 comments about MCTS 70-431 Exam Cram: Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Exam (Exam Cram 2).

1. This book was a good starting point, but I wouldn't suggest taking the exam after only studying it. I don't know what exam the author took, but there was a lot of stuff on mine that wasn't even alluded to in this book.
   
   I've been a SQL Server programmer/admin for 10 years, so I went into this thinking my knowledge would just need a little brushing up. Breezed through the book and the sample tests and thought "This is going to be easy!" Wrong!
   
   Given the MS 70-413 test is like all the other MS cert tests in that it is as much about getting past the trick questions as knowing anything practical, this book's example questions are waaaay too easy. The subject matter is extremely light weight, too.
   
   Didn't try Transcender, but had coupons for MeasureUp and SelfTest preps. If I had it to do over, I'd devote most of my time to the SelfTest product. Its level of trick questions and general difficulty made it the best for this test. Unfortunately, I discovered this later than I should have.
   
   I passed the test, but it wasn't pretty.



2. As mentioned in previous reviews, this book is purely an exam preparation guide. If you are planning on sitting the 70-431 exam, this book is a worthwhile resource. It ignores irrelevant (non-exam) material and contains a few sample test questions extremely similar to ones found in the actual exam (which is what you're after).
   
   If you are planning on becoming a proficient SQL Server DBA, you will need to look elsewhere. However, for what it is intended to achieve, I give it 4 stars!



3. I've been using ExamCram since Windows NT 4. :) Not all of them are impressive. This one is the same.
   
   This is a good last book for quickly reviewing the key concepts to pass the exam. If the topics, such as Service Broker, XML, etc, are new to you and you have read the topic else where, you will appreciate how much the author has condense everything to the basic. It reminds me of the "cheat sheet" at work someone showed me.
   
   Don't get me wrong this is NOT the only book to use to prepare the exam. When I say quickly reviewing, it took me under 30 minutes to finish chapter one because it is easy for me. But, it was snail pace for me on couple new features from sql 2005. To average readers, I think 1 solid day will be the bare minimum to review using this book. I wish author can share more mnemonic to help sponge up all these new stuffs. :)
   
   ON the plus side, ch7, subtitle: "Activity Monitor For Here and Now". really speak out what Activity Monitor does!
   
   On the neg side, I don't like the style of writing. To me, tech book written in present tense with action words is preferred. Also, it was "wordy". May be it is just me.
   
   now for the technical correctness, the following are things that aren't entirely correct.
   ch4, question 2, nodes() and value() can both be the answer.
   ch5, Creating a Queue, ALTER QUEUE example used CREATE.
   ch6, While describing FORMAT option and how it works, it ends with "The default behavior is NOFORMAT, and the media header is not written." So, a FORMAT option has default behavior of NOFORMAT? This is not clear.
   ch 10, q 2, IN is a possible answer when used with NESTED query.
   q3, the choice (a) should have said CLR User-Defined Type, which is different than the plain-o UDT.
   ch 10, q20, can two jobs with different schedules need be scheduled with one schedule?
   Mirror is on the exam and detailed steps was asked.
   The prospects.xls mentioned in the book is missing. where to download it? where is the errata?
   
   The exam has simulation which requires much hands on experience. One will easily fail if this is the only study material.
   
   Overall is a good book, it is destined to be a 5 stars. It is hammered down by a few , yet, important errors. 4 stars.



4. I would recommend using this book in conjunction with Microsoft 70-431 preparation guide and Measure UP's or Self Test Software's preperation and practice tests. Its hard to pass SQL 2005 depending only on this book (unless you have some experience working with SQL 2005). Good for quick final review before exam too.



5. After reading this book, I felt it was lacking in details and possibly had more than a few errors. Although it is a study guide, with some good challenging practice questions, I can not help but emphasize for a few dollars more you could get a better study guide that would be far more useful and prepare you better.

5 comments about Oracle PL/SQL by Example (4th Edition) (Prentice Hall PTR Oracle Series).

1. I'm a really big fan of the Oracle Series books and often wonder why other book authors do not take the same approach. I purchased the 1st editions of Oracle SQL and Oracle PL/SQL back in the day and read both of them. I really loved the format of these books and so I purchased the 3rd edition. They have helped me in passing the SQL and PL/SQL test for the Oracle certification. I just purchased the 3rd edition and really appreciate the fact that they expand on details and have fixed most of the typos from the previous editions. The format of the book is that you read a little and do hands-on activities afterward. This book is probably the best book you could ever buy for yourself because you truly learn PL/SQL. The hands-on labs reinforce the information very well and it's also a great reference tool. This book is definately a must buy for any person wishing to become an Oracle Developer or Oracle DBA. This book will provide you the foundations for your career. THis is the same book they use for the students at Columbia University in New York City.



2. It is not as good as Alice Rischert's "Oracle SQL by example". Looks like it is written for people who never programed before. So it teaches how to program using examples of pl/sql. Might be good for beginners.



3. The book provides very solid foundation of PL\SQL. It wisely covers the basics and repeats them in a format which isn't too redundant. For example, there are several chapters on Loops (simple, cursor, while, nested etc). This makes sense since loops are extremely important part of PL\SQL. The PL\SQL code examples are very well thought out and the test questions are very thought provoking.
   
   The book does not cover advanced topics such as temporary global tables and performance tuning PL\SQL code, but that is beyond the scope of this book anyhow.
   
   Suprisingly, I thought the chapter on stored procedures was very weak. It was almost nonexistent. The book spends almost 3 times as much text on Triggers than on stored procedures. This was a mistake since triggers are rarely used because of its performance constraints. Stored procedures, on the other hand, are the bread and butter of PL\SQL.



4. I'm a developer and DBA who had not written PL/SQL in over a year. I used this book as a refresher.
   
   This is the "Learning Perl" of PL/SQL, meaning: a beginner can learn from it, and an experienced hack can use it as a reference.
   
   I consider lots of good sample code to be important when learning a programming language. Here it is, as a series of labs, with intelligent discussion. It's like having a friend who's an expert act as a personal tutor. It has complete, well-rounded coverage of PL/SQL fundamentals: control structures, stored procedures, packages, and a good chapter on triggers. In rare cases where some keyword is introduced with no explanation, it's usually covered in the following section.
   
   It is nearly the quality of Oracle course materials, but with (a tolerable amount of) typos. Annoyingly, some of the typos are incorrect answers in the appendix; the rest are obvious typos and therefore not too confusing.
   
   Chapter 1 is deceptively basic, explaining what a program is, what a programming language is, etc., but chapter 2 jumps right into PL/SQL with no further ado. The book progresses in baby steps as far as PL/SQL is concerned. Although knowledge of SQL is assumed, some concepts like commit & rollback, savepoints, and sequences are introduced and explained for beginners. It is also assumed that the reader:
   
   - knows what DML, DDL, and the DUAL table are;
   - has an account that can create objects (the "Scott" demo account will do); and
   - knows how to connect to the database with SQL*Plus or a development tool (IDE).
   
   With an IDE I was able to work through it in about thirty hours. I just read chapters I was already strong in without working those labs, but that time included plenty of puttering and experimenting with the lab material I did work.
   
   I also bought 10g "PL/SQL Programming" by Urman, et. al. but dove into this book first. The two books overlap. The freely available "PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference" from Oracle is still a must-have.
   
   Densely packed with pertinent information and very little else, it's about 99% useful information. Like the blurb says, "Just the facts." It is a complete Oracle course, so it was worth $2400 in that respect.



5. Good introductory level book which has sufficient depth (not just list of statements!).
   Pluses:
   1) Lots of little explanations that aren't available in the Manuals, which help to put things in perspective,even for experienced programmers who aren't familiar with PL/SQL.
   2) Plenty of examples, and code to run.
   3) Good review questions and explanations.
   4) Covers most topics to a reasonable level for an introductory book.
   Minuses:
   1) Too many wrong answers (typos), which can confuse novices who aren't sure of their understanding.
   2) Some explanations are a bit confusing, especially towards the later chapters - it is better stated in the Manual.

5 comments about A Guide to SQL.

1. Covers standard SQL commands and also includes equivalent commands for Access (and other common DBM systems). Information is presented clearly and there are many examples.



2. The delivery service for this book was excellent..no doubt about that. The book itself was confusing to navigate through, and it lacks material



3. I have used several editions of this book with nary a complaint from students. The book uses real, honest-to-goodness, standard SQL. SQL is a standardized language, but the 900 lb. gorillas in the market like Oracle and Microsoft refuse to follow the standard. If you use some flavor of Microsoft Jet SQL or Oracle, this book will be of use, but will not teach you all of the "extensions" that the big SQL players have made in their proprietary versions of SQL. Still, pretty much all of the code in this book will run, even from the bone-headed SQL prompt in Microsoft Access!
   
   As other reviewers have noted, this is not a general DBMS book, although good design principles are followed. If you want a relatively short and comprehensive introduction to DBMS, I recommend Pratt and Adamski's _Concepts of Database Management_ 6th ed. There are many outstanding DBMS books out there, but Pratt and Adamski is the arguably the briefest. The chapters on normalization are very good--very practical with very little set theory. I regard database design as little more than applied set theory, and if your set theory is weak, Pratt and Adamski is the book for you.



4. I am a beginning student of databases, and bought several highly-rated SQL books on Amazon (SQL Server Unleashed, MS SQL Server Database Essentials, Welling's MYSQL Tutorial, SQL Queries for Mere Mortals, Learning SQL, the SAMS 21 Day book, etc.) This one has been the most helpful for purposes of learning query language. The "databases" topic is really several different topics: database design, database administration, how to make your particular software work, querying, and more. Many books try to cover it all and get very thick and confusing in the process. This is a great book for learning and more importantly PRACTICING query language. SQL is best learned by DOING, so the practice exercises at the end of each chapter, which start easy and build to the more difficult, are just great. Early in the book you create 5 simple tables that the author uses for the examples and exercises throughout the book (there are also two additional simple databases that have chapter-end exercises throughout the book). You're not constantly familiarizing yourself with new data, which frees you to focus on learning new skills. I recommend using this book in conjunction with a database design textbook (the author has written one that I haven't seen but is probably good; I happened to purchase the Rob/Coronel book which is good) and an installation/configuration/administration type book that will help you navigate your software (for example, MS SQL Server Database Essentials -- choose a book that matches the software you will be working with).
   
   This is a skill-building book rather than a reference book -- if you really work through it, you won't need it as a reference ever again because it is possible to absorb and retain everything it offers. Query language is deceptively simple, so even though this is a beginner book, it will take you to an intermediate skill level.



5. Good resource for getting started with SQL language. However, I didn't like that it tries to make Oracle, MySQL and MS-Access to look alike when talking about SQL language. It should have mention SQL Server instead. Also the exercises at the end of the chapters have too long answers, specially if you have to deliver them as part of a course. The sample database have to many rows to answer the questions. It should be minimized to 2 or 3 rows max for each answer, and forget about too many SELECT * FROM whatever with no WHERE at all or WHERE everybody meets the criteria.

4 comments about Beginning Transact-SQL With SQL Server 2000 and 2005.

1. Paul's book was incredibly helpful with completing my T-SQL project. I was struggling with reading some stored procedures and DTS packages and couldn't get my brain around what the heck was going on inside management studio. So... I picked up Beginning Transact-SQL and had those sprocs pegged in no time! Paul made following the code a cinch and I'm now able to write and document ETL in no time. Paul's book really was a life (and job..?) saver!



2. I don't consider myself a techie but recently became interested in learning more about SQL and how it can help me do my job more efficiently. I found the structure, content and style of this book to be very useful in my quest to teach myself the program. It was easy to understand and helped me to learn the basics with a hands-on approach. My lack of experience caught up to me in some of the later chapters but overall I found the book extremely informative and I've benefited greatly from reading it.



3. The authors have experience both as T-SQL developers and trainers, and it shows. Essential concepts and techniques are explained clearly without talking down to the reader. There's thorough coverage of the most commonly used T-SQL elements, in an easy-to-read style. It's well organized and includes appendices and a good index, making it easy to use as a reference. I work with both SQL Server 2000 and 2005, so it's ideal that the book covers both environments.
   
   There are tons of code samples; most of them use the AdventureWorks database so reproducing them is easy. The exercises at the end of each chapter are good practice - not too difficult, but still good at reinforcing the content (answers are in the back of the book). Parts of my work involve reporting, so I found the chapter on doing Reporting Services development helpful as well. The biggest drawback I've found to this book is that my copy keeps getting borrowed..



4. I bought the book, based on previous positive critics here (Amazon). The implication was that this book covers the new features of SQL Server 2005. Well, the first one that I was looking for, the PIVOT (crosstab) is not even mentioned, let alone covered even briefly. I did not search all the new features, but if you want a book that cover both old and new features, this one is certainly NOT the one that you should look for.
   The publisher rep tried to tell me that no one book could cover all subjects. This is true, but for a book that specialize in T-SQL and T-SQL only, the features should have been covered, or, at least mentioned briefly.
   I've found books that cover the new features only, or the old features only. The quest is not over for me, yet.
   ZA