No comments about Full-motion video and audio CD-ROM training for SQL Server 2000.('Practical Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Administration on 21 CD-ROMs' course): An article from: Software Industry Report.

No comments about How to Cheat at Securing SQL Server 2005.

2 comments about SQL: Practical Guide for Developers (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Data Management Systems).

1. I am using this book in my "Intro. to SQL Database Programming" college course. I'm sorry, but I cannot recommend this book - it was obviously rushed to print before the bugs had been worked out; figures are missing important details (e.g., the Schema in Fig 1.4); and the index is laughably deficient. Not enough examples are given. This book should not have been printed in its present form. Numerous typos exist. It needs a lot of work. NOT RECOMMENDED



2. This would have been a fair book for a developer's quick reference. It covers many of the broad topics (select, update, nested queries, joins) and does so in a decent fashion. I originally bought this book so that I could have a quick reference nearby that I could look up UNION or other statements that are not used as much.
   I was pretty happy with the book as I read through it... that is until the day that I actually had to find a statement in it. I have quite a large collection of computer books and I have never seen anything like it. If you turn to the index page to look up SELECT (I mean... really?) there is no entry there. In fact.. all you see is one page with three columns that have about 20 items per column. And all of this fills about half of the page. Oh wait! There is a little sticker up at the top of this ridiculous page that says "See such and such a webpage for full index".
   The worst thing about this index is that it doesn't even have useful entries. It is as if some typesetter had about five minutes before the presses started up and someone said "Hey!!! Billy! We don't have an index! Why don't you randomly look up about 50 words in the book and make a real quick index! No one will know!" Well.. sadly.. Billy didn't have any idea what SQL was except that it starts with an 'S'.
   The only reason I give two stars instead of -1 is that it seems that the author made a decent effort to make a simple introduction to SQL for a poor developer who needs a quick source for answers. The only problem is the index will not help someone find that quick answer.
   So... I would stay away from this book unless you know that the index which has been posted on the publishers website is actually part of the book.
   Bah to MK publishers! All they needed to do was spend two days making an index instead of scrambling and they would have had 4 stars and I wouldn't have tossed this book into the corner behind all of the other disappointing books I have.

4 comments about Administrator's Guide to SYBASE ASE 12.5 (Jeffrey Garbus' Official Sybase Ase 12.5 Library).

1. The book is good for starters/beginners who want to learn about sybase administartion, but it doesnt hightlight the new features or even explain/elaborate in detail the enhanced features on sybase 12.5 admin. For e.g., Configuration parameters are just listed and not explained. I had expected a lot from this long awaited book. Only wish the P&T book be good.



2. The problem with Sybase is you have to wait 5 or 6 years before a book is released unlike Oracle which releases books every month or so. After years of waiting we get this worthless book

   There is nothing meaty in this book. The author did a much better job in the Sybase 11 book.

   Read the Sybase manuals since that's your only source unfortunately because no publisher is excited about Sybase :-(




3. Unlike the other reviews I have read, I found the book to be useful and informative. Some of the newer features (eg, dbccdb) are covered in some detail while others are not. To be fair, the book isn't supposed to be just about brand new 12.5 features, rather an administration guide to 12.5. The difference may appear small, but it is large enough to commend the authors on a job well done.

   The book does cover database administration of Sybase very well. My one complaint is that some of the formatting of figures is off, which might lead a newer DBA to be confused over some of the results. Nevertheless, I have found it an excellent reference manual, as well as a teaching tool, having discovered some things about ASE that I was not aware of. While online manuals are good, there's nothing better than having a book in front of you to read from cover to cover.




4. As an Oracle DBA, I simply want to find something to start, like Oracle's online Concept book or handful of other books out there. But there isn't anything in Sybase documentations nor many choices of books: DBA guide written like ref manual, replication guide however is OK to start. This book at least can get me started as one piece, more systematically, not one bit here and the other bit there. Although it is skin deep and probably should call Sybase Administrator 202, I still find it very useful to start with. Output and query results really helps me sit and read through the book, focuing, not having to type while you read

No comments about OCA Oracle Database SQL Expert Exam Guide (Exam 1Z0-047).

5 comments about Programming Microsoft Infopath: A Developer's Guide (Programming Series).

1. "Programming Microsoft InfoPath" is a great place to start.

   The book covers how to get started and how InfoPath fits into the software developer's toolbox, from Form design thru security, and integration with SharePoint/BizTalk.

   With this book and a little practice, I was able to start creating practical "Smart Client" applications on the first day.

   Pat Tormey PE
   Foursquare Solutions




2. InfoPath is a new component of Microsoft Office that serves to implement Microsoft's vision of how Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Outlook, Internet Information Server, VisualStudio.NET, Windows, SQL Server all tie together in the basic .NET environment to make an integrated business environment for the sharing of data within an organization.
   
   Mr. Robbins is a Senior Technology Specialist with Microsoft. He appears to be an evangelist for the .NET, Web Services, XML and certainly the InfoPath approach. In this book he presents a complete introduction to InfoPath from describing what it is supposed to do, to using it's IDE to produce some intergrated solutions.
   
   The book is said to be of beginner to intermediate level. This means beginner only so far as InfoPath is concerned. The book presumes you have a good understanding of especially Office 2003, the .NET Framework, and Visual Studio.NET 2003. You also need some knowledge of the other packages listed at the beginning. Finally, this is a book designed for the applications developer, not the end user. Consequently some programming experience may not be an absolute requirement, but a little .ASP, SQL, HTML knowledge wouldn't hurt.
   
   This is the hands down best book on InfoPath for the developer that's been published so far.



3. This book really doesn't teach you much of anything - it tells you about things, it describes concepts - but there is very little step-by-step information. If you are looking for tutorial type materials, this isn't it. If you are looking for books to supplement tutorial type materials, this is very likely your book.



4. This is an intermediate level book aimed a the programmer/developer who is setting up a distributed application using InfoPath. If you are an InfoPath end user, this is not the book for you. If you are just starting out as an InfoPath developer, then this is the place to start.
   
   The book begins with a bit of history and description of the basic structure of the Microsoft .NET framework, Service Oriented Architecture, and its integration into Microsoft Office.
   
   From there it goes into the InfoPath IDE and you're off and running. The book is somewhat tutorial in nature, with screen shots showing how to do things. It also has some of the characteristics of a reference book with descriptions organized by subject rather than going through in a straight tutorial format.
   
   This is the second edition of this book and it covers all of the changes and updates included in Service Pack 1. There is a CD with the book that includes all of the source code, figures, and projects from the book. The writing is clear and to the point. This is a good introduction to the subject.



5. Thom Robbins' PROGRAMMING MICROSOFT INFOPATH: A DEVELOPER'S GUIDE appears in its updated second edition to cover the latest InfoPath solutions in the MS Office system. It updates the former book to cover all new features and options as they work with Service Pack 1, provides updated examples and insights, and will reach practicing developers with the latest forms and options which can be customized to meet user needs.

5 comments about PostgreSQL: Introduction and Concepts.

1. We are involved in CF, vb and php projects and needed an alternative to another Oracle license. We turned to PostgreSQL and soon discovered we were making heavy going of the online docs. This book has quickly answered our functional questions, helping us with transactions, sequences etc. So far everything we've needed we've found right away.

   I wish they were more specific about field max sizes - oracle for example is very clera and very constrained (4k limits on inmserts to varchar fields for example). These limits appear to be arbritarily large as we have tested without overrunning them.

   ALso we have of course the source files for postgres, so questions like that can be answered with some familiarity with the code. Postgres isn't Oracle and it certainly wont scale like Oracle, but for web projects witha few thousand records and a few dozen simultaneous users it, and this book, are perfect.




2. First of all, this is not a book about Postgresql database, it's a book about introduction to SQL!

   Considering the title, it should at least give some direction about how to install/configure, list the gotcha's, do's, don't's, etc. But this book starts with the assumption that you already have the database installed and ready to run, server and all.

   I'm not kidding, it's actually listed in one of the first sections in the book that a running server is required to read this book. How does this match the "Introduction and Concepts" title???

   A little pointer to the author if he's reading this, in his next book or second edition of this book, he should: 1. Explain where PostgreSQL fits in modern distributed architectures 2. Why would I want to use PostgreSQL instead of MySQL if I'm developing a J2EE application, how about CORBA? 3. How do I take advantage of the OO features of PostgreSQL to shorten the development time




3. The book is 453 pages of which 220 are simply manual pages in print. Of the other 233 pages about 105 of them are basic SQL syntax review. So now you have 128 pages left. Many of those are information about databases in general, such as what are indexes and why are they used. The amount of pure PostgreSQL specific information is very limited. The book is in no way worth.... You are basically paying for manual pages. Save your money and download the documentation for PostgreSQL which is very well written. This book is very well written and easy to follow. There is nothing techincally wrong with the book. Frequently, however, you will see the statement "See the manual pages for more information". Save yourself the money and see the manual pages.



4. This book certainly covers all the basics for those wishing to learn PostgreSQL - However:

   1. Nearly half of the book is Appendices. Maybe OK if you don't want to read the free docs on the computer screen.

   2. Written like an encyclopedia. Ever try reading one of those? The lack of user exercises is particularly irritating.

   ...

   Get the Wrox book instead of this one and you will be richer and happier ...




5. This book took me from being a SQL novice (let alone a PostgreSQL novice) to being able to being able to use PostgreSQL for business apps.

   I'm not quite sure why some reviewers knocked it. It has much more content than the FAQ, good examples and a reference section.

   One reviewer knocked the reference section, claiming the book was half full of appendices... in fact the reference section is what you most often go to the book for after you've worked through the basic concepts in the first section.

   I think the layout is slightly odd - the examples of commands and their results are grouped together in sections that are usually a page or two ahead of the text that explains them. So you spend a bit of time flicking pages to see examples. But once you get the hang of this style it's not exactly the biggest pain in the world.

   I think it's a very good book, one that took me from being a SQL beginner yet is still useful as a day to day reference.

   Lee

5 comments about Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Programming by Example (By Example).

1. I've been teaching college database classes for years, and although I prefer to teach MySQL, it's important for serious IT students to get some experience on a full-blown enterprise database server, and for that I use MS SQL Server.
   
   This is the only usable text I've found for developers who need to learn the fundamentals for constraints, triggers, stored procedures, etc. Most SQL Server books are about administration, and barely touch upon programming topics. Many of those targeting developers rely upon some custom database dreamed up by the author that pales beside the standard samples of pubs and Northwind included with the SQL Server product. The worst books trot out database basics that might be best learned using MS Access.
   
   The authors walk through every operation with standalone examples using either pubs or Northwind, with dozens of code listings for each chapter. You might need to complete a few consecutive listings, but there are no long-running dependencies where the authors want you to follow their development project from start to finish. You can dive in and out of this book at any point with no set up required.
   
   The tone is straighforward with clear explanations, definitions, and tips. No chitchat or bull gets in the way. There are some illustrative figures, but no page after page of useless screenshots. Like the Que series claims, you learn By Example--cranking out the listings yourself to see things work.
   
   A relly nice book for students or professionals from beginning to intermediate levels. Oh yeah...the price is right.



2. I have been using and reading this book for my database course for a year, I have no choice, however, I am not quite satisfied with this book as the layout is plain and difficult to understand the codes.
   It has all the statements in one go, and then it print out the results after the codes with few explanations of the codes. The codes section may extend up to 3 pages and followed by the results, it is hard to read and understand, you need to flip over and over again.
   I just give up after reading half of the book at about page 367, that is the triggers chapter.



3. It should noted that you won't be able to print any of the pages of this book. Also, that unless you register with Adobe and give them you name and email address you won't be able to backup the pdf file or use it on another computer inadditon getting it registered took over 1/2 hour. Finally I had to let them download files to my computer that I know nothing about. So stay away from the PDF version !



4. This book reads more like an online help book. There are no explanations of the logic of using the syntax. This book will put you to sleep. I don't recommend getting this book at all.



5. Excellent book for anyone, from developer to DBA to learn SQL Server basics. Also an excellent tool for passing Microsoft exam 70-229. It goes over all the topics that are covered by the Microsoft exam:
   
   
   Developing Logical Data Model
   Implementing a physical database
   Creating and altering database objects
   Review of constraints
   Indexing
   Database replication and partitioning
   Retrieving and modifying data
   Programming business logic
   Tuning and optimizing data acess
   Database security
   
   The book includes very good explanations as well as examples.
   
   I looked at several books that would help me to pass microsoft exam but could not find any book that would cover all the topics I needed until I came across this book. Combined with a sample test from [...] it's all you need to pass the test

No comments about The PostgreSQL Reference Manual Volume 1: SQL Language Reference.

5 comments about Beginning Java Databases: JDBC, SQL, J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML.

1. I'm using this book as my text book for my independent study of database programming with Java. This book is the tops! The primary focus is programming with the Cloudscape database, but it does give you code snippets to use if you're using Oracle or one of the Microsoft databases (like SQL Server). What impresses me about the book is it's one of the few instructional books that teaches a programmer how to wade in the water before it teaches the programmer how to dive in 20-ft deep water and swim.

   Although the book is HUGE, it really explains in detail why the programmer is writing the particular code.

   I also liked the idea that it dedicates a few chapters on SQL and database concepts. Although this may appear to be a rehash for experienced database programmers, it's still good to review, since it covers the topics from a Java perspective.

   I teach at a college part-time. If the college decides to offer a third-level Java programming course to its students, then I would highly recommend this book for the class.

   Excellent job again, WROX Press!




2. I thought that this book was quite good at explaining Java programming of databases. Many of the examples in the book, though, use the Oracle personal edition database. This is a 600MB file that you download from Oracle. Or, you can pay them [money] to send it to you on CD-ROM. Alternatively, you can use another database - like SQL Server - and modify the examples to work with that database.



3. Having read over two-thirds of this huge volume, I am now of the opinion that it probably is not the best place to begin exploring Java database development. The word "Beginning" in the title is a bit misleading: you shouldn't approach this book without a solid grounding in Java and databases in general. True, the introductory chapters cover essential SQL and other database concepts, but there is a steady ramping-up in the difficulty level as the book progresses, and it doesn't ever really level off. For example, Lauinger's treatment of his own Java Layered Frameworks open-source project in Chapter 16 is long-winded and daunting. And the later chapters assume complete familiarity with XML, JavaBeans, Servlets, and other more "advanced" topics. So, all in all, for the JDBC beginner I think that this is not the best book to begin your explorations of JDBC.

   On the other hand, this is an exceptionally thorough book, very well written and with few typos. The authors are likeable, the price is affordable, the presentation and the coding are laid out well, the printing and binding excellent. So it may be just the book for you if you have the patience to plod through its 900 pages. Certainly, the book makes an excellent reference. However, it only covers the business logic of Java database applications. Most of the examples in the book are console-based programs for testing the business logic. There is no coverage of GUI-related topics, for example how to present data in a grid. As one of the authors remarks somewhere, their purpose in writing the book was not to present "pretty GUI's" but rather to concentrate on the internals, the business logic. While I can understand the importance of business logic, I also would have liked these experts to have given me some good pointers on how to present data in various data-aware controls in a GUI. After 600+ pages, I'm still waiting....




4. This book is not very good. The numerous authors attempt to cover too much in this book and as a result don't cover anything worthwhile. The book isn't well focused and has lots of mistakes.



5. This book is somewhat dated. It still is a GREAT book for someone who knows how to compile java programs with packages and who wants to get a solid introduction to database programming, including some good chapters on how to create a good logical model, before you create the physical model. If this were 2002, I would give it 5 stars for what it is. I am a database administrator by profession. If it covered Hibernate, I'd still give it 5 stars, although they present the idea of using a JDBC framework predecessor to Hibernate in the book. Good CD includes a Java database to play with, including ODBC drivers. For advanced ideas, they switch to how to program to Oracle JDBC drivers.