Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (expanded and/or rewritten for better readability), with new examples and new scenarios - I particularly loved the new discussion about the log buffer/buffer cache interdependencies, the fresh section about "indexing myths", the use of statspack to show the impact of not using bind variables, the new ways to implement optimistic locking, and many others (there are too many to discuss, it really looks like a brand new book - a real "new edition", not just a "new version").

In short - lots of new material, first-edition stuff much improved - I couldn't ask for more or better.

Steven Feuerstein has condensed years of accumulated wisdom and experience into a series of some 120 Oracle PL/SQL Best Practices, these being hints and tips covering a range of topics, all aimed at producing readable and maintainable PL/SQL code, particularly in the context of working in a PL/SQL development team.

While many of the principles involved could apply equally to any structured programming language, Feuerstein addresses the challenges of applying these principles in the PL/SQL programming environment and backs this up with simple code examples.

Some of these best practices are more important that others however Feuerstein identifies the benefits and importance of each best practice and has separately listed the more important (no. 1: "establish and follow clear rules for how to write SQL in your application"--followed by guidelines on how to achieve this).

While this book will probably be of most benefit to the programmer new to PL/SQL, it still contains programming tips and tricks likely to be of use to the experienced PL/SQL programmer too. --Michael O'Connor

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (expanded and/or rewritten for better readability), with new examples and new scenarios - I particularly loved the new discussion about the log buffer/buffer cache interdependencies, the fresh section about "indexing myths", the use of statspack to show the impact of not using bind variables, the new ways to implement optimistic locking, and many others (there are too many to discuss, it really looks like a brand new book - a real "new edition", not just a "new version").

In short - lots of new material, first-edition stuff much improved - I couldn't ask for more or better.

Brilliant reference to write well designed code, 31 Jan 2002
I think this book is brilliant. Before I bought this book I was writing unstructured code that didnt have a distinct style or standard layout. By using the suggestions in this book my code is now well structured and more efficient due to Steven Feuerstein giving practical examples to back up his suggestions. I also learned a great deal and was able to include new PL/SQL features into my code as this book explained the why rather than the what of using different PL/SQL methods. Not for the absolute beginner, but brilliant for the semi-experienced, a chance to break those old habits and learn to code in a better more structured way. Also its fairly cheap for an I.T. book so well worth buying personal use.

Good book for PL/SQL developers, 23 Aug 2001
A good book only for people for have some experience of PL/SQL programming. Steven helps u to write efficient and understandable code. The only disadvantage is that it is not very technical like most of his previous books are. A good buy for people who work with PL/SQL

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (expanded and/or rewritten for better readability), with new examples and new scenarios - I particularly loved the new discussion about the log buffer/buffer cache interdependencies, the fresh section about "indexing myths", the use of statspack to show the impact of not using bind variables, the new ways to implement optimistic locking, and many others (there are too many to discuss, it really looks like a brand new book - a real "new edition", not just a "new version").

In short - lots of new material, first-edition stuff much improved - I couldn't ask for more or better.

Brilliant reference to write well designed code, 31 Jan 2002
I think this book is brilliant. Before I bought this book I was writing unstructured code that didnt have a distinct style or standard layout. By using the suggestions in this book my code is now well structured and more efficient due to Steven Feuerstein giving practical examples to back up his suggestions. I also learned a great deal and was able to include new PL/SQL features into my code as this book explained the why rather than the what of using different PL/SQL methods. Not for the absolute beginner, but brilliant for the semi-experienced, a chance to break those old habits and learn to code in a better more structured way. Also its fairly cheap for an I.T. book so well worth buying personal use.

Good book for PL/SQL developers, 23 Aug 2001
A good book only for people for have some experience of PL/SQL programming. Steven helps u to write efficient and understandable code. The only disadvantage is that it is not very technical like most of his previous books are. A good buy for people who work with PL/SQL

Oracle 11g DBA, 23 Apr 2008
Hi there

I'm studying for Oracle 11g OCA exam (1z0-052), this was the only book available on 11g.

On chapter 6 so far...

Comments :

Very descriptive...so far explains areas covered relatively easily (NB On chapter 6). But, definite requires more pratical examples to back up the material.

Is it worth getting ?..can't say...at the time only book on 11g....can't compare...

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (expanded and/or rewritten for better readability), with new examples and new scenarios - I particularly loved the new discussion about the log buffer/buffer cache interdependencies, the fresh section about "indexing myths", the use of statspack to show the impact of not using bind variables, the new ways to implement optimistic locking, and many others (there are too many to discuss, it really looks like a brand new book - a real "new edition", not just a "new version").

In short - lots of new material, first-edition stuff much improved - I couldn't ask for more or better.

Brilliant reference to write well designed code, 31 Jan 2002
I think this book is brilliant. Before I bought this book I was writing unstructured code that didnt have a distinct style or standard layout. By using the suggestions in this book my code is now well structured and more efficient due to Steven Feuerstein giving practical examples to back up his suggestions. I also learned a great deal and was able to include new PL/SQL features into my code as this book explained the why rather than the what of using different PL/SQL methods. Not for the absolute beginner, but brilliant for the semi-experienced, a chance to break those old habits and learn to code in a better more structured way. Also its fairly cheap for an I.T. book so well worth buying personal use.

Good book for PL/SQL developers, 23 Aug 2001
A good book only for people for have some experience of PL/SQL programming. Steven helps u to write efficient and understandable code. The only disadvantage is that it is not very technical like most of his previous books are. A good buy for people who work with PL/SQL

Oracle 11g DBA, 23 Apr 2008
Hi there

I'm studying for Oracle 11g OCA exam (1z0-052), this was the only book available on 11g.

On chapter 6 so far...

Comments :

Very descriptive...so far explains areas covered relatively easily (NB On chapter 6). But, definite requires more pratical examples to back up the material.

Is it worth getting ?..can't say...at the time only book on 11g....can't compare...




Apex Essential Reading, 22 Sep 2008
Excellent book, written by two of the most prolific contributors on the Oracle Apex forums - they've helped me out many a time.

The book has taken a long time to make it to print, but is worth the wait; whilst there are plenty of on-line resources to get you started with Apex, this book takes you through the next steps in depth. It is really well written and easy to read, with clear and useful example code throughout.

If you use, or are looking into using Apex, then this book is a must.

A must read for any APEX Developer, 19 Sep 2008
Just had to post a review on this one (and never posted a review before).
If you're a seasoned 'vet' in the APEX world or just starting out, you NEED this book.

It is crammed with insight and real-world examples into the key foundations that will make your APEX Application Development efforts a success.

10/10

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (expanded and/or rewritten for better readability), with new examples and new scenarios - I particularly loved the new discussion about the log buffer/buffer cache interdependencies, the fresh section about "indexing myths", the use of statspack to show the impact of not using bind variables, the new ways to implement optimistic locking, and many others (there are too many to discuss, it really looks like a brand new book - a real "new edition", not just a "new version").

In short - lots of new material, first-edition stuff much improved - I couldn't ask for more or better.

Brilliant reference to write well designed code, 31 Jan 2002
I think this book is brilliant. Before I bought this book I was writing unstructured code that didnt have a distinct style or standard layout. By using the suggestions in this book my code is now well structured and more efficient due to Steven Feuerstein giving practical examples to back up his suggestions. I also learned a great deal and was able to include new PL/SQL features into my code as this book explained the why rather than the what of using different PL/SQL methods. Not for the absolute beginner, but brilliant for the semi-experienced, a chance to break those old habits and learn to code in a better more structured way. Also its fairly cheap for an I.T. book so well worth buying personal use.

Good book for PL/SQL developers, 23 Aug 2001
A good book only for people for have some experience of PL/SQL programming. Steven helps u to write efficient and understandable code. The only disadvantage is that it is not very technical like most of his previous books are. A good buy for people who work with PL/SQL

Oracle 11g DBA, 23 Apr 2008
Hi there

I'm studying for Oracle 11g OCA exam (1z0-052), this was the only book available on 11g.

On chapter 6 so far...

Comments :

Very descriptive...so far explains areas covered relatively easily (NB On chapter 6). But, definite requires more pratical examples to back up the material.

Is it worth getting ?..can't say...at the time only book on 11g....can't compare...




Apex Essential Reading, 22 Sep 2008
Excellent book, written by two of the most prolific contributors on the Oracle Apex forums - they've helped me out many a time.

The book has taken a long time to make it to print, but is worth the wait; whilst there are plenty of on-line resources to get you started with Apex, this book takes you through the next steps in depth. It is really well written and easy to read, with clear and useful example code throughout.

If you use, or are looking into using Apex, then this book is a must.

A must read for any APEX Developer, 19 Sep 2008
Just had to post a review on this one (and never posted a review before).
If you're a seasoned 'vet' in the APEX world or just starting out, you NEED this book.

It is crammed with insight and real-world examples into the key foundations that will make your APEX Application Development efforts a success.

10/10

Covered all the questions, 26 Jul 2008
Used the Oracle Press SQL Exam Guide (Ramklass/Watson) and DBA Exam Guide (Watson) to take the beta exams, you get about 200 questions in three hours for the beta exams, and you don't get the result for a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I passed though, the books covered every question.

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (expanded and/or rewritten for better readability), with new examples and new scenarios - I particularly loved the new discussion about the log buffer/buffer cache interdependencies, the fresh section about "indexing myths", the use of statspack to show the impact of not using bind variables, the new ways to implement optimistic locking, and many others (there are too many to discuss, it really looks like a brand new book - a real "new edition", not just a "new version").

In short - lots of new material, first-edition stuff much improved - I couldn't ask for more or better.

Brilliant reference to write well designed code, 31 Jan 2002
I think this book is brilliant. Before I bought this book I was writing unstructured code that didnt have a distinct style or standard layout. By using the suggestions in this book my code is now well structured and more efficient due to Steven Feuerstein giving practical examples to back up his suggestions. I also learned a great deal and was able to include new PL/SQL features into my code as this book explained the why rather than the what of using different PL/SQL methods. Not for the absolute beginner, but brilliant for the semi-experienced, a chance to break those old habits and learn to code in a better more structured way. Also its fairly cheap for an I.T. book so well worth buying personal use.

Good book for PL/SQL developers, 23 Aug 2001
A good book only for people for have some experience of PL/SQL programming. Steven helps u to write efficient and understandable code. The only disadvantage is that it is not very technical like most of his previous books are. A good buy for people who work with PL/SQL

Oracle 11g DBA, 23 Apr 2008
Hi there

I'm studying for Oracle 11g OCA exam (1z0-052), this was the only book available on 11g.

On chapter 6 so far...

Comments :

Very descriptive...so far explains areas covered relatively easily (NB On chapter 6). But, definite requires more pratical examples to back up the material.

Is it worth getting ?..can't say...at the time only book on 11g....can't compare...




Apex Essential Reading, 22 Sep 2008
Excellent book, written by two of the most prolific contributors on the Oracle Apex forums - they've helped me out many a time.

The book has taken a long time to make it to print, but is worth the wait; whilst there are plenty of on-line resources to get you started with Apex, this book takes you through the next steps in depth. It is really well written and easy to read, with clear and useful example code throughout.

If you use, or are looking into using Apex, then this book is a must.

A must read for any APEX Developer, 19 Sep 2008
Just had to post a review on this one (and never posted a review before).
If you're a seasoned 'vet' in the APEX world or just starting out, you NEED this book.

It is crammed with insight and real-world examples into the key foundations that will make your APEX Application Development efforts a success.

10/10

Covered all the questions, 26 Jul 2008
Used the Oracle Press SQL Exam Guide (Ramklass/Watson) and DBA Exam Guide (Watson) to take the beta exams, you get about 200 questions in three hours for the beta exams, and you don't get the result for a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I passed though, the books covered every question.

Covered all the questions, 26 Jul 2008
Used the Oracle Press SQL Exam Guide (Ramklass/Watson) and DBA Exam Guide (Watson) to take the beta exams, you get about 200 questions in three hours for the beta exams, and you don't get the result for a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I passed though, the books covered every question.

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (expanded and/or rewritten for better readability), with new examples and new scenarios - I particularly loved the new discussion about the log buffer/buffer cache interdependencies, the fresh section about "indexing myths", the use of statspack to show the impact of not using bind variables, the new ways to implement optimistic locking, and many others (there are too many to discuss, it really looks like a brand new book - a real "new edition", not just a "new version").

In short - lots of new material, first-edition stuff much improved - I couldn't ask for more or better.

Brilliant reference to write well designed code, 31 Jan 2002
I think this book is brilliant. Before I bought this book I was writing unstructured code that didnt have a distinct style or standard layout. By using the suggestions in this book my code is now well structured and more efficient due to Steven Feuerstein giving practical examples to back up his suggestions. I also learned a great deal and was able to include new PL/SQL features into my code as this book explained the why rather than the what of using different PL/SQL methods. Not for the absolute beginner, but brilliant for the semi-experienced, a chance to break those old habits and learn to code in a better more structured way. Also its fairly cheap for an I.T. book so well worth buying personal use.

Good book for PL/SQL developers, 23 Aug 2001
A good book only for people for have some experience of PL/SQL programming. Steven helps u to write efficient and understandable code. The only disadvantage is that it is not very technical like most of his previous books are. A good buy for people who work with PL/SQL

Oracle 11g DBA, 23 Apr 2008
Hi there

I'm studying for Oracle 11g OCA exam (1z0-052), this was the only book available on 11g.

On chapter 6 so far...

Comments :

Very descriptive...so far explains areas covered relatively easily (NB On chapter 6). But, definite requires more pratical examples to back up the material.

Is it worth getting ?..can't say...at the time only book on 11g....can't compare...




Apex Essential Reading, 22 Sep 2008
Excellent book, written by two of the most prolific contributors on the Oracle Apex forums - they've helped me out many a time.

The book has taken a long time to make it to print, but is worth the wait; whilst there are plenty of on-line resources to get you started with Apex, this book takes you through the next steps in depth. It is really well written and easy to read, with clear and useful example code throughout.

If you use, or are looking into using Apex, then this book is a must.

A must read for any APEX Developer, 19 Sep 2008
Just had to post a review on this one (and never posted a review before).
If you're a seasoned 'vet' in the APEX world or just starting out, you NEED this book.

It is crammed with insight and real-world examples into the key foundations that will make your APEX Application Development efforts a success.

10/10

Covered all the questions, 26 Jul 2008
Used the Oracle Press SQL Exam Guide (Ramklass/Watson) and DBA Exam Guide (Watson) to take the beta exams, you get about 200 questions in three hours for the beta exams, and you don't get the result for a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I passed though, the books covered every question.

Covered all the questions, 26 Jul 2008
Used the Oracle Press SQL Exam Guide (Ramklass/Watson) and DBA Exam Guide (Watson) to take the beta exams, you get about 200 questions in three hours for the beta exams, and you don't get the result for a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I passed though, the books covered every question.

Lots of Mistakes, 01 Sep 2008
Well, I am already certified in 9i and 10g and have been through many OCP books before. I believe the big deal of these books is to get it ready as soon as possible and therefore have it available for sale. And that is the reason for so many mistakes...Don't get me wrong, because I indeed believe that this book can help you pass the exam. It is not bad and presents the student/reader with a very concise view of all the new features which is very helpful. Also, the author has passed the exam himself. The problem tough, is the high volume of mistakes in it. Quite often the book contradicts itself. But I have seen it before and I can ensure that, if used properly, this book is enough to get you passed the exam. Should you buy this book? Well, there aren't many other options available at the moment anyway. If you pay attention to this book and do a little research on the topics that you could not understand or whenever you find a mistake, I think you will be pretty much prepared for the test. I will be taking the test in a few weeks, hopefully it goes all well...

Maybe better than nothing, 14 Jun 2008
I took the Oracle Database 11g New Features for Administrators course and this book is basically a rewording of the manuals that were provided in that course. Sometimes the rewording is helpful, but I have also found mistakes in the text - e.g., according to the Oracle manuals, the default encryption algorithm for a SecureFiles LOB is AES192, but the book states that it is AES128, which is wrong. This is but one of several mistakes I've noticed just from using parts of the book to supplement the rereading of the Oracle manuals (i.e., I'm not reading this book straight from cover to cover). If you don't have the Oracle manuals, then this book is maybe better than nothing and the price isn't too bad. Also, I think the two practice tests that you get with the book plus the two practice tests that you can then download from Osborne make it worth it. There is nothing like practicing with electronic questions for learning purposes. I also highly recommend, as essential supplementary reading material for preparing for the exam, the series of (currently 18 of 20 planned) articles by Arup Nanda in Oracle Technology Network in the section entitled "Oracle Database 11g: The Top New Features for DBAs and Developers".

With the help of about 300 members of the Net Generation, or N-Gen, Don Tapscott explores what the Internet and other digital interactive technology is doing to and for our children. Despite fears that new technology is making kids more antisocial and less intellectual, Tapscott shows that kids are using it to play, build relationships and explore their world. And while the digital world has dangers, it also has greater opportunities.

Tapscott shows the role technology plays in how N-Genners learn, socialize among themselves, and interact with friends and family--often through insightful quotes from the kids themselves. Tapscott demonstrates how many clear truths, for instance that learning is social, have led to false conclusions, such as that computer use, being an individual activity, hampers social learning. And, with his N-Gen helpers, he puts the hype about Net porn in perspective. As one 15-year-old puts it, "I have never 'stumbled' into a site I didn't want to see. Not like on TV where I have occasionally flicked the channel only to 'stumble' into some gruesome murder scene." Yet the author also acknowledges that every new development has its problems and offers commonsense caution, quoting Alan Kay: "We don't have natural defenses against fat, sugar, salt, alcohol, alkaloids--or media. Television should be the last mass-communications medium to be naively designed and put into the world without a surgeon general's warning."

Probably All You'll Need, 17 Jun 2005
If you're working with Oracle, you will hopefully already have some real code to look at and a database to experiment with.

In that case, I think this book will be the only printed backup to the language you will need.

By the way, it's also ideal if you're planning to take the Oracle Certification Exam.

An excellent little reference book, 25 Feb 2005
Why bother with hundreds of pages of text when all the information you'll need on the subject of PL/SQL can be found in a book that will fit in your back pocket? If you already know a bit about Oracle and programming this excellent little reference is all you will need to get you coding in PL/SQL.

I never keep it more than an arms length away from me at work.

Very good value for money, 18 Jun 2000
If you've got the author's "PL/SQL Programming" book, get this one too - a bargain, and much easier to carry around than the other one!

Good stuff - what you'd expect from a pocket reference !, 06 Jun 2000
Well worth a look, this is a great reference book for PL/SQL programmers. Bargain !

Sets the standard, 13 Dec 2008
This was the first book I read on PL/SQL when I became an Oracle developer 15 years ago and as far as I'm concerned, Steven Feuerstein sets the standard. It never ceases to amaze me the sloppy coding that I come across by so called professional developers. If only they read this book then they would be in a different league. in short, every Oracle developer must read this book.

Oracle PL/SQL, 20 Feb 2004
Having been working on Sybase for a long time, we moved to Oracle. Initially I bought the Learning Oracle PL/SQL Programming which turned out to be seriusly lacking in contend and appeared to be more interested in promoting the web side of PLSQL. However, this book has answered every question and stumbling block I have had with re-introducing myself to PL/SQL. Good and numerous examples. Basically 900+ pages of Gems. If you know SQL, but want to learn PL/SQL, bypass the Learning Oracle PL/SQL book and dive into this on. Trust me, you won't regret it, nor will you pocket.

Well-written and very useful, 03 Apr 2003
As being quite new to the Oracle-world and PL/SQL I have found this book very useful, both when it comes to learning the opportunuties of PL/SQL and getting advise on how to solve problems. The book is well-organized, easy-read and has many good examples I have benifited from.

Very comprehensive PL/SQL book, 31 Oct 2002
This was the first book on PL/SQL that I ever read and is still the best. The authors cover the entire breadth of PL/SQL functionality with enough detail to answer all but the hardest PL/SQL questions.

Now in its 3rd edition. Highly recommended

A great book for developing practical pl/sql applications, 06 Sep 2000
Feuerestein's introductory book for PL/SQL along with his other PL/SQL books and discussion groups ( pipeline.revealnet.com/~plsql) forms a huge resource for developing PL/SQL applications. The book enables the readers to think and encourages developers to create PL/SQL applications.Post the queries (if any) in the pipeline under heading: PL/SQL Programming: The Book.

Excellent reference, 25 Jul 2006
As usual Tom has written an excellent book that works well when read straight through or as a reference to dip into.

One criticism, and this is a criticism of the publisher, not the author. There is very little 'white space', white space (margins &c) is important in text books for psychological reasons and also to give you somewhere to jot notes (hence the phrase "Notes in the margin"), opportunity to do this is very limited in this book due to lack of space.

Extremely useful and informative, 03 Jan 2006
I think you will find this book extremely useful and enlightening whether you've been involved with Oracle for years, or are a relative newcomer (although it would help to have a basic knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL beforehand). Its treatment of the subect matter is clear, concise, well-explained, and will save you hours of documentation trawling and experimentation.

Although it's aimed primarily at developers, it would also be helpful to anybody trying to learn the DBA side of the job, as its explanation of the Oracle database architecture is the best and clearest I've seen so far. It's also all in one place; not spread out amongst half a dozen different manuals.

I think if you're interested in being all you can be as an Oracle developer, you should buy this book. If you're a contractor and have an interest in giving contracting a good name, you should buy this book. If you're mainly a backup and recovery DBA who doesn't venture into the archtitecture that much, you should buy this book. If you want more of an understanding of how the Oracle database works, you should buy this book.

Alternatively, if you'd like to give people like me more opportunities to rake in the cash by fixing performance problems, then please don't buy this book. ;o)

even better than the previous edition, 02 Nov 2005
Since this book is the first volume of the second edition of "expert one-on-one: Oracle", which I've been reading and re-reading for years, I will review the book by comparing it with the previous edition, hoping to help people who are considering to "upgrade".

First thing - if in the first edition you enjoyed the great writing style, the everything-backed-by-examples approach, and the handling of real-life scenarios coming from the (oustanding) experience of the Author ... great news for you: everything is still there, this edition matches (or even surpasses) the first as far as quality is concerned.

Second, I've found a lot of new topics/chapters that are brand-new, not to be found in the first edition; for example the coverage of "write consistency", the excellent chapter about "datatypes", the "parallel execution" one - in addition, obviously, to the coverage of new features and objects of 9i/10g (automatic pga management, assm, index/table compression, sorted hash clustered tables, to name just a few).

Third, the vast majority (90% or more) of the topics/chapters already present in the first edition have been improved (exp