Very clear and easily worth the money.., 04 Oct 2008
Firstly - dump the manual that came with your D40 in the drawer - it is next to useless if you are new to a dSLR.

Then open this book and find your way around the extensive features that this 'beginners' dSLR offers. The book is well written with multiple supporting illustrations. It quickly unravels some of what seem at first complicated menus and sub menus.

I quickly found out as an example how to limit the ISO rating the camera uses on ISO Auto, I won't tell you here, you'll have to buy the book!!! but it solved for me the issue of noise that had crept into some of my pictures when using ISO auto.

Again quickly found out how to switch off the graphic representation of the shooting settings and get it to a 'classic' setting more akin to what would appear on a LCD menu had the D40 had one. This is essential for any one who bemoans the loss of the LCD screen settings on the D40.

This book is certainly a must have for any d40 user - certainly any one using one for the first time.

If there is any down side it is the book size making it a tad of a challenge to use 'in the field' but if it was any smaller it probably wouldn't be as easy to read and follow as it is.

Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.

Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!

for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!

Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.

Very clear and easily worth the money.., 04 Oct 2008
Firstly - dump the manual that came with your D40 in the drawer - it is next to useless if you are new to a dSLR.

Then open this book and find your way around the extensive features that this 'beginners' dSLR offers. The book is well written with multiple supporting illustrations. It quickly unravels some of what seem at first complicated menus and sub menus.

I quickly found out as an example how to limit the ISO rating the camera uses on ISO Auto, I won't tell you here, you'll have to buy the book!!! but it solved for me the issue of noise that had crept into some of my pictures when using ISO auto.

Again quickly found out how to switch off the graphic representation of the shooting settings and get it to a 'classic' setting more akin to what would appear on a LCD menu had the D40 had one. This is essential for any one who bemoans the loss of the LCD screen settings on the D40.

This book is certainly a must have for any d40 user - certainly any one using one for the first time.

If there is any down side it is the book size making it a tad of a challenge to use 'in the field' but if it was any smaller it probably wouldn't be as easy to read and follow as it is.

Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.

Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!

for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!

Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.

Best text book for a first course in database, 02 Oct 2008
I first used this book alot (second edition) when I had to teach a course to HNC and HND students at South East Essex college in 1999. It it the main book I used to put together my notes

Generally an excellent text-book. It doesn't quite carry the clout or precision of C. J Dates book on database systems, but it is far more practical. Not only are the explanations simpler, but there are more practical examples. Also because it is a newer book it is a little more up-to date. The fact that it includes examples in ACCESS as well is an added bonus for teachers and students who have no choice but to use ACCESS.

Certainly the best text for students at the HNC/HND level.


Good student textbook maybe..., 18 Dec 2005
I'll keep this short and sweet: while this may be a good textbook to use when on a database course (and I mean one for full-time students who have yet to enter the world of work) this is definitively no use to those requiring a practical manual that will help you to solve a real-world problem or implement a real-world database solution. I don't think it strives to be the latter and doesn't stake a claim to be such a work but the point needs to be made to ensure people do not purchase it under the assumption that it is something that it certainly is not.
If you want a hands-on, useful SQL primer, go for Ben Forta's "SQL in 10 minutes", or for a practical how-to book on starting out in database creation, try out George Hepworth's "Grover Park George On Access": what they lack in terms of relational calculus (find this in "Database Systems"!) they make up for in teaching you stuff you can actually use. You'll also save yourself a lot of cash.

Very good course book, 08 Feb 2005
This book is well written and aimed at those with little or no prior knowledge of databases (e.g. undergraduates). It goes from conceptual design right down to low level topics. I think the main strength of this book lies in its excellent examples. There are several case studies which are used very well to show practical examples of concepts described. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a text book on databases.

Database Systems - a student's view, 10 Mar 2004
For the most part, I found this book excellent. The text explanations are clear, thorough and easy to follow, and I would thoroughly recommend it on this basis.

The exercises for the chapters, however, are very poorly written. One or two questions in each of the exercises we have encountered so far in my class have been essentially meaningless, so if you are a teacher looking to set this text for a course, beware! Make sure that you read through and correct any ambiguous questions before you set them for your students.

To give an example, one question asks the student to write a SQL query to calculate "the average number of bookings for each hotel in August." Not the average number of bookings per night for each hotel in August, or the average number of bookings in August across all hotels, but essentially a figure which is not actually an average. Rather annoying.

But if you won't be following the exercises slavishly, this book is otherwise worth every penny.

excellent for all levels of SQL, 26 Jun 2003
This book was the recommended title for my second year university SQL module. I used it a s a complete newbie to SQL and found it incredibly helpful both at a basic descriptional level as well as at advanced level as I progressed. Focus is well split between essential coceptual/logical design, normalisation etc as well as actual code syntax. Absolutely essential reference for anyone using or considering using SQL (includes DBMS specific instructions too for MS Access and Oracle for example as well).

Very clear and easily worth the money.., 04 Oct 2008
Firstly - dump the manual that came with your D40 in the drawer - it is next to useless if you are new to a dSLR.

Then open this book and find your way around the extensive features that this 'beginners' dSLR offers. The book is well written with multiple supporting illustrations. It quickly unravels some of what seem at first complicated menus and sub menus.

I quickly found out as an example how to limit the ISO rating the camera uses on ISO Auto, I won't tell you here, you'll have to buy the book!!! but it solved for me the issue of noise that had crept into some of my pictures when using ISO auto.

Again quickly found out how to switch off the graphic representation of the shooting settings and get it to a 'classic' setting more akin to what would appear on a LCD menu had the D40 had one. This is essential for any one who bemoans the loss of the LCD screen settings on the D40.

This book is certainly a must have for any d40 user - certainly any one using one for the first time.

If there is any down side it is the book size making it a tad of a challenge to use 'in the field' but if it was any smaller it probably wouldn't be as easy to read and follow as it is.

Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.

Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!

for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!

Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.

Best text book for a first course in database, 02 Oct 2008
I first used this book alot (second edition) when I had to teach a course to HNC and HND students at South East Essex college in 1999. It it the main book I used to put together my notes

Generally an excellent text-book. It doesn't quite carry the clout or precision of C. J Dates book on database systems, but it is far more practical. Not only are the explanations simpler, but there are more practical examples. Also because it is a newer book it is a little more up-to date. The fact that it includes examples in ACCESS as well is an added bonus for teachers and students who have no choice but to use ACCESS.

Certainly the best text for students at the HNC/HND level.


Good student textbook maybe..., 18 Dec 2005
I'll keep this short and sweet: while this may be a good textbook to use when on a database course (and I mean one for full-time students who have yet to enter the world of work) this is definitively no use to those requiring a practical manual that will help you to solve a real-world problem or implement a real-world database solution. I don't think it strives to be the latter and doesn't stake a claim to be such a work but the point needs to be made to ensure people do not purchase it under the assumption that it is something that it certainly is not.
If you want a hands-on, useful SQL primer, go for Ben Forta's "SQL in 10 minutes", or for a practical how-to book on starting out in database creation, try out George Hepworth's "Grover Park George On Access": what they lack in terms of relational calculus (find this in "Database Systems"!) they make up for in teaching you stuff you can actually use. You'll also save yourself a lot of cash.

Very good course book, 08 Feb 2005
This book is well written and aimed at those with little or no prior knowledge of databases (e.g. undergraduates). It goes from conceptual design right down to low level topics. I think the main strength of this book lies in its excellent examples. There are several case studies which are used very well to show practical examples of concepts described. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a text book on databases.

Database Systems - a student's view, 10 Mar 2004
For the most part, I found this book excellent. The text explanations are clear, thorough and easy to follow, and I would thoroughly recommend it on this basis.

The exercises for the chapters, however, are very poorly written. One or two questions in each of the exercises we have encountered so far in my class have been essentially meaningless, so if you are a teacher looking to set this text for a course, beware! Make sure that you read through and correct any ambiguous questions before you set them for your students.

To give an example, one question asks the student to write a SQL query to calculate "the average number of bookings for each hotel in August." Not the average number of bookings per night for each hotel in August, or the average number of bookings in August across all hotels, but essentially a figure which is not actually an average. Rather annoying.

But if you won't be following the exercises slavishly, this book is otherwise worth every penny.

excellent for all levels of SQL, 26 Jun 2003
This book was the recommended title for my second year university SQL module. I used it a s a complete newbie to SQL and found it incredibly helpful both at a basic descriptional level as well as at advanced level as I progressed. Focus is well split between essential coceptual/logical design, normalisation etc as well as actual code syntax. Absolutely essential reference for anyone using or considering using SQL (includes DBMS specific instructions too for MS Access and Oracle for example as well).

Really excellent. Clear and interesting., 02 Aug 2008
Yeah this is awesome. It can't be easy to make an instruction manual for an operating system interesting, but the author does it somehow. And the detail is great. I've been able to tell experienced MAC OS users a thing or two from having read this book. Recommended.

A must buy for any mac owner, 25 Jun 2008
Having recently taken the plunge to buy my first Mac computer, although the operating system (Leopard) is easy to use, the way of doing things is slightly different. To help me fully migrate, I purchased this book.

This book is a mine of information covering all aspects of the Mac OS, from the very little things like minimising windows to the more complex things like Automation etc. It explains everything in great detail and has lots of screen grabs and illustrations to help. It is clearly laid out and very well indexed, so if you are stuck on an item, you can find the solution rapidly.

This book resides by my computer "just in case" and is highly recommended.

Also, the book is that thick, that you can even use it as a step ladder when not needed.

Great Value!!!!!!, 30 May 2008
I bought this as a complete novice to Apple Macs...it's very very informative and in a language that I can understand! I would really recommend this as the information on different aspects of the Leopard platform are endless....Excellent value for money!

Bulky guide but useful, 30 Apr 2008
As a new migrant from Windows XP, I had absolutely no idea how clever the Mac OS X Leopard operating system was until I picked up this book. There are so many hidden features that it takes a serious user manual to ferret them out. Unfortunately, Apple provide just a tiny little white booklet and expect you to spend hours online searching their website for tips. Call me old-fashioned but I prefer hard copy to flicking back and forth between help screens and the work I am doing (even if it is easier with a Mac than a PC).

The step by step instructions are particularly useful to those who are sitting in front of a Mac for the first time. There's also some useful information about third party software which can enhance a Mac further; for example, if the user wants to run Windows alongside Mac OS X on the same computer. There's also advice about customising Leopard as well.

Yes, this is a heavy book and, yes, it does become a little anecdotal in places, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to unleash the full power of Leopard.

Makes OS X seem complicated, 29 Apr 2008
I have to admit I'm not used to reading this sort of thing, but this author - to me - has gone so far in the 'make it easy to read' plan that it's pretty hard going. I'm fairly convinced that if it had been written properly it would be around a third of the size; there's so much condescending (and misleading) chit-chat to work through that it gets tedious to read page to page, and it's badly enough organised that it's impossible to skim-read to find what you're after. In fact, OS X is rather simpler to get to grips with than the book is - just poke about in the OS until you find what you're looking for.
There is some useful information in there, but it's very well hidden.

Very clear and easily worth the money.., 04 Oct 2008
Firstly - dump the manual that came with your D40 in the drawer - it is next to useless if you are new to a dSLR.

Then open this book and find your way around the extensive features that this 'beginners' dSLR offers. The book is well written with multiple supporting illustrations. It quickly unravels some of what seem at first complicated menus and sub menus.

I quickly found out as an example how to limit the ISO rating the camera uses on ISO Auto, I won't tell you here, you'll have to buy the book!!! but it solved for me the issue of noise that had crept into some of my pictures when using ISO auto.

Again quickly found out how to switch off the graphic representation of the shooting settings and get it to a 'classic' setting more akin to what would appear on a LCD menu had the D40 had one. This is essential for any one who bemoans the loss of the LCD screen settings on the D40.

This book is certainly a must have for any d40 user - certainly any one using one for the first time.

If there is any down side it is the book size making it a tad of a challenge to use 'in the field' but if it was any smaller it probably wouldn't be as easy to read and follow as it is.

Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.

Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!

for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!

Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.

Best text book for a first course in database, 02 Oct 2008
I first used this book alot (second edition) when I had to teach a course to HNC and HND students at South East Essex college in 1999. It it the main book I used to put together my notes

Generally an excellent text-book. It doesn't quite carry the clout or precision of C. J Dates book on database systems, but it is far more practical. Not only are the explanations simpler, but there are more practical examples. Also because it is a newer book it is a little more up-to date. The fact that it includes examples in ACCESS as well is an added bonus for teachers and students who have no choice but to use ACCESS.

Certainly the best text for students at the HNC/HND level.


Good student textbook maybe..., 18 Dec 2005
I'll keep this short and sweet: while this may be a good textbook to use when on a database course (and I mean one for full-time students who have yet to enter the world of work) this is definitively no use to those requiring a practical manual that will help you to solve a real-world problem or implement a real-world database solution. I don't think it strives to be the latter and doesn't stake a claim to be such a work but the point needs to be made to ensure people do not purchase it under the assumption that it is something that it certainly is not.
If you want a hands-on, useful SQL primer, go for Ben Forta's "SQL in 10 minutes", or for a practical how-to book on starting out in database creation, try out George Hepworth's "Grover Park George On Access": what they lack in terms of relational calculus (find this in "Database Systems"!) they make up for in teaching you stuff you can actually use. You'll also save yourself a lot of cash.

Very good course book, 08 Feb 2005
This book is well written and aimed at those with little or no prior knowledge of databases (e.g. undergraduates). It goes from conceptual design right down to low level topics. I think the main strength of this book lies in its excellent examples. There are several case studies which are used very well to show practical examples of concepts described. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a text book on databases.

Database Systems - a student's view, 10 Mar 2004
For the most part, I found this book excellent. The text explanations are clear, thorough and easy to follow, and I would thoroughly recommend it on this basis.

The exercises for the chapters, however, are very poorly written. One or two questions in each of the exercises we have encountered so far in my class have been essentially meaningless, so if you are a teacher looking to set this text for a course, beware! Make sure that you read through and correct any ambiguous questions before you set them for your students.

To give an example, one question asks the student to write a SQL query to calculate "the average number of bookings for each hotel in August." Not the average number of bookings per night for each hotel in August, or the average number of bookings in August across all hotels, but essentially a figure which is not actually an average. Rather annoying.

But if you won't be following the exercises slavishly, this book is otherwise worth every penny.

excellent for all levels of SQL, 26 Jun 2003
This book was the recommended title for my second year university SQL module. I used it a s a complete newbie to SQL and found it incredibly helpful both at a basic descriptional level as well as at advanced level as I progressed. Focus is well split between essential coceptual/logical design, normalisation etc as well as actual code syntax. Absolutely essential reference for anyone using or considering using SQL (includes DBMS specific instructions too for MS Access and Oracle for example as well).

Really excellent. Clear and interesting., 02 Aug 2008
Yeah this is awesome. It can't be easy to make an instruction manual for an operating system interesting, but the author does it somehow. And the detail is great. I've been able to tell experienced MAC OS users a thing or two from having read this book. Recommended.

A must buy for any mac owner, 25 Jun 2008
Having recently taken the plunge to buy my first Mac computer, although the operating system (Leopard) is easy to use, the way of doing things is slightly different. To help me fully migrate, I purchased this book.

This book is a mine of information covering all aspects of the Mac OS, from the very little things like minimising windows to the more complex things like Automation etc. It explains everything in great detail and has lots of screen grabs and illustrations to help. It is clearly laid out and very well indexed, so if you are stuck on an item, you can find the solution rapidly.

This book resides by my computer "just in case" and is highly recommended.

Also, the book is that thick, that you can even use it as a step ladder when not needed.

Great Value!!!!!!, 30 May 2008
I bought this as a complete novice to Apple Macs...it's very very informative and in a language that I can understand! I would really recommend this as the information on different aspects of the Leopard platform are endless....Excellent value for money!

Bulky guide but useful, 30 Apr 2008
As a new migrant from Windows XP, I had absolutely no idea how clever the Mac OS X Leopard operating system was until I picked up this book. There are so many hidden features that it takes a serious user manual to ferret them out. Unfortunately, Apple provide just a tiny little white booklet and expect you to spend hours online searching their website for tips. Call me old-fashioned but I prefer hard copy to flicking back and forth between help screens and the work I am doing (even if it is easier with a Mac than a PC).

The step by step instructions are particularly useful to those who are sitting in front of a Mac for the first time. There's also some useful information about third party software which can enhance a Mac further; for example, if the user wants to run Windows alongside Mac OS X on the same computer. There's also advice about customising Leopard as well.

Yes, this is a heavy book and, yes, it does become a little anecdotal in places, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to unleash the full power of Leopard.

Makes OS X seem complicated, 29 Apr 2008
I have to admit I'm not used to reading this sort of thing, but this author - to me - has gone so far in the 'make it easy to read' plan that it's pretty hard going. I'm fairly convinced that if it had been written properly it would be around a third of the size; there's so much condescending (and misleading) chit-chat to work through that it gets tedious to read page to page, and it's badly enough organised that it's impossible to skim-read to find what you're after. In fact, OS X is rather simpler to get to grips with than the book is - just poke about in the OS until you find what you're looking for.
There is some useful information in there, but it's very well hidden.

Top Book, 27 Feb 2008
This is by far the best Dreamweaver book I've come across, its made a huge difference to the quality of the sites I build, The CSS tutorials are spot on and make you pick up things you thought were not possible. The author has a great understanding of how a 'rookie' web designer thinks and feels so hats of.

Well Structured, Well documented, informative and enjoyable read, 17 Feb 2008
This is one of the better computer books Ive come across in a longtime. As a beginner to modern web development , I found the structure, content , and style of writing to be very helpful in my efforts to understand an idiosyncratic (to me) non-WYSIWYG piece of software. In particular the walk thru tutorials were helpful. Be advised however, that to create a decent looking site, you will also have to go through the same learning curve in Adobe Flash, and Adobe Photoshop / Paintshop, in order to make your sites at least semi presentable. And throw a microsoft course in ASP.net in there too.

A Great Help In My Study's, 24 Jan 2008
I have recently started a Dreamweaver CS3 College Course. I purchased CS3 The Missing Manual as an added extra for my course. There are alot of different books to choose from on this particular subject so I scoured the internet and did a bit of research. Dreamweaver cs3 the missing manual and dynamic cs3 seemed about the best on all the reviews. Im so glad that I chose CS3 The Missing Manual. There is plenty of important and handy information in this book, from basic web design to advanced Web design and practically everything in between. I often get stuck on questions on my CS3 College course and revert to The Missing Manual. You can pretty much garantee that the book will resolve the problems along the way. I would say that The Missing Manual is extremely helpful.

Buy this book!, 12 Oct 2007
Having gone through 'Dreamweaver CS3 Classroom in a Book' (twice) and 'Dreamweaver CS3 for Dummies', 'The Missing Manual' is the only one I'd recommend; meaty (995 pages) but readable and clearly explained with good (downloadable) tutorials.

Well written, clear, informative and interesting!, 02 Oct 2007
I have had this book for a month now and have only recently started using it and I must say it is extremely well written and enjoyable to read and use! You can dip in on subjects or wade your way through it. I've already picked up lots of tips to help streamline my web design and the explanation of the Spry tools is excellent especially as I'd never come across it before! Tabbed webpages a doddle, data display manipulation a godsend and so on. The book really does walk you through and doesn't assume that you know everything about the task you want to do.

Even if you know Dreamweaver well, there is sure to be something in this book you didn't know about! I fully agree that the title - The Missing Manual - is well warranted!

***Errata - have now finished the book, yes, finished all 995 pages and it stays good to the end! Buy it and use it! ***

Very clear and easily worth the money.., 04 Oct 2008
Firstly - dump the manual that came with your D40 in the drawer - it is next to useless if you are new to a dSLR.

Then open this book and find your way around the extensive features that this 'beginners' dSLR offers. The book is well written with multiple supporting illustrations. It quickly unravels some of what seem at first complicated menus and sub menus.

I quickly found out as an example how to limit the ISO rating the camera uses on ISO Auto, I won't tell you here, you'll have to buy the book!!! but it solved for me the issue of noise that had crept into some of my pictures when using ISO auto.

Again quickly found out how to switch off the graphic representation of the shooting settings and get it to a 'classic' setting more akin to what would appear on a LCD menu had the D40 had one. This is essential for any one who bemoans the loss of the LCD screen settings on the D40.

This book is certainly a must have for any d40 user - certainly any one using one for the first time.

If there is any down side it is the book size making it a tad of a challenge to use 'in the field' but if it was any smaller it probably wouldn't be as easy to read and follow as it is.

Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.

Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!

for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!

Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.

Best text book for a first course in database, 02 Oct 2008
I first used this book alot (second edition) when I had to teach a course to HNC and HND students at South East Essex college in 1999. It it the main book I used to put together my notes

Generally an excellent text-book. It doesn't quite carry the clout or precision of C. J Dates book on database systems, but it is far more practical. Not only are the explanations simpler, but there are more practical examples. Also because it is a newer book it is a little more up-to date. The fact that it includes examples in ACCESS as well is an added bonus for teachers and students who have no choice but to use ACCESS.

Certainly the best text for students at the HNC/HND level.


Good student textbook maybe..., 18 Dec 2005
I'll keep this short and sweet: while this may be a good textbook to use when on a database course (and I mean one for full-time students who have yet to enter the world of work) this is definitively no use to those requiring a practical manual that will help you to solve a real-world problem or implement a real-world database solution. I don't think it strives to be the latter and doesn't stake a claim to be such a work but the point needs to be made to ensure people do not purchase it under the assumption that it is something that it certainly is not.
If you want a hands-on, useful SQL primer, go for Ben Forta's "SQL in 10 minutes", or for a practical how-to book on starting out in database creation, try out George Hepworth's "Grover Park George On Access": what they lack in terms of relational calculus (find this in "Database Systems"!) they make up for in teaching you stuff you can actually use. You'll also save yourself a lot of cash.

Very good course book, 08 Feb 2005
This book is well written and aimed at those with little or no prior knowledge of databases (e.g. undergraduates). It goes from conceptual design right down to low level topics. I think the main strength of this book lies in its excellent examples. There are several case studies which are used very well to show practical examples of concepts described. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a text book on databases.

Database Systems - a student's view, 10 Mar 2004
For the most part, I found this book excellent. The text explanations are clear, thorough and easy to follow, and I would thoroughly recommend it on this basis.

The exercises for the chapters, however, are very poorly written. One or two questions in each of the exercises we have encountered so far in my class have been essentially meaningless, so if you are a teacher looking to set this text for a course, beware! Make sure that you read through and correct any ambiguous questions before you set them for your students.

To give an example, one question asks the student to write a SQL query to calculate "the average number of bookings for each hotel in August." Not the average number of bookings per night for each hotel in August, or the average number of bookings in August across all hotels, but essentially a figure which is not actually an average. Rather annoying.

But if you won't be following the exercises slavishly, this book is otherwise worth every penny.

excellent for all levels of SQL, 26 Jun 2003
This book was the recommended title for my second year university SQL module. I used it a s a complete newbie to SQL and found it incredibly helpful both at a basic descriptional level as well as at advanced level as I progressed. Focus is well split between essential coceptual/logical design, normalisation etc as well as actual code syntax. Absolutely essential reference for anyone using or considering using SQL (includes DBMS specific instructions too for MS Access and Oracle for example as well).

Really excellent. Clear and interesting., 02 Aug 2008
Yeah this is awesome. It can't be easy to make an instruction manual for an operating system interesting, but the author does it somehow. And the detail is great. I've been able to tell experienced MAC OS users a thing or two from having read this book. Recommended.

A must buy for any mac owner, 25 Jun 2008
Having recently taken the plunge to buy my first Mac computer, although the operating system (Leopard) is easy to use, the way of doing things is slightly different. To help me fully migrate, I purchased this book.

This book is a mine of information covering all aspects of the Mac OS, from the very little things like minimising windows to the more complex things like Automation etc. It explains everything in great detail and has lots of screen grabs and illustrations to help. It is clearly laid out and very well indexed, so if you are stuck on an item, you can find the solution rapidly.

This book resides by my computer "just in case" and is highly recommended.

Also, the book is that thick, that you can even use it as a step ladder when not needed.

Great Value!!!!!!, 30 May 2008
I bought this as a complete novice to Apple Macs...it's very very informative and in a language that I can understand! I would really recommend this as the information on different aspects of the Leopard platform are endless....Excellent value for money!

Bulky guide but useful, 30 Apr 2008
As a new migrant from Windows XP, I had absolutely no idea how clever the Mac OS X Leopard operating system was until I picked up this book. There are so many hidden features that it takes a serious user manual to ferret them out. Unfortunately, Apple provide just a tiny little white booklet and expect you to spend hours online searching their website for tips. Call me old-fashioned but I prefer hard copy to flicking back and forth between help screens and the work I am doing (even if it is easier with a Mac than a PC).

The step by step instructions are particularly useful to those who are sitting in front of a Mac for the first time. There's also some useful information about third party software which can enhance a Mac further; for example, if the user wants to run Windows alongside Mac OS X on the same computer. There's also advice about customising Leopard as well.

Yes, this is a heavy book and, yes, it does become a little anecdotal in places, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to unleash the full power of Leopard.

Makes OS X seem complicated, 29 Apr 2008
I have to admit I'm not used to reading this sort of thing, but this author - to me - has gone so far in the 'make it easy to read' plan that it's pretty hard going. I'm fairly convinced that if it had been written properly it would be around a third of the size; there's so much condescending (and misleading) chit-chat to work through that it gets tedious to read page to page, and it's badly enough organised that it's impossible to skim-read to find what you're after. In fact, OS X is rather simpler to get to grips with than the book is - just poke about in the OS until you find what you're looking for.
There is some useful information in there, but it's very well hidden.

Top Book, 27 Feb 2008
This is by far the best Dreamweaver book I've come across, its made a huge difference to the quality of the sites I build, The CSS tutorials are spot on and make you pick up things you thought were not possible. The author has a great understanding of how a 'rookie' web designer thinks and feels so hats of.

Well Structured, Well documented, informative and enjoyable read, 17 Feb 2008
This is one of the better computer books Ive come across in a longtime. As a beginner to modern web development , I found the structure, content , and style of writing to be very helpful in my efforts to understand an idiosyncratic (to me) non-WYSIWYG piece of software. In particular the walk thru tutorials were helpful. Be advised however, that to create a decent looking site, you will also have to go through the same learning curve in Adobe Flash, and Adobe Photoshop / Paintshop, in order to make your sites at least semi presentable. And throw a microsoft course in ASP.net in there too.

A Great Help In My Study's, 24 Jan 2008
I have recently started a Dreamweaver CS3 College Course. I purchased CS3 The Missing Manual as an added extra for my course. There are alot of different books to choose from on this particular subject so I scoured the internet and did a bit of research. Dreamweaver cs3 the missing manual and dynamic cs3 seemed about the best on all the reviews. Im so glad that I chose CS3 The Missing Manual. There is plenty of important and handy information in this book, from basic web design to advanced Web design and practically everything in between. I often get stuck on questions on my CS3 College course and revert to The Missing Manual. You can pretty much garantee that the book will resolve the problems along the way. I would say that The Missing Manual is extremely helpful.

Buy this book!, 12 Oct 2007
Having gone through 'Dreamweaver CS3 Classroom in a Book' (twice) and 'Dreamweaver CS3 for Dummies', 'The Missing Manual' is the only one I'd recommend; meaty (995 pages) but readable and clearly explained with good (downloadable) tutorials.

Well written, clear, informative and interesting!, 02 Oct 2007
I have had this book for a month now and have only recently started using it and I must say it is extremely well written and enjoyable to read and use! You can dip in on subjects or wade your way through it. I've already picked up lots of tips to help streamline my web design and the explanation of the Spry tools is excellent especially as I'd never come across it before! Tabbed webpages a doddle, data display manipulation a godsend and so on. The book really does walk you through and doesn't assume that you know everything about the task you want to do.

Even if you know Dreamweaver well, there is sure to be something in this book you didn't know about! I fully agree that the title - The Missing Manual - is well warranted!

***Errata - have now finished the book, yes, finished all 995 pages and it stays good to the end! Buy it and use it! ***

The bible for writing high quality software, 09 Sep 2008
Uncle Bob (Robert C. Martin) is a recognized expert in todays world of software development. His books "Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns and Practices" and "Agile Principles, Patterns and Practices in C#" should by now be well known by the majority of serious java and C# developers. I read the latter last year, and I was blown away by Uncle Bob's insight into the process of writing software in a manner, that more or less guarantees success for both the customer and the development company.

When "Clean Code" was published I rushed to buy it, and again I am in awe!

This book book hits the nail on why so many software development projects ends up in pain for the developers as the code rots and becomes unmaintainable. Not only are the symptoms cleary described and analyzed, Uncle Bob also provides the remedy. By breaking down the process of cleaning up code into detecting very specific "smells" and heuristics, and by supplying the reader the tools to fix the problems in the software, the reader automatically becomes empowered, inspired and motivated to go and clean up his or her mess.

I strongly believe, that if all developers were to read this book and start living by the rules stated within, life would improve for every single developer, customers would be able to purchase very high quality software products a lot cheaper, and everyone would benefit.

My applause to Uncle Bob - Thank you for this fantastic work of art!

Very clear and easily worth the money.., 04 Oct 2008
Firstly - dump the manual that came with your D40 in the drawer - it is next to useless if you are new to a dSLR.

Then open this book and find your way around the extensive features that this 'beginners' dSLR offers. The book is well written with multiple supporting illustrations. It quickly unravels some of what seem at first complicated menus and sub menus.

I quickly found out as an example how to limit the ISO rating the camera uses on ISO Auto, I won't tell you here, you'll have to buy the book!!! but it solved for me the issue of noise that had crept into some of my pictures when using ISO auto.

Again quickly found out how to switch off the graphic representation of the shooting settings and get it to a 'classic' setting more akin to what would appear on a LCD menu had the D40 had one. This is essential for any one who bemoans the loss of the LCD screen settings on the D40.

This book is certainly a must have for any d40 user - certainly any one using one for the first time.

If there is any down side it is the book size making it a tad of a challenge to use 'in the field' but if it was any smaller it probably wouldn't be as easy to read and follow as it is.

Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.

Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!

for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!

Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.

Best text book for a first course in database, 02 Oct 2008
I first used this book alot (second edition) when I had to teach a course to HNC and HND students at South East Essex college in 1999. It it the main book I used to put together my notes

Generally an excellent text-book. It doesn't quite carry the clout or precision of C. J Dates book on database systems, but it is far more practical. Not only are the explanations simpler, but there are more practical examples. Also because it is a newer book it is a little more up-to date. The fact that it includes examples in ACCESS as well is an added bonus for teachers and students who have no choice but to use ACCESS.

Certainly the best text for students at the HNC/HND level.


Good student textbook maybe..., 18 Dec 2005
I'll keep this short and sweet: while this may be a good textbook to use when on a database course (and I mean one for full-time students who have yet to enter the world of work) this is definitively no use to those requiring a practical manual that will help you to solve a real-world problem or implement a real-world database solution. I don't think it strives to be the latter and doesn't stake a claim to be such a work but the point needs to be made to ensure people do not purchase it under the assumption that it is something that it certainly is not.
If you want a hands-on, useful SQL primer, go for Ben Forta's "SQL in 10 minutes", or for a practical how-to book on starting out in database creation, try out George Hepworth's "Grover Park George On Access": what they lack in terms of relational calculus (find this in "Database Systems"!) they make up for in teaching you stuff you can actually use. You'll also save yourself a lot of cash.

Very good course book, 08 Feb 2005
This book is well written and aimed at those with little or no prior knowledge of databases (e.g. undergraduates). It goes from conceptual design right down to low level topics. I think the main strength of this book lies in its excellent examples. There are several case studies which are used very well to show practical examples of concepts described. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a text book on databases.

Database Systems - a student's view, 10 Mar 2004
For the most part, I found this book excellent. The text explanations are clear, thorough and easy to follow, and I would thoroughly recommend it on this basis.

The exercises for the chapters, however, are very poorly written. One or two questions in each of the exercises we have encountered so far in my class have been essentially meaningless, so if you are a teacher looking to set this text for a course, beware! Make sure that you read through and correct any ambiguous questions before you set them for your students.

To give an example, one question asks the student to write a SQL query to calculate "the average number of bookings for each hotel in August." Not the average number of bookings per night for each hotel in August, or the average number of bookings in August across all hotels, but essentially a figure which is not actually an average. Rather annoying.

But if you won't be following the exercises slavishly, this book is otherwise worth every penny.

excellent for all levels of SQL, 26 Jun 2003
This book was the recommended title for my second year university SQL module. I used it a s a complete newbie to SQL and found it incredibly helpful both at a basic descriptional level as well as at advanced level as I progressed. Focus is well split between essential coceptual/logical design, normalisation etc as well as actual code syntax. Absolutely essential reference for anyone using or considering using SQL (includes DBMS specific instructions too for MS Access and Oracle for example as well).

Really excellent. Clear and interesting., 02 Aug 2008
Yeah this is awesome. It can't be easy to make an instruction manual for an operating system interesting, but the author does it somehow. And the detail is great. I've been able to tell experienced MAC OS users a thing or two from having read this book. Recommended.

A must buy for any mac owner, 25 Jun 2008
Having recently taken the plunge to buy my first Mac computer, although the operating system (Leopard) is easy to use, the way of doing things is slightly different. To help me fully migrate, I purchased this book.

This book is a mine of information covering all aspects of the Mac OS, from the very little things like minimising windows to the more complex things like Automation etc. It explains everything in great detail and has lots of screen grabs and illustrations to help. It is clearly laid out and very well indexed, so if you are stuck on an item, you can find the solution rapidly.

This book resides by my computer "just in case" and is highly recommended.

Also, the book is that thick, that you can even use it as a step ladder when not needed.

Great Value!!!!!!, 30 May 2008
I bought this as a complete novice to Apple Macs...it's very very informative and in a language that I can understand! I would really recommend this as the information on different aspects of the Leopard platform are endless....Excellent value for money!

Bulky guide but useful, 30 Apr 2008
As a new migrant from Windows XP, I had absolutely no idea how clever the Mac OS X Leopard operating system was until I picked up this book. There are so many hidden features that it takes a serious user manual to ferret them out. Unfortunately, Apple provide just a tiny little white booklet and expect you to spend hours online searching their website for tips. Call me old-fashioned but I prefer hard copy to flicking back and forth between help screens and the work I am doing (even if it is easier with a Mac than a PC).

The step by step instructions are particularly useful to those who are sitting in front of a Mac for the first time. There's also some useful information about third party software which can enhance a Mac further; for example, if the user wants to run Windows alongside Mac OS X on the same computer. There's also advice about customising Leopard as well.

Yes, this is a heavy book and, yes, it does become a little anecdotal in places, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to unleash the full power of Leopard.

Makes OS X seem complicated, 29 Apr 2008
I have to admit I'm not used to reading this sort of thing, but this author - to me - has gone so far in the 'make it easy to read' plan that it's pretty hard going. I'm fairly convinced that if it had been written properly it would be around a third of the size; there's so much condescending (and misleading) chit-chat to work through that it gets tedious to read page to page, and it's badly enough organised that it's impossible to skim-read to find what you're after. In fact, OS X is rather simpler to get to grips with than the book is - just poke about in the OS until you find what you're looking for.
There is some useful information in there, but it's very well hidden.

Top Book, 27 Feb 2008
This is by far the best Dreamweaver book I've come across, its made a huge difference to the quality of the sites I build, The CSS tutorials are spot on and make you pick up things you thought were not possible. The author has a great understanding of how a 'rookie' web designer thinks and feels so hats of.

Well Structured, Well documented, informative and enjoyable read, 17 Feb 2008
This is one of the better computer books Ive come across in a longtime. As a beginner to modern web development , I found the structure, content , and style of writing to be very helpful in my efforts to understand an idiosyncratic (to me) non-WYSIWYG piece of software. In particular the walk thru tutorials were helpful. Be advised however, that to create a decent looking site, you will also have to go through the same learning curve in Adobe Flash, and Adobe Photoshop / Paintshop, in order to make your sites at least semi presentable. And throw a microsoft course in ASP.net in there too.

A Great Help In My Study's, 24 Jan 2008
I have recently started a Dreamweaver CS3 College Course. I purchased CS3 The Missing Manual as an added extra for my course. There are alot of different books to choose from on this particular subject so I scoured the internet and did a bit of research. Dreamweaver cs3 the missing manual and dynamic cs3 seemed about the best on all the reviews. Im so glad that I chose CS3 The Missing Manual. There is plenty of important and handy information in this book, from basic web design to advanced Web design and practically everything in between. I often get stuck on questions on my CS3 College course and revert to The Missing Manual. You can pretty much garantee that the book will resolve the problems along the way. I would say that The Missing Manual is extremely helpful.

Buy this book!, 12 Oct 2007
Having gone through 'Dreamweaver CS3 Classroom in a Book' (twice) and 'Dreamweaver CS3 for Dummies', 'The Missing Manual' is the only one I'd recommend; meaty (995 pages) but readable and clearly explained with good (downloadable) tutorials.

Well written, clear, informative and interesting!, 02 Oct 2007
I have had this book for a month now and have only recently started using it and I must say it is extremely well written and enjoyable to read and use! You can dip in on subjects or wade your way through it. I've already picked up lots of tips to help streamline my web design and the explanation of the Spry tools is excellent especially as I'd never come across it before! Tabbed webpages a doddle, data display manipulation a godsend and so on. The book really does walk you through and doesn't assume that you know everything about the task you want to do.

Even if you know Dreamweaver well, there is sure to be something in this book you didn't know about! I fully agree that the title - The Missing Manual - is well warranted!

***Errata - have now finished the book, yes, finished all 995 pages and it stays good to the end! Buy it and use it! ***

The bible for writing high quality software, 09 Sep 2008
Uncle Bob (Robert C. Martin) is a recognized expert in todays world of software development. His books "Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns and Practices" and "Agile Principles, Patterns and Practices in C#" should by now be well known by the majority of serious java and C# developers. I read the latter last year, and I was blown away by Uncle Bob's insight into the process of writing software in a manner, that more or less guarantees success for both the customer and the development company.

When "Clean Code" was published I rushed to buy it, and again I am in awe!

This book book hits the nail on why so many software development projects ends up in pain for the developers as the code rots and becomes unmaintainable. Not only are the symptoms cleary described and analyzed, Uncle Bob also provides the remedy. By breaking down the process of cleaning up code into detecting very specific "smells" and heuristics, and by supplying the reader the tools to fix the problems in the software, the reader automatically becomes empowered, inspired and motivated to go and clean up his or her mess.

I strongly believe, that if all developers were to read this book and start living by the rules stated within, life would improve for every single developer, customers would be able to purchase very high quality software products a lot cheaper, and everyone would benefit.

My applause to Uncle Bob - Thank you for this fantastic work of art!

A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.

Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.

I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.

This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.

In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:

Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.

The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.

Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.

It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.

Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.

The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.

My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.

Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!

excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.

There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.

One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.

Strongly recommended.

I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.

Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.

It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.

The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.

Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.

It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.

Very clear and easily worth the money.., 04 Oct 2008
Firstly - dump the manual that came with your D40 in the drawer - it is next to useless if you are new to a dSLR.

Then open this book and find your way around the extensive features that this 'beginners' dSLR offers. The book is well written with multiple supporting illustrations. It quickly unravels some of what seem at first complicated menus and sub menus.

I quickly found out as an example how to limit the ISO rating the camera uses on ISO Auto, I won't tell you here, you'll have to buy the book!!! but it solved for me the issue of noise that had crept into some of my pictures when using ISO auto.

Again quickly found out how to switch off the graphic representation of the shooting settings and get it to a 'classic' setting more akin to what would appear on a LCD menu had the D40 had one. This is essential for any one who bemoans the loss of the LCD screen settings on the D40.

This book is certainly a must have for any d40 user - certainly any one using one for the first time.

If there is any down side it is the book size making it a tad of a challenge to use 'in the field' but if it was any smaller it probably wouldn't be as easy to read and follow as it is.

Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.

Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!

for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!

Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.

Best text book for a first course in database, 02 Oct 2008
I first used this book alot (second edition) when I had to teach a course to HNC and HND students at South East Essex college in 1999. It it the main book I used to put together my notes

Generally an excellent text-book. It doesn't quite carry the clout or precision of C. J Dates book on database systems, but it is far more practical. Not only are the explanations simpler, but there are more practical examples. Also because it is a newer book it is a little more up-to date. The fact that it includes examples in ACCESS as well is an added bonus for teachers and students who have no choice but to use ACCESS.

Certainly the best text for students at the HNC/HND level.


Good student textbook maybe..., 18 Dec 2005
I'll keep this short and sweet: while this may be a good textbook to use when on a database course (and I mean one for full-time students who have yet to enter the world of work) this is definitively no use to those requiring a practical manual that will help you to solve a real-world problem or implement a real-world database solution. I don't think it strives to be the latter and doesn't stake a claim to be such a work but the point needs to be made to ensure people do not purchase it under the assumption that it is something that it certainly is not.
If you want a hands-on, useful SQL primer, go for Ben Forta's "SQL in 10 minutes", or for a practical how-to book on starting out in database creation, try out George Hepworth's "Grover Park George On Access": what they lack in terms of relational calculus (find this in "Database Systems"!) they make up for in teaching you stuff you can actually use. You'll also save yourself a lot of cash.

Very good course book, 08 Feb 2005
This book is well written and aimed at those with little or no prior knowledge of databases (e.g. undergraduates). It goes from conceptual design right down to low level topics. I think the main strength of this book lies in its excellent examples. There are several case studies which are used very well to show practical examples of concepts described. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a text book on databases.

Database Systems - a student's view, 10 Mar 2004
For the most part, I found this book excellent. The text explanations are clear, thorough and easy to follow, and I would thoroughly recommend it on this basis.

The exercises for the chapters, however, are very poorly written. One or two questions in each of the exercises we have encountered so far in my class have been essentially meaningless, so if you are a teacher looking to set this text for a course, beware! Make sure that you read through and correct any ambiguous questions before you set them for your students.

To give an example, one question asks the student to write a SQL query to calculate "the average number of bookings for each hotel in August." Not the average number of bookings per night for each hotel in August, or the average number of bookings in August across all hotels, but essentially a figure which is not actually an average. Rather annoying.

But if you won't be following the exercises slavishly, this book is otherwise worth every penny.

excellent for all levels of SQL, 26 Jun 2003
This book was the recommended title for my second year university SQL module. I used it a s a complete newbie to SQL and found it incredibly helpful both at a basic descriptional level as well as at advanced level as I progressed. Focus is well split between essential coceptual/logical design, normalisation etc as well as actual code syntax. Absolutely essential reference for anyone using or considering using SQL (includes DBMS specific instructions too for MS Access and Oracle for example as well).

Really excellent. Clear and interesting., 02 Aug 2008
Yeah this is awesome. It can't be easy to make an instruction manual for an operating system interesting, but the author does it somehow. And the detail is great. I've been able to tell experienced MAC OS users a thing or two from having read this book. Recommended.

A must buy for any mac owner, 25 Jun 2008
Having recently taken the plunge to buy my first Mac computer, although the operating system (Leopard) is easy to use, the way of doing things is slightly different. To help me fully migrate, I purchased this book.

This book is a mine of information covering all aspects of the Mac OS, from the very little things like minimising windows to the more complex things like Automation etc. It explains everything in great detail and has lots of screen grabs and illustrations to help. It is clearly laid out and very well indexed, so if you are stuck on an item, you can find the solution rapidly.

This book resides by my computer "just in case" and is highly recommended.

Also, the book is that thick, that you can even use it as a step ladder when not needed.

Great Value!!!!!!, 30 May 2008
I bought this as a complete novice to Apple Macs...it's very very informative and in a language that I can understand! I would really recommend this as the information on different aspects of the Leopard platform are endless....Excellent value for money!

Bulky guide but useful, 30 Apr 2008
As a new migrant from Windows XP, I had absolutely no idea how clever the Mac OS X Leopard operating system was until I picked up this book. There are so many hidden features that it takes a serious user manual to ferret them out. Unfortunately, Apple provide just a tiny little white booklet and expect you to spend hours online searching their website for tips. Call me old-fashioned but I prefer hard copy to flicking back and forth between help screens and the work I am doing (even if it is easier with a Mac than a PC).

The step by step instructions are particularly useful to those who are sitting in front of a Mac for the first time. There's also some useful information about third party software which can enhance a Mac further; for example, if the user wants to run Windows alongside Mac OS X on the same computer. There's also advice about customising Leopard as well.

Yes, this is a heavy book and, yes, it does become a little anecdotal in places, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to unleash the full power of Leopard.

Makes OS X seem complicated, 29 Apr 2008
I have to admit I'm not used to reading this sort of thing, but this author - to me - has gone so far in the 'make it easy to read' plan that it's pretty hard going. I'm fairly convinced that if it had been written properly it would be around a third of the size; there's so much condescending (and misleading) chit-chat to work through that it gets tedious to read page to page, and it's badly enough organised that it's impossible to skim-read to find what you're after. In fact, OS X is rather simpler to get to grips with than the book is - just poke about in the OS until you find what you're looking for.
There is some useful information in there, but it's very well hidden.

Top Book, 27 Feb 2008
This is by far the best Dreamweaver book I've come across, its made a huge difference to the quality of the sites I build, The CSS tutorials are spot on and make you pick up things you thought were not possible. The author has a great understanding of how a 'rookie' web designer thinks and feels so hats of.

Well Structured, Well documented, informative and enjoyable read, 17 Feb 2008
This is one of the better computer books Ive come across in a longtime. As a beginner to modern web development , I found the structure, content , and style of writing to be very helpful in my efforts to understand an idiosyncratic (to me) non-WYSIWYG piece of software. In particular the walk thru tutorials were helpful. Be advised however, that to create a decent looking site, you will also have to go through the same learning curve in Adobe Flash, and Adobe Photoshop / Paintshop, in order to make your sites at least semi presentable. And throw a microsoft course in ASP.net in there too.

A Great Help In My Study's, 24 Jan 2008
I have recently started a Dreamweaver CS3 College Course. I purchased CS3 The Missing Manual as an added extra for my course. There are alot of different books to choose from on this particular subject so I scoured the internet and did a bit of research. Dreamweaver cs3 the missing manual and dynamic cs3 seemed about the best on all the reviews. Im so glad that I chose CS3 The Missing Manual. There is plenty of important and handy information in this book, from basic web design to advanced Web design and practically everything in between. I often get stuck on questions on my CS3 College course and revert to The Missing Manual. You can pretty much garantee that the book will resolve the problems along the way. I would say that The Missing Manual is extremely helpful.

Buy this book!, 12 Oct 2007
Having gone through 'Dreamweaver CS3 Classroom in a Book' (twice) and 'Dreamweaver CS3 for Dummies', 'The Missing Manual' is the only one I'd recommend; meaty (995 pages) but readable and clearly explained with good (downloadable) tutorials.

Well written, clear, informative and interesting!, 02 Oct 2007
I have had this book for a month now and have only recently started using it and I must say it is extremely well written and enjoyable to read and use! You can dip in on subjects or wade your way through it. I've already picked up lots of tips to help streamline my web design and the explanation of the Spry tools is excellent especially as I'd never come across it before! Tabbed webpages a doddle, data display manipulation a godsend and so on. The book really does walk you through and doesn't assume that you know everything about the task you want to do.

Even if you know Dreamweaver well, there is sure to be something in this book you didn't know about! I fully agree that the title - The Missing Manual - is well warranted!

***Errata - have now finished the book, yes, finished all 995 pages and it stays good to the end! Buy it and use it! ***

The bible for writing high quality software, 09 Sep 2008
Uncle Bob (Robert C. Martin) is a recognized expert in todays world of software development. His books "Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns and Practices" and "Agile Principles, Patterns and Practices in C#" should by now be well known by the majority of serious java and C# developers. I read the latter last year, and I was blown away by Uncle Bob's insight into the process of writing software in a manner, that more or less guarantees success for both the customer and the development company.

When "Clean Code" was published I rushed to buy it, and again I am in awe!

This book book hits the nail on why so many software development projects ends up in pain for the developers as the code rots and becomes unmaintainable. Not only are the symptoms cleary described and analyzed, Uncle Bob also provides the remedy. By breaking down the process of cleaning up code into detecting very specific "smells" and heuristics, and by supplying the reader the tools to fix the problems in the software, the reader automatically becomes empowered, inspired and motivated to go and clean up his or her mess.

I strongly believe, that if all developers were to read this book and start living by the rules stated within, life would improve for every single developer, customers would be able to purchase very high quality software products a lot cheaper, and everyone would benefit.

My applause to Uncle Bob - Thank you for this fantastic work of art!

A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.

Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.

I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.

This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.

In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:

Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.

The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.

Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.

It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.

Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.

The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.

My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.

Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!

excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.

There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.

One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.

Strongly recommended.

I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.

Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.

It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.

The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.

Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.

It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.


CSS The missing manual, 29 Sep 2008
What a great book on CSS. If you are a beginner like me, this is a must, but you should have some idea of html, even if your knowledge is basic. I started with Dreamweaver CS3 the missing manual, and I haven't looked back.
Thanks Mr Mcfarland. Great Book!!

A joy to read, 26 Sep 2008
I think this is one of the best technical books I've ever read and it's done with style and humour. I started the book with some very basic knowledge of CSS and finished it feeling far more confident. The structure of the book is excellent with each chapter having an introduction to the topic that you can read anywhere and then ending with an exercise where you put the knowledge into practice.

Don't hesistate. If you want to learn CSS then this is the book you should get.

Top CSS book, 19 Jul 2008
I have been a student web designer for a few years never touching the coding side of it because well... it scared me. I ended up realising that if I wanted a job as a web designer I needed to learn at least the basics of XHTML and CSS. I started by taking out 'The visual quickstart guide to HTML, XHTML & CSS' from the library. This was a good basic book that got me to grips with it very quickly. As I had to return it after a week I bought CSS The missing manual based on the reviews here.

I prefer it to the quickstart guide as the author explanations are more in-depth, he explains why certain rules get inherited and others don't. However I am glad I had the quickstart book first as it explained more about HTML than this book does. I think if you are completely new to HTML as well as CSS maybe another book is more suited. If you know the basics( and it can be the very basics) of HTML then this book is perfect for teaching you how to use CSS along side HTML for best results.

The books chapters are spit into theory and practical. You will have to read a few pages of explanation and then put that in practise using downloaded html files from the website. This really suited my style of learning. Having a written explanation before the practical also allows it to became a reference book once you have finished the book.

There is also a chapter near the end for people with Dreamweaver showing you how to add CSS in the design view.

Big thumbs up from me. I am currently turning image based websites into fully functioning CSS sites. The only downside is that I'm more of a geek than I was before.

A "Must Have", 09 May 2008
I wouldn't recommend it to a raw beginner as it does jump in pretty quickly, but I've got a (very) basic grounding on CSS and found it excellent.
The chapters are sensibly organised, the text is easy to read (for font, style and grammar), there's a humour through it to keep it light, and it even suggests that you might want to skip some bits because they're not essential. The tutorials add to the same 'tutorial site' throughout the whole book, so as you work through the chapters there's continuity in the tutorials and you can really see the effects of what you've learned at the end of each chapter.
This book has got the info I need, and has the feel of being written by a programmer who's read many a manual in his time and has now written the book we've all been looking for, in the format we want.
I've since purchased 3 other books from the missing manual series and would recommend all of them.

Excellent "learning" book, 24 Apr 2008
This book really is very well laid out.

The tutorials take you through the concepts step by step so you can see the effect of each of the rules you enter, and show you why certain rules work in certain ways thus doing a great job of de-mistifying CSS.

The book is also chock-full of URLs for resources and further details on the techniques.

All in all, one of the best coding books I've ever purchased.