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.

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.


Great little book, 12 Jun 2008
I bought this book because I am a programmer and need to interact with SQL on a daily basis. However...I do not want to know the fine grain details about database management systems. This is a great little book. It is very easy to read and met my needs perfectly. The samples are all easily achievable in 10 minutes, just like it says on the cover. This makes them very easy to scan over for a refresher when you are trying to work out a solution to a problem. It does not go into great details on the more advanced topics, however it does offer a primer on some of them such as transactions and cursors. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It won't make you a SQL pro...but it will definitely make you more comfortable in common situations using this query language.

Perfect for beginners, 19 Apr 2008
This is the best book I have seen for people learning SQL from scratch. It takes you through the basics very quickly without assuming prior knowledge. Recommended for anyone with little or no prior SQL experience. You may want a basic SQL reference book to complement it.

You are better off with online tutorials, 27 Jan 2008
I recently wrote a simple database application for a hobby use. I have previous experience with SQL, but I wanted a handy reference to remind me of the basics. Time and time again I found this book useless, and resorted to an online search. I found the organisation of the book odd. If you want to create a simple application to learn with, you have to start from the back, as he tells you how to create a database and tables at the end.

Good Basic Introduction, 10 Dec 2007
This book is a great place to start for SQL. It tells you pretty much everything you are going to need to know for basic database usage. The later chapters on more advanced features such as triggers and stored procedures aren't massively useful as they don't go into enough depth but the author does say that they are only really intended to give you an idea of what you can do, not how to do it.

This book isn't going to teach you everything you need to know about SQL but it will give you the basics quickly and painlessly.


A great (if not simplistic) reference, 19 Jun 2007
This is a great reference for those starting out with SQL, or those just looking for a quick reference book to keep on their desks.

Don't be mistaken tho, it's by no means a complete reference, and doesn't cover any of the advanced SQL, but it's explanation of triggers, stored procedures, and transactions is a great reference to get around those mental syntax blocks

PHP and MySQL Web Development introduces readers (who are assumed to have little or no experience with the title subjects) to PHP and MySQL for the purpose of creating dynamic Internet sites. It teaches the same skills as introductory Active Server Pages (ASP) and ColdFusion books--technologies which address the same niche.

Authors Luke Welling and Laura Thomson's technique aims to get readers going on their own projects as soon as possible. They present easily digestible sections on specific technical processes--"Accessing Array Contents" and "Using Encryption with PHP" are two examples. Each section centres on a sample program that strips the task at hand down to its essentials, enabling the reader to fit the process into his or her own solutions as required. Tables that list options and other nuggets of reference material appear as well, but the many examples and the authors' commentary on them take centre stage.

For reference material on MySQL, have a look at Paul DuBois's MySQL. On the PHP side, Web Application Development with PHP4 is excellent. --David Wall

Topics covered:

• The MySQL Database Server (for both Unix and Windows)
• Accessing MySQL Databases Through PHP Scripting (the letters don't really stand for anything)
• Database Creation and Modification
• PHP Tricks in Order of Increasing Complexity--everything from basic SQL queries to secure transactions for commerce
• Authentication
• Network Connectivity
• Session Management
• Content Customisation

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.


Great little book, 12 Jun 2008
I bought this book because I am a programmer and need to interact with SQL on a daily basis. However...I do not want to know the fine grain details about database management systems. This is a great little book. It is very easy to read and met my needs perfectly. The samples are all easily achievable in 10 minutes, just like it says on the cover. This makes them very easy to scan over for a refresher when you are trying to work out a solution to a problem. It does not go into great details on the more advanced topics, however it does offer a primer on some of them such as transactions and cursors. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It won't make you a SQL pro...but it will definitely make you more comfortable in common situations using this query language.

Perfect for beginners, 19 Apr 2008
This is the best book I have seen for people learning SQL from scratch. It takes you through the basics very quickly without assuming prior knowledge. Recommended for anyone with little or no prior SQL experience. You may want a basic SQL reference book to complement it.

You are better off with online tutorials, 27 Jan 2008
I recently wrote a simple database application for a hobby use. I have previous experience with SQL, but I wanted a handy reference to remind me of the basics. Time and time again I found this book useless, and resorted to an online search. I found the organisation of the book odd. If you want to create a simple application to learn with, you have to start from the back, as he tells you how to create a database and tables at the end.

Good Basic Introduction, 10 Dec 2007
This book is a great place to start for SQL. It tells you pretty much everything you are going to need to know for basic database usage. The later chapters on more advanced features such as triggers and stored procedures aren't massively useful as they don't go into enough depth but the author does say that they are only really intended to give you an idea of what you can do, not how to do it.

This book isn't going to teach you everything you need to know about SQL but it will give you the basics quickly and painlessly.


A great (if not simplistic) reference, 19 Jun 2007
This is a great reference for those starting out with SQL, or those just looking for a quick reference book to keep on their desks.

Don't be mistaken tho, it's by no means a complete reference, and doesn't cover any of the advanced SQL, but it's explanation of triggers, stored procedures, and transactions is a great reference to get around those mental syntax blocks

Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.

If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.

Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.

I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.

I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.

I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.

It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.

Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.

Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.

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.


Great little book, 12 Jun 2008
I bought this book because I am a programmer and need to interact with SQL on a daily basis. However...I do not want to know the fine grain details about database management systems. This is a great little book. It is very easy to read and met my needs perfectly. The samples are all easily achievable in 10 minutes, just like it says on the cover. This makes them very easy to scan over for a refresher when you are trying to work out a solution to a problem. It does not go into great details on the more advanced topics, however it does offer a primer on some of them such as transactions and cursors. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It won't make you a SQL pro...but it will definitely make you more comfortable in common situations using this query language.

Perfect for beginners, 19 Apr 2008
This is the best book I have seen for people learning SQL from scratch. It takes you through the basics very quickly without assuming prior knowledge. Recommended for anyone with little or no prior SQL experience. You may want a basic SQL reference book to complement it.

You are better off with online tutorials, 27 Jan 2008
I recently wrote a simple database application for a hobby use. I have previous experience with SQL, but I wanted a handy reference to remind me of the basics. Time and time again I found this book useless, and resorted to an online search. I found the organisation of the book odd. If you want to create a simple application to learn with, you have to start from the back, as he tells you how to create a database and tables at the end.

Good Basic Introduction, 10 Dec 2007
This book is a great place to start for SQL. It tells you pretty much everything you are going to need to know for basic database usage. The later chapters on more advanced features such as triggers and stored procedures aren't massively useful as they don't go into enough depth but the author does say that they are only really intended to give you an idea of what you can do, not how to do it.

This book isn't going to teach you everything you need to know about SQL but it will give you the basics quickly and painlessly.


A great (if not simplistic) reference, 19 Jun 2007
This is a great reference for those starting out with SQL, or those just looking for a quick reference book to keep on their desks.

Don't be mistaken tho, it's by no means a complete reference, and doesn't cover any of the advanced SQL, but it's explanation of triggers, stored procedures, and transactions is a great reference to get around those mental syntax blocks

Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.

If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.

Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.

I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.

I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.

I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.

It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.

Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.

Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.

Excellent Book a Real Must to Have, 23 Nov 2007
This is a really good book, clear and precise. It makes even the difficult tasks look easy!

Good introduction and great value for money., 10 Mar 2004
I have just upgraded from Access 97 to Access to 2003 and I was looking for something new to guide me through the changes. I was suprised that I walked out of the bookshop with this rather than one of the usual suspects. At 766 pages long this book describes itself as a desktop reference and nine books in one. I am not sure I agree completely with those statements. However it goes much further than the normal "Dummies" series by covering Access in impressive detail without losing the clarity which makes the series deservedly popular. This is a really good introduction to Access and, when combined with the price, I would highly recommend it for new starters.

Ace your preparation for the skills measured by MCTS Exam 70-431 and on the job. Work at your own pace through a series of lessons and reviews that fully cover each exam objective. Then, reinforce what you've learned by applying your knowledge to real-wor

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.


Great little book, 12 Jun 2008
I bought this book because I am a programmer and need to interact with SQL on a daily basis. However...I do not want to know the fine grain details about database management systems. This is a great little book. It is very easy to read and met my needs perfectly. The samples are all easily achievable in 10 minutes, just like it says on the cover. This makes them very easy to scan over for a refresher when you are trying to work out a solution to a problem. It does not go into great details on the more advanced topics, however it does offer a primer on some of them such as transactions and cursors. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It won't make you a SQL pro...but it will definitely make you more comfortable in common situations using this query language.

Perfect for beginners, 19 Apr 2008
This is the best book I have seen for people learning SQL from scratch. It takes you through the basics very quickly without assuming prior knowledge. Recommended for anyone with little or no prior SQL experience. You may want a basic SQL reference book to complement it.

You are better off with online tutorials, 27 Jan 2008
I recently wrote a simple database application for a hobby use. I have previous experience with SQL, but I wanted a handy reference to remind me of the basics. Time and time again I found this book useless, and resorted to an online search. I found the organisation of the book odd. If you want to create a simple application to learn with, you have to start from the back, as he tells you how to create a database and tables at the end.

Good Basic Introduction, 10 Dec 2007
This book is a great place to start for SQL. It tells you pretty much everything you are going to need to know for basic database usage. The later chapters on more advanced features such as triggers and stored procedures aren't massively useful as they don't go into enough depth but the author does say that they are only really intended to give you an idea of what you can do, not how to do it.

This book isn't going to teach you everything you need to know about SQL but it will give you the basics quickly and painlessly.


A great (if not simplistic) reference, 19 Jun 2007
This is a great reference for those starting out with SQL, or those just looking for a quick reference book to keep on their desks.

Don't be mistaken tho, it's by no means a complete reference, and doesn't cover any of the advanced SQL, but it's explanation of triggers, stored procedures, and transactions is a great reference to get around those mental syntax blocks

Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.

If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.

Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.

I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.

I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.

I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.

It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.

Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.

Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.

Excellent Book a Real Must to Have, 23 Nov 2007
This is a really good book, clear and precise. It makes even the difficult tasks look easy!

Good introduction and great value for money., 10 Mar 2004
I have just upgraded from Access 97 to Access to 2003 and I was looking for something new to guide me through the changes. I was suprised that I walked out of the bookshop with this rather than one of the usual suspects. At 766 pages long this book describes itself as a desktop reference and nine books in one. I am not sure I agree completely with those statements. However it goes much further than the normal "Dummies" series by covering Access in impressive detail without losing the clarity which makes the series deservedly popular. This is a really good introduction to Access and, when combined with the price, I would highly recommend it for new starters.

Not so easy to follow, 17 Sep 2008
I found this book is quite hard to follow. This is my very first SQL server book, and I was lost just in the first couple of the lessons. The author probably expected the readers to have a good knowledge about the system already, so there are not enough screen shots to guide you.

Plain English (not), 21 Aug 2008
This book is very dry and hard to read, some of the text is pure gobbledygook. It also assumes you have knowledge of some of the subjects it teaches. This is supposed to be a training course!

Is summary I wish I had spent my money on something else.


Not Impressed!!, 03 Mar 2008
Honestly - utter rubbish!!
There is several times ive read chapters and not known what the hell they are talking about. They do alot of 'Then all you have to do is close this' without actually telling you what the hell THIS is or wher to find it!!!!I'm already a dba on SQL Server 2000 so i though this would be a good top up!!! Ive gone back to googling the chapeters and reading up somewhere(anywhere) else....

It's an IT textbook, 29 Jan 2008
This is my first Microsoft Press textbook/training kit for an exam - and this is exactly what is focuses on - getting you through the exam.

It's very dry (and rather boring), and I much preferred reading the Wrox books Beginning SQL Server 2005 Administration, and then Professional SQL Server 2005 Administration (which appear to be comprehensive as well as being more readable).

Still, this book comes with a CD for 180 trial licence for SQL Server 2005 - and a Measure Up CD with exam simulation software.



Good training guide, poor as a reference book, 11 Sep 2006
These books have a tough expectation list as people want them to provide all they need to know to get through the associated examination and be a first class refernce book. The five-star rating applies to the former of these requirements as this is the market the book is aimed at. Having sat the examination I can say that all of the questions were answered in the book - and from previous exposure to these books that is not normally the case.

As a reference book it fails, simply because it is not intended as such and more obviously because to cover all the topics adequately it would have to be five times as long. That said, the section on Service Broker is way too vague - the knowledge it imparts will get you through the examination but will leave you floundering in the real world.

Use the book to pass the exam and to introduce you to the new technologies - look elsewhere for more in-depth practical (i.e real world) material.

[...]

Learn everything you need to know for working with Microsoft Office Access 2007 - from the inside out! This book packs hundreds of time-saving solutions, troubleshooting tips, and workarounds for using Office Access 2007 - all in concise, fast-answer form

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.


Great little book, 12 Jun 2008
I bought this book because I am a programmer and need to interact with SQL on a daily basis. However...I do not want to know the fine grain details about database management systems. This is a great little book. It is very easy to read and met my needs perfectly. The samples are all easily achievable in 10 minutes, just like it says on the cover. This makes them very easy to scan over for a refresher when you are trying to work out a solution to a problem. It does not go into great details on the more advanced topics, however it does offer a primer on some of them such as transactions and cursors. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It won't make you a SQL pro...but it will definitely make you more comfortable in common situations using this query language.

Perfect for beginners, 19 Apr 2008
This is the best book I have seen for people learning SQL from scratch. It takes you through the basics very quickly without assuming prior knowledge. Recommended for anyone with little or no prior SQL experience. You may want a basic SQL reference book to complement it.

You are better off with online tutorials, 27 Jan 2008
I recently wrote a simple database application for a hobby use. I have previous experience with SQL, but I wanted a handy reference to remind me of the basics. Time and time again I found this book useless, and resorted to an online search. I found the organisation of the book odd. If you want to create a simple application to learn with, you have to start from the back, as he tells you how to create a database and tables at the end.

Good Basic Introduction, 10 Dec 2007
This book is a great place to start for SQL. It tells you pretty much everything you are going to need to know for basic database usage. The later chapters on more advanced features such as triggers and stored procedures aren't massively useful as they don't go into enough depth but the author does say that they are only really intended to give you an idea of what you can do, not how to do it.

This book isn't going to teach you everything you need to know about SQL but it will give you the basics quickly and painlessly.


A great (if not simplistic) reference, 19 Jun 2007
This is a great reference for those starting out with SQL, or those just looking for a quick reference book to keep on their desks.

Don't be mistaken tho, it's by no means a complete reference, and doesn't cover any of the advanced SQL, but it's explanation of triggers, stored procedures, and transactions is a great reference to get around those mental syntax blocks

Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.

If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.

Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.

I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.

I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.

I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.

It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.

Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.

Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.

Excellent Book a Real Must to Have, 23 Nov 2007
This is a really good book, clear and precise. It makes even the difficult tasks look easy!

Good introduction and great value for money., 10 Mar 2004
I have just upgraded from Access 97 to Access to 2003 and I was looking for something new to guide me through the changes. I was suprised that I walked out of the bookshop with this rather than one of the usual suspects. At 766 pages long this book describes itself as a desktop reference and nine books in one. I am not sure I agree completely with those statements. However it goes much further than the normal "Dummies" series by covering Access in impressive detail without losing the clarity which makes the series deservedly popular. This is a really good introduction to Access and, when combined with the price, I would highly recommend it for new starters.

Not so easy to follow, 17 Sep 2008
I found this book is quite hard to follow. This is my very first SQL server book, and I was lost just in the first couple of the lessons. The author probably expected the readers to have a good knowledge about the system already, so there are not enough screen shots to guide you.

Plain English (not), 21 Aug 2008
This book is very dry and hard to read, some of the text is pure gobbledygook. It also assumes you have knowledge of some of the subjects it teaches. This is supposed to be a training course!

Is summary I wish I had spent my money on something else.


Not Impressed!!, 03 Mar 2008
Honestly - utter rubbish!!
There is several times ive read chapters and not known what the hell they are talking about. They do alot of 'Then all you have to do is close this' without actually telling you what the hell THIS is or wher to find it!!!!I'm already a dba on SQL Server 2000 so i though this would be a good top up!!! Ive gone back to googling the chapeters and reading up somewhere(anywhere) else....

It's an IT textbook, 29 Jan 2008
This is my first Microsoft Press textbook/training kit for an exam - and this is exactly what is focuses on - getting you through the exam.

It's very dry (and rather boring), and I much preferred reading the Wrox books Beginning SQL Server 2005 Administration, and then Professional SQL Server 2005 Administration (which appear to be comprehensive as well as being more readable).

Still, this book comes with a CD for 180 trial licence for SQL Server 2005 - and a Measure Up CD with exam simulation software.



Good training guide, poor as a reference book, 11 Sep 2006
These books have a tough expectation list as people want them to provide all they need to know to get through the associated examination and be a first class refernce book. The five-star rating applies to the former of these requirements as this is the market the book is aimed at. Having sat the examination I can say that all of the questions were answered in the book - and from previous exposure to these books that is not normally the case.

As a reference book it fails, simply because it is not intended as such and more obviously because to cover all the topics adequately it would have to be five times as long. That said, the section on Service Broker is way too vague - the knowledge it imparts will get you through the examination but will leave you floundering in the real world.

Use the book to pass the exam and to introduce you to the new technologies - look elsewhere for more in-depth practical (i.e real world) material.

[...]

Inside Out, 18 May 2008
This book really goes Inside Out in access 2007, no stone is left unturned, the book is easy reading and goes through every function and tool access offers. Best book to learn all about access2007

Experience learning made easy - and quickly teach yourself how tobuild database solutions with Access 2007. With Step By Step youset the pace - building and practicing the skills you need justwhen you need them!

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.


Great little book, 12 Jun 2008
I bought this book because I am a programmer and need to interact with SQL on a daily basis. However...I do not want to know the fine grain details about database management systems. This is a great little book. It is very easy to read and met my needs perfectly. The samples are all easily achievable in 10 minutes, just like it says on the cover. This makes them very easy to scan over for a refresher when you are trying to work out a solution to a problem. It does not go into great details on the more advanced topics, however it does offer a primer on some of them such as transactions and cursors. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It won't make you a SQL pro...but it will definitely make you more comfortable in common situations using this query language.

Perfect for beginners, 19 Apr 2008
This is the best book I have seen for people learning SQL from scratch. It takes you through the basics very quickly without assuming prior knowledge. Recommended for anyone with little or no prior SQL experience. You may want a basic SQL reference book to complement it.

You are better off with online tutorials, 27 Jan 2008
I recently wrote a simple database application for a hobby use. I have previous experience with SQL, but I wanted a handy reference to remind me of the basics. Time and time again I found this book useless, and resorted to an online search. I found the organisation of the book odd. If you want to create a simple application to learn with, you have to start from the back, as he tells you how to create a database and tables at the end.

Good Basic Introduction, 10 Dec 2007
This book is a great place to start for SQL. It tells you pretty much everything you are going to need to know for basic database usage. The later chapters on more advanced features such as triggers and stored procedures aren't massively useful as they don't go into enough depth but the author does say that they are only really intended to give you an idea of what you can do, not how to do it.

This book isn't going to teach you everything you need to know about SQL but it will give you the basics quickly and painlessly.


A great (if not simplistic) reference, 19 Jun 2007
This is a great reference for those starting out with SQL, or those just looking for a quick reference book to keep on their desks.

Don't be mistaken tho, it's by no means a complete reference, and doesn't cover any of the advanced SQL, but it's explanation of triggers, stored procedures, and transactions is a great reference to get around those mental syntax blocks

Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.

If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.

Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.

I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.

I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.

I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.

It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.

A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.

Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.

Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.

Excellent Book a Real Must to Have, 23 Nov 2007
This is a really good book, clear and precise. It makes even the difficult tasks look easy!

Good introduction and great value for money., 10 Mar 2004
I have just upgraded from Access 97 to Access to 2003 and I was looking for something new to guide me through the changes. I was suprised that I walked out of the bookshop with this rather than one of the usual suspects. At 766 pages long this book describes itself as a desktop reference and nine books in one. I am not sure I agree completely with those statements. However it goes much further than the normal "Dummies" series by covering Access in impressive detail without losing the clarity which makes the series deservedly popular. This is a really good introduction to Access and, when combined with the price, I would highly recommend it for new starters.

Not so easy to follow, 17 Sep 2008
I found this book is quite hard to follow. This is my very first SQL server book, and I was lost just in the first couple of the lessons. The author probably expected the readers to have a good knowledge about the system already, so there are not enough screen shots to guide you.

Plain English (not), 21 Aug 2008
This book is very dry and hard to read, some of the text is pure gobbledygook. It also assumes you have knowledge of some of the subjects it teaches. This is supposed to be a training course!

Is summary I wish I had spent my money on something else.


Not Impressed!!, 03 Mar 2008
Honestly - utter rubbish!!
There is several times ive read chapters and not known what the hell they are talking about. They do alot of 'Then all you have to do is close this' without actually telling you what the hell THIS is or wher to find it!!!!I'm already a dba on SQL Server 2000 so i though this would be a good top up!!! Ive gone back to googling the chapeters and reading up somewhere(anywhere) else....

It's an IT textbook, 29 Jan 2008
This is my first Microsoft Press textbook/training kit for an exam - and this is exactly what is focuses on - getting you through the exam.

It's very dry (and rather boring), and I much preferred reading the Wrox books Beginning SQL Server 2005 Administration, and then Professional SQL Server 2005 Administration (which appear to be comprehensive as well as being more readable).

Still, this book comes with a CD for 180 trial licence for SQL Server 2005 - and a Measure Up CD with exam simulation software.



Good training guide, poor as a reference book, 11 Sep 2006
These books have a tough expectation list as people want them to provide all they need to know to get through the associated examination and be a first class refernce book. The five-star rating applies to the former of these requirements as this is the market the book is aimed at. Having sat the examination I can say that all of the questions were answered in the book - and from previous exposure to these books that is not normally the case.

As a reference book it fails, simply because it is not intended as such and more obviously because to cover all the topics adequately it would have to be five times as long. That said, the section on Service Broker is way too vague - the knowledge it imparts will get you through the examination but will leave you floundering in the real world.

Use the book to pass the exam and to introduce you to the new technologies - look elsewhere for more in-depth practical (i.e real world) material.

[...]

Inside Out, 18 May 2008
This book really goes Inside Out in access 2007, no stone is left unturned, the book is easy reading and goes through every function and tool access offers. Best book to learn all about access2007

Disapointing, 20 Dec 2007
An excellently written book with very user friendly practice files that walk you through creating forms, reports and some query functions.

However, once read I was still left with questions that I hoped the book would answer. How do you format a ribbon? Only 3 query types are covered and not enough attention is given to reports and forms.

For me, brushing up on access skills after 7 years, it got me back into Access but where is the sequel to finish the course?

I Had high hopes for this book but am disappointed.

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.


Great little book, 12 Jun 2008
I bought this book because I am a programmer and need to interact with SQL on a daily basis. However...I do not want to know the fine grain details about database management systems. This is a great little book. It is very easy to read and met my needs perfectly. The samples are all easily achievable in 10 minutes, just like it says on the cover. This makes them very easy to scan over for a refresher when you are trying to work out a solution to a problem. It does not go into great details on the more advanced topics, however it does offer a primer on some of them such as transactions and cursors. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It won't make you a SQL pro...but it will definitely make you more comfortable in common situations using this query language.

Perfect for beginners, 19 Apr 2008
This is the best book I have seen for people learning SQL from scratch. It takes you through the basics very quickly without assuming prior knowledge. Recommended for anyone with little or no prior SQL experience. You may want a basic SQL reference book to complement it.

You are better off with online tutorials, 27 Jan 2008
I recently wrote a simple database application for a hobby use. I have previous experience with SQL, but I wanted a handy reference to remind me of the basics. Time and time again I found this book useless, and resorted to an online search. I found the organisation of the book odd. If you want to create a simple application to learn with, you have to start from the back, as he tells you how to create a database and tables at the end.

Good Basic Introduction, 10 Dec 2007
This book is a gre