Customer Reviews

Beginning SQL Server 2000 Programming

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bought this book as I know nothing about SQL Server 2000, or any database. Found it was written at an easy pace but great attention to detail which made everything real clear.

Found I was up and running in hours and enough in the book to get me far enough so I could do what I needed to do, quickly. However, dont be fooled. It didnt treat me as stupid! It also gave me a lot of info which makes me no longer a beginner. Also cool that it had an evaluation copy of SQL Server.

I dont normally like Wrox (too big!) but this might change my mind and swap over to them. Recommend it to those who know databases or not. Well done!

Just moving across from Access to SQL Server and I found this a brilliant book. Starting from the installation, through creating a database onwards it covers every aspect.The best part is that the book covers the same area from every angle so I could choose which method from the choices SQL Server 2000 gives me, suits me best. I didnt know which book to buy on the shelves in the book store, but from just opening the book at random pages the author had a great style of writing.

If you are a beginner, then this is for you! This book take you from the SQL installation to data manipulation in a professional style. Once you finish it, you can really claimed that you know SQL 2000. In addition, this book provide you a lot of useful resources, such as other books and websites, for you to extend the SQL knowledge.

I'm really torn between giving this book 3 stars or 4 stars. I decided to give it 3 because it did not live up to the expectations of the other Wrox Beginning titles that I have read.

The good stuff is that it shows a tremendous amount on using Enterprise Manager to do stuff more easily. It also provides a decent overview of all things related to SQL Server. I really liked the chapter on creating a database maintenance plan.

The bad stuff is that it covers everything in minimalist detail. The book has a repetitive them, which is "You will learn a lot more by reading Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming". I decided that since I already knew the small amount of detail that was presented in the book, I would jump ahead and read Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming to just save time. I have just started that book today, but it looks to be much more promising. Another thing that really bothered me about this book was that it didn't follow the Wrox Beginning formula. The book started out the right way, saying we would build a database application for a golf league, but we never really completed the application. I think a better format for the book would be to get all of the business rules, complete the application in its entirety and add sample data. Enforcing business rules by using SQL Server technologies along the way would be a great way to develop a real application and give a good introduction to SQL Server programming. The book was pretty light on programming as well, mostly just introducing concepts but not doing much implementation.

To summarize, if you want a good general overview of SQL Server 2000 with minimal coverage of programming (just the highlights) then this book could be a good fit for you. Based on the small amount of information I have read in Professional SQL Server 2000 Programming, I would recommend that you just jump into that book instead, especially if you already have some SQL Server experience.

This is an excellent book for learning to install, configure and manage SQL Server. However, the the title is a little misleading. The empasis not programming but admin. The few programming examples included are so intermingled with the admin stuff that they are hard to follow. This book will quickly get you to the point that you can start programming, but you need another book to go beyond that point.

Coming from Access I needed to move to SQL Server and this is the second book I bought on the subject. By far this is the better of the 2. Brilliant style of writing and I got up to speed very quickly. I also bought the Pro SQL Server book, which is not for beginners but there are areas now two months on within that book that it too is now becoming useful. Buying the 2 books together is the right move. However for beginners this is the book to get rather than the Professional.
Well done Wrox and well done to the author for a useful compendium.

This book is a good starting point programmers who are familiar with other databases but want to learn about SQL Server 2000. This book includes a 120-day evaluation copy of SQL Server 2000, and the author guides us through, installation and configuration of our first database. In the process, we learn how to use the Enterprise Manager and Query Analyzer programs for database development.

Unfortuantely, the section on primary keys and unique constraints is weak. And, the author's coverage of triggers
is confusing. You'll have to find another book to supplement these sections if you have not yet mastered these concepts.

I went through three books (Learning SQL Server in 21 Days, SQL Server Programming by Microsoft, SQL Server 2000 for Visual Basic Developers) before I got to this one. This book beats all those others hands down. This is definitely the best book to get on learning SQL Server for beginners. It touches on all the areas you need to know to become proficient in managing your databases. I highly recommend it.

Wow...after learning SQL7 onthejob, I thought the move to SQL2000 would be a snap...and was I wrong. But bought this book, read it -- devoured it, got the client up and running fine and used it as my major learning tool to pass 70-229, the MS exam that I needed for my MCSD certification...and I passed!

Great book Robin, now how about I send you what I'm sitting for next and you crank out the book? <sigh> It'd be nice, but I guess not!

Seriously, if you wanna learn SQL2000, then get this book!

Jim

Nice all around book for getting to know SQL. Covers all the bases. Basic database administration, inserting, updating, and deleting data, views, stored procedures, triggers and XML.

My only complaint is that the grammar is a little rough in spots. On at least a handful of occasions I found myself trying to mentally rebuild a sentence due to words being left out or misplaced.