Customer Reviews

Microsoft® Site Server 3 Bible

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I bought this book with hopes of learning how to install and configure Microsoft Site Server 3.0 . I also expected it to be a good reference for troubleshooting problems.

The book can help you install and configure Site Server, but if you run into a problem don't expect to find the solution in the book. I ran into a problem with the Membership Directory Manager in Site Server. The book provided no help on solving problems, it assumes you will have an error free configuration.

It also doesn't warn you about some possible pitfalls. I wanted to setup Search, and I followed the directions exactly as illustrated in the book. When I was done, Site Server could not catalog my site. After about four hours of trying to figure out the problem, I realized Search could not crawl my web site because I hadn't turned on directory browsing within Internet Information Server. The book never mentioned that this could cause a problem.

The book is 950 pages long and over 350 of those pages are devoted to the setting up Commerce. If you don't have Site Server 3.0 Commerce Edition then your really going to be getting only 650 pages. This is not a bible, and it's not for beginners. Site Server is an advanced product, and requires a lot of expertise to implement.

If you're desperate for some information on how to install and configure Site Server 3.0, buy this book. If you're looking for answers to real problems about Site Server 3.0, you should look elsewhere.

Overall the book is very good at taking you through the steps to complete the site you create. Its very bad however at helping you troubleshoot when things don't go as planned. Perhaps some if this happens, do this type help. It also doesn't go into customizing the code to change how the site looks and operates.

"Bible" is a bit strong.. This is more like a quick start guide with a bunch of screen shots. The book shows you how to install it and work with the sample sites, but really doesn't have the depth that you need to understand what site server is capable of doing. I hope there are better books out there than this one.

This book discusses implementing Site Server (which is well documented already), and then barely touches on the most complex part - coding the Personalization and Membership functions for your site. Get the book by Wrox publishers instead!

This book is good for beginers or reviewers, but it doesn't get deeply in the P&M stuff, that is the core of Site Server. Most of the book content is available in the product documentation.

This book gives a step-by-step overview of Site Server features and administration for those unfamiliar with Site Server. Highly recommend it for those that need to set up, administer or evaluate Site Server 3.

Going through the Site Server documentation does not give a thorough understanding of each component or their relationship to the whole. This book ties them together nicely. Don't expect to know how to code an ASP page for use with Site Server when done, or how to fully leverage Site Server. Just expect a very good launching pad. After reading this book, the Site Server documentation will make a lot more sense.

I found the book to be an excellent introduction to Site Server (for beginners); but as a developer of these types of sites I require more in-depth technical direction and knowledge.

This book is a good start to understand Site Server and its features. The book as a whole is well organized. It is not a programmers guide, but is definitely the right book for beginners.

I bought this book to get more of what is included in the product documentation. I found out the book is merely paraphrasing the Site Server Documentation. It really did not allow me to move forward. I am still looking for a good Site Server Book.