Customer Reviews

MySQL Crash Course

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've previously stated that I am glad to see good books on advanced MySQL usage appearing such as Pro MySQL, High Performance MySQL and the like. Well, now there is a book that makes be glad to see good books for beginners: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as3&path=ASIN/0672327120&tag=vbmysqlcom-20&camp=211189&creative=373489">MySQL Crash Course by Ben Forta</a>.

While experienced MySQL users should steer clear of this book, MySQL Crash Course is an excellent book for the beginner. It starts right from the basics, talking about what a database is, what SQL is, what MySQL is, then hits the ground running talking about constructing queries, sorting, using functions, etc.

The book has a good, easy to read format for each section that discusses the purpose of the section, shows a sample query, its output, and an analysis. The book wisely hides the advanced details not relevant to the beginner (such as no discussion of isolation levels in the section on transactions, just the basics of BEGIN, COMMIT, ROLLBACK, etc) and sticks to the facts for the version it is targeted against (MySQL 5.0, with sections on triggers and stored procedures).

It was nice to see that the book even covers areas such as the aforementioned stored procedures and triggers, along with views and basic maintenance and performance tuning sections.

All in all, MySQL Crash Course by Ben Forta looks like an excellent book for the beginning users just getting started with MySQL and perhaps SQL in general.

Anyone who wants to understand MySQL MUST buy this book. Even if you're not the hard core programmer, but - like me - just "heavy uses" PHP/MySQL apps like the great "Drupal" CMS (http://www.drupal.org)! I have had quite some books on SQL, but this is the best introduction ever. Most books tend to be quite heavy on the reader, especially if you have to get to know MySQL while at the same time being busy with your every day job. This one however I started reading on a half hour plane ride, and finished off at night in front of the TV and in just that one single day I had found the key to MySQL! Go buy it!

Ben Forta is easily the most readable and to-the-point technical writer I know of. He includes all the right details at the right time. Example: all the books tell you how to do selects and how to create databases and tables, but the bury the simple detail of how to CONNECT to a database. Do you have any idea how many sql books neglect this extraordinarily important point? In ben's book it's right up front. And that's only one example. Buy the book for yourself and see.

If you are fairly familiar with the concept of a database, this book could very well be all you need to get going. My issue with it is that it skimps on some of the very basic stuff. For example, it never goes over the syntax of the create call for creating a database, doesn't explain calling mysql at the command prompt as a particular user, gives you 11 chapters on manipulating data before showing you how to create a table, waits for chapter 28 to mention administering users, and puts datatypes in the appendix. These are the first things I wanted to learn. By the time I was done googling these concepts, I got pretty good at mySql and knew where to find better resources. At that point, the book became a very light reference.

Finally, a book on MySQL that actually works for the beginner. I'm a designer, not a developer. I need real world metaphors and clear definitions. Forta not only holds my hand, he speaks clearly. Excellent for those who need a "Crash Course".

Ben Forta's technical writing abilities have always turned seemingly complex material into an easily-understood format. He delivers yet again with his latest book, "MySQL Crash Course".

Ben explains why you should choose MySQL, how to install it, how to use it, and how to improve its performance.

But that's just a portion of what this book covers. Ben also goes into detail on basic database design, SQL, Stored Procedures, Views, Triggers, Datatypes, all of course, geared toward MySQL.

I liked the SAMS format, and the "Tips" that went into even further detail on specific topics. I also thought the way he formatted the INPUT SQL code that went in, and the OUTPUT data that was generated. It made much clearer how his code actually worked.

Some of the detail in the book actually surprised me. It went into some of the more-complex table joins that you inevitably run into while working with databases and applications.

I didn't find any filler material ... every page contained important, worthwhile information.

I'll use this book not only as a MySQL resource, but also as a good reference for SQL and datatypes. Everything is well-organized, so you can quickly find what you need, and

get back to coding.

It'll have its spot beside my other Forta books. Thank you for another great book Ben, and thanks for making programming much easier for me to understand!

Great book to get you start into mysql. Very good examples and explanations. rather basic in some things, but overall it is worth the money. I got this book and O'Reilly's "MySQL cookbook". A good combination, that got me started with MySQL in no time. Mind you, I knew all the relational database stuff and sql queries already, but didn't know the specifics of MySQL. I was working with MS Access, but Access cannot handle large amounts of data I needed to upload for data mining projects. MySQL is just great -and free. These two books are excellent. I highly recommend them.

This is a good starter book, and I bought it thinking it would be a good supplement to O'Reilly's Learning SQL version. Since I started with the O'Reilly version first, this book was relatively useless to me.

If you desire a book that takes you deeper into joins and specifics, this is not the one you want. This book is only good for a very low level of understanding and you would need many more examples with other books to fully understand the sql language and using it with MySQL.

As an alternative, Barnes and Nobles sells their published version of computer language and application books, I believe it is named SQL in Easy Steps, is a much better guide on the SQL language and using MySQL, but taught only through the command line unlike this book which suggests the Query Browser.

I am a PHP guy not a database guy. I know what I want to do most of the time but I don't know the exact syntax. This book is great, quick reference for just that. I use it probably 3-5 times a day. Great book for a reference!

If MySQL will suite your needs then this book is for you. I read the book cover-to-cover in my downtime at work over a few days and walked away with a solid understanding of MySQL.
Unfortunately MySQL isn't the most mature database solution, but if it's good enough for your project, then this is a great resource.