PHP Advanced for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickPro Guide [Paperback]

Larry Ullman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201775972 | ISBN-13: 978-0201775976 | Publication Date: December 18, 2001

PHP is a server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language. ItÕs frequently being used to replace the functionality created by Perl to write CGI scripts). Similar to both HTML and CGI, PHP is faster to program in and faster to execute than CGI. PHP was written specifically for Web site creation, unlike Perl, C, or Java. Companies such as Honda, Patagonia, and Zoom.com all have Web sites utilizing PHP. PHP Advanced for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickPro Guide consists of approximately fifteen chapters of step-by-step content, aimed at teaching specific topics in direct, focused segments. The scripts featured in this book are based on features and capabilities that current PHP users most frequently inquire about (e.g. sessions, authentication, and object-oriented programming). as well as detailing those technologies that will be more important in the future, such as XML and Wireless Access Protocols.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

PHP is a server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language. It's frequently being used to replace the functionality created by Perl to write CGI scripts). Similar to both HTML and CGI, PHP is faster to program in and faster to execute than CGI. PHP was written specifically for Web site creation, unlike Perl, C, or Java. Companies such as Honda, Patagonia, and Zoom all have Web sites utilizing PHP. PHP Advanced for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickPro Guide consists of approximately fifteen chapters of step-by-step content, aimed at teaching specific topics in direct, focused segments. The scripts featured in this book are based on features and capabilities that current PHP users most frequently inquire about (e.g. sessions, authentication, and object-oriented programming). as well as detailing those technologies that will be more important in the future, such as XML and Wireless Access Protocols.

About the Author

Larry Ullman, an experienced PHP programmer, is currently Lead Programmer at Com-Insights, a digital media services provider. He is the author of PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide and lives in State College, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Paperback: 520 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press (December 18, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201775972
• ISBN-13: 978-0201775976
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,060,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Despite having written many computer books, I have no formal computer training, save for one Pascal class way, way, way back in high school. So I like to say that I'm not a computer geek, although I can speak their language.

My formal education was in impractical knowledge: English literature, language, and writing; philosophy and religion (with a heavy emphasis on symbolic logic); and, Latin. As you can see, nothing really useful here. I guess what I did figure out is how to learn something new, how to synthesize all the information I come across, and how to communicate what I've learned in a clear and effective manner.

Since college I've worked at a national bookstore chain, at the main library at Georgetown University, and then for DMC Insights, Inc. I started as the head of the Digital Media Technologies department, where my main focus was on developing dynamic Web sites. I've since been promoted to President of the company, but that's not as impressive as it may sound! Most of my time is spent writing (books and articles), teaching (online and in small group settings), and actually using the technologies that I write about and teach.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Barely "Advanced", maybe Intermediate, June 3, 2003

By 

"grumpychris" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: PHP Advanced for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickPro Guide (Paperback)

I've gotten to the point now after 3 years of PHP coding that I can write database based applications in my sleep. I'm familiar with at least 60% of the non-database related PHP functions. I consider myself an advanced PHP programmer.

When I read through this book, I found myself wanting more. Sure, it opened my eyes up to a few functions I wasn't familiar with (such as using true type fonts for images), but I found it to be lacking overall. I was surprised that the ob_start()/ob_get_contents() related functions weren't even mentioned with the ultra basic templating class used at the beginning of the book. Nor was custom error handling even touched on.

That's not to say that the book doesn't have any good qualities. The OOP chapter, while brief, was at least useful. And I absolutely loved the coding style in the book (all other book publishers should take a lesson from this). New lines of code are highlighted as red, and shown exactly where they're supposed to go in relation to the code written 3 pages (or even 3 chapters) ago. It's unfortunate that a CD of the sample code was not provided.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the 20 bucks, May 1, 2002

By 

spunk - See all my reviews

This review is from: PHP Advanced for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickPro Guide (Paperback)

I came across this book while trying to find a more advanced PHP book. I own many on on the subject and have tired of them all covering the same handful of topics. I was after more of a "PHP theory" book. Something that takes the next step beyond syntax and reference (both of which are abundant online for free) and tackle the "how to put it all together" issues.

This book was one of the only books to start down that path. While not perfect, it begins to focus more on concepts than content. It's exactly what I expect from a Visual Quick-guide/start book. It gets you going and leaves you wanting more (which I think is a good thing). I am hopeful that someone will pick up on this idea and expand upon it.

Either way, this book offers far more than [price] worth of thought provoking information and insight. And while I wouldn't recommend it for your only PHP book, I would advise you to pick it up if you are looking to add to your knowledge.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed., April 26, 2002

By 

Tom Anderson "Head" (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: PHP Advanced for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickPro Guide (Paperback)

I was swayed to buy this book instead of the O'Reilly book because the reviews were all great and the book looked decent. The level of coverage is what I was looking for and both books were geared towards experienced programmers who want to get past the basics quickly. That summarizes what I like about the book.

However, the more I read, the less impressed I have become. As an experience programmer I keep noticing examples and descriptions of things that most experienced programmers wouldn't do. Here are a few examples:
* Examples use extensions like .inc and .class even though he describes the security issues with these extensions. If you copy the examples without reading this sidebar you might be doing yourself a misservice.
* The example demonstrating inheritance is a case where you probably shouldn't use inheritance. In other words, it's a technically correct example but probably not a good design. People who learn by example may learn bad habits.
* Also in the inheritance example, he includes both the inherited class and base class files in the file that uses the inherited class. I think most experienced programmers would have made the inherited class include the base class definition so the programmer only needs to include the class they are dealing with.

I may be nitpicking a bit and this book might turn out to be a decent reference. However I find myself taking everything with a grain of salt after seeing these types of subtle misteps. From an advanced book I expect a bit more.

Bottom line: I wish I had bought the O'Reilly book (though I haven't reviewed it so you should do your own comparisons).