42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Useful Starting Place for PHP & MySQL, June 7, 2005
I found PHP & MySQL for DUMMIES by Janet Valade to be an extremely useful starting place for practicing those tools, and if your circumstances and needs are similar to mine, then you may find it helpful as well. I have a database that I want to serve on the web. I have some experience with relatively simple programming, including C, but I am not a programmer per se. At my work, I have access to a web-server running both MySQL and PHP and an administrator to make sure that they are working. I am also someone who likes to do things themselves so that the result matches precisely what is in my head. All that this dummy needed was an introductory lesson on the syntax and structure of these two "languages" and Valade provided it.
MySQL & PHP for DUMMIES uses the example of setting up an online catalog for a pet store, demonstrating how to build a multi-table database in MySQL that employs the various necessary components, e.g. user login, querying and formatting the output. The computer operations covered are simple enough to just read on the train (i.e., I didn't need to be seated at my computer running the exercises to understand them) and provide a good primer for the kinds of that I could do... that YOU could do too.
Having praised the book for what it is, I want to make clear what it is not. The index is almost useless and the functions of both MySQL and PHP are covered in only the most superficial way, so this For DUMMIES book is a poor reference for projects beyond the advanced beginner; it does not necessarily replace more comprehensive texts. For my own rudimentary dabblings in web databases, I now rely more upon the PHP and MySQL code I have already written based on what this book taught me than the book itself. But, MySQL and PHP for DUMMIES provided the framework for me to take the first baby steps towards a really flexible web-based database.
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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Solid way to start with PHP, June 20, 2006
Prior to reading this book, I had no experience with an algorithmic programming language. All I knew was HTML. After sitting down with this book for a day or two, I was already programming in PHP. This book covers EVERYTHING you need to know to get started, and after programming in PHP for three years now, I still look back to this book as a very helpful reference.
I am disappointed to see dismal reviews of this book when it has been so helpful to me. Most of such reviews are written by people who are simply using the book to the wrong ends. Before buying this book, you'll want to make note of a few things:
-This book is perfect for people who only know HTML and want to expand their endeavors on the web. If you know another algorithmic programming language, chances are the bulk of this book will be filled with too much information you already know. For everyone else, the explanations are in depth enough to actually understand what the different aspects of PHP do.
-This book does not provide step-by-step tutorials. It gives you the information you need to create YOUR OWN programs. It provides examples of how a PHP program might be set up, but if you're attempting to make use of the examples line by line, you will be disappointed with the end result (and you will be cheating yourself, because you're just copying someone else's code, not learning the language).
-As I said, I use this book as a basic reference, one that is far easier to understand than the complex explanations in the PHP manual found on the Internet. A good half of this book acts as a layman's reference guide that's organized to help you learn PHP and MySQL.
-This book just jumpstarts you for using PHP and MySQL, and yes, eventually you will outgrow it, but that's not a shortcoming of the book. You'll learn everything the book has to teach you and then you'll want more. Once you're ready to take that next step, and it won't be long after you've exhausted this book, I suggest you pick up
PHP Cookbook: Solutions and Examples for PHP Programmers to further your skills.
-Even after you seem to have learned everything you can from this book, you'll still want to keep it nearby. Every once in a while, I still reach for it to make sure I'm using the right syntax.
Without a doubt, this book will teach you what you've always wanted to learn about the most important language for the web right now.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for beginners, March 25, 2003
This is a great book for someone learning to use PHP and MySQL. It assumes the reader already knows basic HTML. The book is easy to read and understand. The topics it covers gives the reader a good grounding of the basics, enough to create a reasonably sophisticated web application. The stuff it leaves out is not essential to know, and can be left for when the reader steps up to more complicated applications.
Information is well organised and easy to navigate. The two web application examples towards the back of the book are also excellent to learn from. They're very good at demonstrating techniques described in earlier chapters.
One potential difficulty someone might have is with the explanation of relational database design. Someone without any past knowledge of relational databases might find the book's explanation a bit light. Designing relational databases isn't terribly complicated, but has its tricky bits.
Another thing I liked about this book is how it helped me set up the appropriate software on my computer so it all worked cleanly together.
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