PHP Programming with MySQL [Paperback]

Don Gosselin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0619216875 | ISBN-13: 978-0619216870 | Edition: 1

PHP Programming with MySQL, by Don Gosselin is the first true academic textbook in the market to combine PHP with MySQL. This book covers one of the fastest growing technology combinations for developing interactive Web sites. With growth attributed to its open-source nature and usability amongst non-programmers, this text is accessible to users with little programming or database experience, and suits personal Web development projects, as well as small to medium business Web development needs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 704 pages
• Publisher: Course Technology; 1 edition (December 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0619216875
• ISBN-13: 978-0619216870
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Extremely poor textbook, July 23, 2007

By 

Yolanda (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: PHP Programming with MySQL (Paperback)

I would give this book zero stars if it were allowed as it has made my semester unbearable. Not only did the author totally confuse me, but the editor of the book did a HORRIBLE job. This is my first class in programming and it almost makes me want to say forget it. If you are not required to purchase this book as I was, stay far away from it. There was one instance in the book when I spent over an hour working on a problem only to find out that the code that was provided was incorrect. While working through the chapters, the author would build on one project throughout each chapter. This caused you to have to make changes to the earlier solutions of the project. Therefore, if you ever got to a point where you wanted or needed to go back and look at it when you knew it was correct or just go over it again, you were not able to do so. The supplemental teaching materials that provided answers to the review questions at the end of the chapters had incorrect info. Imagine that...even the answers were wrong. In the beginning, I expected to be able to go to the author's website to find errata information, but there were no links provided from the publisher's site and I could not find the author's website even after searching for him on Google. I am sad to say that I have learned absolutely nothing from this book, so I still know nothing about PHP and MySQL. I have wasted my time and effort, not to mention money for tuition and this horrible textbook. I've been directed to other books and have found them to be much more helpful for a beginning programmer. Try PHP 5 / MySQL Programming for the Absolute Beginner (For the Absolute Beginner), PHP For Teens or Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8. But whatever you do, steer clear of this book unless you want to be totally confused. Now, you have been properly warned.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor quality coursework, December 29, 2006

By 

Jennifer B Davis "--sigje" (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: PHP Programming with MySQL (Paperback)

This book is aimed towards instructors and students. It is written in the style of a typical textbook. While the format is useful, the content is lacking clear direction especially when it mixes up how different usage is expected in Unix and Windows environments (or IIS and Apache). For beginners the text will be confusing as it jumbles together concepts. Additionally all the "Hands On Projects" are entirely spelled out. There is no creativity towards implementing the projects. The Case Projects generally are just the same ideas as the Hands on Projects and can be replicated easily.

As for the installation and configuration chapters on php and mysql, it would be useful to actually include pitfalls as many beginners would not know where to look for help if they were to get confused.

For ~$61, this book is overpriced, confusing, with incorrect information. PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy from Friends of Ed may be a better option for professors looking for a book to use in the classroom.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Avoid this book, seriously, March 2, 2008

By 

Dream a little - See all my reviews

This review is from: PHP Programming with MySQL (Paperback)

I'm almost through my introductory PHP class, and the bottom line is that I would absolutely avoid this book.


A few caveats about online reviews: They are skewed b/c most people don't bother to write unless they are really mad or really happy about a given product. I'm obviously in the later category. Separate out my tone and emotion if you can. But here are the facts:

1. The book is riddled with typos and straight up errors.
2. The author never bothers to correct them. I still haven't found where errata are on his website.
3. Gosselin uses terms that he never bothers to define first. Who's Gosselin? The author of the book. My point exactly.
4. Some of the examples of the code just don't work. Because of the number of errors in the book, I can't be sure if it's just Gosselin's problem or my own. This can not be overstated b/c the last thing a student wants is to work for hours on a problem only to realize that it wasn't his/her problem to begin with.
5. The writing style is extremely dry, dense, and ambiguous. Make no mistake, this is not a user-friendly book.
6. The index is poor and there are no tables of commonly used functions/methods/ and other syntax that most textbooks have. It's hard to find anything.
7. Price: too expensive, but that's par for the course with Thompson Technology books.