Making Use of PHP (Paperback)

by Ashok Appu (Author) "Ever since the advent of computers, researchers have indulged in a continuous quest to bring the world closer through computers..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mega Music Mart, Reload Home, Task List (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
PHP has an edge over locked-in solutions such as JSP and ASP for most Web development work because it is a cross-platform technology. Surveys indicate that PHP is rapidly becoming the most widely used Web scripting language and PHP skills are now considered essential for many Web developers.
* Explains why PHP is easier to learn than Perl or JavaScript and how it is useful in server-side development and administration tasks
* Offers guidance to fully utilizing the possibilities of PHP
* Enables Web designers and others with HTML skills to quickly gain essential abilities for site administration and content development

From the Back Cover
Learn everything there is to know about one of the leading Web scripting languages in use today!

Originally developed as a means to track Web site visitors, PHP is rapidly becoming the most widely used Web scripting language. The latest version, PHP 4, is faster and more powerful than its predecessors, while still being far easier to learn than Perl or JavaScript. Anyone with experience in HTML coding can get started with PHP, but really tapping its power requires guidance, and this book is the foremost resource you’ll need to quickly acquire the expertise to fully exploit the possibilities of PHP.

Ashok Appu has packed this indispensable guide with real-world examples and advice on how to move beyond those samples to tackle specific tasks. In addition, end-of-chapter reviews and exercises will get you quickly up to speed to learn how PHP is also useful in other server-side development and administration tasks and site administration.

With numerous real-world examples and expert advice, this book will:

• Provide a concise and task-oriented introduction to PHP
• Help you evaluate the suitability of PHP for your project
• Be a practical introduction to PHP’s syntax and fundamental strengths
• Include numerous working scripts, with information on how to adapt and extend them to meet individual needs

The companion Web site contains:

• All source code from the book
• Frequently asked questions, quizzes, and best practices
• Links to other resource sites

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (July 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471219738
• ISBN-13: 978-0471219736
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,884,611 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, July 6, 2003

By A Customer

After reading the glowing reviews, I had great expectations for this book. It's been quite a letdown.

I'm halfway through it now and probably will set it aside and look for another.

The first major annoyance was trying to find the companion website... Searching the publisher's website was a waste of time as it provided no information other than an option to purchase the book. Finally by chance I happened to notice the correct web address listed in small print on the bottom of the back cover.

Next I've had to contend with typos and misinformation; obvious ones such as the list of "What's on the CD-ROM, Disk, and Website" (there is no CD-ROM or disk with this book). In a "Write the Code" example, I found "@@@COMP: Break line as shown.@@@" mixed in with the coding...could be confusing if someone didn't realize that snippet was intended for the book's paginator. And there are errors in the coding examples, such as occurrences of "=" instead of the correct "==" operator. Thank goodness for php forums and the generous people there who helped me realize why the code wasn't working as expected. As far as I can determine, there's no errata page available for this book on the Wiley website, which to me is inexcusable. This is the first book I've ever bought from Wiley Computer Publishing, and I can now say with certainty that it will be my last.

The book is organized basically with first stating a problem for the fictitious Mega Music Mart development team, then presenting page after page of learning material before showing the code to solve the problem. I always have to go back to the beginning of the chapter to refresh my memory of what the objectives of the development team are so that I know what they are trying to achieve in their code. A graphic of what the completed code looks like in a web page appears after the code. I would prefer have the explanatory material first (for example, what functions and variables are), then be presented with the task for the development team, immediately followed by an example of what the end result is, then the code. I have to do a lot of unnecessary page flipping the way it's laid out now.

The final straw is the lack of commenting in the code, which would be an immense help in understanding the "what" and "why" of the coding. In the "Write the Code" section of the chapter on Classes, there are approximately four pages of coding, yet not one bit of commenting. Odd coming from an author who states on p. 38 that "Comments are an integral part of any program...The comments of one developer help the others understand the logic of the code..." Yes, comments certainly would have helped me understand the author's logic and aided the learning process.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review, July 21, 2002

By	Dave (India) - See all my reviews

This book is sinply great for beginners who want to begin programming with PHP. The concepts are dealt with utmost care so as to impart the programming basics in the best possible way. The best part of the book is the unique methodology that it uses to deliver technical content. A real-life problem statement is included in the beginning of each chapter and aa solution is given at the end of the chapter. The code snippets in each chapter with output help the reader understand each concept properly.This book is indeed a great buy for beginners! I really was able to build a strong base for PHP after reading this book.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cuts to the Chase, July 29, 2002

By A Customer

This book offers a great approach to teaching PHP. It is very task-oriented, and it highlights development areas where the technology is most useful. As an experienced developer, I was able to rapidly evaluate the usefulness of the tool for particular needs and not waste time trying applications that were not worthwhile.