PHP and MySQL by Example
Posted on 13 March 2010 by Abidoon
Product Description
Quickly master dynamic, database-driven Web development—no experience necessary!Even if you’re completely new to PHP, MySQL, and Web database development, this book will guide you through every step of building powerful, database-driven, dynamic Web sites. Direct from the world’s top scripting instructor, Ellie Quigley, PHP and MySQL by Example illuminates every concept with tested code examples, screen shots showing program output, and clear, line-by-l… More >>
I purchased this book for the retail price of $49.99 at my local bookstore. I did this based on the preface that states an errata, as well as the lab solutions, can be found online. Since I know all code books contain some errors, I usually look to see if these errors, when discovered, have been posted on the book’s site.
Well, even though the book states there there is an errata, truth and in fact, there isn’t. When I emailed the publisher they stated “Thank you for purchasing our book. I’m afraid we’ve not yet compiled an
errata. Would you be willing to share the errors you found with me, so
that I can inform the author?” Strike One.
The preface also states that the solutions to the labs, that usually end each chapter, can also be found online. Truth and in fact, only 4 of the labs can be found online while the other 10 or so are not posted. Strike Two.
The last problem I had with this book is the amount of errors. As I stated before I expect books to contain errors. We are all human and I hold no grudges for this. But to be honest, this book contains the most amount of errors I have ever seen. Did they have someone proof read this? The publisher told me “I apologize for the errors you’re finding, but I admit that in a first printing, which is what you have, this is not unusual.” Strike Three.
I will say that the publisher did deliver excellent customer service, and while not refunding the money for this title, they promised to send another book based on the same subject. I have not received it as of today, but if I don’t by Friday, I’ll update this review.
As for the book itself. The first few chapters are done really well and explain to a beginner, like myself, the concepts of PHP. But when you move past Chpater 5 you start finding numerous errors, one of which had me thinking I did something wrong and spending over 2 hours trying to work it out. (The errors in the book are also on the CD-Rom files that come with it!)
This book has a lot of potential, but because this is the first printing I would suggest staying away until they either fix the errors or keep their word and publish the errata and lab solutions.
Oh yeah, and beware of the first review… isn’t he also the co-author? He might be a little bias.
Rating: 2 / 5
The book and cd code are error prone. The co-author writes a five star review trying to come off as an instructor in a php boot camp. Come on!! This book should not even have been published in this state.
Rating: 1 / 5
Quigley’s book acknowledges a major usage of PHP. To write some kind of front end user interface program that hooks to a back end MySQL database. Both are free and open source, and the combination has proved popular. Especially where the front end involves making an HTML web page with embedded PHP commands.
Not every example involves both PHP and MySQL. Though all examples have PHP. Many demonstrate how to use PHP inside an HTML file. Like writing user-defined functions, or nesting functions. Or making or using function libraries. The functions are a key idea in PHP, that take you beyond the elementary syntax. Functions also let you gainfully use code by other PHP programmers. Important if you are part of a coding group that has to divide up the programming effort in some manner.
Actually, the book has a serious drawback. Despite the use of MySQL in the title, it is only relatively late in the book that you encounter MySQL. Chapters 13 and 14 give a quick guide to MySQL, as a standalone entity. Out of 17 chapters, it is only Chapters 15-17 that involve both PHP and MySQL. Perhaps the book should have a more extended discussion. To this ends, maybe some of the earlier chapters could have been shortened or dropped. Because the reader is getting a book mostly on pure PHP. I suggest that given the very title, it is a reasonable expectation of most readers that the book will devote most of its attention to both subjects. Especially when there is “and” in the title. Readers are programmers, and the “and” has a very precise meaning to them.
Rating: 4 / 5
This book contains many, many, many errors. The book itself gives the URL for the publisher’s website, claiming the errata is posted there. It isn’t. Shame on the reviewers and on the editor for allowing this to go to print with so many mistakes.
On a positive note, finding and correcting the errors has helped me learn the material more thoroughly, and I’m finding there are some other great books out there on PHP and MySQL.
Rating: 2 / 5
Of the numerous books on php for beginners, I think this is the best I have perused.
Good explanations of everything and good overviews to get the general picture. I would highly recommend PHP and MySQL by Example.
Rating: 5 / 5