MySQL Crash Course

Great book to get you start into mysql. Very good examples and explanations. rather basic in some things, but overall it is worth the money. I got this book and O'Reilly's "MySQL cookbook". A good combination, that got me started with MySQL in no time. Mind you, I knew all the relational database stuff and sql queries already, but didn't know the specifics of MySQL. I was working with MS Access, but Access cannot handle large amounts of data I needed to upload for data mining projects. MySQL is just great -and free. These two books are excellent. I highly recommend them.

Ben Forta is easily the most readable and to-the-point technical writer I know of. He includes all the right details at the right time. Example: all the books tell you how to do selects and how to create databases and tables, but the bury the simple detail of how to CONNECT to a database. Do you have any idea how many sql books neglect this extraordinarily important point? In ben's book it's right up front. And that's only one example. Buy the book for yourself and see.

Anyone who wants to understand MySQL MUST buy this book. Even if you're not the hard core programmer, but - like me - just "heavy uses" PHP/MySQL apps like the great "Drupal" CMS (http://www.drupal.org)! I have had quite some books on SQL, but this is the best introduction ever. Most books tend to be quite heavy on the reader, especially if you have to get to know MySQL while at the same time being busy with your every day job. This one however I started reading on a half hour plane ride, and finished off at night in front of the TV and in just that one single day I had found the key to MySQL! Go buy it!

Ben Forta's technical writing abilities have always turned seemingly complex material into an easily-understood format. He delivers yet again with his latest book, "MySQL Crash Course". Ben explains why you should choose MySQL, how to install it, how to use it, and how to improve its performance. But that's just a portion of what this book covers. Ben also goes into detail on basic database design, SQL, Stored Procedures, Views, Triggers, Datatypes, all of course, geared toward MySQL. I liked the SAMS format, and the "Tips" that went into even further detail on specific topics. I also thought the way he formatted the INPUT SQL code that went in, and the OUTPUT data that was generated. It made much clearer how his code actually worked. Some of the detail in the book actually surprised me. It went into some of the more-complex table joins that you inevitably run into while working with databases and applications. I didn't find any filler material ... every page contained important, worthwhile information. I'll use this book not only as a MySQL resource, but also as a good reference for SQL and datatypes. Everything is well-organized, so you can quickly find what you need, and get back to coding. It'll have its spot beside my other Forta books. Thank you for another great book Ben, and thanks for making programming much easier for me to understand!