Rating: 
Summary: A Solid SQL Reference
Review: The software alone is well worth the price of this book. The publisher supplies you with all 5 major DB's. SQl Server, Oracle 8i, DB2, Sybase, and Informix. If your a newbie I suggest Sam's SQL in 10 minutes. Together these two books make a great combo.
Rating: 
Summary: An Almost Complete SQL Reference
Review: The title of this book says it all: it's an extremely complete reference to the SQL language. It covers the SQL-89 and SQL2 standards and indicates the features found in SQL2 but not in SQL-89. It covers not only basic SQL data definition, queries, and updates, but also advanced topics such as transaction processing, security, embedded SQL, stored procedures, and object-oriented databases. It also explains how some of the more popular DBMSs vary from or extend standard SQL.There are some places where the information on SQL is not quite complete. For example, the section on data types doesn't give the sizes of the integer types. As another reviewer mentioned, the section on built-in functions doesn't provide enough information to use some of the more rarely used functions. But these omissions are minor; overall, the completeness of information on SQL is quite impressive. If you're totally new to relational databases, and you need to design a database schema, you'll want to also get a book on database modeling and normalization, because these topics are not covered. But if you know relational databases or merely need to write queries and updates on an existing database, this book will be more than adequate. In addition, if you want to access a database from Java or Perl, you'll also want a book on JDBC or DBI, respectively. Perhaps a future edition of the book will cover these topics in the SQL APIs chapter, but they're probably too new to have made it into this edition.
Rating:
Summary: Great reference !!!
Review: This book covers the DDL and DML instructions of SQL. It also has a reference to brands like Sybase, Microsoft and Oracle. This a very easy book and the examples showed are very, very helpful. I use this book in all my Databases, SQL and Visual InterDev courses, 'cause it has a good introduction to the SQL standards. If you want a good reference to SQL, I recommend this book !!!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best reference books I've ever read
Review: This book gives practical examples in a clear and concise manner. I recommend it highly to anyone who needs to get up to speed on their SQL and database skills.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but could have been great
Review: This book is, at the same time, too complete and not complete enough. The entire back half of it deals with things I'll never need, but when it came time to learn the functions, there was hardly any discussion. I've noted that this is the major gripe of other people as well. Still, it's many, many, many simple examples are very helpful to a novice/intermediate user such as myself, and I've found it easy to follow because of them.
Rating: 
Summary: Out of date
Review: This book need a re-write to bring it up to the latest SQL standards. If you are still using Pre-SQL92 systems, this book is a pretty good reference. However, it leaves out important new information such as the new JOIN syntax. I recommend you check other texts to ensure this is the *one* that you want.
Rating:
Summary: Out of date
Review: This book need a re-write to bring it up to the latest SQL standards. If you are still using Pre-SQL92 systems, this book is a pretty good reference. However, it leaves out important new information such as the new JOIN syntax. I recommend you check other texts to ensure this is the *one* that you want.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reference to SQL
Review: This is the best SQL reference I have come across. It covers all aspects of programming in SQL as well as how SQL works under the hood. The material is written in a lucid manner so every topic is accessible. It can be used as a beginner's text, too, but its strength is really in its complete coverage and accuracy. I found the CD-ROM excellent because it let me try out MS SQL Server 7, Oracle8, Sybase and IBM's DB2.
Rating:
Summary: A good way to learn the basics of SQL.
Review: This is the first SQL book that I have read. I was able to start using SQL as soon as I started reading it. It has helped me get a thorough understanding of the history and practice of using SQL.
Rating:
Summary: Yes it is complete!
Review: This is very big book and when you see it, you will think "Woo! What a big book!" The fact is that it is a big book because it is very complete and thorough. I have had this book two or three month now and every time I go to look inside it for some information I find it there with a very good explanation. Beside being through, this book also has many helpful diagrams and is easy to read. I can't not think of anything negative to say about it or think of anything that is missing, so I will just say you should buy it!
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