Data Warehousing for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Good foundation, but getting rapidly obsolete
Review: I enjoyed reading this book and found it an excellent foundation to issues in data warehousing. However, note that this book was published in 1997, so it does not include anything that was developed after that date. (To be fair, it accurately predicts some trends.) I wish the author would update the book to 2004!

Rating:
Summary: Everything about data warehousing...in "Dummies" style
Review: If you're looking for a slightly irreverent, humorous yet thorough discussion of data warehousing, then please, please, *please* check out Data Warehousing for Dummies. Folks who've read it seem to really like it and I've gotten a lot of e-mail from people to that effect (and an interesting review in the September, 1998 DM REVIEW).

Rating:
Summary: A great DW book for beginners
Review: Look, this look isn't for experienced DW people. However, it wouldn't hurt some of the DW "experts" I know to read it.

The author gived down to earth comments and examples of what the industry entails and what DW is all about. He covers most of the issues and gave me some interesting insight into some areas that I haven't yet delt with.

I've been working in DW for over 5 years. Even so, I think this book is worth reading. I'm gald I did.

Rating:
Summary: A great DW book for beginners
Review: Look, this look isn't for experienced DW people. However, it wouldn't hurt some of the DW "experts" I know to read it.

The author gived down to earth comments and examples of what the industry entails and what DW is all about. He covers most of the issues and gave me some interesting insight into some areas that I haven't yet delt with.

I've been working in DW for over 5 years. Even so, I think this book is worth reading. I'm gald I did.

Rating:
Summary: A couple nice points but it cutesiness becomes boring
Review: The writer attempts to write in a cutesy tone - probably in the name of being entertaining - but because he tries too hard the writing just becomes boring.

This book reads like a series of columns about data warehousing. Most of the discussions are okay but somewhat on the superficial side. The author is at his best when he discusses the people side of data warehousing - especially the political issues.

If you do not want to get deeply involved in the technical aspects of the subject, W.H. Inmon and Vidette Poe provide more easily read and more penetrating introductions to data warehousing.

Rating:
Summary: OK for total beginners and laypeople
Review: This book is good for the person completely new to data warehousing, as long as they DON'T take it as the complete or last word on the subject. Most of the basic concepts are presented well, but there are various errors in some of the specifics, and there are some theories described that are 'old school' and not necessarily relevant with todays technology (in the last 5 years data warehousing has changed in the capability of tools and in approaches & architecture).

RECOMMENDATIONS: If you are a business person trying to understand what your computer people are talking about re data warehouses, data marts or business intelligence, this is a good starting point.
But, if you are an IT/IS/computer person, skip this book and read Ralph Kimball's "Data Warehouse Toolkit", then graduate to his "Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit" (covers many more aspects), and Bill Inmon's "Corp Information Factory". These 3 books, and a DBMS specific book (e.g. "Oracle 8i Data Warehousing") will be all you need for your first few projects.

Rating:
Summary: OK for total beginners and laypeople
Review: This book is good for the person completely new to data warehousing, as long as they DON'T take it as the complete or last word on the subject. Most of the basic concepts are presented well, but there are various errors in some of the specifics, and there are some theories described that are 'old school' and not necessarily relevant with todays technology (in the last 5 years data warehousing has changed in the capability of tools and in approaches & architecture).

RECOMMENDATIONS: If you are a business person trying to understand what your computer people are talking about re data warehouses, data marts or business intelligence, this is a good starting point.
But, if you are an IT/IS/computer person, skip this book and read Ralph Kimball's "Data Warehouse Toolkit", then graduate to his "Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit" (covers many more aspects), and Bill Inmon's "Corp Information Factory". These 3 books, and a DBMS specific book (e.g. "Oracle 8i Data Warehousing") will be all you need for your first few projects.

Rating:
Summary: Good Only for Beginners
Review: This book is good for total beginners, to get familiar with the Data-Warehousing Lingo's. Though the author does tend to give some wague out of the blue examples, it is an interesting read. Buy it only if you have no clue what a database or data warehousing is.

Rating:
Summary: From a beginner to a different people!!
Review: This book is really excellent. Before reading it, everything in Datawarehousing seemed to be dark, but now, everyone listen to me when I talk to other people about data warehouse. Is the first book I am motivated to read from the beginning through the end.