Rating: 
Summary: Very Little Substance
Review: It seems that the author was more interested in page count than substance. This book is filled with screenshots on how to navigate through SQL Server without the slightest explanation of why. Its a "how to" book with out the "why to". The back cover of this book states that this is a "must have resource". For who? Wrox owes it's readers an apology.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent SQL Starter Guide!
Review: Once again Rebecca has taken a difficult topic - SQL Server 2000 - and turned the complexitities of the topic around. I have found this book to be an excellent guide to using Microsoft SQL Server 2000, and a good reference to fall back on.I would recommend this to anyone who is either planning or currently doing work with SQL Server 2000, you will find this to be an invaluable additional to the reference material included with SQL Server. Buy it today, you will not regret it!
Rating:
Summary: Weak and Worthless
Review: Pathetic doesn't begin to describe this book. I've used Step by Step before and was very pleased but I'll never buy another book from this author. There are way too many screen shots. The examples have NO EXPLANATIONS of why you are changing the SQL statements. She repeats simple steps over and over that you can grasp in the first chapter or two. It seems to me that this book is nothing but worthless filler (screen shots) and no thought was given to provide explanations of the instruction. (...)
Rating:
Summary: Elegant and Powerful
Review: Rebecca Riordan's Step by Step for SQL Server is one of the best beginning tutorials I have ever read. What Rebecca does for her readers is very subtle yet extremely slick and effective. The key is that she provides an elegant database, the Arromatherapy Database, that she uses to illustrate the myriad and possibly overwhelming features of Enterprise SQL. In 30 short chapters, she methodically and painstakingly takes us through each step building, running then, suprsingly, deleting each feature we create. She allows no build up of slick little inane programs that we will never ever use again....just more...well more methodical methodology. At the end of this book, we know where everything is and have a solid idea about how to use it. Better, still, if we pay close attention to her database, we begin to learn how to actually structure a database so that all the features work This is the true magic of Ms. Riordans work. The interaction of her database and the intensive hands-on exercises provide a uniquie learning experience from a very sophisticated and knowledgeable professional. This is a deceptively simple yet powerful tutorial. Her Database alone is worth the price of admission.
Rating:
Summary: Elegant and Powerful
Review: Rebecca Riordan's Step by Step for SQL Server is one of the best beginning tutorials I have ever read. What Rebecca does for her readers is very subtle yet extremely slick and effective. The key is that she provides an elegant database, the Arromatherapy Database, that she uses to illustrate the myriad and possibly overwhelming features of Enterprise SQL. In 30 short chapters, she methodically and painstakingly takes us through each step building, running then, suprsingly, deleting each feature we create. She allows no build up of slick little inane programs that we will never ever use again....just more...well more methodical methodology. At the end of this book, we know where everything is and have a solid idea about how to use it. Better, still, if we pay close attention to her database, we begin to learn how to actually structure a database so that all the features work This is the true magic of Ms. Riordans work. The interaction of her database and the intensive hands-on exercises provide a uniquie learning experience from a very sophisticated and knowledgeable professional. This is a deceptively simple yet powerful tutorial. Her Database alone is worth the price of admission.
Rating:
Summary: Very Little Substance
Review: This book has the wrong title, it should be called "SQL Server 2000 Basics". The word 'programming' should definitely be taken away from the title as only about 1/3 of the book deals with programming, in just the most basic way. This book is just an intro to SQL Server, nothing too detailed. For someone that knows nothing about SQL Server, you will learn the basics here, but you will need to buy other books to get the details.
Rating: 
Summary: Not really a programming book - For beginners only
Review: This book has the wrong title, it should be called "SQL Server 2000 Basics". The word 'programming' should definitely be taken away from the title as only about 1/3 of the book deals with programming, in just the most basic way. This book is just an intro to SQL Server, nothing too detailed. For someone that knows nothing about SQL Server, you will learn the basics here, but you will need to buy other books to get the details.
Rating: 
Summary: Many Subjects, but Shallow Coverage
Review: This book is good for a complete beginner to SQL Server, but if you're familiar with SQL generally, or if you've used SQL Server 6.5 or 7.0, you'd do well to purchase a different book (I recommend Professional SQL 2000 by Wrox Press). This book *is* very clear, and it presents a great deal of screen shots. For some people that will be great. However, the step-by-step screen shots might be a bit too much for some folks (it steps through each dialog box for most tasks). While this book is extremely clear, it doesn't offer real world advice. For beginners -- four stars. For pros -- two stars.
Rating: 
Summary: 'Step by Step Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Programming'
Review: This is a well written book suitable for beginners like myself with limited exposure on database etc. The examples are clear and free of errors. I completed the first 21 chapters in two days. I would recommend this book to anyone new to the subject of SQL servers.
Rating:
Summary: Too little content
Review: Unfortunately this book does a very poor job of explaining the necessary concepts of SQL Server. It does an o-kay job of showing you how to find a wizard to complete some basic tasks, but is seriously lacking in offering the necessary theoretical foundation to becoming a proficient SQL Server developer. I'm surprised this is the best Microsft could do for an entry level book.
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