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Rating: 
Summary: Terrific, concise book on learning atabase Web applications
Review: I have created a couple of websites and know HTML pretty well. This book assumes you know ASP inside and out, and if you don't, this is not the right book for you. Even if you do, the book does not explain enough for you to actually create a database. I would recommend the Active Server Pages 3.0 book published by Wrox. I haven't tried their ASP.Net 1.0, but they are good about explaining everything to Newbies and being detailed orientated for programmers with more skill and knowledge. The Active Server Pages 3.0 book has three chapters dedicated to getting your database up and running, in addition to having a sample application that can be run on your own web server using windows 2000.
Rating: 
Summary: Not perfect, but a perfect mix!
Review: I'm a seasoned (some would say salty) web developer, and I have been teaching web applications for two years both online and "on the ground." I've looked in vain for the right mixture of theory, practical application and humor (a needed ingredient for this type of instruction). I use this book for intermediate web developer students who have a solid grounding in HTML, CSS and Javascript, and some basic knowledge of either PHP or ASP (or other programming logic). I used to use Wrox's Beginning ASP, but at more than 1000 pages, and more errata than I could cover in a single class, I continued looking. With this book, I think I've found the right text for some of the classes I teach! Dr. Meyer's work starts with a review of HTML and Javascript, with an emphasis on how to use the DOM in an application setting. Regarding databases, there are chapters explaining application concepts and E-R diagrams, as well as how to use the CLI client for MySQL. The CD-ROM even has SQL instructions for importing the material from the text; and for Access users, db files that mirror the work in the text. But the real heart of the matter is the instruction in coding practices, from reading and writing to databases (using MySQL and DSN-less Access connections), to using cookies and session variables for data persistance. And this is where this book has no equal: it supports both the hugely popular open-source PHP/MySQL as equally as it shows ASP and Access. I've never seen such a universal attempt pulled off quite as well. I recommend the book, but no work is perfect. I don't think that a book can equal the combination of education and experience (but as an instructor, I may be biased). The PHP code supplied in the accompanying CD-ROM utilizes global variables (which may be turned off in some production environments for security purposes)--but that underscores the use of the text as a textbook, and not a coding "cookbook" with samples that are "ready-to-eat." Also, the ASP uses the less-common, but more palatable ASP JavaScript (or JScript) instead of the more commonly utilized ASP VBScript (but even third-party ASP interpreters like that used in the SunOne Server handled the code). I found that students should adapt and improve the code from the CD-ROM as part of their studies, so that they could fix some typos, and learn how code integration works. Also, they needed to create interfaces for the samples so we could stop staring at web forms and add some color to the examples! Students have created portfolio pieces using the concepts in this text like psychological profile tests, e-commerce sites, calendar applications and marketing surveys.
Rating:
Summary: Not perfect, but a perfect mix!
Review: I'm a seasoned (some would say salty) web developer, and I have been teaching web applications for two years both online and "on the ground." I've looked in vain for the right mixture of theory, practical application and humor (a needed ingredient for this type of instruction). I use this book for intermediate web developer students who have a solid grounding in HTML, CSS and Javascript, and some basic knowledge of either PHP or ASP (or other programming logic). I used to use Wrox's Beginning ASP, but at more than 1000 pages, and more errata than I could cover in a single class, I continued looking. With this book, I think I've found the right text for some of the classes I teach! Dr. Meyer's work starts with a review of HTML and Javascript, with an emphasis on how to use the DOM in an application setting. Regarding databases, there are chapters explaining application concepts and E-R diagrams, as well as how to use the CLI client for MySQL. The CD-ROM even has SQL instructions for importing the material from the text; and for Access users, db files that mirror the work in the text. But the real heart of the matter is the instruction in coding practices, from reading and writing to databases (using MySQL and DSN-less Access connections), to using cookies and session variables for data persistance. And this is where this book has no equal: it supports both the hugely popular open-source PHP/MySQL as equally as it shows ASP and Access. I've never seen such a universal attempt pulled off quite as well. I recommend the book, but no work is perfect. I don't think that a book can equal the combination of education and experience (but as an instructor, I may be biased). The PHP code supplied in the accompanying CD-ROM utilizes global variables (which may be turned off in some production environments for security purposes)--but that underscores the use of the text as a textbook, and not a coding "cookbook" with samples that are "ready-to-eat." Also, the ASP uses the less-common, but more palatable ASP JavaScript (or JScript) instead of the more commonly utilized ASP VBScript (but even third-party ASP interpreters like that used in the SunOne Server handled the code). I found that students should adapt and improve the code from the CD-ROM as part of their studies, so that they could fix some typos, and learn how code integration works. Also, they needed to create interfaces for the samples so we could stop staring at web forms and add some color to the examples! Students have created portfolio pieces using the concepts in this text like psychological profile tests, e-commerce sites, calendar applications and marketing surveys.
Rating:
Summary: VERY HELPFUL
Review: Jeanine, Just wanted to let you know how helpful your book is. Before I thought, it was impractical to have two scripting languages and two databases. I said this because from my experience I started learning database from Access then learn Visual Basic Codes and Scripts. Originally, my field of profession is Financial Accounting. In the early 90's I learn Lotus then migrated to Excel spreadsheet programs. I was not satisfied for what Macros can do so I studied Access database. I was so amazed by it but there are things I know and hope will be easier and faster. I wanted to learn SQL knowing how powerful it is, but because how expensive commerialize DBMS softwares were it made me stick with Access. The internet period has arrived at that time, so I learned ASP with Visual Basic Scripting. I was not totally satisfied with it because VBScript is always tied up to a giant corporation and at the time I was learning HTML, XML &
JavaScript. This made me confuse, what direction am I going. I decided to continue what I learned so far, apply it then to whatever will make it easier. So, I studied ASP with JavaScript Langauge. Consequently, from learning and experience, I read about MySQL and PHP and studied it as well. So far your book is the best and most helpful, in showing how to connect to a server and for sure will SAVE me and my clients alot. Currently, I am a financial administrator and partly the intranet designer of a
University in San Francisco. My goal is to have my own server
company. Thank you again and more power to you. John
Rating:
Summary: VERY HELPFUL
Review: Jeanine, Just wanted to let you know how helpful your book is. Before I thought, it was impractical to have two scripting languages and two databases. I said this because from my experience I started learning database from Access then learn Visual Basic Codes and Scripts. Originally, my field of profession is Financial Accounting. In the early 90's I learn Lotus then migrated to Excel spreadsheet programs. I was not satisfied for what Macros can do so I studied Access database. I was so amazed by it but there are things I know and hope will be easier and faster. I wanted to learn SQL knowing how powerful it is, but because how expensive commerialize DBMS softwares were it made me stick with Access. The internet period has arrived at that time, so I learned ASP with Visual Basic Scripting. I was not totally satisfied with it because VBScript is always tied up to a giant corporation and at the time I was learning HTML, XML &
JavaScript. This made me confuse, what direction am I going. I decided to continue what I learned so far, apply it then to whatever will make it easier. So, I studied ASP with JavaScript Langauge. Consequently, from learning and experience, I read about MySQL and PHP and studied it as well. So far your book is the best and most helpful, in showing how to connect to a server and for sure will SAVE me and my clients alot. Currently, I am a financial administrator and partly the intranet designer of a
University in San Francisco. My goal is to have my own server
company. Thank you again and more power to you. John
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