Rating: 
Summary: The book is Good for the reference
Review: We have purchased this book two months back. We are utilizing that book right from Technical Support to Faculty Utilization.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but needs work
Review: I found this book to be a good reference though it should be used in conjunction with/to supplement the Oracle doc set. It is a bit problematic though that it does not cover OCI or Pro*C as mentioned in another review. However, the money is still well spent as is the money you would spend on buying Oracle vs SQL Server 7.0. Oracle provides better cost of ownership and is infinitely more scaleable than SQL Svr 7.0 could ever hope to be so in the long run you get what you pay for. The cost in downtime alone of SQL Srvr will make up that price difference in no time and eventually cost you more to have gone with the "cheaper" solution. Besides, 9 out of 10 of the biggest web sites (including this one!) can't be wrong. Go with Oracle or be left in the dust.
Rating:
Summary: Not that complete
Review: How can it call itself "The Complete Reference" if it doesn't cover OCI or Pro*C?
Rating:
Summary: Would rate 5 stars, but the CD doesn't work!
Review: This is the textbook for one of my college courses. It's very well written and readable, and gives comprehensive coverage of the subject. Unfortunately, the CD doesn't work! I would be most appreciative if someone from the publisher would contact me and tell me how to obtain a version of the CD that works.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Composition
Review: What's great about this book is that it answers your questions while they're still forming in your head! Before you can say "Well why is this..." it has your answer in the next line. The book also starts out in easy to understand language so you don't get scared away. I liked it!
Rating:
Summary: A good buy however...
Review: Very good however... 1) There are inaccuracies in syntax. If you find you can't get something to work check Oracle documentation. 2) For a large topic this book has to compromise on detail. Again, I've occasionally had to go back to Oracle documentation for what I needed. 3) The book has a slant towards developers, if you're looking for more DBA and tuning stuff try the Advanced Oracle Tuning and Administration from Osborne. Overall I'd recommend to anyone who has some experience who wishes to learn Oracle. Also, I've found the hardback is worth the extra money because my copy has worn well over the past 7 months.
Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Oracle Reference
Review: 1. Oracle online documentation is notoriously awkward. This book is no exception. But who cares? Forget the CD -- use the print. If you really want something to view on your computer, join the Oracle Developer Program. It's free, and many of the CD's have ALL the Oracle manuals in HTML format! Plus you get free trial software including the server software. 2. This book is NOT suitable for learning the basics of SQL (such as how to do a join). Any basic "Learning SQL" book will teach that. What it IS suitable for is finding function syntax, format masks, as well as understanding more complex issues like how the SQL optimizer works and how to code accordingly. It's also not a very good PL/SQL reference. Check out the author Steven Feuerstein for his books on those subjects. Don't expect one book to do it all, but damn, this book comes pretty close. For in-depth server information, try the Oracle Server Concepts manual.
Rating:
Summary: Good reference on Oracle 8
Review: I found the book to be helpful in learning ORACLE 8 PL-SQL but each topic was poorly organized. For example the information pertaining to DECODE and join syntax was scattered in too many chapters within the book. While its information might be erroneous, I found SQL Unleashed to be organized better.
Rating:
Summary: Great book..a must for those who want to be in Oracle.
Review: This is one of the best technical books I have come across. The topics have been discussed in a very easy style. From beginners to pro, this is THE book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good and Useful Book but CD does NOT work
Review: This is a good book for someone who has DBA background and some knowledge of Oracle, but for the money I spent on it I was hoping to see some examples/excecises/syntax in the CD, but guess what? I doesn't work!! I suggest to think twice before buying the book. Any one can help me?
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