PHP and MySQL Web Development, Second Edition

Rating:
Summary: Better know PHP
Review: I got this book because I wanted to learn PHP and MySQL. Although the book does an OK job helping you set up your AMP, you will need to visit the MySQL, PHP and Apache sites to complete your setup. The PHP info given is really quick, I assume the author thinks because he mentions something that I am suppose to completely understand. This book is not for beginners at all. It seemed to have some good info and nice code to help you build a site as long as you did not plan on altering the code to much, because you better know what you are doing. I'm sure this book would be good for someone who has some programming experience not just HTML. You should look else where if you have no actual programming experience.

Rating:
Summary: One book to start our company
Review: I am an above-average computer user, who has been mostly living in the Windows world. Recently, my friends and I have decided to create a business -- an e-commerce business. We knew nothing about how to do that. We are all electrical engineers, and are good at programming -- but have never really been concerned with how a website operates from the developer's standpoint. I purchased this book out of the blue -- based on the ratings it had and the sheer number of pages (I know that's lame but I'm being honest).

This book has single-handedly enabled us to start our e-commerce website. I have since configured my backup machine into a linux server, and have PHP, MySQL, and Apache running on it flawlessly. I haven't even got to chapter 12 yet, and I already have the database and the online applications up and running.

The real value of this book to me is the knowledge that other books take for granted. For example, in the appendix there is a complete how-to that describes where to get the PHP, MySQL, and Apache downloads, what versions to get, and how to install (and configure them) them both in linux and Windows. This information was critical. I needed the "enter this command to do this task" kind of guidance, as opposed to the "do this task" alternative I find in other books.

In the sections regarding the PHP syntax, it makes a clear distinction between the new features of PHP5 versus PHP4, and how to use the older versions if need be. As someone who is just learning the PHP language -- this also was very valuable information.

In a little more than a week, I went from a Windows XP user, to a linux server administrator writing (and debugging) PHP/MySQL applications who is able to answer server/database/PHP questions asked by my business partners. I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Not for Beginners
Review: I am new to PHP/MySQL. I spent a lot of time on the internet(php,mysql,apache sites)learning first how to install AMP(apache, mysql, PHP). The book does an OK job but it really does not cover troubleshooting very well. Once I got my enviornment up and running, the book was OK. Again, not for beginners. I am going to be taking a class later to help explain things a little better. I was able to get out what I needed, but I would not buy this book if I was looking to learn from scratch.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! It has it all!
Review: Great book. It's becoming my bible! Would recommend for the beginner and beyond.

Rating:
Summary: An excellet book with great examples
Review: I have bought many PHP and MYSQL books in the past, but, I can tell you that I learned most of my PHP from this book. This book gives you working examples with detailed explantion.

I do not recommend for you to buy this book right now, becuase the authors are coming up with the 3rd edition of this book. Just wait until September 29, 2004 or just preorder it.


ISBN: 0672326728

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: First off, I want to reply to "Michelle's" review.

You are totally wrong, first of all, when viewing code in specific text viewing clients, the line breaks may be removed, that is your fault, not the author's.

2nd, the authors explain include/require a lot throughout the book, and about how the include over and over, thats how a good application is done cleanly.

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Great book, shows the basis of PHP/MySQL, and works its way in the advanced aspects, covering all majoy subjects such as File systems, PHP generating images, online security, SSL [HTTPS/Secure Socket layers.], online credit card processing and more.

Truely a good buy, reccomend for all.

Rating:
Summary: Great Projects
Review: The projects really helped me to get something tangible up and running very quickly. I already know C++, HTML and other web technologies so PHP was extremely easy to pick up. I was able to create a shopping cart within a week.

There are numerous useful examples in this book. If you ever wanted to put some dynamic content in your site, buy this book.

Some things I would have liked is a more extensive coverage of writing secure scripts. This is not a negative for this book since most books are written for a large audience and you rarely find one that doesn't waste someone's time with very basic subjects like setting up a webserver or how ecommerce works and etc.