Oracle PL/SQL Programming, Third Edition

Rating:
Summary: Not for good developer, also not for beginner
Review: The book really deserves a 4 star for all the material it presents. I want to highlight my disappointment that a large part of it are just things in Oracle manuals, basics of structured methodology and a little bit of Object technology. I bought it because experienced PL/SQL developers rated it high and I expected it to be an advanced book. So I am suprised that the author assumes the readers are not familiar with these basics. It would have been a good book had the author get rid of its 85% basics and expand more into the other 15%.

Rating:
Summary: This is a very informative book.
Review: This is a very well written book, a must for any ORACLE PL/SQL Programmer. Along with the ORACLE Built-In Packages book, they both provide undocumented features and helpful examples.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: A book which covered everything I needed and more

Rating:
Summary: Not a book for beginners
Review: A few weeks ago, I decided to learn PL/SQL. I browsed the Amazon site to look for a good book for beginners. I picked this book based on the good review by the other readers. At the time, I did not know those reviewers, most likely had some experience with PL/SQL before they bought this book. After reading this book half way, I definetly rate this book highly if I have experience in PL/SQL. This book would be a good one for beginners if the author rearranges the order to the chapters. Right from the start, the author uses function, package and procedure to illustrate some of his points. Unfortunately, he does not introduce these 3 topics until later in the book. Poor me!! I did not have a easy time. I do not blame the author because he never claims that this book is intended for beginners.

Rating:
Summary: Not a reference book
Review: This book is useless as reference it doesnt fully describe basic functions like to_number. author waste pages on style which is useless to experienced programmers. waste of money

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Summary: The book for any PL/SQL programmer.
Review: This book by Steven and Bill is not only usefull for programmers who start of with PL/SQL. I think I was experienced in PL/SQL programming but learned some nice features. The book covers not only PL/SQL 2.3, but PL/SQL 8 and the differences between several versions of PL/SQL. The guidelines in this book are very good in general, although I do not always agree with the authors. Most important in these guidelines are the arguments. A 'buy' one for every Oracle PL/SQL programmer.

Rating:
Summary: There simply isn't a better book on this topic
Review: No matter how long you already work with PL/SQL, (and with the Web it gets a new importance) I bet you will get to know the "even better" - techniques. And for topics one hasn't implemented yet I consider the "teaching approach" excellent; which for me means: equally good for a beginner as for the experienced. I'm in since 10 years and - in combination with the same authors book "Programming in Packages" - I got much more than I expected. Thats why I blindly ordered the authors new book "Oracle Built-in Packages" coming around May 98. I'm looking forward to new ways "of doing it".

Rating:
Summary: Excellent sourcebook for PL/SQL programming
Review: If you need a single reference/learning book for PL/SQL, this would be it. From a beginner's standpoint, the book is terrific. Assuming familiarity with programming logic, the book works very well in exposing the power and strengths of PL/SQL. The examples are clear and helpful, and the narrative is helpful in unraveling the complexities of PL/SQL programming constructs. I'm learning everything I need to do my job just by reading this book and applying it to my own programs. The only thing I'd like to see improved is better layout of the text on the pages, more graphics, and better quality paper. When I highlight any text, it tends to bleed through to the opposite side of the page. BTW, I've got the first edition, not the revised second edition.

Rating:
Summary: Critical reference to understanding and using PL/SQL
Review: Excellent book, comprehensive coverage of the material and well written -- not a five minute read. Skipping around as opposed to a cover-to-cover approach can be done but continuity is lost as well as some dependent ideas. His coverage of PL/SQL Tables (arrays) is cumbersome; and devoid of any treatment of parallel array structures which are required coding technique in Oracle's rdbms before PL/SQL 2.3. The on-site bible of every technical Oracle Consultant, it misses only one thing from Oracle's Osborne series equivalent and that is treatment of Oracle's OCI.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptionally well written
Review: The best technical book I have ever read. It is packed with useful information and written in a narrative style that makes it both highly informative and very readable. The author is a gifted writer.