Rating: 
Summary: A useful book for Borland C++ Builder database programmers.
Review: I found myself in a Borland C++ Builder seminar full of database programmers who all new SQL. Fortunately, most of them didn't know C++. The seminar leader recommended this book to me and I found it useful as a primer. It has good examples which I've used repeatedly. It is especially nice for Borland C++ Builder users since that is the RAD tool which the author is using. It covers most of the features of SQL supported by the Borland Database Engine for Database creation and manipulation, although I found it somewhat lacking in the area of security. I've read several other books on the subject now and I think it compares favorably with most. I find the subject of normalization lacking in all of the books. If you are new to SQL my recommendation is to reduce the subject of normalization down to this: keep the long tables skinny and the fat tables short and minimize data redundancy. If your new to SQL it's a good starting place and worth the price. It's especially useful for BCB or Delphi Programmers.
Rating: 
Summary: All that it claims to be
Review: I like to start off projects with simple concepts and a few examples to get off the ground. Well this book does just that. Unfortunately I would also like to have some example of input and output. I chose this book because it was not database specific, as I am converting files from an Informix database, through a filter, to a flat file, for later conversion to an Oracle database, with a different structure. Unfortunately this book (being universal) has no universal explanation as to how to get information from a flat file in or out of the database. First you have to find the term they use, not ASCII, not flat, not import, not export, not not not. The term is found in chapter 7 "foreign." The explanation on how to do this is to "...turn to one of the professional data translation services." Great, just what I wanted to know.
Rating:
Summary: All that it claims to be
Review: I like to start off projects with simple concepts and a few examples to get off the ground. Well this book does just that. Unfortunately I would also like to have some example of input and output. I chose this book because it was not database specific, as I am converting files from an Informix database, through a filter, to a flat file, for later conversion to an Oracle database, with a different structure. Unfortunately this book (being universal) has no universal explanation as to how to get information from a flat file in or out of the database. First you have to find the term they use, not ASCII, not flat, not import, not export, not not not. The term is found in chapter 7 "foreign." The explanation on how to do this is to "...turn to one of the professional data translation services." Great, just what I wanted to know.
Rating:
Summary: This was an excellent SQL primer
Review: I spent a lot of time looking for a book that actually covered ANSI 92 SQL, and even though I vowed a long time ago to never buy a 'Dummies' book, this one was an exception and worth every penny spent! My database du-jour (Oracle RDB) is not a particularly well known or used database and with the help of Mr. Taylor I was able to create some very complicated embedded SQL statements, allowing my client to make some pretty important multi-million dollar decisions. Thanks Mr. Taylor for a well written book.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your money
Review: I was unimpressed with the way this book is presented. Not enough examples of core SQL.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for your average 'Dummy'
Review: I'm not sure why someone who already knows SQL would want to use a "Dummies" book. If 'SQL for Dummies' is indeed meant for the average "Dummy" then it skips the most important aspect of this series - catering to someone who knows little or nothing about the topic. The jokes are not funny - and concentrating on the badly written text becomes increasingly difficult. The author does a poor job of introducing the SQL code and what each function does. He doesn't teach at all - which is what he should be doing. For a great introduction to SQL, try Judith Bowman's 'The Practical SQL Handbook'. It is a far superior text - an easier read, insightful, helpful, and most of all - it teaches a novice the ins and outs of complex databases and coding in SQL for the REAL world. 'SQL for Dummies', however, does not fit in with the 'Dummies' series. If that's why you want this book, then look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the Beef?!
Review: If you want to do any serious SQL db work, don't get this book. If you only want a general, superficial explanation and minimal understanding of SQL, and don't really need to do any serious work (such as your manager) then this book is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Frustrating book for a dummy
Review: People who write books for "dummies" need to test it out on a genuine "dummy" before they publish it. This "wonderful" book won't tell you much of anything about how to get SQL server up and running, how to set up a data base, query it, modify it etc. Why? Because the author won't give you the basic information necessary to do these tasks. He assumes you already own something called "RAD" (and won't tell you what that is, either) and fails to explain the use of the internal tool ISQLW, leaving his dummy audience trying figure out how to get into MS SQL to use the "rich" language to create and modify tables. Sorry, I'm the "dummy" that bought this book, and after reading three or four chapters had to find other sources of information so that I could, at least, set up a data base. To IDG Books: Next time you publish a SQL book for "dummies", try not to assume anything. Keep in mind who you are talking to: people who don't know the first thing about SQL server and don't want to run out and buy some other "tool" in order to be able to make it do what it's supposed to do.
Rating:
Summary: You will be dummy if you buy this book
Review: Poorly written, jumps back and force between the topics not yet explained
Rating:
Summary: Get to the point
Review: Someone who is interested in getting the facts for rapid database development will find this book frustrating. Uses way to much filler.
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