Rating: 
Summary: A Well Done Book That Is Starting To Show It's Age
Review: I bought this book to get more out of my SQL Server code, and to have a printed reference for stored procedures and triggers. The information in the book is very thorough and complete, though it is a bit out of date (an example would be I critiqued a programmer for declaring varchar (4000) because SQL Server only allowed 255 characters in 6.5. He was correct because we use 7.0..). However, this book also explains the underlying fundamentals of SQL Server and how it operates, how it physically stores the data, provides optimization hints, tricks, and tips that have made a marked improvement in my code. This book is perfect for the intermediate developer who is looking to move on in their skills. Combined with SQL In A Nutshell, also from O'Reilly which just came out, I can find almost everything I need to know about SQL Server.
Rating: 
Summary: Obsolete and poorly written
Review: The code in this book targets versions prior to 7.0. So not only is the book not up to SQL Server 2000, it's not even up to SS 7.0. Many of the examples simple don't work because of changes in the product since 6.5 was released over 4 years ago. The examples are also often very essoteric. Who cares about calling bcp.exe from Transact-SQL? Why would you want to do that, especially now that we have the BULK INSERT command? Also, the writing is rather poor. The book reads like a dry text book - it'll put you to sleep. Was really sorry I wasted my time with this one.
Rating: 
Summary: BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO!
Review: Very well researched and awesomely presented. Especially pre-7.0 . Just can't wait for Kevin Kline's new book, "SQL in a Nutshell" to be released. This author not only knows his stuff, but also has the talent of presentation. Any user will be able to comprehend and progress through this piece of work.
Rating:
Summary: Good book for Sybase
Review: I'm a developer with some SQL experience who was new to Sybase ASE when I picked up this book. I found it very helpful and well written. I refer to this book every day, and it hass improved my programming skills. This was the only book I could find that covered T-SQL for Sybase at all. Without it, I would have a hard time doing my job. However, I have found a few inaccuracies and code that will not work (check out ANSI-style joins and DEFAULT inside a CREATE TABLE to see what I mean). This is why this otherwise excellent book only rates 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Obsolete
Review: I think this book should cover version 7.0 in depth, but it doesn't. It's like all the code was written before 7.0. Giving me old-type joins and queries that no longer work is no way to make me a fan of your work. Also, many of the topics covered are essoteric to a fault. Who cares about calling bcp.exe from Transact-SQL (especially when we have the BULK INSERT command in 7.0 now) ? I was really disappointed with this one. I don't think it's on par with the other O'Reilly titles.
Rating:
Summary: If you want an obsolete, poorly written book, buy this
Review: I was really disappointed in this book. For one thing, there's next to no SS 7.0 coverage. For another, what 7.0 coverage there is stuck away in an appendix. Who's idea was this? Another problem is that several of the queries don't work or they use old-style techniques that are now discouraged by MS. I plan to return this one to get my money back. What a waste of time.
Rating:
Summary: Does not cover recent versions of the product
Review: If you want a book that focuses on Transact-SQL as it existed in Sybase/MS SQL Server 4.2, get this book. Otherwise, skip it. The techniques shown herein are obsolete and arcane. Many of the example queries no longer work on SQL Server 7.0 or 2000. Also, many of the coding practices are ill-advised. Save your money and get a more up-to-date book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent resource for TSQL programming
Review: This book is an excellent textbook/reference for beginning and expert SQL programmers. The examples are absolutely wonderful - especially the ones in CASE, CUBE and ROLLUP. THe writing style is clear, cohesive, and logical. The explanations are excellent! One of the best programming books that I have read. Well worth the money! I
Rating: 
Summary: Great for Sybase Adaptive Ser ver
Review: A great reference for syntax.
Rating:
Summary: Largely a waste of time
Review: No real SQL 7 coverage. No clever insights. No engaging prose. No good reason for buying this book.
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