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Summary: Great Training on Transact-SQL Programming
Review: Kline, Gould, and Zanevsky do a great job of teaching programming with the Transact-SQL language. They review best practices and present techniques in a practical manner that enhances the learning process. This is the most satisfying book I have read in the SQL world.This is a book about programming and does not touch upon server management. It is largely a Microsoft SQL Server book and while it does cover Sybase Adaptive Server it organizes the information in such a way that if you are interested in just one version you can easily stick with that. There were a number of typos that were disconcerting at times and sometimes you had to really work with material to actually get it to work and I suspect that was about editing problems. The book is based upon the 6.5 version of Microsoft SQL Server and the 7.0 material is only treated in an appendix. This was disappointing as it forces the reader to do more work than would otherwise be necessary to put all the programming concepts together. I look forward to a revised edition of this book that is based upon SQL 7.0 but I would advise anyone who is ready to improve his or her programming skills not to wait. This volume is easily the best value I have seen in technical books.
Rating:
Summary: Versions are Irrelevant
Review: This is an outstanding book on writing Transact SQL. The changes brought by SQL Server 7.0 have little impact on the value this book provides to programmers that are new to T-SQL. The book is focused on writing better code, database design, and optimization. If you are looking for a book on SQL Server, this is not for you. If you are looking for an introductory level book, this book is not for you.
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Summary: 6.5 or 7.0 - doesn't matter!
Review: T-SQL hasn't changed so much in 7.0 that its users cannot get a lot of useful information out of this book. For 6.5 DBA's, it is a *MUST* have book, no matter what your skill level. Don't let the people who whine about it being focussed more on 6.5 than 7.0 scare you away. These people are obviously not managing real database installations because most of the professional DBA's I know (me included) are still managing 6.5 servers and will be throughout most of next year. Buy this book if you want to be a DBA worth your paycheck.
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Summary: If you want to know Transact, this is the book.
Review: There aren't a lot of Transact-SQL books on the market, and when I saw that O'Reilly had one I had to have it. Whether you use SQL every day or just want to start learning... This is the perfect book. From the basics, to an in-depth understanding of the subject, this book acomplishes it all. Transact-SQL in a Nutshell is by far, the best 35 bucks I've ever spent. I use SQL every day, and this book has improved my developement time and quality by leaps and bounds. This one should actually get an extra star.
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Summary: This book was obsolete before it was first printed.
Review: This most current edition of "TRANSACT-SQL PROGRAMMING" is obsolete! The cover advertises itself as for Microsoft SQL Serer 6.5/7.0 & Sybase Adaptive Server 11.5. This is very misleading. The Microsoft related information is definitely oriented to version 6.5. The new 7.0 features and differences are covered in an addendum. This is unacceptable because the 7.0 release was huge! It is so much better in so many ways that one would be foolish to continue with version 6.5. Likewise one would be foolish to buy and read this book. I recommend "Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0" by Soukup and Delaney, as a better alternative. What should TRANSACT-SQL PROGRAMMING should have been is an up-to-date description of the TRANSACT-SQL as it is in 7.0, with an addendum about other versions. The main text now has many misleading statements that were once correct but are now mistaken. I bought this book because it was from O'Reilly & Associates, a usually excellent source. This book was obsolete when it was first published in March 1999. It should have been withheld for a major revision.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic but already outdated
Review: Fantastic coverage of TSQL programming. But since this book came out months after MS SQL Server 7, why did it focus on version 6.5???
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Summary: Must have Reference
Review: If I could only have one book by my side while working with SQL Server, this would be it.
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Summary: This book shows real-world knowldge about transact-sql
Review: This book shows how to build better SQL, Stored procedure, and trigger
Rating:
Summary: Almost single handedly passed the MCP test for me
Review: An amazingly comprehensive, yet fun book. I had never before even seen SQL Server but was thrust into the job of DBA. With the help of this book(and some late nights) I realized I loved SQL administration, and SIX(!!!) weeks later Passed the MCP SQL 7.0 Implementation Test.
Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: i had a slew of questions about transact-sql, and this book answered them all quickly and in depth. Great book.
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