Web Performance Tuning, 2nd Edition (O'Reilly Internet)

Rating:
Summary: excellent introduction to web performance
Review: Web Performance Tuning is the place to start if you're in charge of a web site's performance. It at least introduces all of the issues you are likely to run into. It could be improved by more detailed information on one particular web server, say Apache, and more information on assuring reliability, but as a place to start in improving web site performance, it's the best book out there.

Rating:
Summary: to broad
Review: Well, I personally think that the book is too broad. It tries to conver everything which should be left to separate books. I was expecting to get good details on tuning web servers / capacity planning etc but instead just re-read stuff that is in other books. The chapter on capacity planning is decent as well as the appendicies. However these should have been the core of the book. If you are a beginner to the Internet and want to know general performance stuff get it. If you are more of a veteren don't buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent discussion of lots of topics
Review: While this book may be criticized for being too general and not always offering direct recipes and numeric examples, I think this is one of its strengths. Killelea discusses lots of topics and his explanations of the different layers and specific components that contribute to overall performance is a breath of fresh air. He (and Linda) have an elegant, engaging style that makes this book a pleasure to read. It is not as much a reference book on tuning the web, as it is a great explanation of how things work, how they interact, how they affect performance, and what to do to improve that performance. Great!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent discussion of lots of topics
Review: While this book may be criticized for being too general and not always offering direct recipes and numeric examples, I think this is one of its strengths. Killelea discusses lots of topics and his explanations of the different layers and specific components that contribute to overall performance is a breath of fresh air. He (and Linda) have an elegant, engaging style that makes this book a pleasure to read. It is not as much a reference book on tuning the web, as it is a great explanation of how things work, how they interact, how they affect performance, and what to do to improve that performance. Great!