Rating: 
Summary: Great learning tool
Review: Flip through the book at the store and you will see a good ratio of theory to examples. Most books are too heavy on theory relative to examples. It is not wordy either. The question/answer format really tests your thinking. Just remember to print the database diagram that comes with the download from the web page and study the relationships. Then you can critically examine the examples since you will fully comprehend the queries in the examples. The only thing I would like is the question/answer in electronic format to save some time typing. A great start to PL/SQL used in Oracle. The web site has an errata section for the book. Note the corrections before you start or you will be needlessly scratching your head. See www.phptr.com/Rosenzweig. Click 'begin' and 'Authors Corner' to see the errata.
Rating: 
Summary: BEGIN IF you_are_beginner THEN dont_buy_this_book END;
Review: for my purposes, this book was ideal! I have a background in databases and have programed in VBA, C and normal SQL for some time. I have dabbled in PL/SQL a little bit and needed a refference book to get me going fully. If you lack basic SQL knowledge and basic procedural programming concepts then this book won't help you very much as it assumes the reader is looking for a hands-on refference book. one other reviewer mentioned the 'DUAL' table being introduced without explanation among other things. - 'dual' is an oracle psudo-table that you can select calculations from. e.g. "select 10 - 4 from dual" returns a column named '10 - 4' with a value of in the cell returned. anyway... I agree with other reviewers that this book has a few errors (for example table aliases in the questions are different to those in the answers) and perhaps it could have been layed out more efficiently, but as I have said, for my purposes (quick refference book) it was Ideal.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost Horrible
Review: Grammar mistakes that lead you to wonder exactly what they are attempting to say, not systematic in explaining all the parameters/options of a command/function, and only skimming the surface of many concepts. Save your money, there's got to be a better book out there...
Rating: 
Summary: An exercise in frustration
Review: I bought this in hoping to find a PL/SQL book that could give me a real life lab exercise. I gave up on this book. The examples would sometime refer to advanced topics not discussed. There were errors. The exercises did not appear to be kitchen tested before the book was published. I am still looking for a good PL/SQL book that has good interactive lab exercises, if you find one please let the rest of us know.
Rating:
Summary: A very bad start!
Review: I don't know how the other reviewers got started with the book, if you must download anything from the authors website; I wasn't able to do that. I must have sent a few hundred emails to the author, and the web master - not a single response. Anyone awake? I wouldn't touch any of these books, if it requires me to download anything from their website, nor can you get a hold of anyone - very disappointed in deed.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Oracle's Beginning SQL PL/SQL Course!
Review: I paid 2000 bucks for Oracle's classroom training, then I bought this book and guess what? This book is better! Because it also goes beyond the beginning Oracle class to cover what is in the "Program Units" class as well. As for the website, Prentice Hall changed their author url's but now they have a 'redirect' to the correct site, which happens to be (...) . Again, save your money if you have to pay for your courses yourself, this book replaces "Beginning SQL & PL/SQL", "Advanced SQL", and "Program Units". There! I just saved you (2000+1700+895)=$4595.00 plus hotel and plane fare and lost wages/vacation time! Aunty Violet
Rating:
Summary: Poorly structured
Review: If you like a structured lesson, then you will find this confusing. Usually you expect a lesson then examples and labs. In this book the lessons are mixed in the labs. Lessons often use something that isn't covered until a later chapter, but they don't mention this. This book looks to be rushed too early to publishing. If you are OK with a scattered instruction method, then this is the book for you. Unfortunately there aren't many alternatives to this book.
Rating:
Summary: ORACLE PL/SQL
Review: Ok the content was OK to get a working knowledge of PL in a hurry. It was almost impossible to have to go to the web look up the author at the PHP site simply to download files you needed to complete the "interactive exercises". On top of that you had to then compile the database to be used. They took the shortcut that ruined the entire experience. By the time you find what you are looking for on the web, you have lost your train of thought. A lot of typos cost me a lot of time trying to figure out why I was not getting the same answer. I would really appreciate a refund on this one to be honest which I would never persue. A CD Would have made this book and excellent learning experience. I think the corporatation's decision to not include one ruined the author's attempt to write a good book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Workbok
Review: Overall this book is is great for someone new to programming and/or Oracle PL/SQL. The book contains one lab after another to allow the true beginner to practice concepts. This is a real lab book with plenty of exercises, It should not be thought of as a manual. It is a good book if you need practice and examples that are explained to you.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh GAWD I have to comment
Review: The book isn't bad as an introduction to PL/SQL. It's straight forward and gives nice examples and test-your-knowledge that make you think about what you just read (which is a good way to learn when you can immediately apply somethin you read, unlike other books that just present the information). Now the bad. 1) They introduce something but don't necessarily explain it - like "SELECT x INTO y FROM dual". I've been using SQL for several years now and never saw "dual" used before, what is it and why is it used? (There was no table named "Dual"). 2) The self review questions don't sequence their answers right so you get: Question: A) Answer A B) Answer B C) Answer C C) Answer D One is answered wrong in the back where the question is: Q:When a commit has been issued, which is true..? A) Blah B) Blah C) You have to get Married C) Blah The answers in the back list A & C as correct! 3) Answers don't really explain the "Why" like they say you can't do noncongrous sequences but they don't explain why..I am left to interpret that it's because you can't gaurantee a congrous number..is that the reason or is there something else? If it wasn't for wanting to do the examples I would drop this book, but the hands-on examples and questions do kind of help (though I'd prefer the questions were less simplistic & more like a college level text).
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