Rating: 
Summary: It's realy very good
Review: I found this book very good and helpful. :-
Rating: 
Summary: Not for beginners
Review: I have not been able to get out of chapter 1. Telling how to get SQL plus to execute an sql statement or how to create and load the sample databases would be a great start. Tried to run the included tables.sql and got errors.
Rating: 
Summary: Judging a book by its promise
Review: I rate books by what the author states as the goals for the book. The Introduction to any book should tell you this. Oracle 8 PL/SQL Programming states that the book "is appropriate for both experienced programmers who neet to know just the syntax for PL/SQL and its advanced features, and for novice programmers who are not familiar with other third-generation languages." While there is much to recommend in this book it does not fulfill its promise.Novice programers will find this book a diffuclt read. It does contain useful information, particularly when the authors delves into his expereinces. However it is not structured as an instruction text that a novice programmer can pick up and learn from. How does it work as a reference? The explinations of the syntax vary between encyclopedic, as in Chapeter 5: Built-in SQL Functions and lacking completenes as in Chapter 7: Subprograms: Procedures and Functions. In Chapter 5 the author catalogues over a hundred functions available in PL/SQL. If the goal is to be a reference work this is a fine approach. It is not very useful to a novice programmer trying to learn PL/SQL. For the novice cataloguse do not demonstrate how to put the pieces together. In Chapter 7 we are formally intorduced to the Procedured and Functions. The problem is each element of the all important features of the language is NOT explained. For example, the AS and IN clauses are presented in the specification of the formal syntax but are not explained in the chapter. This oversite would be acceptable if these terms had been discussed elsewhere. A check of the Index for pointer to an explination revealed nothing useful. With respect to this example we are left with one of two conlusions. Either there is not explination for these terms or the index is not up to the task of providing us a pointer. In either case it makes this work a poor reference. How are we supposed to find details when there is no path to them?
Rating:
Summary: Judging a book by its promise
Review: I rate books by what the author states as the goals for the book. The Introduction to any book should tell you this. Oracle 8 PL/SQL Programming states that the book "is appropriate for both experienced programmers who neet to know just the syntax for PL/SQL and its advanced features, and for novice programmers who are not familiar with other third-generation languages." While there is much to recommend in this book it does not fulfill its promise. Novice programers will find this book a diffuclt read. It does contain useful information, particularly when the authors delves into his expereinces. However it is not structured as an instruction text that a novice programmer can pick up and learn from. How does it work as a reference? The explinations of the syntax vary between encyclopedic, as in Chapeter 5: Built-in SQL Functions and lacking completenes as in Chapter 7: Subprograms: Procedures and Functions. In Chapter 5 the author catalogues over a hundred functions available in PL/SQL. If the goal is to be a reference work this is a fine approach. It is not very useful to a novice programmer trying to learn PL/SQL. For the novice cataloguse do not demonstrate how to put the pieces together. In Chapter 7 we are formally intorduced to the Procedured and Functions. The problem is each element of the all important features of the language is NOT explained. For example, the AS and IN clauses are presented in the specification of the formal syntax but are not explained in the chapter. This oversite would be acceptable if these terms had been discussed elsewhere. A check of the Index for pointer to an explination revealed nothing useful. With respect to this example we are left with one of two conlusions. Either there is not explination for these terms or the index is not up to the task of providing us a pointer. In either case it makes this work a poor reference. How are we supposed to find details when there is no path to them?
Rating: 
Summary: Good reference, not as good learning
Review: I started out learning PL/SQL with this book but switched to "Teach Yourself PL/SQL in 21 Days." I found the latter much better for learning. The chapters were broken up into reasonable lenghts and it had lots of examples. Oracle8 PL/SQL Programming looks more complete but its organization better for use as a reference text than for learning.
Rating:
Summary: Good reference, not as good learning
Review: I started out learning PL/SQL with this book but switched to "Teach Yourself PL/SQL in 21 Days." I found the latter much better for learning. The chapters were broken up into reasonable lenghts and it had lots of examples. Oracle8 PL/SQL Programming looks more complete but its organization better for use as a reference text than for learning.
Rating:
Summary: Good reference, not as good learning
Review: I started out learning PL/SQL with this book but switched to "Teach Yourself PL/SQL in 21 Days." I found the latter much better for learning. The chapters were broken up into reasonable lenghts and it had lots of examples. Oracle8 PL/SQL Programming looks more complete but its organization better for use as a reference text than for learning.
Rating:
Summary: The Best PL/SQL Programming Book!
Review: I think this book is the best book to begin writting PL/SQL code, so It has all programming level, from beginner to expert.
Rating:
Summary: Good reference of PL/SQL programming!
Review: I use this book for reference of PL/SQL programming. Ther're some examples in the book. The format and index of this book is good too.
Rating:
Summary: PL/SQL Learning Tool
Review: I use this book to learn PL/SQL. It is well-written and easy to follow. The codes in the book are also helpful for learning and practicing what you are reading. The book is good for biginners and certainly useful for intermediates and experts. If you are new to PL/SQL programming, after going through this book carefully you should start writing your own codes in PL/SQL. The book can also be used as reference to check syntax or to review concepts. There are certainly other PL/SQL books but this one can be a starting point. Overall the author did a good job and I can recommend the book.
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