Rating: 
Summary: i finally understand!
Review: this book made it all clear to me! i've programmed in perl but i was just going through the motions. i picked up this book to learn PHP and now I really understand what I'm doing when I'm told to type something. most books just assume you do. the examples are useful and from the real world. I'm so happy I found this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Beginner's ONLY
Review: I didn't heed the first review carefully enough. This book really is for beginner's ONLY. If the only coding you've done is to write an HTML web page in notepad, then this book may be for you. It is an excellent book for anyone who has not done any programming in PERL, JAVA, JavaScript, or C. But if you've managed to write a few lines of code, especially if you've done some PERL cgi scripts, "Professional PHP Programming" by Wrox press is much, much better. In fact "Professional PHP Programming" is so well written, clear, and repeats itself often enough, that it may be just as good for beginner's. It certainly can capture a wide audience, from intelligent newbie to professional level.I gave this book only 2 stars because I think most everyone who has stumbled onto the importance of PHP at this time should buy the Wrox book instead. However, if PHP dwarfs the visibility of PERL in the cgi realm by next year, this book may have more of an audience. It is certainly an easy, pleasant, and nice read.
Rating: 
Summary: For Beginners Only
Review: Excellent, warm, fuzzy way to learn a very powerful scripting language. But when you get past the newbie jitters, you'll need to buy yet another book. I highly recommend Wrox's Professional PHP Programming -- will take you all the way, beginning to end.
Rating: 
Summary: Why I Wrote PHP Essentials
Review: Whether you're a first-time programmer or you have a few years of web application development under your belt, I think you'll find something useful in this book. Hopefully, what you'll find is a simple "learn-by-example" path to developing successful, dynamic Web sites. Unlike the Web itself, this book is fairly linear: you'll start by installing the software needed to use PHP, including a Web server (Win/UNIX/Mac) then gradually move into "Hello World!" scripts and eventually create shopping carts and other database-driven applications. I didn't write this book to be the one and only PHP book on your bookshelf. That's why it's fairly short (relative to other programming books!) This is an overview book, a "don't be afraid, PHP won't bite" kind of book. There are so many different ways to do one task, and so many different ways that a person can teach another how to do something, that I don't believe any one book can ever be the one-stop text for anything.
Rating: 
Summary: Good For VERY Beginners
Review: If you are experience in ANY programmig this is not for you... However if you are brand new to programming and to PHP this will walk you through the basics. Pluses:
Easy reading, easy to follow, simple theory, and multiple examples of the same thing with different changes. Minuses: Simple Theory, BAD logic in code.. there is no OOP and to many examples of the same thing. again i have to stress... this will walk you through the very basics of php/mysql.. if you already know ASP or another language get a more advanced book.
Rating: 
Summary: Worthless for any level of reader
Review: I got this book because not only was it on sale, but I had just been assigned a PHP project at work. Having read the book, though, I must say that it's the worst computer book I've ever come across. First, for someone who is already a programmer such as myself (having used C, Perl, Lisp, etc. for years) the book is much too basic. I don't like to see the same 10-line example repeated half a dozen times with only minor changes. At many points, the author basically tells the reader "do it this way and don't ask questions." I don't like that, especially when the author seems to have contradicted herself. As a programmer, I was also shocked by the inaccurate presentation of sprintf() and other functions - turning them into special purpose functions. There were many other things badly done as well. Also, the language reference in the appendix is pretty lame. Secondly, this book I believe would be bad for those beginning to program. Maybe if you think that you can whip out a webpage with PHP and get rich fast this book would be a good buy. But for all others - stay away! The book doesn't teach programming. Functions are not covered. Control structures are basically ignored. The presentation of variables is badly done. This is very bothersome to me indeed. Finally, the scope of this book. I thought this was a book on PHP. So why do I have to wade through: how to install Apache & other web servers, a pathetic HTML "refresher", a discussion on database "theory", an SQL lesson, etc.? Another chapter filled with incomplete coverage of the functions for connectivity to 7-8 different databases. Then a chapter that's source code for some bloated e-commerce example. All things considered, a worthless book. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or if you have lots of experience - please don't waste your time and money here.
Rating:
Summary: I found this book very helpful...
Review: I am a PHP and programming newbie. I found this book to be a very solid and thorough introduction to PHP and database connectivity. Julie seems to focus on PHP and MySQL; but there are sections on using other databases. This book starts out with simple structure and goes into file management, databases, and session management. While not the most complex and detailed book, it gives the reader a primer on the basics and more advanced topics. From there, you will need to find a more advanced book on PHP. An excellent book! BUY IT!
Rating:
Summary: great book for beginners
Review: for the internet development beginner, this book is ideal. it opens with a historical background of php, a tutorial on developing a php server and then a review of html. such a beginning is unpretencious and informative for the inexperienced developer. the php tutorial is informative, clear and covers all of the basics in a well approached progression. i was able to go through the lessons in the book quickly. meloni's explinations and examples were fantastic. the author always answered my questions during in her explinations. this is a great book for someone, like myself, who has minimal experience in web development. i'd recommend this to anyone who is at the beginning of their web development career or education, working with developers using php or have any interest in learning the basics of web developement for personal or professional use.
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