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MySQL
The unexpected pleasure of reading books about databases is that they are often written by authors with highly organized minds. Paul DuBois and his editors at New Riders have assembled MySQL with a clarity and lucidity that inspires confidence in the subject matter: a (nearly) freely redistributable SQL-interpreting database client/server primarily geared for Unix systems but maintained for Windows platforms as well. What isn't "free" about MySQL (the application) is its server's commercial use; all clients and noncommercial server use are free. DuBois's tome isn't free either, but its list price is modest in light of its value and the value of its namesake.
The volume is superbly organized into 12 chapters and 10 appendices and contains a concise table of contents and a comprehensive 50-page index. It is peppered with references to the online HTML documentation that comes with the source and binary distributions (which are available and easy to install in stable rpm and tar releases.)
The first third of MySQL is an excellent instruction tool for database newbies; the second third is a detailed reference for MySQL developers; and the last third consists of clearly annotated appendices, including C, Perl (but not Python), and PHP interfaces.
Perhaps as an indication of the collective will of the developers of MySQL, DuBois does not separate Windows 95/98/NT design or development specifics from its main discussions. Platform-independent design is a goal, not a reality, and users will have to rely on newsgroups and mailing lists for details. Moreover, security issues are addressed in a mere 18 pages, a large part of which is devoted to standard Unix file and network-access permissions. Next to nothing is mentioned about defense against common hacking strategies, the use of secure shell interfaces, or access encryption.
Although it is nearly 800 pages in length, DuBois's book is thankfully not encyclopedic. It is a valuable précis of the MySQL database, and its easy-to-skim look and feel will make it an excellent browse for database experts who want to know what is and is not possible within MySQL, the application. --Peter Leopold
550 pages, Paperback
First published December 28, 1999
30 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Paul DuBois
64 books6 followersPaul DuBois is the author of MySQL (Addison-Wesley Professional); MySQL Cookbook, Using csh & tcsh, and Software Portability with imake (O'Reilly); and MySQL and Perl for the Web (New Riders).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 28, 2012
Fantastic book, best I have read on the subject by a *HUGE* margin. It starts off with the basics so even a total beginner can get going, but it soon gets to the real meat. This Book is my database bible, it is *NEVER* far from reach when I am working on code (and I've been doing this for /years/). If you have any interest in MySQL at all, get this book!
December 23, 2019
This book covers more depth than I had the need to learn. So I engaged in selective reading. I know how to use SQL but not how to craft the queries elegantly. This gave me a solid foundational understanding of databases and how to build SQL queries on top of that knowledge.
Finally I understand why Zuckerberg needed to "modify that Perl script" while hacking the Harvard databases. (If you don't know why, I recommend reading the book to find out.) While some may prefer the comprehensiveness, it got a tad repetitive so taking off a star.
You can get the most out of the book by reading it in tandem with a hands-on SQL practice guide like "SQL cookbook".
Finally I understand why Zuckerberg needed to "modify that Perl script" while hacking the Harvard databases. (If you don't know why, I recommend reading the book to find out.) While some may prefer the comprehensiveness, it got a tad repetitive so taking off a star.
You can get the most out of the book by reading it in tandem with a hands-on SQL practice guide like "SQL cookbook".
February 1, 2018
Super helpful to my Uni course. This alongside online tutorials was very helpful. Covering the basics to the more advanced stuff.
March 1, 2018
Very valuable insights on MySQL although get to be very repetitive for those who read it as a whole, because I think it was written as a reference so every section could be used as a standalone explanation and if something missing there would be given its page. Otherwise, it is an excellent diveInto MySQL with experienced warrants about pitfall and tips on its usage.
It is a precious book! just its organisation following two models at the same time make it larger than it is necessary (cognitive : listing all information about an element. And as a problem-solving approach : making each element as a standalone point that suffices you to answer a particular question).
He could avoid make it so huge (1224 pages 4th edition). If he has chosen to treat it as a cookbook or as a reference book but not both. That is I'm not talking about the reference section that is rightfully included at the end of such books.
Besides of the repetitive content, there is something that I found problematic with this book.
My explanation for it is either that technical writers give there content to other writers, to dilate it to make it easier to understand, other explanation is when try to translate your thoughts from your mother tongue (French) to English, it happens with me all the time, what happens is that sometimes the meaning will be affected.
Consider this expression at page 169 of the 4th edition :
" ORDER BY within an individual SELECT is used only if LIMIT is also present, to determine which rows the LIMIT applies to" the first think that come to my mind is that it is syntax restriction, whether it is in fact just doesn't make much sense to do it otherwise, one word change the whole meaning "only", consider the above sentence without it
"ORDER BY within an individual SELECT is used with LIMIT to determine which rows the limit applied to" sounds more meaningful?
Consider this expression at page 162 of the same edition :
" When ALL , ANY , or SOME are used with the = comparison operator, the subquery can be
a table subquery. In this case, you test return rows using a row constructor to provide the
comparison values. " when a reader land on this expression he will deduce that a row constructor is only used with 'ALL, ANY or SOME' when in fact a row constructor is used whenever you compare multiple columns in the where statements.
Consider this too at page 186 :"A foreign key
relationship can be set up to disallow NULL values, in which case all foreign key values
must match a value in the parent table."
This expression dangerous expression will make you have the assumption that with non-null values a matching value in the parent table isn't enforced which is not the case.
The book is filled with that kind of false flags. Those are not very dangerous to the meaning if you invest more time to think, your reading will be slower as if you're debugging a program in C.
This is such a waste since the book can be made into a 400 page book without even remotely touching the meaning, and make it easier to understand and grasp to the reader.
Look at this :
<<12.10.1 General Multiple Server Issues:
...For source distributions that you compile yourself, you can use the --prefix option for configure to specify a different installation location for each distribution.
....>> "just in the next section"
<<12.10.2 Configuring and Compiling Different Servers:
The easiest way to keep different distributions separate is to indicate a different installation base directory for each one by using the --prefix option when you run configure .>>
The last one is just a tiny example of what seem to be a masturbation of back and forth on the same idea throughout the book, entire sections with the same meaning, to make the frightening book of 1200 pages.
It is a precious book! just its organisation following two models at the same time make it larger than it is necessary (cognitive : listing all information about an element. And as a problem-solving approach : making each element as a standalone point that suffices you to answer a particular question).
He could avoid make it so huge (1224 pages 4th edition). If he has chosen to treat it as a cookbook or as a reference book but not both. That is I'm not talking about the reference section that is rightfully included at the end of such books.
Besides of the repetitive content, there is something that I found problematic with this book.
My explanation for it is either that technical writers give there content to other writers, to dilate it to make it easier to understand, other explanation is when try to translate your thoughts from your mother tongue (French) to English, it happens with me all the time, what happens is that sometimes the meaning will be affected.
Consider this expression at page 169 of the 4th edition :
" ORDER BY within an individual SELECT is used only if LIMIT is also present, to determine which rows the LIMIT applies to" the first think that come to my mind is that it is syntax restriction, whether it is in fact just doesn't make much sense to do it otherwise, one word change the whole meaning "only", consider the above sentence without it
"ORDER BY within an individual SELECT is used with LIMIT to determine which rows the limit applied to" sounds more meaningful?
Consider this expression at page 162 of the same edition :
" When ALL , ANY , or SOME are used with the = comparison operator, the subquery can be
a table subquery. In this case, you test return rows using a row constructor to provide the
comparison values. " when a reader land on this expression he will deduce that a row constructor is only used with 'ALL, ANY or SOME' when in fact a row constructor is used whenever you compare multiple columns in the where statements.
Consider this too at page 186 :"A foreign key
relationship can be set up to disallow NULL values, in which case all foreign key values
must match a value in the parent table."
This expression dangerous expression will make you have the assumption that with non-null values a matching value in the parent table isn't enforced which is not the case.
The book is filled with that kind of false flags. Those are not very dangerous to the meaning if you invest more time to think, your reading will be slower as if you're debugging a program in C.
This is such a waste since the book can be made into a 400 page book without even remotely touching the meaning, and make it easier to understand and grasp to the reader.
Look at this :
<<12.10.1 General Multiple Server Issues:
...For source distributions that you compile yourself, you can use the --prefix option for configure to specify a different installation location for each distribution.
....>> "just in the next section"
<<12.10.2 Configuring and Compiling Different Servers:
The easiest way to keep different distributions separate is to indicate a different installation base directory for each one by using the --prefix option when you run configure .>>
The last one is just a tiny example of what seem to be a masturbation of back and forth on the same idea throughout the book, entire sections with the same meaning, to make the frightening book of 1200 pages.
October 8, 2014
A thorough, detailed, and extra large guide to the MySQL open source relational database system. I was quite happy with it, except for the occasional fits of MySQL cheerleading the book occasionally descends into. When you plunk down for a 1200 page book on something, you probably don't need to be convinced to use it. And despite the book's rah-rahs, I still prefer Postgres.
December 8, 2007
This is old now but it is one of the best technical reference books I ever read. It has some of the best introductions to perl and php that I have ever seen, and they are not the main topic of the book. Chapters are concise and yet manage to explain things from the ground up.
Read
June 15, 2012So far so good, I'm learning about MySQL from this book.
November 23, 2012
Comprehensive and complete Mysql reference. Really, this is the only book your need when working with Mysql.
Read
October 17, 2012Da consultazione
October 29, 2012
An excellent mySQL C API reference, with lots of examples.
Want to read
May 15, 2013i want to read it now
January 22, 2014
Learned a lot about mysql, mostly that I wish we were using Oracle.
Currently reading
October 12, 2009Also a lifesaver. Includes the reference calls in C. AWESOME.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews