Customer Rating:  
Summary: This is an awful book
Comment: I have read several PHP-MySQL books recently. I would not recommend purchase or even wasting time reading this book. Others have said it is very out of date with MySQL and it is, however it also has so many errors in the sample code it makes the language near impossible to learn. The downloaded code from the 'Wrox' site is no better. After 3 years on the site it hasn't been fixed. All one needs to do is look at the book's forum on the site, particularly threads about Chapter 6 and Chapter 10 to see the un-addressed errors. Readers have attempted to post fixes but often it's a case of the blind leading the blind as their fixes don't work either. This book was basically a minor rewrite of the same book published in 2004 with most of the same errors. It was also written by committee which is rarely a good book to buy. In this case the authors can stand in a circle and point left as to whose fault this rotten code is. They and the publisher apparently have no shame or sense of duty to correct the online code so the book would be useful. A new version is due in 2009 with most of the same authors but after two failures I don't see how this update will be more accurate. I did down load the Chapter 10 code of the new book and found that it works. However they did not just fix this books code, they completely rewrote the code and simplified it making it not so useful to use for this book. I know this review is very harsh but I believe it is well deserved by all those involved in publishing this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Book for the Time -- Needs Revisions and Updates
Comment: I would truly love to give this book 5 stars; however, as some of the more recent commentators have indicated, it's out of date. Unfortunately, that's a show stopper when you're using the most recent version of MySQL! I was going over this book as a refresher course, since I have been generally well satisfied with Wrox's books, but the outdated syntax in the MySQL sections are real deal-killers. It's been years since I touched PHP, so I figured I could pick this up and get back into the groove of things and truly get into MySQL at the same time -- no dice on that one.
In short, this book is largely handicapped by two things:
1. It needs to be revamped for the latest version of MySQL and PHP (6 is right around the corner), and
2. The errata section on the website needs to point some of these things out.
I'm giving it four-out-of-five stars because it would have been a righteous book in 2005.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very out-of-date now
Comment: This is a decent book, but the MySQL syntax is very out-of-date. If you're working with a current version of MySQL, this isn't going to do you any favors. Until they see fit to update this volume, I recommend buying something else.
I've had great luck with "PHP, MySQL and Apache" by Julie C. Meloni (Sams Teach Yourself) third edition (2007). Its example projects are different and not quite as applicable to what I'm needing to do, but who knows - they may be just what you need. The biggest benefit is that it uses the mysqli commands that PHP 5.xx demands.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good but need update
Comment: For a novice in these 3 fields, it's a good introductory and step-by-step guide to get familiar with them.
However, since the book was first published in 2005, many contents about installations are outdated. An update in these parts will benefit new readers because it can help them get into the main topics easier.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Really good for beginners
Comment: Great book for those, like me, who wants to start from zero with PHP5 and MySQL. I had no previous knowledge about this two languages, and in short time began to understand about it all. You may buy this book for sure!
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