Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:  
Summary: Great book and resource.
Comment: I purchased this book to begin learning dynamic web design in php/mySQL. The early chapters in the book do a good job of explaining the basics of programing in php and walking you through step by step the how and why.
My only complaint is toward the end of the book, particularly when more complex mySQL programming is included (which is great) but there wasn't enough explanation as to why these lines of code go next, or what exactly it is each line is really doing.
If I were to do it over again I would absolutely purchase this book, it is a good resource that I'm sure I will refer too time and time again.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Comment: There isn't a friendsofed book that I have read which I didn't like. I struggle with code and their books make it... not easy to learn... but easier than others (code is never 'easy' to learn). If you struggle with learning code and want to start adding PHP to your sites... this book is for you. I would also recommend their PHP for Dreamweaver book. I bought both at the same time.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Quick and easy
Comment: Like the book's title and sub-title states "PHP Solutions Dynamic Web Design Made Easy" The books does an excellent job of showing how to do some useful things with PHP and Mysql. Is it an easy way to master PHP as the cover implies? NO!!!
It's more like a beginner's cookbook, rather than a book that will give you a solid foundation on building web sites using PHP Mysql.
The book is missing on a few points like the content management section. Where's the front end of the thing? It shows you a way of building the admin side, but not the user(front)side of the system. It wasn't difficult to figure out how to build the front end, but I didn't buy the book to have to figure that out. It should have been included. This book like all the PHP books I have purchased is very strong on somethings and severely lacking in others. This book has a few good how-to's but lacks in what for and why. There are other books that are good on what for and why, but don't show you how to apply it. There is no happy medium. I haven't found a book yet that shows you how to build anything really useful, with the complete support of the theory behind it all.
If you are just starting out and want to know how to do a thing or two fast, without spendings 8 months working through one of the many 1000 plus page php books out there, then this book is okay for that.
If you want to learn PHP Mysql for serious professional level development, then stick to the big red books and, or the books with the funny looking animals on the cover, knuckle down and put in the time. It is really the only way you will ever learn how to do anything worthwhile with any programming language. You gotta put in the time.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A great book for intermediate developers
Comment: I am an advanced HTML and CSS developer, but PHP and mySQL is always an issue. I don't have much time either to read a book. But I have to say this is one of the best PHP books I have purchased. It is also the easiest to follow.
Instead of wasting your time with where PHP comes from, or a bunch of useless pages of information. The author focuses on providing you information with using PHP in a PRODUCTION ENVIROMENT! Which is the biggest thing of all. You have to know the difference between production and educational in a real world enviroment and he nailed it.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to strengthen their PHP and mySQL knowledge.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great PHP Book for Designers
Comment: I own and have read several PHP books of varying helpfulness, but PHP Solutions is one of my favorites because:
1. it's aimed at Web Designers with little, or no, PHP experience
2. the examples are practical and can be applied to actual projects (no joke databases)
3. doesn't neglect the design aspect of websites
4. the author uses web standards-compliant coding
5. there's a clear emphasis on security-minded coding (which is important with such a powerful and flexible language)
So if you're looking to delve into dynamic, server-side, scripting languages this may be the perfect book to get you rolling.
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