Databases Books

One of the best IT books I've ever read. Well written, the hands-on assignments are highly useful for learning Oracle SQL. I strongly recommend Oracle9i SQL by Lannes Morris-Murphy.

What can I say? I didn't know anything at all about Oracle. I read the book while taking the class with her at Troy University. I then took and passed the exam on the first try. Good stuff!

Joey Powell
Enterprise AL USA

This book is very good. I don't usually write any reviews for textbook. However, I have to tell you that this book is great for studying Oracle SQL. The book is written is a very oganized lay out. After reading form cover to cover, you should be thoroughly ready to take Oracle exam.

I am a student of Dr. Morris-Murphy at Valencia Community College in Orlando Florida. I am currently studing for my Oracle DataBase Admisistration Certification with the Doctor. This, her first book matches the style of her presentation of PL/SQL in class; clear, precise and simple to understand. After reviewing this book and comparing it to the notes I took during her class I highly recommend that anybody from DBA's to DBD's to students starting their studies in Oracle9i to those who are preparing for the PL/SQL certification test should have this book sitting right next to their PL/SQL Sybex book. In fact I recommend very strongly that anybody who is in the field of Oracle9i should have a copy of this book on their shelf for quick reference.

Weather you are a newbie Peoplesoft DBA or have been on the field for sometime....there is something for everyone in this book. This is an awesome book and it talks about A..Z about Peoplesoft DBA aspect. Buy it if you are managing/administrating Peoplesoft instances. Its worth every penny

This book is a deep in-depth view of the function of Peoplesoft on an Oracle database. Not only does it cover the fundamentals of how Peoplesoft uses the database features, it also details almost every table in the system on a row by row basis. An in-depth resource which is sure to be invaluable to anyone using this software configuration.

I bought this book just to get familiar with Peoplesoft environment (before the project to install Oracle RAC for Peoplesoft) and cover what I need to know as Oracle DBA. It beats all my expectations - I found lots of DBA relevant details as well as extremely useful overview of architecture and application design with Tuxedo.
After skimming through the book for few hours, I was able to fully understand and talk to Peoplesoft people at client side. In some cases, I knew even more details (or where to get more) than DBA on client site. Showed this book to the client DBA and he was so much thrilled with that - ran and bought it right away.
Well done David! Excellent Job. Thanks!

I have been an Oracle DBA for ten years and needed to ramp up very quickly recently for a large client to support their PeopleSoft environment without time to get training on PeopleSoft. This book fits the void left empty as the other PeopleSoft books are geared toward PeopleSoft application developers and not for an Oracle DBA who needs to understand the new ways of working with Oracle databases and PeopleSoft applications. Definitely a gold mine of nuggets for those who need to understand Peoplesoft on Oracle!!

John Paul Carinci is a Renaissance man - he is not only a successful business man, he is a poet, song writer, screenwriter, author of many works of fiction, and the author of one of the most profound and useful 'self-help' books I have ever read.
The Power of Being Different is amazing. In its simplicity, it will show you how to transport your life into one that is not only productive, but filled with exploring your potential in every facet of your life. Big words, but it works.
I have a dear friend who is a success in the investment market. One of his favorite sayings is 'Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone.' I am sending him a copy of Carinci's book - he'll love it.
You see, you can eek out an existence by being just another head in a crowd. To get noticed, you have to stand out - to be different - and thereby having your ideas noticed, your path cleared.
Carinci dots his book with quotes from some of the greatest minds of our time - bits of information to chew and digest - His sound, thoughtful words will be those you will use and relate to.
I have 'dog-eared' many pages of The Power of Being Different so I can relay some great ideas/thoughts with you - it is something I do not normally do - dog-earing - but wanted to share with you - am looking at my copy and nearly every page is dog-eared. Not enough space to share everything I wanted to share!
The way you use your time each day can be a critical factor in your success. Your thoughts and how you handle yourself are part of your success. In other words, harness the power you have within you and you can literally move mountains to achieve your goals, personally and professionally.
Time management, sending positive thoughts, ideas to yourself are parts of the keys. How many of us wake up and dread going to work - knowing we'll get pounded in some form during the day, shrinking at the thought of having to endure another day of the same harrassment from the boss and/or co-workers in the dog eat dog daily grind we call work? I've been there done that - Carinci in simple easy to follow techniques help alter our approach to handling things making harsh situations bearable and even triumphant is brilliant.
My father was the blueprint of the American Dream. Son of an immigrant, he worked his way through college, overcoming hardships where some would have given up and taken lesser roads. Instead he persisted, and became an executive in the automotive industry - and he was sought out for not only his dedication for excellence and quality, but how he practiced what he preached. He cared not only for the product, but the people who produced the products. His techniques in business are still being practiced today. If my father was alive today, I can guarantee you he would give a copy of The Power of Being Different to each and every person under him, as well as family members. I think his dedication and caring to help and give of himself paved the way for successes of his family and people he touched. He and John Paul Carinci would have been great friends. Every page I read, I knew this was what my father embraced. And that is the highest compliment I can give this book.
Small suggestions, such as finding 15 minutes each day to start investing in yourself, writing down your dreams of success, having a mantra of sorts - a rallying 'cry' to focus what you want and to achieve - focusing in on what is truly important and zeroing in on how to attain it.
All this John Paul Carinci lays out in this book.
You are your best supporter, or worst enemy. Which will you choose? To self destruct, or rise to be the person you want to be? So easy, so amazingly presented, all you have to do is follow through. Follow through - that is another of my Dad's sayings - you can have great ideas, but unless you follow through with them, all they are, are great ideas. Not tangible success.
You may not become a Gates after reading this book, but if you follow the principles of this book, whether you are an executive in a company, or a blue collar worker in the fields, or a student, whatever, wherever you are, your success is in your hands. All you have to do is step out and be different - make a difference - and that gives a power you will find amazing.
I plan on sending copies of The Power of Being Different to many of my friends. I believe in the ideas of this book, and am working to make myself a better person by implementing the ideas Carinci lays out for us.

"The Power Of Being Different" it will change your life!

The book is amazing! It is so easy to understand. The chapters are small and powerful in their messages.
Some of the subjects covered by the author include:
Positive Driving Force:The need to succeed is so great that defeat is not accepted. The mind comes up with ways to succeed no matter how many obstacles are placed in the way. Like water running down a hill over rocks and mud, the water finds it's way down the hill, the mind too, in people that have a positive driving force, find the way through obstacles placed in their way.
Charles Kettering, an inventor, said, "The only time you can't afford to fail is the last time you try."

John Ratzenberger is a perfect example of a person with a Positive Driving Force. He was the know-it-all mailman on the long running show Cheers. It was after failing to land a part at an audition for the producers looking to hire their cast, that his positive driving force kicked in. He asked the executives and producers, "Do you have a know-it-all at the bar yet?" The Cheers people said, "what?" he said, "you know, a know it all; every bar has a know-it-all at their bar!" At that point Ratzenberger proceeded to improvise, using office furniture as props and showing the show's executives the kind of character, and finally created it for their show. Ratzenberger only succeeded because he refused to give up on his dream of acting.

Immigrants entering the US have Positive Driving Force. Their mindset is: "all I have to do is work hard and I'll make it, then I can send for my family back home and bring them to America, the land of Opportunities and riches.

Self-Suggestion Statements: A series of the same statements that are repeated a few times each day and recited at least 20 consecutive days, which forms a good habit, which feeds the subconscious mind, the inner mind and the part of the brain that sends thought impulses back out to the conscious mind, the common sense part of the mind. These statements, real or ficticious, will be accepted by the subconscious as fact. Then accepted and stored and turned into thought impulses that the conscious mind will receive like the rays of the light from a lighthouse. Statements such as: "I will be successful, it's inevitable, because my aggressiveness will equal opportunities for my success."

Intense Burning Desire: The never ending burning desire to see a task through to completion. That all consuming urge that you wake up with each morning and the last thing you think about before you fall off to sleep each night. It could be for a goal such as writing and completing a book, or report, or getting a college degree, making a garden, fixing a broken faucet in the house. Roger Bannister was a perfect example of intense burning desire when he worked to the point of exhaustion in breaking the 4 minute mile in running.

John Paul Carinci's Inventors - With Intense Burning Desire
"What do great inventors all have in common? they are intensely driven individuals that will not stop until they have achieved the goal set forth. They are not deterred by failure, no matter how many times they have failed, nor how many experts and people tell them their ideas are foolish and can't be achieved. Failure to them, is accepted much the same as regular people accept being stopped at a red light while driving, they just deal with it along the way, accepting failure, no matter how many times it presents itself, as part of the game, never allowing it to leave a negative impact."

If you read any self help book this year, make sure you include the best and most inspiring book of the last decade: THE POWER OF BEING DIFFERENT.
Ralph Lewis

"Uniqueness Leads To a Great Book"

"The Power of Being Different" by John Paul Carinci is a unique look at achieving success. Just when the "Success" genre has fallen asleep, an author such as John Paul Carinci comes out of nowhere and asks the questions, "Where are you in your life's journey? Is time speeding up or slowing down? At what stage are you?"

"The Power of Being Different" (ISBN: 1420846981) is a different and original look at "YOU," capturing a daily positive attitude, grabbing "15 minutes a day " just for you, understanding and utilizing your "subconscious mind" and "The Power Deep Inside!"

"The Power of Being Different" is written from the perspective POV (point of view) of an author who has traveled down the road already but has no problems sharing with us (if we listen) the power of becoming successful. Everything is here on this earth for us to make and create our own opportunities.

"The Power of Being Different" by John Paul Carinci is the only "success" genre book that I have ever read that actually "looks at the opposite of success --- total failure." Why do some win and others shoot themselves in the foot? "Why do some lose the gumption to push?" One reason the author points out is that they "lose their motivation." They burn out, mentally and emotionally. "They lose the spark, the magic and the excitement of their work." DISCOVER AND REDISCOVER, says the author, will give you new meaning and drive - "A burning desire to accomplish." Quoting Jack London, American author (1876-1916), "I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be superb...The proper function of man is to live, not exist."

John Paul Carinci has been a successful business owner for 30 years. Currently, he is President of Carinci Insurance Agency Inc., with over 200 brokers. John is also an author, songwriter, and poet. He is the CEO of Better Off Dead Productions Inc., a movie production company. As a writer, some of John's other works include "Better Off Dead," "A Second Chance," "In Exchange Of Life," "Better Off Dead Again," and "Reflections In Poetry." John is also co-writer of the screenplays "Better Off Dead" and "A Second Chance," which was adapted from his novels, and may be produced as motion pictures in the coming months.

Do you want to be a leader? If so, get a copy of "The Power of Being Different" (ISBN: 1420846981). John Paul Carinci asks, "Why are very few people leaders?" and then follows up with, "Many people are followers in general and in most all aspects of life. Many seem to follow others, much like all the mice that fall in line to follow behind the Pied Piper. I believe many people are too shy to lead, in whatever situation they are in. The average person, when entering a department store, will follow the person who previously entered the store. People will follow other people through the same exact door, no matter that other doors are more accessible. People tend to follow the path of a predecessor. People do the same thing because it''s easier that way. It takes more commitment, work, and determination to find and to independently accomplish something new and better." "The Power of Being Different" will give you THE POWER TO BE DIFFERENT AND BETTER AND SUCCESSFUL!

--- Reviewed by John Weaver
"Uniqueness Leads To a Great Book"

John Carinci is an excellent writer who knows how to keep a reader's interest. I am an avid reader of self-help books, have read many of the books John recommends, and have already learned many of the life lessons that Mr. Carinci presents in this book, but his writing style is refreshing and the examples and quotes he uses are inspirational.

I particularly enjoyed the author's point that the odds of our birth are like winning the lottery. The one in a million chances that an egg would be fertilized coupled with the likelihood that the development of the embryo into the miniature person born in this time and place that perpetuated our personhood is phenomenal. Those coupled with the fact that we survived exposure to disease and accidents and live in an age of modern medicine; opportunity, education, and freedom that promote our longevity and ability to have a meaningful life are not an accident. We are here for a reason!

The author does an exception job laying out how people who work hard and think positively employing the gifts they are born with and those that they develop should not be satisfied with their accomplishments. Rather, they should strive to make a positive impact on the world and leave behind a legacy that will impact humanity through the ages. He gave numerous examples of such people who ignored ridicule and persevered to accomplish and make our world one of technological advancement. He encourages us to be different, to dream, to act and never be satisfied with what is, but strive for new and better ways to live, work and play.
The author encourages us to make time for ourselves and extend our waking alert hours living healthily and purposefully. Example after examples are provided of people who were either not born with certain physical attributes or have lost them, but nevertheless have used their minds and ingenuity to achieve great things that impact the world as we know it. He believes that those who have passed on their gifts look down at us and challenge us to improve upon their contributions.

I recommend this book to people of all ages and backgrounds. It is uplifting and enlightening. I am glad I read it and you will be too.

This is an excellent book on powerbuilder programming targeted mainly at intermediate and advanced level programmers and provides step by step code not found in other powerbuilder books. This book does not waste too much of time on theories ,but wherever possible provides useful hints.Till date, there is no powerbuilder book in the market that provides plenty of code,and this book does fill that void.Only minus point is lack of PFC coverage.I really wonder why waite group is yet to release their next version(ie PB 6 how to) and I am eagerly awaiting its release.

This is a fantastic book which Provides a lot of code not found in other PB books that too in an excellent step by step HOW TO format.It mainly targets the intermediate to the advanced level Programmer although beginners can also benefit from it and advance quickly.Lack of PFC coverage is the only minus aspect about this book.It wastes very little time on theories as is the case with most other PB books.Topics covered include OLE, API calls etc. I am eagerly waiting for their next release.(ie PB6 how to)

This is a book which provides a lot of code in an excellent HOW TO format.It does not waste much time on theories as is the case with most other Powerbuilder books.Instead it teaches through practical examples and Provides step by step code. from beginner to advanced level.Lack of PFC coverage is the only minus aspect.I am eagerly waiting for their next release.(ie PB6.0 how to)

This is one Powerbuilder booK Which Teaches you how to write code from beginner to advanced level in an Excellent step by step HOW TO format.It does'nt waste time on theories as is the case with most PB books.The only Minus point about this book is that it doesn't cover PFC.I am eagerly waiting for PB 6 HOW TO to be released. I hope PFC 6.0 would be covered in that Edition. I hope the authors take notice of this.I strongly recommend this book For people who are not too comfortable with coding in Power builder but yet familiar with the concepts.

E' un libro molto ben fatto, che tratta in modo esaustivo tutte
le principali caratteristiche delle strutture implementate in C++.
L'unico difetto - non imputabile all'Autore - sta nel linguaggio
adoperato, oramai piuttoso obsoleto e lontano dall'attuale standard ANSI.
Perchè la Wiley non invita il dr Flamig a pubblicare un aggiornamento dei suoi ottimi libri? Sono sicuro che diventerebbe un best-seller!
In ogni modo, anche cosi' è altamente raccomandabile ai programmatori di ogni livello, perchè contiene un'infinita' di
varianti e suggerimenti e,soprattutto, il codice completo che mostra come realizzare in pratica quanto appreso nella teoria.
-

It contains the most simple and basic code that any one can handle, even if you are not very skillful with C, you can follow the text. It is very well developed and for begginers is just great.

Practical data structure in C++ is very impressive to me... I have some problems - the source codes sltst.cpp etc.. in chapter 8 are not executed. In BC 3.1, they work well. but by compiler MFC 4.1 I have used, execution error occurs. I guess member function Next() in slist.h cannot return point to next pointer. Why? What's trouble-shooting to this problem? Could you give the answer ASAP ? I'm in a big hurry..

All the code in "Practical Data Structures in C++" is provided to the student/programmer and not left as an exercise to the "student." I found the book "very" useful after I had taken an introductory "Data Structures" course. I purchased this book at the time where templetes were not implemented in Microsoft Visual C++; therefore, I do not know whether the included code will build with any specific compiler though I suspect that it will build with the latest MS compiler and the Borland products. This book is for the "working programmer" who has not looked at a topic since the required Data Structures course work. This book provides a very good review as well as complete example(s) of working "code snipets."

Smart, well reasoned, and covered what I needed.

Excellent book, I development multimedia software, and use SQL, for my programs, easy to read, form mystery to mastery!

this book is my head book!

In this companion to Practical SQL: The Handbook, Practical SQL: The Sequel picks up where the handbook left off and explores tasks related to the daily life of a database. The author takes a hands-on approach to taking basic knowledge of SQL and extending it to solving real world problems. Like most programming languages, SQL is a language that is best learned by doing. Entering queries and seeing what happens will get your further along than textbooks full of relational theory. It's a bit like walking: if you were to think about all the bones in your leg and how they work, you would probably fall down. There are plenty of examples for you to try, which later become prototypes for your own queries.

Working on a daily basis with web applications, the Practical SQL Handbook is always within reach and is the reference I turn to whenever I run into a SQL query that tests the limits of my knowledge, despite several years of SQL experience. Writing SQL can often be tricky. Many concepts are difficult to grasp even for the experienced, such as working with aggregates or joins and unions, which often have me returning to the handbook. I expect Practical SQL: The Sequel will become a well-thumbed companion to the handbook.

This book covers several important issues often overlooked by general SQL tutorials or theory and not covered at all by vendor manuals. This book is aimed at the person who has learned basic SQL and is moving on to greater things. You will not find basic relational database theory in this companion to Practical SQL: The Handbook, but you will find a balanced guide to learning the practical techniques for solving the SQL puzzles that crop up in the real world outside the classroom.

Most working database applications employ SQL that bears little resemblance to the relational concepts and idealized examples found in textbooks or classrooms. Yet at the other extreme, the new SQL user is often frustrated to discover existing references are little more than technical manuals or vendor brochures touting the latest gimmick. This text helps you make the transition from the idealized forms of the classroom to the practical solutions used in everyday database work. It should not be dismissed as a sort of "vocational" text only for those who get their hands dirty. This book offers solid advice for anyone working with relational database systems.

A chapter is devoted to recognizing, finding, correcting and removing "dirty data." Such as duplicate information, or nearly duplicate information, such as you are probably familiar with junk mail that comes to your mailbox with several slightly different spellings of your name. In the real world you often inherit data that has been collected without concern for integrity checks.

Much of the work a database is expected to do requires searching through data for items matching some condition. This is executed through the WHERE clause, and is the place to start looking for ways you can improve SQL performance merely by paying attention to how you write SQL. In her foray into query tuning, the author explains how to avoid unnecessary table scans provoked by a variety of queries where a subtle difference of usage enables or disables employment of speed enhancing indexes. Or when indexing a column has no practical result.

Most database systems provide some method for automatically generating unique numbers as data is inserted. Unfortunately, there is no standard among vendors for how autonumbering is implemented. The author compares examples from the most popular enterprise systems and shows examples of usage.

The concept of finding the top-N items in a result set is discussed, which is central to many web applications user interfaces. Useful for navigating the database in "browse n-items" displays, data hiding, "top ten" lists, finding the five best customers, the lowest selling books and etc.

A chapter is devoted to translating values, an often overlooked subject. Translation is mapping the arcane codes used to represent values into something readable by human beings. In order to save space and make references clearer to computers, frequently numbers or letter-number codes are used to signify a particular value. Making theses codes readable by people is often a chore, one that requires an inordinate amount of the programmer's attention that might be better spent elsewhere. The text covers various methods of translation, ranging from automatic CASE/DECODE features to doing it yourself using "point functions," which make life easier for the database programmer.

A chapter on using "system catalogs" (tables that describe the database itself) shows you how to obtain descriptions of tables, list what tables exist in the database and describe existing indexes are useful to understanding the database environment and orienting yourself within the database. I use these commands on a daily basis and it has become my habit to issue a "show tables" command on logging in just to jog my memory.

I have to admit the "enterprise" orientation of the Practical SQL series can sometimes be distracting, expecting the reader will rarely be working directly with advanced query formulation or have access to system-level functions. This is atypical for the database programmer working on small business or non-profit websites where they have full access to the SQL server. Rarely will they generating simple reports and often are tasked with crafting complex queries by hand. Oddly, this make the companion edition more appropriate for the programmer, because they will often face dirty data or legacy code working on websites.

Do not expect this book to teach you how to create database driven website applications. There are other books that delve into database programming. I trust the Practical SQL books for clear explanations of complicated SQL concepts in plain language tempered by common sense and practicality, not specific solutions.

This book takes a different and useful approach of focusing on a smaller number of queries but comparing different SQL dialects. Other books, such as "SQL Queries for Mere Mortals" and "Mastering SQL" cover SQL in more depth, but focus on the SQL standard, and don't try to show the variations found in different products.

Unlike many Hollywood works, this sequel to the Practical SQL Handbook (that I have also reviewed here) manages to improve upon the previous title.

The title of this work, with its pun (SQL/Sequel), is a great indicator that Bowman can write about a potentially dry topic while interjecting many grins throughout. I really appreciated that touch.

One feature of this work that I especially liked is that it is organized by problem type (Managing Multiples) rather than by syntax (SELECT). This, in my opinion, is key to a book with the word 'Practical' in the title. Overall the presentation (layout, font, figures, etc.) is somewhat mundane; however, this does not take away from quality of the work.

The sequel also includes a CD with an evaluation copy of Sybase Adaptive Server Anware and a working database, ready for you to use in working through the problems and solutions presented. Unlike many technical works, I found no errors in the problems or solutions presented.

The sequel includes chapters on:

- Handling Dirty Data - Translating Values - Managing Multiples - Navigating Numbers - Tuning Queries - Using SQL to Write SQL - Understanding the Sample Database - Comparing Data Type and Functions - Using Resources.

Another feature that I enjoy is the fact that while the work presents standard SQL information, Bowman includes DBMS-specific variations (Sybase Adaptive Server, Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise, MS SQL Server, Oracle, and Informix), albeit without includin one major DBMS, DB2. The missing DBMS is the reason I rate this work a 4 instead of a 5.

I recommend this work to those that work with SQL or databases in general.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

This book is a very good preparation for Access 2000 Core. However, as of May 2002, many of the questions on the Access 2002 "Core" test were actually from the "Expert" objectives which were not published on the Web MOUS site. Fortunately, the Microsoft Access 2002 MOUS Expert book by Winters and Manchester does an excellent job preparing readers for the Core test and it covers all of the Expert objectives.

Simply put, this book is by far, the best Domino book on the market.

I get bored easy, and this book kept my interest (finished it in two days). I like the way important information was presented in tables--easy to use as a reference. If you can't afford to take the Lotus Classes on Domino/Web....get this book! Also, after reviewing the Lotus sampe exams, I would recommend this book as a study guide. NUMEROUS typos in this book (but I can learn to live with that). Wish it was out in R4.6!

An excellent book to take one from "traditional" Notes application development to development of web applications. Unfortunately, the publishers did a TERRIBLE job of copy editing: references to figures that don't exist or are mis-numbered, paragraphs that end in mid-sentence, mis-formatted tables with items listed in the wrong column.
Deserved much better pre-publication from the editors/publishers and a higher rating.

My students have asked me many times if there are third party books about Notes and Domino that I would recommend. My answer was always no until I read Professional Developer's Guide to Domino. The authors' enthusiasm about Domino made me want to start developing and hosting web sites for clients and I'm not even a developer. The authors presented information about Domino in a easily understandable format. The book is full of useful development techniques and administration procedures. As a consultant, I have used the information in the book to help design and support Notes infrastructures. As an instructor, I found new and better ways to describe how some Notes/Domino processes work. If you are in the groupware profession, add this book to your collection and it will be used more than the official documentation. When was the last time that you picked up a yellow Notes book just to read?

Zac's, presentation & content, is a model of good writing. The bonus tools in Chapter 11, for modifying the Auto Format Template were unexpected, but truly appreciated, as was all the other bonus content. One look at the ACWZUSR12.ACCDU (AutoFormatFile) was enough to understand why the tool was constructed.
The Template project, "Contacts Modified Template"; is the working model, it also provides the insight of how the templates hidden files systems interact, without the usual macro security issues. Part 3 provides you with the necessary XML Schemas needed for building a Template production model.
Zac also provides links to additional learing resourcs.
Green eggs and Ham to Zac & the Access Team,
Thanks Bill>"M"

Zac Woodall's book provides an excellent introduction to creating and sharing Microsoft Access database templates. It's a wonderful reference for anyone who needs to occasionally or regularly design or develop Access templates.

Zac's book focuses on how to build Access Templates using the new Access 2007 program. He covers this topic from the ground up so if you want to know anything and everything about creating templates, this is definitely the book you want.

Zac brings a unique perspective into this technical manual by helping you understand the thought processes that the development team went through when designing the template architecture for Access 2007. His writing is not only insightful, but Zac also has a gift for energizing the written word. Like any well written published work, Zac keeps you interested in the topic at hand and makes you not want to put the book down.

Great work Zac!

I immensely enjoyed reading this book. It is a great introduction on how to use/work with the new Microsoft Access 2007 template feature. The author's writing style and humor ensure that you keep focused and interested in the sometimes dry technical material.

Would recommend it to any developer who wants to fully take advantage of the Access 2007 release.

This is an excellent introductory book for Sql Server Notification Services especially when time is a constraint in learning the technology. The author does an excellent job in explaining the technology and uses a sample notification service application for doing so. The book also comes with 2 bonus chapters and source code for the sample application that can be downloaded from the publisher's web site after registering the book!

We are a major player in the real estate industry. Our web site has millions of visits per day and has positioned itself as the focal point of listing finding. One recent requirement was to allow web users to subscribe to our data and be notified upon a listing change or new listing in an area. We immediately started looked at sql server 2000 notification services. The starting point for research was "The Rational Guide to SQL Server Notification Services". This is a great resource and its content has allowed our developers to rapidly build a custom solution for our needs. Great buy. Great technical content.

Suppose you're in charge of inventory at a store. Wouldn't it be nice of your computer system could notify you immediately that you're selling a lot of something that normally sells very slowly?

This is exactly the situation that Micro SQL Server 2000 Notification Services is designed to handle. It is a platform that includes a notification engine to tell selected individuals about selected changes in the information in the database. Computer systems normally work in a pull oriented architecture i.e. you go to the web and ask for the sales figures for each inventory item to see if there is an anomoly. Notification services changes this model to a push orientation. You subscribe (we don't want to be doing SPAM) and based on the criteria you select you are automatically notified of changes in the underlying data structure.

The Rational Guide books are somewhat of a new concept in publishing where a small book, compared with most computer books, can hold down the price and the size while devoting itself to one subject. In addition, the publisher has made additional information available on his web site to allow the reader to expand his knowledge beyond just this book. I like this concept. All computer books don't need to be 1,000 pages, much of which is just copied from the previous edition.

The audience for this book is considered by the publisher to be a Beginner/Intermediate Developer. Beginner - yes, Notification Services are so new that almost all of us are beginners. But this is not the book for someone just starting out on SQL Server

Excellent concept for a book, well executed.

This book is an excellent introduction to Notification Services -- much, much better than what's available in Books Online or on the web. It's well-written, well-organized, and terse. A great text for someone just getting their feet wet.

However, it has a fatal flaw that knocks it down from 5 to 4 stars: This book has no index. I'm incredibly disappointed by this. It means that this book, once read, will never be picked up again -- if I can't find information quickly enough, I won't bother. An index is key to a good tech book, but apparently Rational Press missed that memo.

Great book, but buyer beware if you need something you can use as a reference later on down the road...