Reviews for Perl, CGI and JavaScript Complete

1. Cheap but patchy compilation doesn't really work

   Rated 2 out of 5 stars, August 12th, 2004

   My experience with this book focuses on the Perl sections, although I did briefly use some of the JavaScript content.
   
   Impressions of the Perl/CGI sections are that they contain some useful information which is badly presented- you'll certainly want a highlighter to pick out stuff (good job this is a cheap book).
   
   The ordering is odd. We get a brief introduction to CGI/Perl (fine), then 'Your first program' (okay, but basic, and includes too much non-Perl stuff)....
   
   Then, suddenly, before we've written much at all, there is an in-depth description of the Perl debugger, and the obscure errors that can occur. Next, a more in-depth chapter with forms (should follow 'Your First Program'). Then, some stuff on how Unicode relates to Perl....
   
   The writing styles are generally dry, which would be forgiveable if the book had more coherence. This is partly due to it being an (edited) compilation of material from other sources. Such an approach can work if the subject matter is modular ('Linux Complete, Second Edition' is more successful for this reason), but it fails here.
   
   My other gripe is the layout and 'feel' of the book. As one other reviewer said, it's just "wrong". The format doesn't feel good for program listings, and there are too many "screengrabs of the Windows console" instead of having the material integrated into the text. In addition, some of the code doesn't appear to be available online.
   
   As I got this from Amazon for just over a tenner(!), I guess you can't complain. Doubtless I'll find some useful stuff within after learning Perl from another book, but it's too much of a rag-bag for me to recommend it.
   
   Update (Jul 2006): I've used the JavaScript material more since I wrote the review above. Whilst slightly more coherent and providing some useful grounding, it's still nothing like complete. The reference section is now starting to date, and isn't *that* clearly-formatted. It's passable, but I still ended up buying a "proper" Javascript book; Danny Goodman's "Javascript Bible".

2. Worst book ever

   Rated 1 out of 5 stars, May 12th, 2004

   This book has to be the worst mistake ever! From start to finish I found this book useless and confusing. Despite having had some experience before with languages such as java, this book complicates information more than necessary.

   Some of the coding has errors and tends to lead you off on tangents.

3. I should have thought more carefully before buying this one

   Rated 3 out of 5 stars, November 12rd, 2003

   No it's not! Complete that is.

   This a cut down and cobbled together version of other Sybex books.

   I should have thought more carefully before buying this one but was blinded by the fact that it some examples of exactly what I wanted to do.

   For me it this book does just not work.

   The whole look and feel of the book is wrong. It feels the wrong size when you use it. Nice and thick, you feel it is going to be thorough. But the pages are just the wrong size. It really seems to make the reference section uncomfortable to use.

   It is printed on horrible paper too.

   It was this book that led me to buy all my others!

   I guess that at the end of the day, trying to learn three things requires three books. This may serve as a reference when you have an idea of what you are doing but I doubt it.

4. Not for the beginner!

   Rated 3 out of 5 stars, July 12th, 2001

   Okay, so I decided to learn Perl the hard way - I taught myself... Bought a few books, one of which was this one. I found it a bit confusing, unorganised, and genrally difficult to understand. The reference pages at the back are quite useful, though they could be a little more thorough, but the examples tend to throw you in head first, and make sure you don't get up for a while.

   I went for the 1000 pages...Not good! You tend to work through all the code, expect to understand everything, then ten pages on, it might explain it. Briefly.

   I'd recomend the 'Sams Teach yourself...' range if you are to take the same route as I have. Then maybe invest in this a little later.

5. A concise reference for all levels

   Rated 4 out of 5 stars, July 12th, 2001

   I bought this book to primarily develop my personal website. Having already some experience with JavaScript I found this book surprisingly useful on that part, making me able to add things I didn't think I could. More recently I have added more complicated parts to my website involving Perl and CGI, enabling me to put a voting system on my site. This book is not the be-all and end-all of books on the three related topics, but as references go, it's name isn't far from the truth. Virtually complete.