Reviews for Sams Teach Yourself MySQL in 10 Minutes

1. Not Bad. If you have used MySQL already...

   Rated 4 out of 5 stars, August 12th, 2008

   It's not a good book for someone who doesn't know anything about MySQL or that have never attempted using it. At least the prior usage of some sort of AMP stack is probably a good idea - whether this be running a CMS/Blog or similar.
   
   It is however quite good for brushing you up on your MySQL and learning the vast functions that are available.
   
   If you already know a bit and want a quick hard copy reference book, then it may be for you. If you do not; then I would not buy it, you will most probably find that it falls short of your expectations.

2. Frustration

   Rated 1 out of 5 stars, January 12th, 2007

   "When you only have time for the answers..." claims the attractive strapline on this book. Wanting to go from being an absolute novice to being able to construct a simple database, this book sold itself as fitting the bill. However, within chapter 1 & 2 there was that very familiar sinking feeling when the instructions in the book did not yield the results they claimed they would, when typed into my PC. Hunting down files of example databases on the SAMs website (which were critical for working through examples throughout the book) was far from time-efficient, since they had evidently altered from when described in the book. Moreover, the promised instructions (for setting up these files) were not in evidence at all after an hour or two searching through the downloaded files (once found). Basically, I got stuck, because of differences between what was on the SAMs website by way of support files and what was said in the book. The point here is that, while being PC literate, I was a novice in SQL world, with a completely new IT package which meant i did not know how to unstick myself. (I thought my situation was the problem being solved by the book, not reinforced!)
   
   So - what ensued from this purchase was a total waste of time, a waste of a tenner and a waste of effort. I got frustrated to boiling point by this thoughlessly constructed book that needs to either make clear buyers should be competent enough with the environment to navigate these differences - or better still - to ensure that its advice is robust enough to allow true novices to truly get up and running. This was a really bad experience.