Oracle Database 10g: The Complete Reference (Osborne ORACLE Press Series)

Oracle Database 10g DBA Handbook

Oracle Database 10g SQL (Osborne ORACLE Press Series)

Oracle Application Server 10g Web Development (Oracle Press)

Oracle Application Server 10g Administration Handbook (Osborne ORACLE Press Series)

Databases

Oracle Database 10g PL/SQL Programming

Format: Paperback
Author: Scott Urman
ReleaseDate: 19 April, 2004
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media
Rating:

Best PL/SQL book I have ever read
This book gently introduces you to a topic and then then shows you how to apply it. I have attempted to learn pl/sql for a few years now and have been unable to find a book that pulls it all together. The comical nature of the author also makes the book interesting and fun. I believe its a must read for anyone attempting to learning pl/sql. .

Excellent Book
My only complaint with the book is that some of the topics seems to be shallow in content (for example records in chapter 5). I am using it in the context of a text book under one of the authors. As a person just learning PL/SQL I rather like the fact that it covers many topics, and takes the time to show example after example with explanations. The organization seems to be fairly uniform. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn PL/SQL as it has helped me immensely. I have found the index to be rather lacking (hence the four stars).

A couple of bad chapters, but good for 1Z0-147
First the bad news: chapters five and six are horrible. I bought this book hoping it would help me pass the 1Z0-147 Oracle PL/SQL certification test, and it did. The person that wrote these two chapters writes in the most pedantic way possible. Pages upon pages are filled with highly repetitive code, with each example followed by a detailed analysis of every statement! Compare this to the coding examples in other chapters, where statements of interest are highlighted and then followed by descriptions of their significance. If you want a laugh, check out page 225, where the author of chapter six says, "A problem with programming books is that concepts need to be illustrated with an economy of space. " Wow.

I read the first ten chapters of this book sequentially in order to prepare for the exam, and (with the obvious exception of chapters five and six) really enjoyed the material. I think the book is well written: the organization is excellent and the examples are very clear and concise. I especially liked the summaries comparing and contrasting one construct or approach to another. The book is addressed to individuals that have programming and SQL experience, but I think it could be used by a database beginner as well.

If you're studying for 1Z0-147, my advice is: read this book (chapters 1 - 10, 16) then read the Oracle Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals, Part II: PL/SQL (Procedure & Packages, Dynamic SQL, and Triggers). Getting an online study guide helps as well as you can train for the exam is an environment virtually identical to the one in which the exam is given. .