Sloppy proof-reading wastes good beginners guide

If exam's are your motivation then this is only the starting point not the "Learn by rote" you need to guarantee success. If you're new to SQL Server then this training kit does what would be an excellent job if of gently introducing you to the world of SQL Server and relational databases, let down by sloppy proofreading. Some examples: Page 106 has three tables to illustrate normalisation: a book table and TWO author tables. I think what they meant was a book table, an author table and an AuthorBook table and someone just didn't check the table captions. On page 73 the sp_helpprotect stored procedure is introduced. The example won't work because the stored procedure is called sp_helprotect. And when you hit brick walls with examples (try turning debugging on - the book makes it sound dead simple, the reality is you'll hit an "unable to connect" message that requires extensive research and additional work if you're running SP3) there's nowhere to turn. It's a shame because the book does an excellent job in other ways. But it's lazy. It gives the easy and obvious examples and sample questions and whenever anything that might require a bit of real explanation comes up if you're lucky it says "Go read somewhere else", if you're unlucky the subject doesn't come up at all. I'd still recommend it as a "gentle" way into SQL Server for those new to databases, but it could have been so much better with just a little more effort

Other Reviews

• MCSE Training Kit: Designing Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Security
• Pathetic to say the least.
• Sloppy proof-reading wastes good beginners guide
• Not so bad
• Not enough