Re: Suggest books for beginner, and good as a reference for later use

Someonekicked wrote:

> This is my first Database course, and we are going to have two projects in
> oracle (which I know nothing about).
>
> The professor suggested
>
> (1) Oracle 9i Programming: A Primer (Paperback)
> by Rajshekhar Sunderraman
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321194985/qid=1137458079/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-8270393-5917651?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

It sounds like you are doing a programming/software engineering course?

> I did a search on amazon, and found those two books with good reviews:
>
> (2) Oracle9i: The Complete Reference (Paperback)
> by Kevin Loney, George Koch
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0072225211/ref=ord_cart_shr/002-8270393-5917651?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance&n=283155
>
> (3) Expert Oracle9i Database Administration (Paperback)
> by Sam R. Alapati
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590590228/qid=1137458854/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-8270393-5917651?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
>

I'll agree with others that Tom's books are superior to the first (I haven't read the second). I'd suggest that as well as Tom's Expert Oracle Architecture
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590595300/qid=1137596610/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2312107-7152754?n=507846&s=books&v=glance) you have a look for programming and design references for the technologies you will be using. If it is PL/SQL then Steven Feuerstein's PL/SQL book should probably be on your shelf http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596009771/qid=1137596758/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-2312107-7152754?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 and I'd suggest you supplement it with Connor McDonald's (et al) Mastering PL/SQL
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590592174/qid=1137596758/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/104-2312107-7152754?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 which as the title implies does assume some pl/sql knowledge but will a) introduce to appropriate ways of thinking about database coding, b) grow with you in your career and c) introduce you to the wonders of debug.f nice and early before you've *learned* as so many seem to that you don't need debug code.

If you are going to be using java or .net then there will probably be other books that people can recommend - for .net I recommend Pro .Net Oracle Programming by Mark Williams
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590594258/qid=1137597036/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-2312107-7152754?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 (I am one of the tech reviewers if you consider that affects how relevant my recommendation is.

Niall Litchfield
Oracle DBA
http://www.niall.litchfield.dial.pipex.com Received on Wed Jan 18 2006 - 16:12:50 CET