Hi, I'm the author of SQL: Programming for Beginner and my book is available for free

WilliamBSkates · 08-11-2018, 06:50 AM

Hi my name is William B. Skates and i'm the author of SQL: Programming for Beginners & Intermediates the book is focused on beginners who want to dive into the world of database management and help them understand the various data types, statements and constraints used in SQL. The book is written in an easy to understand way by using illustrations to learn by doing.The book just entered its free promotion from 11/8 to 15/8. I would love to hear your thoughts down in the comments below.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBGYYCN

In SQL: Programming for Beginners & Intermediates I touch on:

The fundamentals of SQL.
The different SQL data types.
How to use SQL constraints.
Data Query Statements.
Data Manipulation Statements.
The SQL syntax

Respectfully,
William B. Skates

GlenBarrington · 08-11-2018, 09:19 AM

As a retired Teradata DBA, and former Project manager and developer, I will review this for you. I know it's difficult to get decent reviews on technical subjects and I want to encourage tech authors to use Kindle Unlimited.

GlenBarrington · 08-11-2018, 04:52 PM

My Review on Kindle:

3 or 4 stars depending on your goals

I am a retired Teradata DBA, and former Project Manager and Developer. I think I am qualified to give a review on this book from a technical perspective.

If you need a brief reminder of the most important commands/Statements in SQL, this will be an excellent and quick tool for getting your 'head' back in the game. However, as a tool for learning SQL, I think it is less successful.

My primary objections are that there isn't enough background information to give beginners an understanding of the underlying data principles upon which SQL was built. Things like how tables look, indexes, joins, etc. are given a very brief description with no discussion why they are important. Or, if they are, it is buried in the description of how to use the join syntax. Things like Venn diagrams explaining how joins work would be very helpful in explaining something like joins, I think.

Also, I think explaining how to use the alter command without explaining why you would want to do something like that, or when you would NOT want to do something like that, is dangerous for the beginner. In the computer business, I've learned that thinking you know or understand more than you actually do leads to a LOT of heartache. A little paranoia in a computer geek, isn't crazy, it is a valid survival skill!

In short, I think as a teaching tool this book is not ideal. There just isn't enough information in my mind. But like I said, as a sort of desktop reference tool, it is fine.

SteveEisenberg · 08-11-2018, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

I know it's difficult to get decent reviews on technical subjects and I want to encourage tech authors to use Kindle Unlimited.

I want to encourage publishers who buy book proposals, pay advances, and help improve manuscripts. And I want to discourage publishers who release manuscripts without any effort to improve them. So I guess my wants here are quite different from yours. However, I think the reviewing standards should be exactly the same for a self-published work, Kindle or otherwise, as for something traditionally published. I just don't think you did that.

As for the booklet itself, the first thing might be to warn a reader it doesn't give you the information to know if it for you. I say this because it isn't based on ANSI-SQL, and it isn't based on either MySQL or SQL Server, which are, I think, the two most popular databases outside the largest companies. I'm wondering if the author worked a lot with PostgreSQL. Just a guess.

My qualifications: I'd guesstimate that writing Transact-SQL is about 10 percent of my job. Does this give me the broad perspective needed to review books on learning SQL generally? Certainly not. I'm not even sure I could do an outstanding job of reviewing a pure T-SQL title. And if I could do it, it would take more time than I have given this title. But I do know one highly relevant fact: There are better information sources than this title, available for free, regardless of the SQL dialect.

WilliamBSkates - So I did not like what you call a book, and I call a booklet. However, I'm not going to post that on Amazon, and I don't think my personal opinion reflects badly on you. Outstanding technical writing may be more of a group project.

GlenBarrington · 08-11-2018, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

WilliamBSkates - So I did not like what you call a book, and I call a booklet. However, I'm not going to post that on Amazon, and I don't think my personal opinion reflects badly on you. Outstanding technical writing may be more of a group project.

I think you should post this review on Amazon, personally. If that is your honest opinion, then it should be shared IMO.

DNSB · 08-13-2018, 12:56 AM

I don't do much with SQL server (as the old saw goes, I know enough to be dangerous

) but a couple of ebooks I picked up from GoalKicker do a better job of covering the basics (IMHO). They have Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle Database and vanilla SQL Notes for Professionals versions. The content is, for the most part, from StackOverflow.

08-11-2018, 06:50 AM	#1
WilliamBSkates Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2018 Device: Kindle	Hi, I'm the author of SQL: Programming for Beginner and my book is available for free Hi my name is William B. Skates and i'm the author of SQL: Programming for Beginners & Intermediates the book is focused on beginners who want to dive into the world of database management and help them understand the various data types, statements and constraints used in SQL. The book is written in an easy to understand way by using illustrations to learn by doing.The book just entered its free promotion from 11/8 to 15/8. I would love to hear your thoughts down in the comments below. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GBGYYCN In SQL: Programming for Beginners & Intermediates I touch on: The fundamentals of SQL. The different SQL data types. How to use SQL constraints. Data Query Statements. Data Manipulation Statements. The SQL syntax Respectfully, William B. Skates

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08-11-2018, 09:19 AM	#2
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	As a retired Teradata DBA, and former Project manager and developer, I will review this for you. I know it's difficult to get decent reviews on technical subjects and I want to encourage tech authors to use Kindle Unlimited.

08-11-2018, 04:52 PM	#3
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	My Review on Kindle: 3 or 4 stars depending on your goals I am a retired Teradata DBA, and former Project Manager and Developer. I think I am qualified to give a review on this book from a technical perspective. If you need a brief reminder of the most important commands/Statements in SQL, this will be an excellent and quick tool for getting your 'head' back in the game. However, as a tool for learning SQL, I think it is less successful. My primary objections are that there isn't enough background information to give beginners an understanding of the underlying data principles upon which SQL was built. Things like how tables look, indexes, joins, etc. are given a very brief description with no discussion why they are important. Or, if they are, it is buried in the description of how to use the join syntax. Things like Venn diagrams explaining how joins work would be very helpful in explaining something like joins, I think. Also, I think explaining how to use the alter command without explaining why you would want to do something like that, or when you would NOT want to do something like that, is dangerous for the beginner. In the computer business, I've learned that thinking you know or understand more than you actually do leads to a LOT of heartache. A little paranoia in a computer geek, isn't crazy, it is a valid survival skill! In short, I think as a teaching tool this book is not ideal. There just isn't enough information in my mind. But like I said, as a sort of desktop reference tool, it is fine.

08-13-2018, 12:56 AM	#6
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 45,035 Karma: 168808719 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	I don't do much with SQL server (as the old saw goes, I know enough to be dangerous ) but a couple of ebooks I picked up from GoalKicker do a better job of covering the basics (IMHO). They have Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle Database and vanilla SQL Notes for Professionals versions. The content is, for the most part, from StackOverflow.