Oracle Web Applications : PL/SQL Developer's Intro (ISBN 1565926870) Book Reviews 1-9 Sorted By Most Recent, at VeryWellSaid.com

Great intro for Oracle Developers, but dated

This book came out in 1999, and it's now late 2001 as I write this.

This publication is a very well written introduction to the spectrum of tools and approaches for using Oracle databases to generate dynamically created web pages - based on 1999 technology. While Oracle has advanced since then, most of this book - especially the PL/SQL web toolkit sections - is still useful. If you're an Oracle developer who's familiar with SQL and PL/SQL, then this book will get you up to speed very quickly (it's only 220 pages - thin by "computer book" standards) on the detail of how the PL/SQL web toolkit is used to combine database data with HTML. If you're an Oracle developer, but you don't know anything about web architecture or HTML, then you'll get a brief yet effective introduction in here of what you need to know.

If you don't know PL/SQL, get Steve Feuerstein's book first called Oracle PL/SQL Programming. Use that to learn PL/SQL. Then, once you're familiar with it, you'll get much, much more out of what's presented in this book.

The section about the PL/SQL web toolkit is very useful, even today.

The overview of WebDB is dated. Oracle's new name for this tool is "Oracle Portal", and while the underlying architecture is the same, and the features taught here still largely apply, there are new features and a completely different interface on the new tool.

The chapter about Oracle Application Server (OAS) is still interesting to read for an overall idea of how web architecture is implemented in Oracle's web server family. But the app server has been updated several times since this book, and has very different screen displays. The basic features are still the same, and the brief review provides helpful insight into where Oracle has been, which isn't too far, fundamentally, from where it is now.

Finally, the XML chapter is not bad for quickly getting a great general introduction of XML and it's capabilities, but be aware that Oracle has GREATLY extended it's XML support since the publication of this book. Nevertheless, I still find this chapter extremely interesting in that it shows the intricacies of what it really takes to generate an XML document, while the newer Oracle XML utilities do much of this work automatically. While the new utilities are good to use, this chapter will give you a bit more insight into the utility of XML and a database, along with a fuller understanding of what is happening, so that you can be more flexible in your use of XML.

There's nothing of substance in this book that addresses Java or Oracle Forms for web use.

So - in summary - it's a little dated for 2001, but still very useful. It's brief and to the point. Very helpful for an Oracle developer who needs to come up to speed quickly on web technologies.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-11-12 07:23:36 EST)

06-09-00

3\3

Great book & resource

This is a fabulous book, clear and well-written. It's simple enough for those without much experience, but also provides enough detail for those who don't need coddling... Definitely, worth the $.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-20 13:14:57 EST)

05-23-00

5\6

Very good beginner's book albeit theoretical in nature.

I have used this book as a handbook reference in teaching advanced Oracle & Relational Database Development. As I metioned, it is a very good theoretical book. I particularly liked Chapters 3 (WebDB), 4 (OAS) & 9 (XML). Should you require more hands on examples & sample usage, however, you will have to look elsewhere.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-20 13:14:57 EST)

03-19-00

3\4

Good introduction to Oracle web development !

Don't expect too much from the book that covers so many topics on just two hundred pages! First five chapters are dedicated to current Oracle & If you have time you can probably download white papers with better technical information about the topics from Oracle, Technet or related websites. On the other hand this five chapters are good time savers. Last four chapters are much better, covering introduction to PL/SQL and Toolkit (HTF, HTP, OWA_***), two sample web applications (Survey and Discussion Forum) and XML. The best thing about this book is that you'll find out what you don't know, so you can make a list of relevant books that covers the topic in more detail.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-20 13:14:57 EST)

01-23-00

7\7

Outstanding Overview for Beginners

If you're starting to become involved with making your Oracle databases available over the web this is a must read. You can dig out the information presented here from the Oracle manuals and tech sites but ... in just 200 pages the relevant information is collected and organized. Take a weekend to read this book before you start working with the web. You'll learn what pieces are available to you and how they fit together...

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-20 13:14:57 EST)

01-06-00

5\5

WEBDB Well written for beginners

I have been an Oracle DBA for several years, and I still find this book to be of great help in developing Web applications.

I have developed about three systems that in production now, and could have spent time searching users guide for information on WEBDB functionalities, but the book helped me find what I was looking for fast.

I am starting on site building and I believe that I will get all the help I need from the book.

Every Webdb developer should have this book as a reference.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-20 13:14:57 EST)

01-06-00

3\3

Useful book

The title suggests this book is an Introduction to web applications. As an Oracle contractor who knew little about the web, I found it very helpful in that it explained clearly and concisely some of the approaches that the Oracle Corp is taking to web development. For me, it was useful to have a summary of HTML and XML. Well worth a read.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-20 13:14:57 EST)

12-03-99

10\10

Good book for beginners

Reviewer Jay missed the point. The book is clearly for beginners and does a good job of informing them. In this field there are varying levels of expertise so the book buyer should keep that in mind when purchasing a book. I for one found the book to be informative and worthwhile for my particular level of expertise

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-05-20 13:14:57 EST)

11-25-99

22\27

Too simple. Read the free oracle online manuals instead.