SQL for Smarties

Crito · #1 17-Apr-2007, 12:26 AM

I was cleaning up this weekend and happened to stumble upon all three editions of Joe Celko's SQL for Smarties. The third and latest edition was in the back of my car actually. I quite literally never leave home without it.

Anyway, for the book collector, they came in three different colors. The first edition (blue) was published in 1995 and there's been a revision every five years since (red in 2000 and green in 2005.) So I expect the fourth edition won't be out until 2010.

Anyone interested in moving beyond the basics really should have this book in their library.

**hbroomhall** · #2 17-Apr-2007, 12:18 PM

I agree completely. I *think* (the book is at home and I'm not) that I have the red one. So I need to get the new one!

Harry.

zebulebu · #3 17-Apr-2007, 12:50 PM

Got the green one!

Damned if I can find it at the minute though - it must be at work (I'm off sick today for the first time in ten months)

Crito · #4 18-Apr-2007, 02:25 PM

I picked up Celko's "SQL Programming Style" the other day too. It's a lot shorter and easier to read. Especially useful for less technical project managers trying to create programming standards and naming conventions.

Only book of his I didn't like was the data warehousing one. Then again, dimensional modeling /OLAP has changed a lot in the last ten years, whereas relational modeling/OLTP really hasn't -- some might say because it was done right the first time. ;)

Crito · #5 18-Apr-2008, 12:42 PM

For those interested in using SQL the right way, Joe's latest book "Thinking in Sets" is now on the bookshelves.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0123...58#reader-link

**hbroomhall** · #6 18-Apr-2008, 01:53 PM

Another one for the book list - thanks.

Harry (wondering why his wallet is nearly empty...)

**Fergal1982** · #7 18-Apr-2008, 01:55 PM

never heard of it before. sounds like its got high regard round here though. might need to look that out at some point. although for now ill stick the the lower end of the market. not quite at advanced level yet

ffreeloader · #8 18-Apr-2008, 02:36 PM

Crito,

I had never seen a Celko book before. Do they cover a specific implementation of SQL, or are they vendor agnostic?

Out of curiosity, what do you think of Ken Henderson's The Guru's Guide series for T-SQL and SQL Server.

Crito · #9 18-Apr-2008, 02:40 PM

Joe Celko spent 10 years on the ANSI SQL committee. His books are not implementation specific.
http://www.celko.com/

I haven't read any of Ken Henderson's books so can't comment on them.

ffreeloader · #10 18-Apr-2008, 02:42 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by Crito

Joe Celko spent 10 years on the ANSI SQL committee. His books are not implementation specific.

I haven't read any of Ken Henderson's book(s) so can't comment on them.

”

Interesting. I'll have to take a look at them then.

Thanks, Crito.

Crito · #11 18-Apr-2008, 02:53 PM

I will say I had to unlearn much of the cr@p other books taught me before accepting what Joe was saying. In fact, he once called me an ID-iot in a Microsoft newsgroup.

If he hadn't been absolutely right I might still feel insulted.

ffreeloader · #12 18-Apr-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by Crito

I will say I had to unlearn much of the cr@p other books taught me before accepting what Joe was saying. In fact, he once called me an ID-iot in a Microsoft newsgroup.

If he hadn't been absolutely right I might still feel insulted.

”

LOL. He sounds a "little" prickly....

Crito · #13 18-Apr-2008, 04:02 PM

I doubt he has ever been accused of brown-nosing anyways.

First encountered him through his column in DBMS Magazine. At the time I was just starting out and the only database book I had read was "Understanding R:Base". I found that book behind some others on a shelf a few years ago and realized my bad design habits had started very early. So while Celko's book are a bit advanced for a novice, I really don't think you can start reading them too soon. Just might take a few years before it all sinks in.

ffreeloader · #14 18-Apr-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

“

Originally Posted by Crito

I doubt he has ever been accused of brown-nosing anyways.

First encountered him through his column in DBMS Magazine. At the time I was just starting out and the only database book I had read was "Understanding R:Base". I found that book behind some others on a shelf a few years ago and realized my bad design habits had started very early. So while Celko's book are a bit advanced for a novice, I really don't think you can start reading them too soon. Just might take a few years before it all sinks in.

”

I'm going to get one of his books. I like writing sql queries. It seems to be one of the languages that is more of a natural for me.

Thanks, Crito.

Gaz 45 · #15 21-Apr-2008, 12:34 AM

I bought the 3rd edition a few months back & it's something I dip into now and again.
Excellent book, echoing Crito, it's made me unlearn some things & question others that I'd taken as gospel from other sources.

I've encountered Mr. Celko a few times on the web (although we've not conversed directly), certainly 'prickly' seems a good description! I once saw him rip some DB bods to shreds for using an Identity Int field as a Primary Key (he called it lazy SQL developing, which most people took offence to

He was right though!)

Doesn't help that he's a dead ringer for Ming the Merciless...