Doesn't care about customers of older editions
I bought this book when it was still current. I recently emailed the author trying to get the code for this edition since I misplaced the original code download, he refused to give me the code, trying to get me to buy the newest edition. Sams and this author have no respect for customers of an edition after a newer edition comes out. I made sure the next PHP book I bought was NOT a Sams book or from this author.
Covers the material
This book does the job. It's written in a plain, efficient style and it served my immediate needs. It covers the subject and each chapter is presented in bite-sized chunks. As the title would suggest: 24 hours; 24 chapters.This book could probably serve as a reference resource. I don't think any of the chapters really rely on the material from earlier chapters.
However, this book soon lost its position as a fixture on my desktop. It does not stimulate. One wonders whether the chapter layout was the result of a survey or a committee decision. Because the author is bound by that layout (and the "24 hours" promise) he doesn't really take any risks.
Any good progamming book should proselytize the principles of good coding. This book treats those as luxuries - and leaves them out - possibly, one feels, because they don't fit neatly enough into any of the rigidly defined chapters.
This book gives you a good taste of PHP. You generally find that most of what you're looking for is covered. But it doesn't grip you. For each topic the first bit is really nicely done and you think "ah I'm glad it's so simple", ...but then the momentum is lost, the text loses its way and your eyes glaze over as the examples are presented.
After you've found what you're looking for you'll put it down again as it doesn't inspire or pump you with enthusiasm. This is possibly a good thing for those with pressing deadlines, again, helps to shoehorn it into the "reference" category.
To conclude: I doubt you'll read it all. It's just enough to cover the subject. I gets the job done in its own efficient way.
My favorite php book
I am a php programmer and have done alot of php programming over the past four years. This is my favorite php book and I refer to it often. It may not have all the answers but it answers most of the common problems simply and clearly.
Sams Teach Yourself PHP
This book is definately not for the new programmer. It is written in Geek and for a Sams teach yourself not very well presented. I have been using the Sams books for a number of years and not had the difficulty with the comprehension. As a refrence book there is a substantial number of better publications, all of which should be consulted before wasting money on this volume. The volume I have is the Second Edition Published in 2001.
A good starting point in learning the basics of PHP4
This book gave me the knowledge needed to learn and develop PHP in a fast pace, although this book tries to cover a huge coverage of PHP in a very short time, you get the idea on how things work. I learned the basics here then shifted to Wrox's Professional PHP for the advanced topics. If you are a total newbie in PHP but not a newbie in programming, this book is for you. If you are a fast adopter, the ... documentations will suffice for the basic and advanced topics.
(35 reviews)