Review of MySQL Reference Manual

ISBN 0-596-00265-3 Price £28.50 UK
Michael Widenius, David Axmark and MySQL AB
Preface, 9 Chapters, 6 Appendices, Collophon and Index in 802 pages

    1 General Information
    2 MySQL Installation
    3 Tutorial Introduction
    4 Database Administration
    5 MySQL Optimisation
    6 MySQL Language Reference
    7 MySQL Table Types
    8 MySQL APIs
    9 Extending MySQL

          Appendix A
                Problems and Common Errors
            Appendix B
                Credits
            Appendix C
                Porting to other systems
            Appendix D
                Porting to other systems
            Appendix E
                Environment Variables
            Appendix F
                MySQL Regular Expressions

There are several very reliable databases out there. All of them have their fans and supporters. Most of them are good but some aren't. The new O'Reilly book MySQL Reference Manual describes the MySQL database in some depth and also gives out useful information about how to configure and use the software for those people who may have missed something. The figures show that MySQL now runs on more than 500 000 servers around the world.

From the front page to the back page the reader is treated to one of the better offerings of the year from O'Reilly Community Press. The preface starts by pointing out that this is the official MySQL manual. It's extremely likely that the reader might not need another book about databases except for those times when some other database is configured or put into use. MySQL has grown up quite a lot since it first came into public use by Open Source advocates. There are quite a few development companies out there working on how to integrate software such as MySQL into their commercial products which are used every day of the week on the Microsoft and Macintosh platforms. At the time of writing this review MySQL version 4.0 is just about coming in to daily use but version 3.23. would seem to be more acceptable. The first chapter of the book gives a generally useful introduction to the software. MySQL is explained in simple terms and some features are shown that might not be all that evident to the first time user. The reader is even given some facts on how to report bugs if they are found. Chapter two goes into MySQL installation. I've seen more than a few system administrators and IT consultants wimp out in front of me at this point. Fortunately installation methods and what to do when it goes wrong have been included in the book and the victim who is installing MySQL can actually get some help with his or her pending medical condition before it gets to be any worse. Probably the most noteworthy part of the book is chapter three. This is the tutorial introduction. Most people who have come across the MySQL tutorial have commented that it's something that you shouldn't miss out on. A classic technical text. Seen within the context of this new publication it would seem to have been through some improvements. Chapter four is all about configuration after installation and chapter five goes into speeding up MySQL or as the authors call it optimisation. The highly pedantic and technical bit comes along at chapter six. Chapter seven shows a similar liking for hieroglyphics under the heading of MySQL table types. Chapter eight is about MySQL APIs. The last part of the book goes into extending MySQL which provides a useful add on to the other information that is presented. The various appendices round off a nicely finished technical manual.

After about two years of asking everyone about documentation for MySQL and trying to find someone who would teach me to set up MySQL I gave up. It was too much of a hassle. Courses that teach MySQL are so expensive that I know of no one who can afford them. It was something of a blessed relief then to find that O'Reilly and David Axmark and Michael Widenius had gotten together to produce an easier to understand version of the online MySQL manual which is completely incomprehensible for most of us. The online manual more or less assumes that you are an experienced MySQL hacker of some years experience and you therefore didn't need any help. The book that has been published has made it possible for someone like myself to understand how to set up a MySQL database. After reading it for 30 minutes I was able to try out a few things on various Debian GNU/Linux, SuSE and Mandrake systems.

To finish off I'll quote the Colophon which can be found at the back of every O'Reilly book. " Edie Freedmand designed the cover of this book. The cover image is a public domain engraving from The Clip Art Book, published in 1990 by Crescent Books" O'Reilly like to produce distinctive covers for their books which complement their distinctive approach to technical subjects thus breathing new life and and personality into potentially dry subjects.

Richard is the organiser for Sheffield Linux User's Group
– you can view their web site at – http://www.sheflug.co.uk.
which also runs several MySQL databases