Learning MySQL - O'Reilly's Latest Release

For Immediate Release
For more information, a review copy, cover art, or an interview with
the authors, contact:
Kathryn Barrett (707) 827-7094 or kathrynb@oreilly.com 

O'Reilly Releases "Learning MySQL"
Create databases and web apps with MySQL

Sebastopol, CA--A relatively recent entrant into the area of relational
database management systems, MySQL has introduced millions of 
everyday computer users and amateur researchers to the world of 
powerful information systems. Now it's the backbone of web applications 
that we use everyday in the most casual manner: we'll visit an online 
shopping site, see what's in stock, place an order, and then track the 
order until our goods are delivered--with no intervention from the site's 
staff--all owing to the workings of MySQL. As Seyed M.M. "Saied" Tahaghoghi 
and Hugh E. Williams, authors of "Learning MySQL" (O'Reilly, US $44.99), 
observe, the Web has inspired a new generation of database use, and MySQL 
is at its heart.

Indeed, the database server market has consolidated into a handful of
products, with MySQL positioned as a strong open source alternative to
commercial server software such as DB2, Oracle, and SQL Server.
Consequently, an increasing number of corporations are adopting it and
both the need and desire to learn the technology are on the rise among 
IT professionals. "With the recent release of MySQL 5.0 (and 5.1), MySQL 
is better positioned than ever to be used for high-throughput and
mission-critical applications," notes Saied.  

He adds that MySQL is a complex piece of software, so it's difficult
pinpoint a single critical skill, but "Learning MySQL" covers most
everything a reader will need for all but the most advanced and
large-scale applications. "This includes installation and secure
configuration of the software, structured database design, using the 
MySQL command line tools, and writing PHP and Perl command-line 
and web programs to interact with MySQL databases."

-This densely packed tutorial covers the range from beginner to advanced
intermediate, giving the reader the skills to design and build complex
databases, and develop applications using the two main languages used 
to interact with MySQL: PHP and Perl. 
-It covers important areas often skipped by other books: security,
customization, and backups, and teaches structured database design
principles that help readers avoid common design mistakes. 
-The authors provide very detailed instructions on how to get MySQL up 
and running on different operating systems, including Windows XP and 
Vista, Mac OS X, and different flavors of Linux.
-Other topics include basic and advanced querying, tuning for improved
efficiency, and building web database applications.

Both authors of "Learning MySQL" have always been interested in using
computers as a tool to make things faster, more efficient, and more
effective. "Over the past few years we've repeatedly found that the MySQL
database management system--and the PHP and Perl programming
languages--provide a perfect platform for serious applications such as
managing research records and marking student assignments, and
not-so-serious ones like running the office sweepstakes," they explain.
"On the way, we've learned a lot of lessons that we'd like to pass along;
this book contains the tips that we think most readers will find useful on
a daily basis."

Saied Tahaghoghi is a senior lecturer at the RMIT University School of
Computer Science and Information Technology, and is a member of the RMIT
Search Engine Group, where he supervises research on text, image, video,
and code retrieval.  

Hugh E. Williams is a software design engineer at Microsoft's Windows Live
Search in Redmond, Washington.  He's published over 70 research papers and
holds several patents, mostly in the search engine area.

Background and Market Information:
http://del.icio.us/oreillymedia/mysql

Additional Resources:

For more information about the book, including table of contents, index,
author bios, and cover graphic, see: 
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/learnmysql/

Learning MySQL
Seyed M.M. "Saied" Tahaghoghi and Hugh E. Williams
ISBN: 0-596-00864-3, 598 pages, $44.99 US, $58.99 CA
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