Beginner database books

[War Eagle!]

Alright, so I'm taking a database course right now and i'm majoring in Management Information Systems. Our professor knows a lot about database but he is kind of all over the place and hasn't really given us a structure to really learn. I'm thoroughly interested in learning database but he just isn't helping me to learn it. I want to go outside of the classroom and try and teach myself how to do database.

Currently in class we are using the Oracle Application Express (APEX) to do things such as Table API's and Add, Edit,Delete, List functions. I'm confused about the entire APEX thing and I really just want to learn.

Does anyone have any suggestions of good books to get to try enhance my knowledge of database? Thank you.

[The GIGGAS]

Re: Beginner database books

Well, I'm not sure how APEX works, but an understanding of SQL is the foundation about working with databases. I generally don't learn with books, and I've already been through my database courses, I do know that O' Reilly has a great series of books on everything, so if I was going to look at something new and grab a book for it, I'd go with them. Here's a book that's been reviewed mainly positively.

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-SQL-A...0980489&sr=1-3

I do know there are those of us on here with CS degrees (I know that CHooe and I have CS degrees for sure)/experience with programming.

I did a cursory look on Amazon for books related to APEX, and found this one. It might help too.

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Orac...0980648&sr=1-2

[War Eagle!]

Re: Beginner database books

So how would you suggest I go about getting a good foundation on SQL?

[The GIGGAS]

Re: Beginner database books

So how would you suggest I go about getting a good foundation on SQL?

Well, the first book I linked should be a decent jumping off point from the reviews I read. I'm sure there are more books out there.

[p_rushing]

Re: Beginner database books

I majored in MIS. I don't know why they are using APEX to teach about databases. APEX is a web development tool by Oracle that makes it easy to build applications that connect to databases.

You need to learn SQL and then the rest doesn't matter too much. You can use different tools or databases and quickly adapt to the differences. The book above should be fine or any learn SQL in X days will teach you the basic stuff. Then for advanced things, use google to search how to do something.

For data warehousing on a whole, Ralph Kimball is considered the father of data warehousing. You could find a book by him, but it might go too in depth for you right now. Most SQL books will give you enough knowledge about how to structure tables.

[mgoblue]

Re: Beginner database books

Well, the first book I linked should be a decent jumping off point from the reviews I read. I'm sure there are more books out there.

Yeah, those books should help you learn SQL, and that's the basis of whatever you want to do.

I majored in MIS. I don't know why they are using APEX to teach about databases. APEX is a web development tool by Oracle that makes it easy to build applications that connect to databases.

You need to learn SQL and then the rest doesn't matter too much. You can use different tools or databases and quickly adapt to the differences. The book above should be fine or any learn SQL in X days will teach you the basic stuff. Then for advanced things, use google to search how to do something.

For data warehousing on a whole, Ralph Kimball is considered the father of data warehousing. You could find a book by him, but it might go too in depth for you right now. Most SQL books will give you enough knowledge about how to structure tables.

I don't know much about APEX either, but I found that it's best to learn how databases work and what the point is of all the organization. There should be tutorials out there that teach you how to create tables, insert data, create select queries, etc.

I just learned it on the fly, never took a college course in it, but these all should be good ways to get you going.