Item Description: A PostgreSQL Reference

Review Synopsis: Useful info, but not very practical  *****

This review was originally submitted to Amazon.com and so far 5 of 5 reviewers have found it useful. I regret that my first ever review of a book is so negative. I strongly recommend that you at least peruse a copy before buying it, a mistake that I don't plan to repeat.

Update 1: see the node by VSarkiss below and preview the online version before purchasing. Thanks VSarkiss!

I ordered this book thinking that it would provide the information necessary to setup PostgreSQL and interface to it via Perl. It was somewhat useful on the first count but Perl doesn't even have a listing in the index.

Speaking of the index, it is surely the poorest one I've encountered in any O'Reilly or other computer reference book I've ever seen or considered buying. It fills only 3 pages front and back. This is a 600+ page book mind you. Because of the poor index you will probably spend more time flipping through pages or using the table of contents which is rather scant as well.

It is too bad that I bought this book by mail order because if I had been able to inspect it in a bookstore, I would've never bought it. The documentation that comes with PostgreSQL is more than adequate to get it installed and working. If you are looking to use Perl as your front-end language, your time and money would probably be better spent on Programming the Perl DBI by O'Reilly.

--Jim

Update 2: Added a link to Programming the Perl DBI