[Web4lib] Summary of PHP/MySQL training resources

[Cornwall, Daniel D (EED)]

Assembled techies,

I'm awed and gratified by your response to my question about resources
for PHP/MySQL training and several of you asked me for a summary of
responses.

The four options we are most closely looking at are (Click for course
descriptions):

PHP and MySQL from O'Reilly:
http://www.oreillyschool.com/certificates/php-sql-programming.php. 

PHP Basics (Amigos)
http://www.amigos.org/learning/catalog/shopping/product_details.php?id=2
71 

PHP: Interacting with the World (Amigos - Requires PHP Basics)
http://www.amigos.org/learning/catalog/shopping/product_details.php?id=3
05 

Accidental Webmaster Series: Just Enough MySQL - Just Enough PHP (Live
Online) (Lyrasis)
http://www.lyrasis.org/?sc_itemid={CB4EE9BA-1ED3-4934-8983-E53BDDECEA6D}


---------------------------
Another online option offered was the subscription tutorial site
Lynda.com, for which we are already in the process of procuring a
subscription for so we could train on other types of software.

In person training was also suggested, which we might have considered if
we weren't in Alaska:

" I learned PHP/MySQL hands on through HOTT training
(http://www.traininghott.com/Courses.htm) and I really feel like they
did a great job "



---------------------
It's not always possible to take structured training. In our case, I
hope to fund one person for structured training and one or two of us
will do self study. Here I got some good suggestions for moderate/low
cost to free tutorials, books and videos:

" Although not a dual training resource for PHP & MySQL (at the same
time) many people have found KillerPHP's videos to be quite helpful.
http://www.killerphp.com/ " - This site has some free videos, which help
you decide whether you want to buy their DVDs. They say they are aimed
at web designers rather than programmers. 

"PHP 5 Unleashed which is reasonably comprehensive. 
http://www.amazon.com/PHP-5-Unleashed-John-Coggeshall/dp/067232511X/ref=
sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270767982&sr=1-25which is reasonably
comprehensive.  - See library copies at
http://alaskastatelibrary.worldcat.org/title/php-5-unleashed/oclc/575542
08
http://www.amazon.com/PHP-5-Unleashed-John-Coggeshall/dp/067232511X/ref=
sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270767982&sr=1-25" - 

PHP and MySQL Web Development.
   Luke Welling & Laura Thompson
   Sam's Developers Library
    ISBN 0-672-32672-8 - See library copies at
http://alaskastatelibrary.worldcat.org/title/php-and-mysql-web-developme
nt/oclc/57390168 

-----------------

At least one person suggested you just dive right in:

" In my experience, nothing beats taking a manageable sized, real life
project and learning as you apply the technology to it.  As I get stuck,
I Google what I am trying to accomplish and there is almost always
sample code that someone has written along with a tidy explanation for
why they did it this way.  "

For diving right in, the online PHP manual seems in order:

" Once you get the basics of PHP down, probably the best resource at
your disposal is the documentation on PHP's site:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/

There are examples for practically everything, and often dozens or more
user submitted functions and code snippets.
For example, the date function
(http://php.net/manual/en/function.date.php)
has plenty of examples and 75% of the page contents is user submitted
comments with code and discussion."

--------------------
While it looks like all the responses I received were also posted to
web4lib, I thought putting all the resources together in one e-mail was
a good idea. Might help the next person who dives through the archives
on this subject. 

=======================================

Daniel Cornwall
Head of Technical and Imaging Services
Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums
PO Box 110571
Juneau, AK 99811-0571
Phone (907) 465-6332 
Fax (907) 465-2665 
E-Mail: dan.cornwall at alaska.gov

See Division resources at http://lam.alaska.gov. 





Any opinions expressed in this e-mail are mine alone and not those of my
employer unless explicitly stated.