Essential Skills--Made Easy! Written to the SQL:2006 ANSI/ISO standard, this easy-to-follow guide will get you started programming in SQL right away. You will learn how to retrieve, insert, update, and delete database data, and perform management and administrative functions. SQL: A Beginner's Guide, Third Edition covers new features, including SQL/XML, and is loaded with updated SQL examples along with notes on using them with the latest RDBMS software versions such as MySQL 5.0, SQL Server 2008, and Oracle Database 11g. Designed for Easy Learning: Key Skills & Concepts--Lists of specific skills covered in the chapter Ask the Experts--Q&A sections filled with bonus information and helpful tips Try This--Hands-on exercises that show how to apply your skills Notes--Extra information related to the topic being covered Self-Tests--Chapter-ending quizzes to test your knowledge Annotated Syntax--Example code with commentary that describes the programming techniques being illustrated

Author Biography

Andrew J. (Andy) Oppel is a proud graduate of The Boys' Latin School of Maryland and of Transylvania University (Lexington, KY) where he earned a BA in computer science in 1974. Since then he has been continuously employed in a wide variety of information technology positions, including programmer, programmer/analyst, systems architect, project manager, senior database administrator, database group manager, consultant, database designer, and data architect. In addition, he has been a part-time instructor with the University of California (Berkeley) Extension for over 20 years, and received the Honored Instructor Award for the year 2000. His teaching work included developing three courses for UC Extension, "Concepts of Database Management Systems", "Introduction to Relational Database Management Systems", and "Data Modeling and Database Design." He also earned his Oracle 9i Database Associate certification in 2003. He is currently employed as a senior data modeler for Blue Shield of California. Aside from computer systems, Andy enjoys music (guitar and vocals), amateur radio (Pacific Division Vice Director, American Radio Relay League) and soccer (Referee Instructor, U.S. Soccer). Andy has designed and implemented hundreds of databases for a wide range of applications, including medical research, banking, insurance, apparel manufacturing, telecommunications, wireless communications, and human resources. He is the author of Databases Demystified (McGraw-Hill/Osborne, 2004) and SQL Demystified (McGraw-Hill/Osborne, 2005). His database product experience includes IMS, DB2, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, MySQL, and Oracle (versions 7, 8, 8i, 9i, and 10g). McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide