If you are looking for a database theory book, I highly recommend "An Introduction to Database Systems" by C.J. Date. It's very theoretical, but it's precisely worded and very interesting.
Regards, Jeff Davis On Thu, 2005-03-24 at 06:54 -0600, Scott Marlowe wrote: > On Thu, 2005-03-24 at 06:37, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Hi > > > > I am new to PostgreSQL and find that the standard documentation is very > > thin. I would like to buy a more comprehensive book. All the available > > books seem very out of date!!! Firstly, does it matter if I buy a book > > that was published in Feb 2003? Will such a book be hopelessly out of > > date? > > > > Does anyone know of any books that will be releasing imminently? > > The first books to pick up and become familiar with are the ones on > database theory, not specifically postgresql. While a lot of other > databases come with documentation that explains a lot of relational > theory, PostgreSQL comes with documentation that pretty much assumes you > already understand database basics and are looking for how to do some > particular thing in postgresql. So it's not that it's thin in terms of > covering PostgreSQL, but thin in terms that it's focus is not general > database theory, but postgresql specifics. > > A lot of the books written about PostgreSQL have more information about > theory, but honestly, a good generic database oriented book is usually > more helpful at first for most folks. > > If you're already familiar with basic db theory, then look for some of > the pgsql books that have been placed online by their publishers. > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > TIP 9: the planner will ignore your desire to choose an index scan if your > joining column's datatypes do not match ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 6: Have you searched our list archives? http://archives.postgresql.org