Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 12:17:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Lisa Mann 
To: lwn@lwn.net
Subject: O'Reilly Publishes Bunce'& Descar


O'Reilly Publishes Bunce & Descartes new Book on Perl DBI

Sebastopol, CA--As the Web moves from predominately brochure-ware to
database-driven applications, "database-independent" programming has
become increasingly important. One of the Perl programming languages'
greatest strengths is its ability to manipulate huge amounts of data.
The Perl Database Interface, better known as the Perl DBI, elegantly
links the Perl programming language and virtually any type of
database.

With the Perl DBI, developers can program database applications to
interface with different drivers, they can reuse code written for one
database for another database, they can use the same interface with all
of the most popular databases--even different databases simultaneously
(for example, a programmer can transfer data from an Oracle database to
an Informix database with a single DBI program that connects to both
databases and simply passes the data backwards and forwards as needed.)

"The DBI is a database interface module for Perl. It defines a set of
methods, variables and conventions that provide a consistent database
interface independent of the actual database being used," explains Tim
Bunce, the architect and inventor of DBI. "One important goal was for
any library code we developed to be reusable as part of another system
using a different database. Countless people have contributed over the
years. The mailing list archives are vast."

Alligator Descartes, one of the most active members of the DBI
community, and Bunce have collaborated on a new book, "Programming the
Perl DBI" (O'Reilly, $34.95).  "I had been one of the first serious DBI
users," explains Descartes. "And also the first person--other than
Tim--to develop drivers for the DBI. Much of that experience and
knowledge from those activities made me think documenting the DBI would
be useful.  This was doubly true when I noticed the same questions
appearing over and over again on the DBI-users mailing list. I realized
one of the problems appeared to be that people don't like learning from
specifications."

"We wanted to help people get the most out of the DBI by providing an
accurate, clear, and helpful guide," adds Bunce. "Accuracy is
important: In fact, it's one of my main motivations for working on the
book. I'm hopeful that our book will become the standard text for the
DBI."

For the uninitiated, the book explains the architecture of DBI and
shows you how to write DBI-based programs. For the experienced DBI
dabbler, this book explains DBI's nuances and the peculiarities of each
individual DBD. "Programming the Perl DBI" is the definitive book for
database programming in Perl.


For more information about the book, including Table of Contents, index, 
author bio, and samples, see:

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/perldbi/

For an interview with the authors, see 

http://perl.oreilly.com/news/perldbi_0200.html

For a cover graphic in jpeg format, go to:

ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/1565926994.jpg

Alligator Descartes Perl DBI resource site:

http://www.symbolstone.org/technology/perl/DBI/index.html

Up-to-date versions of the DBI and drivers at: 

http://www.perl.com/CPAN/


Programming the Perl DBI
Database Programming with Perl
By Alligator Descartes & Tim Bunce
1st Edition February 2000 (US)
1-56592-699-4, 350 pages, $34.95 (US.)
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
http://www.oreilly.com