[Chicago-talk] Regular Expression Pocket Reference Review

[Scott T. Hildreth]

Book Title : Regular Expression Pocket Reference
Author     : Tony Stubblebine
Publisher  : O'Reilly
Pages      : 93 with index
Website    : http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/regexppr
Reviewer   : Scott T. Hildreth

Table of 
Contents   : Introduction to Regexes and Patern Matching; Perl 5.8; Java (java.util.regex);
             .Net and C#; Python; PCRE Lib; PHP; vi Editor; JavaScript; Shell Tools; Index;

Synopsis   : Regular Expressions are a way to describe text through pattern matching.
             This pocket reference is a quide to the syntax and pattern matching operations
             of the "most popular" languages, editors, and shell tools that implement regular
             expressions.

Review     : The "About This Book" section of the pocket reference has the statement
             "This book starts with a general introduction to regular expressions."
             This is true, I think the author does a great job of giving a general
             definition of a regular expression and patern matching.  The author then
             presents a good description of the different types of regular expression
             engines, regex metacharacters, modes, and constructs.  After the good 
             introduction, the rest of the book is basically regular expression syntax
             with a few examples thrown in.  This is what I expect from a pocket reference
             about regular expressions.  Even though I use regular expressions quite a
             a bit, I still find my self looking up syntax.  This pocket reference is
             just what I need (sitting next to the monitor) to quickly look up syntax.
             Although the introduction is a great overview for someone new to regular
             expressions, it does not have enough examples and is not a book for beginners.
             Nor do I think the author intended it to be for someone new to regular 
             expressions.  

             The cost of the book is $12.95, which is a little steep in my opinion.
             Yet, as written on the back cover, "As a companion to the groundbreaking
             "definitive" book on the topic, Master Regular Expressions by Jeffrey Friedl,
             this small pocket reference will help you sort out the syntax and quirks of
             regexes.." and is worth having on the bookself or next to the monitor.


            
             
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E-Mail: Scott T. Hildreth <shild at sbcglobal.net>
Date: 29-Oct-2003
Time: 21:24:31
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