If you do continue down the MS SQL road, bear in mind that MS SQL is basically  a fork of Sybase, and they share Transact SQL. So most of the Sybase Transact-SQL documentation will apply. You can find the Sybase Transact-SQL User's Guide at:

http://infocenter.sybase.com/help/index.jsp?topic=/com.sybase.help.ase_15.0.sqlug/html/sqlug/title.htm

-Tod

On Mar 19, 2012, at 11:18 AM, Dan Scott wrote:

> I can't resist saying that, for truly free (as in freedom), you might want to work with something like PostgreSQL. 
> 
> I wrote up an "Introduction to SQL" focused on PostgreSQL & Evergreen a few years ago and released it under a CC-BY-SA license (per http://coffeecode.net/archives/212-Introduction-to-SQL-for-Evergreen-administrators.html ); the source for the introduction is at http://bzr.coffeecode.net/intro_to_sql/introduction_to_sql.txt  
> 
> Even though there are some PostgreSQL-specifics in the introduction, most of the same principles apply. Maybe it will be of use to you or someone else! 
> 
> Dan
> 
>>>> Wilfred Drew <[log in to unmask]> 3/16/2012 2:31 PM >>>
> I am setting up my laptop to teach myself Microsoft SQL. I am installing SQL Express. I purchased "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 All-in-one desk reference for Dummies." Any suggestions on other tools to add to my laptop to learn SQL?  Preferably free.
> 
> Bill Drew
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