Sams Teach Yourself Ajax, JavaScript, and PHP All in One Review

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(More customer reviews)Firstly, when a book is about a constantly changing web-programming technology like AJAX, you expect it to be up-to-date, right?
Well, two chapters in, and I've already spotted several typographical errors. What's worse is the outdated nature of some of the technologies depicted in the book. Let me illustrate:
Chapter 1: When illustrating assorted web browsers the text uses IE6. I'm sorry, but IE7 has been officially released for nearly two years now, and you couldn't be bothered to upgrade the screenshots in that time? This book was published June 2008, with a 2009 copyright, and you're using screenshots that were outdated in 2006?
Further, the fact that the screenshot of Firefox in the first chapter shows that at the time of the screenshot, Firefox 1.0.7 was the current release shows that that was taken mid-2005, as Firefox 1.5 was released November 2005.
I'm sorry, but these over-two-years-old screenshots of antiquated technologies featured in a text, and the fact that it seems to feature IE6 throughout already has me somewhat turned off to the book. If this is the attention to detail that they have paid thus far, what will have slipped through the cracks in the programming portions, and what other techniques were already antiquated by the time this book was published?

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In just a short time, you can learn how to use Ajax, JavaScript, and PHP to create interactive interfaces to your web applications by combining these powerful technologies. No previous Ajax programming experience is required. Using a straightforward, step-by-step approach, each lesson in this book builds on the previous ones, enabling you to learn the essentials of Ajax programming with JavaScript, PHP, and related technologies from the ground up. Regardless of whether you run Linux, Windows, or Mac OS X, the enclosed CD includes a complete Ajax programming starter kit that gives you all the programming tools, reference information, JavaScript libraries, and server software you need to set up a stable environment for learning, testing, and production.Learn how to… Build better, more interactive interfaces for your web applicationsMake JavaScript, HTML, XML, and PHP work together to create Ajax effectsCompile an Ajax applicationCreate and consume web services with SOAP and RESTAvoid common errors and troubleshoot programsUse popular Ajax libraries to speed up and improve common programming tasksOn the CDXAMPP for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux–an easy-to-install package to set up a PHP- and MySQL-enabled Apache server on your computerThe jEdit programming editor for Windows, Mac, and LinuxPrototype, Scriptaculous, Rico, and XOAD–popular JavaScript libraries for creating Ajax applications and effectsA complete Ajax, HTML, XML, and PHP tutorial reference library in searchable PDF formatSource code for the examples in the bookPhil Ballard is a software engineering consultant and developer specializing in website and intranet design and development for an international portfolio of clients. He has an honors degree from the University of Leeds, England, and has worked for several years in commercial and managerial roles in the high technology sector.Michael Moncur is a freelance webmaster and author. He runs a network of websites and has written several bestselling books about web development, networking, certification programs, and databases.Category:Web DevelopmentCovers:Ajax, JavaScript and PHPUser Level:Beginning—Intermediate$39.99 USA / $43.99 CAN / £25.99 Net UK

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