XML: Your visual blueprint for building expert websites with XML, CSS, XHTML, and XSLT Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book presents some good, simple information. The screen shots are nice except they are hard to read if you want to try to recreate them on your own. My biggest objection to the book is its use of XMLSpy as an application of creating the XML. XMLSpy, as the book indicates, is very expensive and not at all necessary for successfully completing an exercise in xml. This is particularly true for such an elementary book as this.

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If you're a visual learner, you'll love the only guidebook series that takes a visual approach to professional-level computer topics. High-resolution screen shots demonstrate over 100 key XML techniques, including choosing a text editor, adding entities and CDATA to XML documents, restricting the recurrence of elements, and generating XML using Access or Excel. Learn to create an XHTML transitional page, loop and sort with XSLT, debug with Firebug, and much more. Succinct explanations walk you through step by step.

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Web Development Solutions: Ajax, APIs, Libraries, and Hosted Services Made easy Review

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(More customer reviews)Web Development Solutions: Ajax, APIs, Libraries, and Hosted Services Made Easy by Christian Heilmann and Mark Norman Francis left me with mixed feelings. The title lead me to believe there would be some more in-depth information related to the topics, but in reality the end of the title should have been Using Wordpress. The majority of this book focuses on Wordpress and how each of the topics relate to the blogging platform.
The reason I had mixed emotions is because on one hand, the authors made it seem as though web development is so easy your Grandma could do it, while on the other hand sliding in some disclaimers about needing more knowledge on different topics. I think that this book would give someone just enough material to be dangerous, but not enough to really understand web development as a whole. This book is geared to the beginner in web development, so I was hoping for some more solid material.
With that out of the way, lets take a closer look at the book and its contents:
The first chapter simply discusses the reason for starting up a website in the first place. There are many different reasons for many different people as to why they start a site. Some start for financial reasons (make money and advertising), while others start to share photos with family and friends. This chapter discussed several of these reasons for starting a website.
Chapter two was where the book really started to take off. This chapter discusses the Dilemma of "Rolling your Own" Solutions. We also get a brief crash course in several aspects related to web development.
The author gets you started by installing a local server on your machine with PHP and MySQL. After this is completed, the authors walk through an installation of Wordpress as we begin our journey. Basically every chapter after this will use Wordpress in one way or another.
This is where things get somewhat fuzzy. The chapters related to Ajax, APIs, and Libraries all revolve around Wordpress. The topics are not discussed in depth, but merely show you how to install an array of different plugins available to the Wordpress platform. Flickr, Youtube, Odeo, and Google Maps--all of which are presented as plugins for Wordpress.
The last few chapters involved some good discussions on promoting your content, navigation and layout, and finally--how to get help when you hit a roadblock. The last chapter really made this book worth the read, as it discussed the different ways to get help, the places to go, and how to ask for help in the different communities. There are some very helpful and important tips in this chapter as you seek help from your peers and colleagues.
Overall, the book was not a bad read--it just left me with mixed emotions due to the title of the book. The authors are very knowledgeable and that shows in each of the chapters. Though I felt the book made things look so easy, the authors were sure to point out that the solutions there were not in-depth, but enough to get you started. If you are just beginning your trek into web development, then this book would be a good read to get you up and running in no time flat. However--for long term involvement in the web, or a more in-depth discussion of the topics listed in the title, you may want to grab a few more books.

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Building "Web 2.0"/Ajax" applications is all the rage right now, and there is a lot of complicated code involved, but a lot of budding web developers don't realize that most of the hard work is already done for them, and available on the Web, through JavaScript libraries to provide most of that Ajax/DOM Scripting functionality out of the box, Application programming interfaces (APIs,) and hosting services such as Flickr and YouTube to provide all they need to easily store and retrieve their media (be it images, video, or whatever.)All the developer needs to know is enough to successfully wire together all this functionality successfully and responsibly, and this book shows you how. It assumes no knowledge at the start, showing how to set up an effective development environment, then moving on to building up a complete professional "Ajaxy"/"Web 2.0" site step by step, all using ready made functionality available on the web, including storing, retrieving, and displaying content, images and video, and effective site navigation, all topped off with a beautiful CSS layout.But it doesn't stop here. The reader is also shown how to promote their content to attract visitors to their site, and how to find a hosting partner.The techniques contained within this book are becoming increasing more in demand by aspiring and existing web developers, all wanting to be a part of the new generation of the web.

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WordPress 2.7 Complete Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book helped me figure out how to convert an existing site to a WordPress theme, an especially challenging project since my existing html page design didn't have any clear header, middle, footer arrangement. I was able to figure out where I wanted to take things with my own theme development mostly from reading Chapter 6. (Getting under the engine with the WP template tags is far more empowering than following a tutorial that has you start out by fiddling around with an image in Photoshop.) Well written, too.

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Written in a clear, easy-to-read style, the book takes you through the essential tasks required to create a feature-rich blog as quickly as possible. From initial setup to customizing modules, each task is explained in a clear, practical way using an example blog developed through the book. This book is a guide to WordPress for both beginners and those who are slightly more advanced. It's for people who are new to blogging and want to create their own blogs in a simple and straightforward manner, and it's also for people who want to learn how to customize and expand the capabilities of a WordPress web site. It does not require any detailed knowledge of programming or web development, and any IT-confident user will be able to use the book to produce an impressive blog.

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Foundation Website Creation with CSS, XHTML, and JavaScript Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchase most CSS books that appear to have a different slant on the use of CSS. This book, although well written and authoritative, was less than I anticipated. It is, however, an excellent resource for those just now learning (X)HTML and CSS, et al. My complaint is simply that I overestimated its content. The writing style is clear and easily understandable and should be so to beginners as well. If considering a first book to learn these disciplines, this book is a good choice.

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Textbook-style guide to Web development with Web standards: the why, what, and how in an easy-to-follow lesson plan. The importance of Web standards only grows larger as the number of Web developers increases, and this is the book for everyone joining the accelerating Web standards bandwagon.

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AdvancED DOM Scripting: Dynamic Web Design Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)UPDATE (3-17-08)
I bought this book again because the material is definitely good. I'm really bummed Friends Of Ed let it go to press with all these errors though. I mean, come on--I'm finding errors all over the place! That is a great disservice to Sambells. But I've decided the material is worth wading through the many, many copy editing oversights. I'm crossing my fingers I don't get stuck troubleshooting typos in the code that choke my browser. That could easily waste hours of my time.
-=-=-
I was pretty excited after I dropped the $50 or so to by this book because the contents are right down my alley. Unfortunately, I could hardly make it out of Chapter 1 for all the typos and editorial oversights. Here are a few as an example:
PG 34 -- "myVarialbe" instead of "myVariable"
PG 35 -- "when you retrieving" instead of "when you are retrieving"
PG 36 -- references a function called "initAchors()" that isn't used in the example code for that example. initAnchors() appears in the next example on the next page.
PG 37 -- number of iterations in loop changes from 3 to 5 from 1st example to 2nd example for no apparent reason - this is confusing and distracts from the point being made.
PG 37 -- Figure 1-7 shows three objects in diagram instead of the 5 needed (one for each loop)
This is all in just 3 pages!
This is the part of the book I started reading first so I assume the rest of the book is going to be as poorly edited/ proofread. This surprises me as I own over 5 or 6 titles from the Friend Of Ed series and I don't recall ever seeing so much as a typo in any of them.
Overall, I think the book shows promise. But I can't tolerate errors like this in a programming book. They are difficult enough to read already without having to figure out what the message was "supposed" to be.
I'm returning this book to the store. When it reaches a later edition I may give it another go. It needs some serious "debuggin" first though.

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DOM Scripting is a vital technique for web developers and designers to learn and master in the modern web development arena, for adding dynamic effects to web applications such as animations, maps, drag and drop, and more.At friends of ED, we kick-started the interest in this subject with Jeremy Keith's acclaimed book DOM Scripting (friends of ED 1590595335.) And now, with AdvancED DOM Scripting, we're aiming to take the reader further-AdvancED DOM Scripting starts where the original DOM Scripting left off, assuming the reader has already mastered the basics, and taking them further, with countless real world tutorials. It is the first book to exclusively cover advanced DOM Scripting techniques, and reads like a wish list of must have dynamic web application features, including visual effects using JavaScript libraries, Ajax, Mashups using APIs, and much more.

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Creating Web Sites Bible Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As of this review, I was on Chapter four.
There is a lot of info packed into this book, but also a lot of errors and typos.
The first tutorial web page they walk a person through on pages 114 / 115 has so many errors that it will not look anything like the finished product on page 116.
I wasted a lot of time attempting to figure out what the errors were, having to search other sections of the book for the proper code elements. THEN I had to play with the code elements to learn that the first example cannot be done the way they presented it!
The first tutorial shows this for aligning a headline center (I had to use parenthesis instead of the lesser than < and greater than > symbols so the actual code would show up here):
(p align"center"") (h3)Making Kimchi using an ordered list(h3)(p)
This does not work. It must look like this:
(h3 align="center") Making Kimchi using an order list(/h3)
The most frequently missing item is the forward slash / that is supposed to be at the end of nearly all HTML tags, according to the authors! They even say "If your screen differs in appearance slightly, don't worry about it."
WHAT GOOD IS A TUTORIAL IF MINE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE EXAMPLE?!
Just be prepared to have to figure stuff out on your own.

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Updated for the most recent tools, techniques, and standards for creating cutting-edge Web sites for businesses or personal use, this book is one-stop shopping for HTML, JavaScript, CSS, tables, forms, Flash, and more
Brand-new chapters cover Ajax, Adobe CS3 tools, RSS, and blogging tools
Hands-on guidance and expert advice dive into such topics as creating and editing images and graphics, adding multimedia elements (e.g., Flash animations, audio, and video), creating stores for Yahoo! and Amazon.com, designing auction pages for eBay, and building blogs

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Getting StartED Building Websites Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a very good book for the price. It has a lot of typos, but for the price, I can look past those. The book is very well laid out and gives some good examples, taking you through a very logical process. Some things are a bit over discussed but all in all, I would recommend this book for the novice website builder. Note: This book does not have ALL the answers and there are many things that are much more complicated in building websites than this book gets into. But if you want the basics to logically building a website from scratch, this book is a great start for the price.

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The whole world wants to build web sites. This key book in the Getting StartED series takes people with no knowledge of web design and teaches them the basics the friendly, friends of ED way. Rather than setting out to be a language reference or a strict set of guidelines like so many other web design books, Getting StartED Building Websites gives readers the wider picture, including important topics such as web hosting, search engine optimization, and CSS styling alongside the basics of HTML.The chapters are divided into the most common questions, so you'll find headings like "What kind of website should I make", "What about web hosting", and "How do I write good articles". It's this broad base approach that sets it apart from most beginner books that just focus down on one small topic.

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Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you spend much time on the Internet at all, at some point you've said to yourself, "Maybe I should have a web site." It can be a bit intimidating, and many people don't get beyond that "Maybe I should ..." phase. If you want to progress further, this book is for you.
The book is laid out in a logical progression from concept to interaction to making money with your site. Each stage of web "development" has its own section in the book -- which is a huge plus: you don't have to wade through a lot of basic information to get to what you want.
The first section covers the planning stage of website design. There's a discussion about choosing a hosting service (including the problems with using the free space that many ISPs give to their subscribers) and an overview of HTML editing software. There's also a brief introduction to HTML -- just enough to get you started.
Section two takes it from there. You've found a hosting service, you've got the software, and you have the skeleton of a site. NOW you want to make the site look good. This section covers pictures, links, and tables, and even goes into some basic CSS. You learn to turn a bunch of separate web pages into a web site, add content so people want to visit your site, and make the site look good so people want to come back.
Section three goes where the average HTML tutorial doesn't go and talks about driving traffic. Getting search engine hits, creating your own message boards, and even (once you get the traffic) making money on your site. This is the part of the book that will have broader appeal -- the information will be valuable to novices as well as more experienced webmasters. The only disappointment in this section was that the subject of hit counters and stat tracking services wasn't covered in much depth. I would have liked to have seen more information on the various tracking services, rather than a one-page mention.
Part four starts to enhance the site. Javascript menus and buttons, and audio and video. This is a dangerous section, and the book does preach caution in adding many of these features (I noticed that there was little mention of animated GIFs, which I was very thankful for). The section on creative menus using Javascript and DHTML was very useful, and I plan on implementing some of what I have learned on my own site after the first of the year. The section covering audio and video was brief, but contained enough information for the novice designer to completely annoy visitors with embedded audio. Thankfully, the council in this section was moderation in all things -- they make sure that novices realize how annoying embedded audio can be.
Part five covers blogging, specifically working with Blogger. This is a good idea, though most new bloggers will eventually want something more powerful. Syndication is also briefly explained (though they don't tell you how to create your own RSS feeds). Blogger-specific tweaks are covered briefly, and budding bloggers are encouraged to use the skills they've gained by reading the rest of the books to customize their basic Blogger templates.
This book is a valuable asset for novice website builders, and contains many useful tips for more advanced users (though most power users will find little in it that they don't know already). It's up to date with the latest standards, though they spent more time talking about using table tags for layout than I would have liked, and not nearly enough time on div tags. I understand CSS a lot better now than I did before, and I've got some great ideas for improving my own sites. I think that the most valuable part of this book -- and, really, one of the reasons I love O'Reilly books so much -- is the fact that you can do everything in this book with free software. You can use Dreamweaver or Frontpage, but you can make a great site using free software that's readily available on the Web. Highly recommended.

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Think you have to be a technical wizard to build a great web site? Think again. For anyone who wants to create an engaging web site--for either personal or business purposes--Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual demystifies the process and provides tools, techniques, and expert guidance for developing a professional and reliable web presence.

Like every Missing Manual, you can count on Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual to be entertaining and insightful and complete with all the vital information, clear-headed advice, and detailed instructions you need to master the task at hand. Author Matthew MacDonald teaches you the fundamentals of creating, maintaining, and updating an effective, attractive, and visitor-friendly web site--from scratch or from an existing site that's a little too simple or flat for your liking.

Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual doesn't only cover how to create a well-designed, appealing, smart web site that is thoroughly up to date and brimming with the latest features. It also covers why it's worth the effort by explaining the rationale for creating a site in the first place and discussing what makes a given web site particularly aesthetic, dynamic, and powerful. It further helps you determine your needs and goals and make well informed design and content decisions.

Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual includes a basic primer on HTML, working with JavaScript, and incorporating services like Paypal's shopping cart, Amazon's associate program, and Google AdSense and AdWords. It delivers advanced tricks for formatting, graphics, audio and video, as well as Flash animation and dynamic content. And you'll learn how to identify and connect with your site's audience through forms, forums, meta tags, and search engines.

This isn't just another dry, uninspired book on how to create a web site. Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual is a witty and intelligent guide for all of you who are ready to make your ideas and vision a web reality.

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WordPress 3 Ultimate Security Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been using WordPress since version 2.5 and when I first heard about this book, I was wondering how the author could fill 240+ pages on securing WordPress.
As many veteran WordPress users know, Automattic, the company that oversees the development of the open source blogging platform, does an excellent job keeping it secure, with regular updates. The problem here is many users think that Automattic does everything to keep WordPress sites secure. Do not fall into this trap. Users have to take responsibility too.

So it came as no surprise that the first four chapters are spent explaining how the bad guys work and how to protect your computer and network. The author covers a broad range of topics from how to secure Windows, Mac, and Linux workstations. He gives advice on where to obtain, install and configure personal firewalls and anti-virus software. He suggests ways to avoid spam and make your web browser safe for browsing.
The chapters on WordPress security are just as informative. He explains how to back up your WordPress site (which you are probably already doing. Right?) How to set up file and user permissions. He explains which WordPress files and features should be disabled or removed to avoid hackers and why you should use SSL, SFTP and hardened shell accounts to access your site.

If your site does get hacked, there is a disaster recovery section that explains how to get your site back online and make sure it doesn't get hacked again.

I am an IT consultant and have worked with PCs in some form since 1982 and built my first website in 1995. I thought I knew a lot about security, but this book taught me many new ways to secure websites and computers. It was a quick read and brought me up to date on the fast changing world of Internet security.
This book can help all users, from WordPress beginners to IT professionals. I recommend reading it to keep both your website and PC/Mac/Linux computer safe.


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This is a comprehensive essential guide to WordPress security written in a light style, which converts learning a really serious topic to an enjoyable read. It is packed with copy-paste solutions to security to suit all levels of security know-how. Just as WordPress is used by a broad spectrum of website owners, with varying degrees of security know-how, so WordPress 3 Ultimate Security is written to be understood by security novices and web professionals alike. From site and server owners and administrators to members of their contributing team, this essential A to Z reference takes a complex and, let's face it, frankly dull subject and makes it accessible, encouraging, and sometimes even fun. Even if you are a total newbie to security, you can transform an insecure site into an iron-clad fortress, safeguarding your site users, your content and, sooner or later, your stress level.

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Dreamweaver CS3 for Windows and Macintosh Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I read the other reviews and had to comment.
This book is NOT a technical manual, nor a step-by-step on how to design websites. Rather, it is a COMPANION book on how to use DreamWeaver. If you are familiar with other Adobe products, then you will appreciate that DreamWeaver maintains many similarities. If you are NOT familiar with Adobe products, then you are in for a major learning experience!
Let's get one thing straight right off the bat ... DreamWeaver is a highly complex program that is NOT meant for just any [dingbat] one to pick up on a whim and design the "perfect" website. You actually have to know how to read and understand (X)HTML, you can't just plop a site together without knowing this. Just because you CAN use the WYSIWYG interface doesn't mean you can do that exclusively.
If you are used to using FrontPage, then you have a RUDE awakening when it comes to the difference between that and DreamWeaver.
This book was the required book for the class in Web Design with DreamWeaver that I enrolled in (at an actual school) and completed very successfully.
This book is EXACTLY what the title states: a "quick start". It in no way ever implies that it is anything other than that! It is there as a gentle nudge. It is NOT there as a guided class!
AND, it NEVER EVER states that it teaches CSS ... NEVER!! Maybe you thought that "CS3" was the same as "CSS"??
If you are looking for an entire "class in a book" strictly on DreamWeaver, then I recommend the "Missing Manual" by O'Reilly and/or the "Classroom in A Book" series from Adobe Press.
If you are looking for a book on CSS (cascading style sheets), then you want the "Head First" series entitled "HTML with CSS & XHTML", or the Visual Quick Start book entitled "HTML, XHTML & CSS" ... DUH!! I mean, really - make sure you buy the correct book for what you want to learn! If you don't, then DON'T BLAME THE BOOK!!
I use this book as a reference quite often, and to remind myself how to do certain functions in DreamWeaver. It has a great index, and the appendices are very informative.
Also, the website is as complete as it can be. They give you the links for the resources in the book. There is only one "errata" that relates to using a Mac, and it's listed on the site.
About emailing ... they specifically say to READ THE FAQ'S FIRST. There is a disclaimer about them NOT being able to answer each and every email on page xiv of the book - so quit griping about that! Read the FAQ's, or get a teacher! [such a freakin' whiner you are M.F.Summy.]
I wish people would THINK before posting a negative review. There is value in every book. Before you buy it, look through it either online or in a book store! Whether you bought the proper one for your needs is NOT the book's fault! Grow up!

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With the release of Adobe Creative Suite CS3, Dreamweaver is now partof the world's leading suite of creative tools, making it the de factotool of choice for anyone designing for the Web. Adobe Dreamweaver CS3for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide uses a combinationof task-based instruction and strong visuals to teach beginning andintermediate users how to create, design, and publish powerful,innovative Web sites with Dreamweaver. Leading technology authors TomNegrino and Dori Smith take readers step-by-step through the newfeatures in Adobe Dreamweaver CS3, with all new chapters on buildingdynamic pages with Ajax and Spry, and designing for mobile devices.They also cover improvements to using styles and CSS in Dreamweaver,and the new Browser Compatibility Check in Dreamweaver CS3. Beginningusers will learn to create their first Web site, add text, style andposition page content, manage styles, work with links, incorporateimages, media, tables, forms, and frames, design site navigation, andso much more. Experienced users will find this a convenient referenceto the new features of Dreamweaver CS3.

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WordPress 2.8 Theme Design Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I seem to be reading quite a few WordPress books of late, and there are certainly a few to choose from. Packt Publishing's WordPress 2.8 Theme Design's tagline is 'Create flexible, powerful, and professional themes for your WordPress blogs and websites'.
WordPress themes are of interest to me since they fuse a visual aspect with PHP code, and there's no doubt that they appeal to many other people too.
Chapter Overview
1. Getting Started as a WordPress Theme Designer
2. Theme Design and Approach
3. Coding it Up
4. Debugging and Validation
5. Putting Your Theme into Action
6. WordPress Template Tag, Function, and CSS Reference
7. AJAX/Dynamic Content and Interactive Forms
8. Dynamic Menus and Interactive Elements
9. Design Tips for Working with WordPress
The book's author Tessa Blakely Silver starts very gently with an introduction to WordPress themes and why downloading a theme that's already been coded and designed may not always be the best solution. Subsequently, the book develops a theme from scratch and examines core technologies such as WordPress, CSS, XHTML and PHP.
The second chapter starts with a discussion of theme design in general, followed by the beginnings of the theme that's developed throughout the book. There are further discussions on semantic markup, typography, fonts and layout.
The following chapter focuses on the code aspect of theme design, and suggests a workflow strategy as well as template tags, hooks, and the WordPress loop. Comments are then discussed in some detail, the topic including pagination and threaded comments.
Chapter four examines the process of debugging and validating. A thorough chapter includes references to the W3C validation services, Firefox's JavaScript/Error console, Firebug and some of the issues that the budding theme developer will face when dealing with IE6.
Chapter five looks at the style.css file, which provides descriptive information about a theme, together with packaging the theme into a ZIP for distribution and running test installations of the theme package.
Chapter six adopts a more reference based approach, with an in depth examination of WordPress template tags, the WordPress template hierarchy, the loop and shortcodes.
The following chapter looks at AJAX and JavaScript, as well as preparing your theme for plugins and widgets.
Chapter eight builds on Chapter 7's JavaScript discussion by developing a drop-down menu for the theme. There is also a discussion of Flash and how that can be used with WordPress themes.
Chapter nine rounds off the book with a number of design tips that apply not just to WordPress theme design, but web design in general.
The book's about 250 pages in length, and is generally well written. I did, however, notice a few errors in code samples (mostly misplaced quotes), and a couple of examples in the prose itself. Another minor niggle was that the author talks about semantic markup, and then introduces 'sidebarLT' (sidebar left) and 'sidebarRT' (sidebar right) IDs into the markup.
The back of the book states: This book can be used by WordPress users or visual designers (with no server-side scripting or programming experience) who are used to working with the common industry-standard tools such as Photoshop and Dreamweaver or other popular graphic, HTML, and text editors. Regardless of your web development skill set or level, you'll be walked through the clear, step-by-step instructions. But familiarity with a broad range of web development skills and WordPress know-how will allow you to gain maximum benefit from this book.
It seems as through Packt have tried to convince the potential reader that this is the book for them, regardless of whether they're fairly inexperienced in some areas, or a a highly skilled developer. I'd say that the book covers a lot of ground, and that it does so at a pace that would be suitable for an inexperienced developer. Much of the content, however, would already be familiar to a skilled web developer, and so I feel that they'd think that the really useful content is a little thinly spread.
Overall, it's encouraging to see more books about WordPress; although the internet is a fantastic resource, books still have a very important role in my opinion. The content of this one is great for beginner-medium level web developers, but more experienced readers will be left wanting more.


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Theme design can be approached from two angles. The first is simplicity; sometimes it suits the client and/or the site to go as bare-bones as possible. In that case, it's quick and easy to take a very basic, pre-made theme and modify it. The second is "Unique and Beautiful". Occasionally, the site's theme needs to be created from scratch so that everything displayed caters to the specific kind of content the site offers. This book is going to take you through the Unique and Beautiful route with the idea that once you know how to create a theme from scratch, you'll be more apt at understanding what to look for in other WordPress themes. This book can be used by WordPress users or visual designers (with no server-side scripting or programming experience) who are used to working with the common industry-standard tools like PhotoShop and Dreamweaver or other popular graphic, HTML, and text editors. Regardless of your web development skill-set or level, you'll find clear, step-by-step instructions, but familiarity with a broad range of web development skills and WordPress know-how will allow you to gain maximum benefit from this book.

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HTML Manual of Style: A Clear, Concise Reference for Hypertext Markup Language (including HTML5), Fourth Edition (4th Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If someone were just learning HTML/CSS now, what you would you tell him? That's how the "HTML Manual of Style" is written. Not about hobbling together a web page through a tool. But a back to the basics intro. The author covers why clean code is important both for humans and search engine robots.
The book includes the basic HTML 5 features amidst the "old stuff." One thing to watch out for - the section headers say "HTML 5". They don't really mean HTML 5 though. They really mean here's HTML that happens to include HTML 5. This is fine. It is an HTML book and not meant to highlight what is new specifically.
There are lots of short code examples along with showing how a browser renders them. It gives tips for planning, SEO and hosting. I particularly liked the list of attributes and easy to follow style. I also liked seeing jQuery mentioned.
While the book isn't geared for web developers, it is a nice review. And I think it is a great guide for those starting out. Or those relying on a tool to generate the web page. Or those who still embed style information in their HTML.
Note - while the title was originally about HTML, it has grown to HTML/CSS. The cover could highlight this better.
---
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for writing this review on behalf of CodeRanch.

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THE CLASSIC WEB AUTHORING GUIDE, NOW 100% UPDATED AND BETTER THAN EVER!If it's for the Web, this book will help you create it…faster, smarter, better! Don't settle for canned templates or boilerplate designs! Take control, with the classic guide to HTML web authoring…now completely revised for the latest techniques and shortcuts, including HTML5!Build it right…Well-planned and well-organizedEasy to navigateFun to read, view, and useSearch engine-friendly and findableReliable and consistentEasy to update and maintainCompatible with any browserBuild it all…Websites and pagesWiki articlesWeb services and ecommerceeBay pagesBlog postsHTML emailAnd much more!Contains quick reference guides to HTML elements and CSS properties–including the newest HTML5 and CSS3 improvements!

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Bulletproof Web Design: Improving flexibility and protecting against worst-case scenarios with XHTML and CSS (2nd Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are just coming over the the standards-compliant light, this book is the best for showing real, working techniques. Great examples that work. A cookbook. Cederholm won my heart and my mind with "Web Standards Solutions" and this book builds on that theme. The man is a good writer, easy to understand, and he makes compelling and lucid points.
Cederholm's presentation is great: he states a problem or goal, then examines several different ways of solving it. The examinations are just a paragraph or two long -- short and to the point. He points out the strengths and weaknesses of the various solutions, then concludes with a "best practices" solution. Finally, he builds on and refines the best practices solution to deliver a finished piece. When there is no clear-cut best way, he lays the cards on the table and let's you decide what is best for your specific application. He talks about the compromises between pixel-perfect layouts and fluid layouts and how each effects design and useability issues.
It is not stand-alone because a good reference is still useful to have by your side.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bulletproof Web Design: Improving flexibility and protecting against worst-case scenarios with XHTML and CSS (2nd Edition)

No matter how visually appealing or content-packed a Web site may be, if it's not adaptable to a variety of situations and reaching the widest possible audience, it isn't really succeeding. In Bulletproof Web Desing, author and Web designer extraordinaire, Dan Cederholm outlines standards-based strategies for building designs that provide flexibility, readability, and user control--key components of every sucessful site. Each chapter starts out with an example of an unbulletproof site one that employs a traditional HTML-based approach which Dan then deconstructs, pointing out its limitations. He then gives the site a make-over using XHTML and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), so you can see how to replace bloated code with lean markup and CSS for fast-loading sites that are accessible to all users. Finally, he covers several popular fluid and elastic-width layout techniques and pieces together all of the page components discussed in prior chapters into a single-page template.

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Building Websites with DotNetNuke 5 Review

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(More customer reviews)I wish that this book was available when I started using DNN 1.5 years ago. It takes you though the installation, then introduces you to the basic concepts, and explains some things that you "must get around to figuring out what it does".
There is a middle section that then explains a little about the core and about the web.config, which are extremely useful, and they are the first documentation I have seen on that subject area.
Finally, the third section, is the brilliant examples from Michaels site on how to build modules easily. If you have not built a module, you will love this.
This book will suit a complete beginner but it will also suit a developer that wants to learn DNN and wants to learn how to program modules.
To followed on from the previous reviewer, my father always said about Country music that it is the chords you leave out that are he nicest. Michael Washington has a particular style, he cuts to the chase and tells you what you want to know without the fluff.
I have five DNN books now, but this is the best. I repeat, I wish I could have bought it a year ago.
thanks for all the help.

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This book has been written both for beginners wanting to set up a website and also for ASP.NET developers with a grasp of VB.NET and C# who want a deeper understanding of how to work with DotNetNuke. To work with the DotNetNuke code, you will need access to Visual Web Developer Express or Visual Studio .NET 2010. No prior knowledge of DotNetNuke is assumed.This book is a practical tutorial with step-by-step instructions and clear, concise explanations. Illustrative screenshots are used for better understanding at every step. You will learn how to set up and administer an example site, stepping through all the tasks to ease your learning. The emphasis is not on becoming a better VB.NET or C# programmer but on taming DotNetNuke.

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Sams Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML and CSS in One Hour a Day: Includes New HTML5 Coverage (6th Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Having been a Web developer a while back, I wanted a reference book that serves as a refresher on HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) -- and this book fits the bill perfectly. However, for someone who has no prior knowledge of HTML and CSS, this book comes up a little short. While it may be quite comprehensive in the topics it covers, it lacks a certain cohesiveness that would allow a beginner to use it as a practical guide for real world Web publishing. First, let's talk organization.
- Organization
This book has made a heroic effort to be comprehensive by attempting to cover everything from basic topics (e.g. tables, forms) to intermediate topics (e.g. embedding videos, absolute vs relative position, layers) to more advanced topics (e.g. Javascript [arrays, data types, loops, etc.], relational databases, server-side programming). That's all well and good, but it sometimes goes into so much of the nitty-gritty details that a beginner can easily lose sight of the complete picture. I feel it would be much better if the book had given a birds-eye view to get a beginner up to speed with the overall framework of a Web page before it went into the details.
- Practicality
The book barely touches on some important topics such as WYSIWYG editors (WYSIWYG is the acronym for "What You See Is What You Get" - pronounced wis-see-wig). *Real world* Web publishing use WYSIWYG editors (such as Adobe Dreamweaver) and other tools to expedite the development of Web sites. Hand-coding Web pages from scratch is almost never done. Mind you, I'm not saying learning how HTML/CSS works "under the hood" isn't important -- nothing can be further from the truth! My point is the book could have made more than passing mention of some of the practical aspects of Web publishing.
In addition, the book fails to sufficiently elaborate on the relationship between Javascript and HTML/CSS. Javascript, of course, is a major topic by itself -- in fact whole books are written on it - but the book could have at least made a stronger connection between HTML/CSS and Javascript since Javascript is so inextricably tied to HTML and CSS. Javascript is the basis for dynamic or interactive (vs. "static") Web pages.
- No Companion CD
The major beef I have with this book is that it doesn't have a companion CD with functioning Web pages that illustrate the HTML and CSS concepts covered in the book. At the very least, the book should have included a CD with the HTML and CSS examples presented in the book. Remember, HTML and CSS is best learned by example and experimentation. In this age of cheap storage media, there is simply no excuse to not include a companion CD.
- The Devil Is In The Details
Developing a highly-functional and complex Web page is a very involved process (the operative word here is *involved*). The book doesn't really discuss the problem of cross-browser compatibility. For example, different browsers (such as Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Chrome) render some elements a little differently - enough to significantly alter or "break" your intended Web page design.
---
The bottom line: Sams Teach Yourself Web Publishing will get you up to speed with building a very basic Web page with relatively static (vs. dynamic) content. For a more practical guide to HTML/CSS for a beginner, you might want to consider Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML. Unlike Sams Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML and CSS, it doesn't just explain HTML/CSS with snippets of code, but walks you through the step-by-step building of functioning Web pages.


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Sams Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML and CSS in One Hour a Day, Sixth Edition is the latest edition of the original worldwide bestseller. The entire book has been thoroughly revised and refined to include new detailed coverage of HTML5, the next major revision of the core language of the World Wide Web, HTML. Work on the HTML5 specification is still ongoing, but parts of HTML5 are already being implemented in new versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Opera.

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Dreamweaver CS4 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is an excellent resource book. It is written for both the the beginner and the advanced user. I have read a wide variety of books on this subject, I have found this to be the easiest, best text.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dreamweaver CS4 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

With the release of Adobe Creative Suite CS4, Dreamweaver solidifies its role as the de facto tool of choice for anyone using Photoshop and designing for the Web. Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide uses a combination of task-based instruction and strong visuals to teach beginning and intermediate users how to create, design, and publish powerful, innovative Web sites with Dreamweaver. Leading technology authors Tom Negrino and Dori Smith take readers step-by-step through the new features in Adobe Dreamweaver CS4, with completely revised chapters on critical tools like linking and including images and Flash animations. They also cover improvements to using styles and CSS in Dreamweaver, and the new Code Navigator in Dreamweaver CS4. Beginning users will learn to create their first Web site, add text, style and position page content, manage styles, work with links, incorporate images, media, tables, forms, and frames, design site navigation, and so much more. Experienced users will find this a convenient reference to the new features of Dreamweaver CS4.

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Web Design with HTML and CSS Digital Classroom, (Book and Video Training) Review

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(More customer reviews)I thought this book was really good except for one thing, I noticed multiple mistakes typing mistakes that really effect the outcomes of the tutorials. I have some knowledge about html and css, which is the only reason I was able to understand some of the reasons why the tutorials were not working. It's as if someone didn't even go through the tutorials to make sure they were correct before it was published. Other than that this book is very informational.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Web Design with HTML and CSS Digital Classroom, (Book and Video Training)

"An invaluable full-color training package for Web design
Web design consists of using multiple software tools and codes-such as Dreamweaver, Flash, Silverlight, Illustrator, Photoshop, HTML, and CSS, among others-to craft a unique, robust, and interactive websites. This book teaches you how to effectively use all the major tools involved in web design to create a site that is both attractive and functional.
You'll go beyond the basics to learn best practices of good web design so you can go from the drawing board to a successful site.
Combining full-color, step-by-step instructions with lesson files and video training from web experts is like having your own personal instructor guiding you through each lesson-but you work at your own pace!
Discusses properties of good web design and best practices for building a site that is both attractive and functional

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