Web Books

This is one of those books that I use all the time. Because this is the first book I've given 5 stars, I'd better explain.

First, I like the way the book organized itself along the lines that the ActionScript editor or toolbox lists the different ActionScript terms. The parallel makes things easy to find. Second, I like the way the examples are used. For instance, the author explains the geometry behind the cosine of an angle explaining the Math.cos() method and then provides an example that draws a perfect circle. That's a lot better than I get in just about any other book. (Maybe that's more than some need, but I appreciated it.) Third, I like the level range. The beginning of the book is only 2 chapters, but it's a good 2 chapters that provide a quick explanation of ActionScript and scripting. However, further on in the book, it also covers more complex things like registerClass() with a detailed examples. The same is true for all of the new objects like LoadVars().

Finally, I have found myself using the last several chapters covering UI components. Before I got this book, I really didn't use UI Components very much, and now I use them constantly. In fact, those chapters (Pt IV, Chs 14-21)are what I find myself using the most. If this book had nothing but Part IV, the book would have been more than worth it to me.

I think the book is worth 6 stars -- 5 for the first 3 parts and an additional one for the last part covering UI Components.

After Flash 5 ActionScript, I didn't think that it would get much bigger. Flash MX ActionScript is huge, and this book makes it available. The author spends only the first two chapters with the basics of writing ActionScript in the context of Flash MX and makes a nice transition from Flash 5 to Flash MX.

Then, from Chapter 3 to the end of the book's 21 chapters, the author decided to follow the order of actions in the Actions toolbox in the Actions Panel. That makes it very easy to find stuff because it's organized along the same logical patterns as the toolbox. Even so I found myself going to both the detailed TOC and appendix to look up terms, and I never had problems finding what I needed.

Anyone can explain the easy stuff like the old gotoAndPlay() actions, and so I went to the new OOP materials and XML socket section. The OOP stuff was mixed with non-OOP throughout the book, and OOP-related methods like registerClass() were explained in detail and supported with a good example using something that made sense in the context of Flash MX. In fact, the whole book was filled with good examples. Some examples extended over several pages and others were little ones that gave you a quick insight. Sanders is an ace with examples. As for the XML socket material, not only did the explanation explain to me for the first time ever what the blazes a socket server was, it provided a URL where I could download a free socket server, which I did. Then I worked the example, and now I have my own mini-chat in XMLSocket. I'm happy.

The last several chapters were in-depth explanations of the different ActionScript terms used with the new UI Components. Each component got its own chapter, and I found it invaluable for designing with the components. It does not cover re-skinning, but I was able to get the look I wanted by changing every element in the components and I am a big user of UI components. (You can change all the little parts of components like highlight, higlight3D, face, darkshadow, etc. without re-skinning.)

There were a lot of little details I liked in the book. The examples were mixed, interesting, and clarifying. Undocumented terms, like onData with LoadVars(), were included, and I found what I needed. One suggestion for people getting this book: buy some of those little colored tab stickem things to bookmark all of the part of this book you'll need to reference again and again.

If you are a SharePoint administrator or are looking to deploy SharePoint, this book is for you. No one explains the intricaies of SharePoint Portal Server as clearly as Bill English does. The book is superb with both technical information and easy to follow examples which enable the reader to quickly exploit the benifits of SharePoint Portal Server.

Since starting my SPS project last year I have read both the Microsoft SPS Resource Kit cover to cover and SharePoint Portal Server: A Beginner's Guide. Okay books but they are more of an overall this is what you can do, not a "how to do it" manuals.

Last night I got my copy of The Administrator's guide to SPS 2001. This book rocks! If you are looking for the in depth detailed information that is going to make your SPS server run better. This is the book for you.

The information on indexes alone is worth the price to me.

Larry Ullman's easy informal writing style disguises a highly focussed, readable, condensed and very lucid approach. He manages to put in a paragraph or sentence what other authors take a chapter or two and then explains it much better.
This book gets you up, working with and understanding AIR very quickly. You may have to break off and learn a bit more JavaScript or IDE's but that is easily done. I had never heard of the runtime property of a window so read up about it even though it was not really necessary to do so.
He does introduce you to Aptana Studio which is an excellent IDE for the purpose .Its free and does a huge amount of donkey work leaving you to do the fun part. Here too you may have to break off and learn a bit about Aptana.
A handy web designer will find this book very interesting and useful. In short order you can write your own APIs.
I should think that because of it layout and focus on AIR an experienced professional would scream through the book in no time but find it invaluable in showing him/her what AIR is all about and how to work with it.
I have several of Larry Ullman's books and find he usually explains thing far better, more succinctly and lucidly than many more erudite tomes with many editions (which I also have).

As an experienced desktop programmer (and some web design) I have been looking for the "best" (easiest) way to write programs that are cross platform (PC, MAC, & Linux). A must for me is the ability to write and read files! I have read most of the book while in a bookstore and I was very impressed with all it has to offer. I just ordered it and I have already written my first program in 5 minutes! Ok, it was "hello world". I am using Dreamweaver CS3 (or any editor) and javascript and ajax. Low cost programming with the Adobe AIR runtime. This is the best and newest technology I have seen in years. Larry writing style makes this look easy and it is!!

i'm a designer who knows nothing about html and the web. my web designer friend was supposed to work on my site and he blew me off. so, for my new year's resolution i decided to do it myself. i had all my content and pages done in adobe photoshop. i finished my site in about a week. i probably could have been done sooner but being ...(particular) i kept tweaking my content. this book along with "teach yourself adobe golive in 24hrs" saved me. both books are similar and there's some overlap but having these two books to consult was a life-saver. some areas are explained better depending on which book you read so they balance each other well. also, the price of both books is dirt cheap and well worth it. if you're a beginner this and the other book i mentioned are perfect. the visual quickstart guide isn't written with as much personality as the other book but is great nonetheless. i didn't have time to consume a "bible" because i wanted to launch my site fast and these two books really helped. i just wish had guts and bought these books sooner. after reading these books i'm ashamed that i was intimidated by the web. i did more in a week than my friend did in three months. the best part of doing it myself is that i can have control and update my site at will. ... if i did a design using a template or something not as graphic intensive i'd have literally been done in a few days. if you want something done do it yourself and with this book.

For someone just getting going with Web authoring, this book is a breath of fresh air. I have a stack of other, more expensive books but this one, with its clear, visual layout and lucid explanations, was the one that got through to me and helped me achieve results. What I appreciated was that they way it told me all I needed to know at each step -- but no more! Some intro books are guilty of TMI -- Too Much Information --or talking down to the reader. This author does neither. The book's stated purpose is to be an an intro to GoLive. In that sense, I think it succeeds admirably.

Instead of telling you what's wrong with a zillion websites, the author has picked a few good ones, and lets you see behind the scenes how they got that way. The sites range from big business to one-man shop, which is refreshing -- you can apply the principles here without a huge budget. You get to see how these sites have changed for the better over time. Very nice.

I didn't expect a book with only 9 case studies can be quite comprehensive and enriching. Other books can provide 24 or 50 cases, but Web Site Redesigns was more useful to me, because the websites are all unique from one to another, well researched, with all kinds of issues from user profiling, content architecture, the design itself, and even programming. Each story is well written, along with sketches, diagrams, screenshots, and there are even several small ideas that we can quickly put into our websites. Good addition to my collection.

This man knows what he is doing. Too well in fact. I was very impressed after reading this book. J. Cox

Ray is a master in his own right. I read this book 3 times, and love it.

I'm taking Leland Roth's American Architecture class. I was worried about having to use his book for the class, but it turns out to be a very well written, interesting look at the history of American Architecture. Chapters are laid out in a well thought out manner and the pictures and drawings make for a more engaging read. I highly recommend this book for anyone who would like to know more about the built environment around them.

This extensive survey of American architectural history and styles covers works from pre-historic to modern times, covering the major developments which affected American-built cities and towns over a broad period of time. From evolving regional styles to period architecture and the development of urban landscapes, American Architecture: A History provides chapters packed with analysis and interpretation of American buildings and styles.

I have only worked through the first few chapters but it seems to be a great resource.

I liked this book a lot. When I first pulled it from the bookstore shelf I thought it would be more involved. I thought it would be more like a treatise on the ins and outs of MySpace and how to customize a MySpace profile. It has 16 chapters and an appendix dealing primarily with HTML coding:

1. The basics of updating your profile
2. Using HTML to enhance your page
3. Using CSS to change your profile
4. Images and photos
5. Animate your profile with Flash and more
6. Make your profile multimedia ready
7. Finding third-party templates and plug-ins
8. Blogging
9. Nine more ways to update your profile
10. Growing your circle of friends
11. Contributing to the MySpace community
12. Unleash your inner artist
13. Developing an online following
14. Using MySpace classified advertising and more
15. Marketing your music on MySpace
16. Working the Net for your music group

As I read through the book I saw that it is a wonderful tutorial. It's kind of like a cookbook. Just start at the beginning and do what it tells you in setting up your MySpace profile and then do exactly what it tells you to do to customize your MySpace presence. What it tells you to do might not tweek your profile the way you want it to ultimately be. But you will learn by doing, and when you finish the book you should be knowledgeable and comfortable with the process so you can go back and redo your presence the way you want it to be.

The beauty of this book is it will ultimately teach you the process of putting together Web pages and Web sites if you let it. Then you will be in a great position to build your company's own Web site and blogs outside of the MySpace arena. 5 stars!

I almost didn't by the ASP.NET 3.5 for Dummies. Then I noticed that it was a different author than ASP.NET 2.0 for Dummies and I thought I would give it a look. Bill Hatfield wrote the 'Dummies' book on the previous version and while I found him to be very knowledgeable, I got frustrated because I was trying to learn how to use Visual Studio with ASP.NET and his book didn't provide much help. Ken Cox however "gets it". He wrote the book for use with Visual Studio and by the end of Chapter 4 you're already using AJAX with no difficulty! By chapter 7 you're delving into LINQ! Ken's approach is intelligent and his style works both for the beginner as well as those more seasoned in ASP.NET. Excellent book!

I am an experienced developer so I only expected to skim over the book to get familiar with any of the new asp.net 3.5 features. I found myself reading every word of every page because the book was actually "entertaining". The writing is very smooth and easy to understand. You feel as if a really good teacher who knows how to relate to people is talking to you.

I was also surprised how deep the book was able to go into each subject. For example Linq is a very complicated subject yet the book does contain enough examples for you to use it in the real world.

This book is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!! I read this book for fun. It was soooo goood!!! I started reading and didn't want to stop. This book has three books in it. I have read all three of them and they are probably my top three favorite books I've ever read! If you are interested in a very adventurous, magical, fiction story, I HIGHLY SUGGEST THIS BOOK!!!!!!

The Series starts out with mediocre fantasy and relativly slow, But it has so many possibilites of what could happened I was hooked. The First book is a setup of the intricate story that is slowly revealed to us book by book. I would highly recomend this to anyone willing to give it a chance you won't regret it. 8>