Desktop Publishing Books

Clifford A. Pickover is a Renaissance man. He may not like the label but for me it is one of the highest accolades of intellectual accomplishment. A quick scan through this book is enough to confirm his standing: mathematics, computer programming, art, medicine, music, speech, biochemistry, electronics, education, biology, aesthetics etc. etc. It's all there.

This is one of my favourite books and is getting quite dog-eared by the constant use it gets. It is a book to enjoy as well as to refer-to, a book to cheer you up and to fill you with wonder. Not that it is perfect mind you. Far from it. It is now quite dated and the illustrations could do with a decent makeover. The treatment is often abrupt and episodic and the writing is sometimes hurried and muggy. But who cares! The overall effect is of frenzied genius and lively enquiry.

My main interest was in Chapter 14. Dynamic Systems. It is not an in-depth treatment by any means but it yields some beautiful ideas. I implemented and experimented with most of the algorithms in the chapter. They work and provide some essential insight into the evolutionary nature of most complex systems.

Get the book. The reference list by itself is worth the price.

Perhaps for the new century the technology is a bit out of date, but this book is a well written introduction to both basic and complex computer graphical ways of describing mathematics and natural phenomena.
An excellent feature of the book is its pseudocoding used to explain concepts and to be used by the reader as stepping off points for the amateur computer programmer to play.

In Computers, Pattern, Chaos And Beauty, Clifford Pickover focuses on how theories of fractals and chaos lead to computer-generated graphics - and how graphics in computers have connections to the unseen world. From how data is processed and displayed to patterns present in complicated data, this provides both artists and scientists with an intriguing set of concepts.

This book inspires and entrances with something for everyone, from the adventurer with an artistic eye, to the most esoteric mathematics devotee. At practically any level of understanding, it provokes the desire for learning, and an aesthetic appreciation for math that is usually reserved for those who make higher math their lives' work. Best of all, this book can be "grazed", i.e., read out of order and sporadically, gaining benefit where one may. A must-browse for anyone who has ever wondered how mathematics could ever be interesting or powerful.

The algorithms presented in the book are simply too fascinating to be true. Each illustration of fractals or the strange attractors are accompanied by an algorithm which I tried with "C" language. They work excellently and it is a visual treat to watch the fractals unfold, strange attractors trace out intricate patterns and the Pascal Triangle rise like a phoenix before your own eyes. Each algorithm you translate into a program gives you immense joy at having discovered a new hidden hand that leads nature and beauty through the illuminating principles of mathematics and reaveals the deepest mysteries of nature in close collusion with the arcane folds of mathematics.

There is a whole lot of useful CorelDRAW info packed into the compact, no-nonsense format of this book. Phyllis Davis doesn't just illustrate basic procedures in DRAW, she anticipates the kinds of problems professional illustrators will encounter - and solves them. Designers will be inspired by the creative example s used to illustrate each feature of DRAW.

Miss Phyllis Davis does an excellent job of explaining CorelDraw. She really knows what she is talking about. You can use this book as a reference, or follow the steps in it to perform specific tasks. Do not be fooled because it is a smaller book with many pictures. This "little" book says more than any other CorelDraw book I have looked at. It is indespensable on my shelf.

This book was one of the best written books that I have bought and believe me I have bought a bunch to learn various programs, such as Adobe Illistrator, Corel Photo Paint, Corel Draw etc. Phyllis not only explains things well, she also gives photos showing what she is talking about!" She doesn't write these books as if you should know everything, like most authors do, she writes it with the idea that you bought the book because you don't know what to do... and explains things so a normal person that doesn't have any expertiese in how to use the program, can actually learn something. She gives practice special projects to do so that you can practice what she has taught you. I am the kind of person that having the pictures with the knowledge to go with it makes the learning experience so much greater and interesting, where most authors tells you to click on the _____
button and if you are new to the program you want to see what they are talking about without having to search for what the author is talking about... The only thing negative that I have to say is I wish she hadn't stopped with Corel Draw for Windows book I hope she goes on and writes other books for Adobe programs and also extends the knowledge to more advanced levels in the books she writes.... I would love to see her write a book on every detail that is in the Corel Program so that you can not only learn the basics, but go beyond the basics in the same book!!
Love Ya Phyllis and will be looking for more of your books thats for sure...

I have looked at several other author's books, but this one is the first I would call an easy read. She does not assume that you know computer lingo, she explains and shows with screenshots every term.Well done!

Finally, a well designed, illustrated, straight-to-the-point book for using CorelDraw9. The author does a fine job of explaining step-by-step procedures for accomplishing everything from utilizing clipart, working with nodes and layers (yes, Ms Davis includes definitions), and extruding text to printing and designing a web page. Also included are plenty of tips, shortcuts, and projects to get you started/keep you interested. Not only a friendly text for beginners but also a "must have" as a reference. I was gritting my way thru the "...Dummies" book (which is just a little bit too dumb!) when I found this one. What a relief! If you want to get in and get to work, this is the book for you.

This book was in NEW condition. I cannot believe that I got it at such a great price. Good work Opusbooks!!

I couldn't help the religious reference since this book has quickly become my new Bible. I have been a loyal follower of "The Official Guides" and "CorelDRAW 11" has lived up to my expectations, if not exceeded them in many respects.

This book was a pleasant surprise, despite being a totally comprehensive resource tool, close to 800 pages, it's written in a no nonsense, straight to the point style. How rare is that these days ? I found it concise, well written, with great illustrations and literally hundreds of useful tips and workarounds. It's also got plenty of "how-tos", and covers every aspect of the program in detail (including VBA scripts) in very easy-to-grasp terms. Also included are a complete shortcuts guide, downloadable web resource files, and invaluable hidden program functionality.

A huge bonus for me was that it covers both the Mac & PC releases - yeah ! I also found the sections on Text, 3D, and Animations particularly helpful.

Coreldraw is a great program and this is a great book - total quality from start to finish !

This book is an excellent manual for understanding the logistical operations of CorelDraw 11. It is written with a tone geared towards one who has never used this program before yet does not lack in expanded intricacies of operations.

An experienced user can flip through the section needed to learn shortcuts and streamline processes, while the novice can start from page 1 and treat it as a tutorial.

This book makes a great addition to the library of anyone who uses CorelDraw 11.

If you are a new or old user of Corel Draw, and you have just up-graded to Corel Draw 11, this is the book to learn from. With it's 800 pages to go through you will find every thing you need to know to get you up and designing in no time. Steve Bain has done a great job of writing this book, so even the new user can under stand how the tools work and what there for. It is a little pricey, but it is worth every cent. If your going to learn this programe, I would recomand this book to be the first one you get and it may be the last one you need to teach you about Corel Draw 11. I have not needed any other book but this one to learn the programe. I keep it by my computer and use it almost every time I'm using Corel Draw 11.

After upgrading from an earlier version of CorelDRAW, I needed to get up to speed quickly. This book is an excellent way to learn and excel at using version 11. The step sequences expose you to beginner and advanced level drawing, the tutorials are easy-to-follow, and there's an abundance of helpful and useful tips. Even if you're an experienced illustrator, you'll find great techniques in this book. Trust me you won't regret the purchase.

I have been reading this book for the last 30 minutes and it's one wow after another. I just turned to my dog and said "This book is amazing!" hehe.

Seriously. The dive in and "look what you can do with ps" style of this book is very impressive. I bought it as an alternative to the more advanced wow book. This is the one I was looking for. 4 thumbs up!

you can start learning photoshop fast and easy. This book is suitable for beginners. It's full of illustrations and pictures, and to the point. In addition, you don't have to read a lot. it's a quick start. it's so informative and you can use it as manual too. even filters are covered, what are they and how you can use them step by step. good work Deke.

Photoshop is a deep and complex program and this book makes it (almost) simple. The book has several strengths -- first is McClelland's astonishing knowldge, next is his ability to explain complex things in terms even a beginner can understand, third is the brilliant way the information is organized. Face it, no matter how much knowlege a book contains, if you can't find the knowledge it's useless to you. The publisher and book designer make McClelland's information always easy to find, even if you are looking for some obscure feature like using the Color Range command to make a mask. No matter what your skill level, this book will open the Photoshop world further to you. I'm a graphics professional and I have a dozen Photoshop books on my shelf -- and this is the one I always pull out.

I love this book! I wish all software books were written this well. If you took 20 Photoshop books at random and put them through some magic process that took all the good stuff out and condensed them into 1 easy to read, well-organized, no fluff, no 1500 pages and 4 pounds of paper book, this would be what comes out.

When I picked this book off them shelf and started reading it, it was immediately obvious that the layout and organization were very good. The more I've used the book, the more I appreciate what it has to offer. Simply, a superior reference to Photoshop 6! It's really a "textbook" example of how to present information in a logical and easy to use fashion.

I didn't find having the images in black and white a problem at all. In the context of this book, color images would not add much information at all, although I'm sure they would add a lot to the price.

A superb reference book, well-written and organized. The Adobe user guide and Classroom in a book are now relegated to the back of the bookshelf.

Please please please...software book writers, use this book as a model of how to create your future books. This book shows well that less is often more. People are not buying software books by the pound, they are really more interested in quality information, not quantity!!

I'd like to give this book 10 stars, but 5 will have to suffice.

I **LOVE** this book! I've been using Photoshop since version 4 and i'm self-taught. I am not an expert yet but then i don't consider myself a novice either.

This book is for everyone. What i most like about this book is the easy style and sample pages, The quick shortcuts to just about doing everything, and the explanation of why one tool works better than another.

I just attended a 2-day Photoshop class and the instructor highly recommended this book. at first, i thought that it was for the very beginner, but it's some much more. It's like a dictionary... you keep it for reference.

as i glanced at the instructor's book, i noticed that it was truly worn. she said that she's had to buy a second copy because she's used it so much. you can't possibly memorize everything about photoshop.. so why not have the best resource in town?? This BOOK!

Eric Eaton's "Designing Web Site Interface Elements" is perhaps the most comprehensive book on the design of web site interactive elements (links, buttons, forms, windows, etc.). This relatively narrow focus-most "web books" have to widen "the lens" to fill their pages with enough useful insight-allows for very in-depth treatments of interface design topics. For example, in the section on links, Eric talks in great detail about links styles (text vs. graphical), arrangement, density, grouping, placement, description, color, etc. The sections on button and form element design are similarly comprehensive.

Topics covered:
- links;
- buttons;
- form elements;
- control elements (window controls mostly; important if you're using DHTML or Flash to create your own windows, sliders, etc.);
- metaphors (physical world, paging, tabs, etc.);
- custom and experimental interface elements (again, good resource for those using Flash or DHTML to create their own interface elements).
- a good selection of case studies with discussions of what works and doesn't work, and why.

Overall, this book will make a worthy addition to any web designer's library. Also recommended: Paul Gokin's "Interface Design for Ecommerce Applications" (search for this one on the web), and Bob Baxley's "Making the Web Work."

It has tons of ideas for how to go beyond the same-old same-old in Web
design, Eaton gives scores of examples and techniques for designing
interactive interface elements, but without the pedantic, how-to
language that people like me hate. Before you know it, you've learned more about usability and site design than you would expect. A few too many pages are spent on the basics, from site architecture to how links work; but half the book is relevant to advanced interactive Web design. Not quite as edgy as the stuff he wrote for Webmonkey, it's as humorous as a useful guide can be. A useful tool for a wide range of designers.

It has tons of ideas for how to go beyond the same-old same-old in Web
design, Eaton gives scores of examples and techniques for designing
interactive interface elements, but without the pedantic, how-to
language that people like me hate. Before you know it, you've learned more
about usability and site design than you would expect. A few too many
pages are spent on the basics, from site architecture to how links work;
but half the book is relevant to advanced interactive Web design. Not

quite as edgy as the stuff he wrote for Webmonkey, it's as humorous as a
useful guide can be. A useful tool for a wide range of designers.

Web pages are truly a functional art form. The best are a combination of complex functionality, have a small digital footprint for quick downloading, can easily be deciphered, and are pleasing to the eye. This is a tall order and although design principles have been studied and refined for years, most do not satisfy all of these high requirements. Eaton has written a book that shows you many of the simple features that can make the difference between a site that blocks and a site that rocks.
One very striking feature of the book is the high quality of the pages and the images. The paper is slick, and nearly all pages are in full color. From this, you can see exactly how the pages would appear on the screen. In fact, very few screens would render them in this vivid a form. The advice, sensible, but also artistic in nature, shows you how to appeal to the facets of art appreciation that nearly everyone possesses. As humans, we share a common heritage for forms, some of which attract, others which repel and those which can do both, depending on the context. Eaton understand this very well and does a good job in describing and demonstrating this knowledge. Not all mouse clicks or buttons are created equal, and it is essential that the web interface designers understand the circumstances that make them different.
Packed with essential knowledge, not all of which is obvious, this is a book that should be read by all people who code the parts of a web site that will be seen.

¶
The aim of the DesignWhys series is to focus on the Why of interface design, not the How. A lot of work and creativity went into this book but it fails embarrassingly every time the author ventures into the How.

The author has much to teach and he does it well with vivid illustrations. His contention that Web widgets often imply assumptions and behaviors with surprising implications is something every Web application designer should pick up on and learn from.

Unfortunately, the author veers from his plan to be agnostic on technology and from beginning to end makes implementation recommendations that defy modern practice. It is as if his coding experience ended with Netscape 4 on the Macintosh, a particularly unfortunate combination.

He defines "traditional HTML" in a way that strips it of its current power and dynamism -- and then unfavorably compares it with Flash, naturally enough. Cascading style sheets (CSS) are introduced more as a complication rather than a systematic solution. The first positive mention of CSS is to point out that it can be used to get rid of those horrid link underlines -- a recommendation certain not to please the usability people.

The W3C-deprecated and destructive FONT tag is used throughout the book. On page 124, he warns that a drawback to using JavaScript to change form elements is that it forces an entire page refresh. This was true of Netscape 4 but not of any other browser released since 1997. His references to "Netscape 5," a version never released to the public, indicates that some of the book is refurbished from old material.

Whenever the author gets into implementation, beware. For instance, his suggestion that a 50-item dropdown be divided into two 25-item dropdowns. There are more elegant and usable ways to handle that situation nowadays.

Following the author too literally would result in sites and Web applications very expensive to develop, even more expensive to maintain, and with a severely restricted usability.

The book ends with illustrations of sites the author considered ennobling. People who make Web interfaces for real people, not for other designers, will find them tediously irritating. The book would have been more valuable if it had covered the widgets of our daily bread a tad more seriously.

When it comes to Web design Why's, do as the author says, not as he does.
¶

Most artists can't do everything - usually they are somewhere in the middle of a chain of production responsiblities that don't include the skillsets involved with presenting a portfolio, digital or otherwise. Many points of insider knowledge are invaluable - I was on the cusp of using PowerPoint for my CD portfolio (my wife has strong skills with this) before being warned that this bussiness presentation software's would be viewed with derision by art directors, and that a high resolution version of a website format is the way to go here - this one parcel of knowledge was worth the price of the book alone, but it is far from the only lesson imparted. Highly recommended - it doesn't stray into realms of esoterica for the sake of pagecount.

This handbook is targeted at beginners in designing portfolios to submit their artwork or photos when job hunting. It is filled with information, however most is very basic and will only be a review for most readers.

If you set can aside the near 100% focus on digital media (though it is excellent for that kind of format) and not hyperventilate in feeling like you need to come up with Flash or DVDs after reading this, it offers solid points on portfolio content, whatever format you choose.

It covers what should go in, what should not go in, how much should go in, how/if to deal with process pieces, storyboarding,
thematic ties to pull a disparate portfolio together, and sage advice on basics like the kinds of written copy you want to include, such as design briefs, problem statements, and tag lines. It's my favorite book for this effort right now. My husband's, too. I have to pry it off his desk.

It's also savvy when it comes to marketing, so I think it will have a long shelf life in my library for the days when I need to market myself on other things besides landing a job, like marketing my firm.

It has some printed web site design examples which offer visual eye inspiration for printed page layout. It even has great image workflow tips, towards preserving the best image quality with the least needed resolution, that are comprehensible to the lay person as well as meaningful to someone with a high degree of digital photographic processing background.

For several months I searched for an appropriate textbook for a course that I was developing. Several days prior to the deadline for the course outline, "Designing a Digital Portfolio " was published. After reading the book, I realized this was the authoritative text for anyone in a creative field. The book asks and answers all the essential questions. It is perfect for the technological savvy multimedia programmer or for any artist with limited technology expertise. I urge anyone who is even considering developing a digital portfolio to buy this book. Without qualification, this is the most valuable book on the market

Multimedia Portfolio Instructor/Art Institute/Art Institute Online
Subject Matter Expert / Curriculum Development Multimedia Portfolio

This is one of the best books on its topic that I have ever seen. From the title, I expected to find advice on preparing images for the screen, how to put them on a CD or DVD, etc. Those things are there, but the book begins in a logical place that I wouldn't have considered. Brown's approach is truly holistic.

Check out page 23 for the first page of a three-page self assessment check list. It has you evaluate your professional strengths and weaknesses, goals and personality.

Chapter 3 asks you a bunch of questions to help you identify who your audience really is and focus on them.

The rest of the book covers various digital formats, how to organize your work, how to get images of 3D and oversized work into your portfolio, including choosing a camera and setting up for shooting.

Ms. Brown covers editing your images to remove the most common problems, such as moire, sharpening needs, bad crops, etc. And ... she devotes a section to creating written content to accompany your stunning images, telling you how to write to that audience you defined earlier.

She explains the differences between a monitor screen and a printed page. You need to know that to design the correct interface for your portfolio. She also has a full chapter devoted to marketing and copyright issues.

The entire book is scattered with quotes (in friendly green type) from experts and those who have gone before you. The quotes tell you what agencies are looking for in a portfolio, how others have found success at this, what things you can do to streamline the process, etc.

Great reference guide for video production especially for beginners. Simple easy to read and apply!

I wish I had bought this book initially.
I was pretty new to digital video. I had lots of questions about transferring, capturing analog, audio, and so far this book has answered them. It would have saved time to buy it first.
I'm using the digital video for a vidcast.

If you're new to video editing, it is the one for you. It'S a good start

"3rd Edition" I would recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming a Video Editing Guru. Now there isn't much fame or glory in such a title, and I'm not implying that after reading the book you will be able to instantly break into the "Pro" video editing business either. But it does give you some useful information on how to digitize those video clips and turn them into a respectable home movie or corporate presentation.

The book is very much based on Apple's "iMovie" and Pinnacle's "Studio 8". You'll skip around a bit because of the 2 different programs it explains, but you're really just getting 2 books in one if you ever decide to dabble in the 'other' program. If you're using a video editing program other than these, you may want to pick a different book.

Well organized and "dumb-ed down" enough for the beginner. The projects and included clips on CD Rom keep it interesting. I learned about many tips that I plan to use all the time in my projects now. Good work Underdahl!

Based on what I've seen in this book, I would definitely check out the Adobe Premiere Dummies book by the same author if I decide to move up to that program. I'm confident that I would not be disappointed.

The "Dummies" folks seem to be able to get it right pretty consistently, and they also seem to be willing to update titles with some frequency -- publish a new edition, that means.

When I bought this book, I bought another on the same topic from another publisher and neglected to check the date of publication. Well, it was antique, relatively speaking, so when I picked this one up, suddenly things started to make a lot of sense.

Also, the author seems to be able to cover three editing products without a lot of repetition. This is a good, workmanlike job.

If you have DocBook markup that you need to turn into html or pdf YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THIS BOOK! That's right I'm shouting. This book is really that important, and that well written. Do bear in mind that you need to know a thing or two about XSLT and XSL-FO or you won't understand a thing you are reading.

The DocBook stylesheets have been carefully written to be both customizable and extensible; after all, no two organizations are likely to have the same format requirements for their documents. This book describes how you can develop your own customization layer between the DocBook stylesheets and your formatted document. Most developers, even those with a lot of time on their hands, would be unlikely to discover all of the techniques described in this book for accomplishing that task.

This book is especially useful if you need to produce pdf documents using XSL-FO. The html output is nice but you can easily format it with CSS. XSL-FO is a large and complex specification for marking up text and images to produce pdf documents. XSL-FO is so detailed that it takes a ton of markup to create even a modest document. The DocBook stylesheets generate a ton and a half of XSL-FO markup and the beauty of the techniques described in this book is that you only modify those things that represent the special needs of your document. I totally agree with previous reviewers, this book is essential.

This book is, without a doubt, one of the most helpful resources available to anyone seeking to understand DocBook XSL. Bob Stayton has done an incredible job gathering everything you need to know regarding this topic, and he presents it in a style that is both easy to navigate and easy to understand.

DocBook XSL: The Complete Guide takes the reader from the very beginnings of how to create custom output (whether print or HTML) using DocBook XSL. It includes information on the tools you need and how to set them up, giving you all the information you need to get started. But this book doesn't stop there--it continues with detailed, organized information on the myriad of ways you can create custom stylesheets that will generate your project precisely the way you want it. Everything is covered--from titlepages to bibliographies, this book leaves no topic unexplained.

It is extremely rare to find a book that truly is a complete guide to its subject matter. DocBook XSL: The Complete Guide more than lives up to its name--you will not find a better resource for understanding DocBook XSL.

I purchased that book as soon as it came out: I just knew I'd need it some day. That day came three weeks ago and I got into the book with a vengeance. I needed to utterly customize the docbooks stylesheets and produce 12'000 different pdf's in four languages out of a huge documentation DB. With the book next to me it was a breeze. Extremely well written, knowledgeable, accurate, just verbose enough to get the point across and and and.

Beware: this is a book for people who are already very well versed in docbook in general, and in XSL in particular.

One does wish the author would have offered ant versions of his scripts as well as Make versions. But that's a matter of taste.

This book needs to be beside the computer (and I do mean RIGHT beside) anyone who is attempting to support or modify docbook applications for the first time. Do that, and you may just be able to put away the extra strength excedrin. Without it, you might have a few problems......

Here's why:

Last year, I had the pleasure of implementing docbook for a large company down in Oklahoma. However, I didn't know much about XSL at the time or for that matter docbook; other than how to markup documents and make changes to the DTD. In other words I was a rookie. I had two tools at my disposal; the definative guide and docbook documentation. Any developer would understand what a rookie who is trying to muddle through docbook documentation is trying to go through..... I had a bit of consulting from Arbortext but other than that I was on my own. The definitive guide has very little information on publishing XML information and barely even mentions XSL. Thus, my modifications consisted of looking at existing code and attempting a patch job. Even with the training I'd had on XSLT it did not help me to find files that I didn't know existed. This book solves that problem and gets you off the ground running.

While the book is NOT a tututorial on XSL is does give a brief overview on the subject. This book talks about implementing XSL in a docbook environment as there are plenty of books in the market that teach you how to code XSL. An understanding of XML is expected and knowledge of docbook is certainly helpful. Topics covered include how to find docbooks XSL stylesheets (or obtain them for free, if you don't already have them)and tells you how to set them up, customize them for your environment, use special stylesheet output features and work with docbook options.

In short, if you need to learn how to implement XSL in a docbook environment; get this book in your hands and don't let it go. It's too valuable a commodity!

With this book and "DocBook: The Definitive Guide" in-hand, I
really can't imagine any other DocBook guide you'll ever need.

The book thoroughly covers just about every possible aspect of
DocBook publishing (that is, generating HTML, PDF, HTML Help, man
pages, etc. from your DocBook XML source) -- from general tool
setup down to the level of stuff like fine-tuning content of
headers and footers, title pages, cross-references, indexes, etc.

I have reviewed and used it a lot, and tried hard to come up with
suggestions for Bob for topics that should be added to it. But I
rarely manage to find anything that it doesn't already cover. When
I have a DocBook publishing question, I can almost always find the
answer in this book.

And if you're not familiar with the author, here are some details:
in the DocBook world, Bob is basically "The DocBook Answer Man" --
he is the most active contributor to discussions on the
docbook-apps mailing list (where DocBook publishing and tools
discussion takes place) -- patiently answering "How do I..."
questions posted by new users and following up on DocBook XSLT
stylesheet bug reports.

He's also a member of the DocBook Technical Committee, responsible
for overseeing refinements to the DocBook vocabulary, and he's a
major contributor to development of the actual DocBook XSL
stylesheets themselves.

Which is all a roundabout way of saying that this guy knows his
stuff, and in buying and using this book, you'll be benefitting
from a wealth of knowledge and experience with DocBook that you'll
not find anywhere else.

The book was in great condition and delivery was on time, I couldn't expect anything more.

This is a brilliant book for beginners and home page designers alike. Excellent online support and resources. Slightly dated now (July 2005), with nothing about CSS or "Style", so eagerly awaiting their next book which will hopefully cover these topics.
A great reference book.

Never seen anything better--probably never will. I have read about Web design, HTML, etc. in other books and articles, but I have never been completely at ease with the subject and didn't bother to read the material in detail. It never really sunk in. Then, this book came along and it opened my eyes. The whole book is superbly structured and the mystery about Web design is all cleared. Everything in the book is so well presented and appears in the right sequence. And there are so many tips strewn about. I now know HTML much better. Your confidence grows as you keep reading. I have a website done in Word2000 and I didn't quite use Word's full potential till I read Chapter 9. I had ignored WordArt for example. Now I am much the wiser in so many ways. I can't imagine any better book coming along.

I have been working with web page and web page design for about two years and I also teach the design of pages through HTML and FrontPage. For most people they need more than 1 or 2 days in a classroom in order to understand the concepts and this is where this book comes in handy.

Using the color photos of screen shots in order to make the understanding better, this book is broken down into 3 parts. Part 1 is the basics, helping you crawl in web design before you run. You'll be treated to topics like the elements of the web page, adding graphics, which include types of art, colors, pixels, photos, drawings, backgrounds and bullets.

Part 2 is the creation of the web page, which deals with subjects like posting, HTML layout, using Microsoft Word and FrontPage as web editors. The ideas and techniques for both Word and FrontPage are well explained and the screen shots included make it easier to visualize what the final outcome will look like.

Part 3 is the going live phase of the design, with the uploading of pages with the FTP protocol and web page updating after you have gone live. The hands-on really starts in part 2, which may be a drawback to the book, but overall information wise this book will transform the novice designer into a serious web master in no time flat.

Finally, a computer book that looks at the task at hand beyond the computer. I was looking for a book to help me do a decent looking web site on my own. This is the book to get. They talk about ALL aspects of the process - from how to write and plan the content to writing the HTML to do it AND everything in between like hosting, fonts to use, colors,... everything. I have found this to be a rare commodity in info systems books. This book gives you advice based on their experience and lets you know what to expect if you don't follow it. This is what I want in a computer book, not a step by step guide on how to execute menu items. This is truly a well-written book and I wish the authors would do many others. Good job!

If you want to build your first web site and you have no idea where to begin this is definatley the book to read! This book is very detailed and full of visuals that you will see when you are actually in the process of creating your web page. I find that the pictures are so much more beneficial than long drawn out explainations of what to do. The book is broken into 10 parts. Each part has a series of short, instructional lessons designed to help you create the best web page using your computer. This book starts off with the very first thing you need to do; it makes sure you have a web authoring tool and moves on to creating your web page. This book is like having your own personal professor teaching you how to create your web page. A very helpful glossary and index are also included that will help you understand key terms. This was definatly money very well spent. A stress free way to create a web page!

While the expectations of web page viewers has never been higher, it also has never been easier to build them. Software to semi-automatically create pages is available, efficient and often inexpensive. One of the packages that most satisfies these criteria is Microsoft FrontPage Express. Bundled free with many applications, including Internet Explorer, it is the package illustrated in this book.
The style of presentation is a series of screen shots with notational marks indicating where to click. These pictures are all in full color, closely matching what you will see on the screen. All of the fundamental steps of using the wizards to create a basic page are covered. Specific topics include: adding links, modifying the colors of text and background; embedding pictures, including tables and forms; posting the page online and announcing the page to the world. Throughout this, there is the occasional tip to help the appearance of the page. Presented at the level of the novice, the only prerequisite is the basic knowledge needed to point and click.
Realistically, the day is no doubt coming when your web page will be as much of your public persona as the job you hold, the car you drive and your place of residence. If you have a desire to have a web page and have no idea where to begin, this book was written for you. It is the best introductory book to building pages that I have seen so far.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission

Ned Snell's Easy Web Pages will assist members of the online community to put together great looking and highly functional Websites with the use of Microsoft's free FrontPage Express that is supplied with Windows 98 and Internet Explorer. This book offers clear step-by-step instructions on how to use this program to create Web pages without the need to learn and incorporate advanced HTML programming.

Readers will learn a number of exciting techniques, shortcuts, and tips that will make Website creation a breeze. Readers will also learn how to add a variety of impressive features to their Websites such as sounds, pictures, animations, and other cool features! Only a modest knowledge level of HTML, the Internet, and computers is necessary to get started. Readers will have no trouble at all learning how to create Web pages and Websites.

Easy Web Pages is a wonderfully colored and illustrated book intended to be a starting point for designing Websites. As are other books in Que's popular Easy ... series, this large easy-to-read book is well suited for students of all ages from grade school through senior citizen who desire or may require an effective illustrated approach to learning. It easily rests in the open position on a table or on a lap and was written with beginners in mind.

FrontPage Express and this book does not offer all the bells and whistles that more advanced programs and books will but they do provide beginners with an inexpensive way to get started. If you would like to learn how to design and create Websites for yourself and possibly for others, this is a fun and great way to learn. Get started today!

Easy Web Pages second Edition by Gina Carrillo is a great book for building your own web pages. It provides meticulous step by step direction on where to get free resource, and how to use the resource. I was surprised when I read this book, because it supplies so many good website resources, and it even show you places to promote your finished site. The book contain three catogories, which then divided into numerous chapters.(But they are really fun to read and easy to understand). The first one teaches how to use programs to build website. The second one teaches how to use HTML to build website. The third one provides all the general informations that a beginner should know for websites.

This is an excellent book for someone who wants to use Front Page Express and create simple web pages. It is well laid out, has a good index, and is easy to understand. An excellent place to start creating web pages. freelandz28@mindspring.com