Customer Reviews

CSS, DHTML, and Ajax, Fourth Edition

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book does a good job of relating CSS to DHTML and AJAX. The examples are clear and, although simple, clearly demonstrate the interaffects of the 3 web design elements. I had to subtract a star for the inconsistencies between the book code and the downloadable code. They were serious enough to make book code fail. But, if you already understand CSS, are well-acquainted with HTML and can at least read Javascript, then this book will help you leap to DHTML and AJAX.

I was looking for a book to get better acquainted with CSS and Ajax. I picked up "Visual Quick start Guide. CSS, DHTML & Ajax." From Peachpit Press. The book is a quick read and it efficiently provides a quick start guide as promised. I particularly liked the example based introductions for all topics covered. Also, I enjoyed the brief introduction the book provides on Web 2.0 and the way the authors define it.
After going through it once you will probably keep it as a quick reference guide, although it is never too hard to find information on web technologies on the web. Overall I could recommend the book if you are not a client side developer and are in need of a brief and comprehensive look at CSS and DHTML. I cannot imagine client side developers being too impressed with the book though.

I looked through this book at a bookstore before buying and I was impressed with the idea of working through with visual examples about what could be done with different manipulations of code (something that is hard to quickly get on the web with many many clicks).

In using this guide, I have though become frequently exasperated by the execution because of confusing examples, what I believe to be mistakes in the code examples in the text, etc...

I guess I'm spoiled after reading the Visual QuickStart guides by Larry Ullman on PHP and MySQL. In those you actually learn how to use the software by building or programming projects representing real world applications of the concepts being learned. That's the way you learn any skill -- by doing. Along the way, you also learn many valuable insights into why you're doing what you're doing. (It's also a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and frustration -- all an important part of learning!)

CSS, DHTML, & Ajax doesn't live up to that expectation. It's just another reference book, like countless other reference books on these subjects, and in this case, the number of such reference books is huge. If you like the style with lots of screenshots and don't already have a reference book on the subject, it might be worth buying. As one reviewer said, however, screenshots of code that reproduce what's already in the text just take up space that could be used for additional information. (They're very useful when you're actually building projects as a part of your learning.) Also, it's not as well organized and indexed as other reference books, such as those by Wrox. I can't imagine why Peachpit bothered to publish this one.

Just keep in mind that you won't learn to do CSS, DHTML, & Ajax in this book. You only learn skills by doing. Instead, you will read about them. That's a very different thing.

This is an excellent book to start with for learning CSS. There are also useful DOM and JavaScript examples. It is very easy to fallow, being said that english is my second language I had no problems at all in understanding it.
I recommend it for someone who want to start learning CSS and DHTML. I'm at chapter 16 so can't say more but will be back to you when finished it.

This is a great book for learning CSS, DHTML & AJAX. I needed something quick to pick up this language and the book worked perfect.

A great book for beginners as well as a good reference tool for programmers as well. I bought this book for my 14 year old son who used it to teach himself. He said it was well laid out and has used it quite often.