Customer Reviews

FrontPage 98 for Dummies

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is really good. It's actually not for "dummies," because it's a not step-by-step guide. But it has everything about FrontPage 98, and has things that I have not found anywhere else (for example, linking to another FP web, or making a web the Root Web). I recommend this book 110% to everyone who uses FrontPage 98.

The writing style is excellent, too, which means the book is very easy to understand. But again, if you are totally new, buy this book but be sure to read Microsoft's manual first.

I have bought 5-6 FrontPage books including the ones published by Microsoft Press. However none of them ever came closer to the Dummies on the earth as this one. The author claimed she was not a techno wizard -- probably that's why she knows what can not be left out to an ordinary reader like you and me. Lots lots lots PRACTICAL advices in the book that you can never find in other similar titles. If you wanna really learn FrontPage, this is the best one and the only one bible you need, forget about other books!

(Written as letter to the author) Yes, I bought the frontpage book based on what I saw on your website and the amount of marketing done...I would like to make two criticisms: they might not apply to most of your readers, but definitely did to me. 1. With Photoshop and magazine publishing (from the editorial, not art side, but I have been editor of a magazine so am somewhat familiar with each process) my expectation from a web editor like Frontpage should be that it basically does layout, etc. comparable to other publishing tools. It doesn't, ie it is anything but intuitive. The rudimentary state of frontpage is obviously not your fault but your book does not emphasise this at all, instead you hype the product as something great and finished. From your perspective, frontpage is "better than html", but that doesn't make it a great product, as worthwhile as it might be. I quickly came to realize, while reading the book, that you were resisting from pointing out the myriad of flaws (and arrogance of the product, in that no shortcomings are pointed out in its help command either - such as drawing vertical lines, for starters - conventionally impossible! And quite relevant, don't you think?) that are obvious - once you actually try and design a website. I don't think you were paid by Microsoft, but I definitely felt like I was getting the wool pulled over my eyes by some of your remarks and descriptions. It definitely seemed that Microsoft had paid you or Dummies to write this book in this way, and this should have been disclosed in the book. Everybody likes an Enthusiastic teacher, but nobody likes a used car saleswoman - please distinguish these two characters in your future guidebooks. If a guidebook to San Francisco says something negative, or issues a warning, about that city that doesn't make it a bad guidebook, does it?

2. This is a guidebook! Look, I can't pick at a big-selling author too much, can I? But there are so many supercilious passages included beyond what the reader bought the book for that I literally could not get past them to get the information I really needed. Don't worry about constantly convincing the reader to love internet, love microsoft, think of the whole thing as a superhighway with rest stops etc. or whatever the metaphors, or bond with you, please! These are just products, and I bought your book to learn about them, the book, and the software, I already bought, no need to keep selling half way through, just tell me how to use this stuff quickly and honestly. My loyalty or hatred for Microsoft, Dummies, and you goes as far as they are useful to me, my love is reserved for my family and country. Your appealling personality we can find on your personal website and dustjacket bio for those who need it. If the book was called "Frontpage98 for intelligent people interested in building web sites quickly and need their questions answered honestly" - would your book have been different? I think yes.

I bought this book thinking it would help me build a webpage of my own using Frontpage 98. Unfortunatly, The book was almost as confusing as the program. Frontpage 98 is not as intuitive as most of Microsoft's products. As a result it is necessary to have a step-by-step "how to" book to help us "dummies" find our way. In the first chapter the author even explains that the book is better used as a referance. He was right. I was just as lost in the book as I was in the program. There are simpler books out there for the Frontpage uninitiated. Find them.

This is a good introductory Frontpage book and it is good for people who want to know Frontpage right away. However, if you want to learn it, you have to buy another ones. I would not recommend to buy it because it is kind of wasting money and time to read the whole book since you can get the same information if you buy a better one.

But not too good in the "how to" department. I bought a different book to get me through the things this book didn't bother to cover. I'd recommend it for beginners, but not otherwise.

I knew nothing about web site construction before I bought Frontpage 98 for Dummies. Thanks to Asha Dornfest, I had my web site designed and ready to publish in a week-end. The organization of the book was excellent. The books is very good at anticipating and answering the questions that the reader might have about using Frontpage 98. I found the warning tips particularly helpful because I avoided some mistakes I might easily have made. Her style makes the book fun to read.

I'm the Program Director of Applied Computing and Information Systems at UC Berkeley Extension, responsible for developing classes to help adult learners understand the power and utility of personal computers in their home and workplace. I have made Asha's book required reading in several classes we offer, and one I currently teach. Her book is an excellent combination of practical and technical information about FrontPage, making it a very good resource for beginning web authors. She also writes with a lively, inviting prose which makes her work that much more accessible.

FrontPage 98 For Dummies is an excellent book for the FrontPage beginner, which I am. I had experience with other HTML editors, but no clue of where to start with FrontPage. Asha Dornfest has written a very technically accurate guide, with warnings about possible trouble spots... as well as making the book hilarious to read. I think that makes all the difference. If you have to learn something, you might as well enjoy it. :)

I absolutely depended on this book and its predecessor (FrontPage Web Publishing and Design for Dummies) to build my web site from the ground up. I started with NO knowledge of web site design and now have a pretty slick and sophisticated site - IMHO ;) It gives excellent info from the basics to the really advanced apsects of Frontpage (e.g. setting up discussion groups on your site.) I'm not sure if it would be the best for someone with very little general computer experience, but then you probably wouldn't be designing a web site if you weren't relatively familiar with computers! I also saw another reviewer said this was just like the Dummies 101 book by the same author. In my experience the other book is more basic, more introductory, and designed as a tutorial. This is a more a complete reference, but one that is written in comprehensible English. I strongly reccommend it!