Customer Reviews

Dan Livingston's Advanced Macromedia Flash Training Course, ActionScript in Action

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

 

 

I usually hate video training courses - the narrator is often incredibly boring, and just recites powerpoint slides with a little embellishement. Yaaaawwwwnnn.

However, this training course is great. Dan Livingston is lively, clearly smart and definitely funny. It's actually fun watching him add ActionScript to Flash movies - he actually does all the coding as the camera rolls, so you know what he does actually works. The examples are fun, but show you real stuff, the workbook is great, and the printed book (also ActionScript in Action) is in electronic form, and I've used it a few times for reference. He covers all sorts if interactivity, including forms, simple games, Smart Clips, XML, and some super-weird, super-cool effects.

Even if you usually stick with books, this is one training product that won't make you feel like an idiot watching it. Dan is clearly having fun (the comment about make-up almost made me fall out of my chair), and his enthusiasm is contagious.

I've read most of the ActionScript books out there, and I strongly recommend this - it's like watching a nature show on Discovery, but about ActionScript (and no crocodiles).

I'm going thru the Flash Training course write now and I find that Dan Livinston Teaches in a compelling, and engaging style with just the right touch of humor to keep us alert on the subjects. There are 2 cd's and Dan cover's a lot of material that can really advance your Flash career. It helps me a lot to watch several videos by an expert instructor who knows and is comfortable with his material like Dan, instead of reading a book that we might not have as much retention after going over the pages. That is why people pay so much to go to seminars and hear and see people teach the latest and greatest software. Dan Livingston's course does it here for you in a tiny fraction of the cost which to me is a tremendous value. I also had to comment on one of the other reviews that was negative on this course. It seems its real purpose was to promote Lynda's courses which are not bad but more then twice as expensive and don't cover as much material. To Dan thanks for giving us actionscript wannabe's a fighting chance to excell in the program.

I received this program as a gift when I first began learning Flash. I tried it out for awhile, but found it difficult without knowing the flash environment very well. About a year later I tried it again, and got a solid beginning to Actionscript. I find it very helpful to have someone speaking and showing you what to do over simply reading direct from a book. There are several lessons and excercises from learning about variables to creating a space game to beginning XML.

However, when I received it more than a year ago, it was dated. It is based on Flash 5 I believe, and the quicktime video isn't always sharp. Livingston is pleasant to listen to and reasonably easy to understand, but I don't feel after completing the program that I learned enough to make this actionscript applicable. I would look for a more current training course, this one will teach you some of the basics, but will not give you much more experience than many online tutorials.

Admittedly coding is not fun. But come on. Not only was the CD-ROM boring but the quality was not good. I respect the power of actionscript and it was a nice idea to record a tutorial on CD but at least use real life workflow situations rather than some corny poorly drawn cartoon's. Unless there are better CD-ROM's out there on actionscripting, I would inform anyone to stick to reading the books or go oline and read free tutorials on actionscripts. And no, I am not a hater of Dan Livingston's work or do I work for a competing instructor.

After reading Lynda Weinman's book Flash 5, I feel as though I've been let down. I really enjoyed her book and felt that she really writes great instructional books. I think because she is truly a great teacher.

She has her own software building were she and her people teach. That is what they do best. Ok I understand that I am not writing about her, it really is about Dan Livingstons Advanced Actionscripting. But my main point is I felt that it was hurried to get into production. There just was a rush to get things overwith, the typing was done in Word so viewers can see the scriptng. Why? It was a needless step, one that shouldn't of been allowed by the person in charge.

Getting back to Lynda and her terrific books. I feel that she wouldn''t of allowed to let that happen. Because she is a TEACHER!, not just a scripter. I believe we truly need a real step by step approach. What Dan Livingstons Advanced Scripting is, is for advanced users who are really familiar with actionscripting. Though he states that beginners belong using this material just as well as advanced users.

I have not read all of Lynda Weinman's books but I've read a lot of books and really find her books very well written indeed. Though I havn't bought her advanced scripting cds, I am looking forward to buying her intermediate Flash cd based on me liking her regular Flash 5 book and Dreamweaver book.

Getting back to Dan Livingstons book and cds, I really think there was a great mistake made in not being able to read the typing in the demonstrations. I really felt too many times on giving up because it wasn't worth the effort trying to play back the part to read it. Sure there is a book that comes along with the cds. But movies are supposed to be complete and I sure felt that trying to visualize the scripting was a nightmare.

I felt there was not enough of real good web design flash as well. It seemed to be centered around games. It did have one on a scrollbar and a few minor things web related but clearly not enough. He mentions Xml, but should of left it out, xml and flash needs to be learned from the ground up, not just one chapter. This is coming from an intermediate user who would like to learn more about flash, I am starting to realize that there are very few good books and cds out on web design software, and Lynda Weinman really takes you step by step leaving very few stones unturned to make you understand.
Dan Livingstons Advanced Actionscipt is not in the same league as Lynda Weinman book. Maybe if he worked for her it would be different, he needs stucture to his teaching, a boss who cares about each step and it needs to be centered on either beginners, intermediate or advanceds.
Not a hodgepodge of all of em together!