Customer Reviews

Sams Teach Yourself HomeSite 4 in 24 Hours

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In reality the course is only 20 hours long. The last four hours consist of an Introduction to Cold Fusion Studio.

It took me longer than 20 hours to complete this course. Probably twice as long. I performed every exercise and added a few of my own. I enjoyed this manual so much I hated to put it down. In fact, the night I completed it I just looked at my computer with reverence dwelling on the knowledge I had received.

I don't know whether it is HomeSite 4.0 or Ben Forta that inspired me. There is no doubt in my mind that the program is outstanding and a joy to use, but Ben Forta's presentation and method of teaching are also outstanding. He answered hundreds of questions for me that I did not even know I wanted to ask.

Ben covered authoring and editing explanations, a detailed method of installing HomeSite and help on choosers, tag editors, inspectors, tips, hints and on line procedures. He devoted one whole chapter on configuring and customizing the HomeSite application and the reasons why. He color-coded and indented the editor so well it reads almost as well as a novel. He reviewed HTML page formatting and offered a simplified understandable explanation of RGB color. He inserted many hints; for example "Browsers will only display a table after it is received". "It may be a good idea to start a new page with a small table for quick page exposure".

Frames. Love them? Hate them? Why to use. Why not to use. Printing frames. Target links. All items the novice would never know but explained very simply in this manual.

Ben demonstrated how to edit a completed page, a subject necessary and interesting to all web page authors. He introduced the basics and displayed the results of codesweeper "a power house application". He introduced CSS, Cascading Style Sheets, a term that is very intimidating, but so simple when Ben explains it. It is a method of standardizing style on a web page using procedures very familiar to most of us.

Managing your web site is covered in detail and the use of code templates, snippets, projects plus other site management tools are introduced and used, including tag verification, download time and automatic link verification (which is awesome).

FTP protocol and its use are explained thoroughly but simply. This is Ben Forta's thing. You understand what he is instructing and know the subject after he is done. He may take issue with me but I compare FTP with UPS (United Parcel Service). UPS delivers and receives the package and FTP delivers and receives the file.

It is the last two study sessions that really excited me as a student. I followed all of Ben's instructions and by simply substituting my local codes on his page examples I was loading and retrieving my html pages on the web in no time at all. It is so simple yet so exciting. But the real treat came when I gained access to the web and edited the remote (Internet) site without using my local directory. This to me was exhilarating and gave me a sense of power and control. It was here that I gazed at my computer in reverence and reflected over what I had learned and accomplished.

I say "Thank You Ben Forta" . "It has been a real experience being in your head for 20 to 40 hours". "I am a lot better off for it".

One more thing, this is the best book I have ever read on Web Page construction.

Joe Dora

The minute I tried HomeSite software, I knew it was for me. But, I had a few problems with their terminology, and couldn't get FTP to work. I bought this book, currently the only one on the market, and while it did answer almost all my questions, it left a few unanswered.

There's no glossary, no worthwhile appendix, and I have no idea what's on the CD: an evaluation copy of HomeSite 4? Example pages from the book? Additional material? I don't dare load it in case it overwrites my current HomeSite 4.5.

I was wondering why HomeSite duplicates my files and tacks an "hs~" in the filename. The book doesn't mention these mystery files. I hate that.

I found some chapters needed serious beefing up. Style Sheets, for example, barely mentions page-level styles and the Working Remotely chapter could use some trouble-shooting tips. I still can only get FTP to work when I cross my fingers and say three Hail Marys.

AND THE WORST THING IS ... there really are only 20 "hours" (chapters) devoted to HomeSite, not 24. The last 4 chapters deal with ColdFusion Studio, a totally separate program!

Would I recommend you buy this book? Yes, it does answer most basic questions adequately, and for now, it's the only book around. You will use it, and it will help you. But it could be better.

I wish I had purchased this book before I started using HomeSite! I have learned of so many features of HomeSite that I didn't know existed. This book is a must-have for anyone who is into, thinking about, or curious about web publishing.

This book provides an excellent reference source for users of homesite. If read cover to cover it will result in a thorough understanding of the homesite software. If you don't want to read it cover to cover, it is broken down in such a way that it is easy to skip around and find just the areas you are interested in. It covers every aspect of homesite in a very concise, methodical approach - without insulting the intelligence of the reader. The simple direct approach makes it the perfect manual, a "must have" for homesite users. If you don't already own homesite, it even includes an evaluation version of Homesite on CD-Rom.

I'm rating this book 5 stars because it does what it sets out to do. Plain and simple.

People who can't seem to find help with this book are those that can't learn unless they are in a curricular environment with its instructors.

Before purchasing HS 4.5 and this book ... , I had tried the trial version of the program from Allaire's web site. Granted I fell in love with the program and as DIY'ers do, I found my way around. But there were still questions I had so I bought this book. It pretty much answered any nagging questions that remained.

You know? There will ALWAYS be questions that you can never seem to get answered. That is life and you deal with it. I read one review of someone that said they bought this book hoping to find out why HS4.5 copies your html files and creates a clone file with the prefix of hs~(filename).html. This book didn't answer their questions so they slammed the book. I STILL don't know why HS4.5 does this but WHO CARES? It doesn't affect my sites. I don't have to upload them.

In a nutshell, if the manuals and online help that ship with HS4.5 aren't enough, buy this book. You'll need it and refer to it often. This book, HTML 4.0 Quickstart Guide, and a passion to learn more, and apply lots, are all you need to build sites with Homesite 4.5.

Quit running around looking for the RIGHT book.

Build some... sites.

This book is clear, concise , and an absolute joy to read. Ben Forta's teaching examples lead you through the nuts and bolts of web-site development in a simple and straightforward manner. All complex subject matter is broken down into easily understood segments. Additionally, by the time one reads the book, he/she is in complete awe of HomeSite4..... What an awesome tool!! Hats off to Ben Forta and Nick Bradbury!!

I have been a self-taught user of HomeSite for quite awhile now. I attended a HomeSite class but it was just too basic. I wanted to beef up my html pages with Image Maps and create forms which allowed for multiple selections.

I searched the web for the information but wound up going back to the HomeSite book. It was quite easy to find the answers I was looking for.

There are a few things that bother me about HomeSite such as, if I create an html file and save it into the directory, the file doesn't show immediately. Instead of looking for an answer in the book to that question, I figure it is something I would need to take up with Allaire Technical Support - the owners of HomeSite.

But, overall, the book has been a great savings of my time and effort and I'm pleased to have it in my library!!

For those who do not build web sites from a programming background--but are not satisfied with often intrusive HTML "authoring help", i.e., programs that change your saved code--this book looks as if it will be a lifesaver. HomeSite has long been acknowledged as the leading HTML editor, however, unless you already knew the "keys" to using the HS interface, tools, shortcuts, etc., a new user could often be totally frustrated. The Allaire software documentation is dismal, and with no way in, many new users might simple pass this very excellent software by. Fortunately, Ben Forta has taken the situation in hand with "STYHS4in24Hrs".

While part of this book's 24-hour approach takes the stance that the reader may never have developed any material for the web, other areas cover the HS interface in the context of progressive site development. For example, there are certain "save" features, unique to HomeSite, that are well worth exploring.

If you are a more intermediate website developer, this book is still a great value. You can quickly get beyond basic up-front explanations of LANs, etc., and go directly to specific application pages that quickly pace you through HS and potentially take hours off your project development time. Additionally, the tips, self-paced quizzes, and contextual pacing are well integrated into the instructional content. As a very user-friendly book, this one looks like a winner.

I have reviewed a number of pre-publication chapters made available to me by the publisher, and I look forward to seeing the full publication

After developing hundreds of websites, and purchased all the major website HTML develomental programs. I tossed them all for Homesite. In a sentence, "It's truly a professional web developer's tool, but easy enough for anyone to use." It is more than an editor. I've been using it since version 1.0, and I still haven't learned or used all of it's capabilities. I have tons of cgi, java, and html code in "snippets" and I plug and play many modules. It's a must for any one who wants to develop professional sites. It's power with ease of use. If you are going to buy any HTML editor, it's got to be this one.

I bought 2 books on html for reference, and I never needed to even look at the second as this one had everything I needed.