Customer Reviews

Short Order Macromedia Fireworks 2

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

 

 

This book is a disapointment after reading the misleading Editorial review. Essentially, this book is a close takeoff from the macromedia book that comes with the Fireworks software. It is a cookbook approach that tells you what clicks to make for a given end result. Chapter 1 page 14, step 6 states "If you want to rasterize complex blends, and tiled fills, click the Groups Blends, and Tiled Fills check boxes in Render As Images to turn on preferences. Then select a threshold number for the number of objects or steps a selection must contain before Fireworks rasterizes it during import." This is page 14, involving Opening Vector Graphics. Anyone who thinks this is clear and explains very much to the uninitiated, will hardly be able to wait to get to page 315!

Instead of creating simple tasks for the reader to perform, in graduated steps, to acquire the necessary skills to utilize the Fireworks software effectively, the authors have chosen to emulate the Fireworks user manual. The result is to produce an equally esoteric, and relatively uncomprehensible book for anyone seeking a clear understanding of a rather pricey piece of software! Please check it out for yourself! I wish you well!

I don't have the user's manual for Macromedia Fireworks and found that this book has many features that are hidden in the program itself. The authors show a great understanding of animation steps beyond the rudimentary that anyone can do in Fireworks. One can learned the basics of Fireworks from cutting up graphics to basic animations from the tutorial that comes with the program. This book shows what you can do beyond the basics.

A word of caution, this is a book for intermediate to advance users.