Customer Reviews

Using Macromedia Dreamweaver 1.2

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This book does not at all deliver what it advertises, on three counts: first, this book does not cover the essential features of DreamWeaver; secondly, the aspects of DreamWeaver it DOES cover are not well-written (at times they are downright confusing, misleading, or blatantly incorrect); thirdly, the info in this book not directly pertaining to DreamWeaver is VERY massive -- WHY is it here at all ??!! If I want to learn about Cascading Style Sheets, WHY would I choose a book on DreamWeaver (nevermind that the info on CSS is dated, and therefore incomplete).

NO STARS !!

There's a chapter here on creating "collapsable outlines" with DreamWeaver; but beyond that, there's REALLY not much information UNIQUELY about DreamWeaver covered in this book.

Too bad: the authors have a GREAT sense of humor ... they just don't know very much about DreamWeaver. The supplemental web site for this book reflects this, also: I dunno, I was expecting updated information about DreamWeaver that the authors "discovered" after this book's publication ... nope -- just a statement that Rick Darnell, the primary author of this book, has no intentions on working on this book any further.

Now, I admit: publishing a book/web site presents a new challenge to the author these days: providing information that can be found NOWHERE else on the web; but sadly, the authors of this book were not up to the task.

The author of "DreamWeaver Bible" (which has not even been published yet !!) ALREADY has a web site up, which provides JavaScript "behaviors" the user can "add" to DreamWeaver's files (an intriguing feature of DreamWeaver) -- files the author wrote AFTER his book went off to print ... I CHALLENGE the authors of this book to participate in this endeavor !!

If the author of DreamWeaver Bible is interested to know ... I can't WAIT until your book is published !!

After purchasing this book through Amazon, I THEN read all these poor reviews, and all the favorable refernces to the upcoming "DreamWeaver Bible." I have no further thoughts about "Using DreamWeaver" than what's already here, so I'll spare the author of any further pain.

There just wasn't very much information here on DREAMWEAVER -- even though it's mentioned on, uh, the cover of the book. I'm not saying DW isn't for beginners, but I kinda figure that the "typical" DW user dowsn't need a tutorial on tables, frames, stylesheets, and general HTML syntax (which is what most of this book offers). Furthermore, WHY does this book even exist when Macromedia has provided an EXCELLENT web-based help file ??

Three cheers for Macromedia's "innovative" logic of offering DreamWeaver users the online Help Menu built RIGHT into DW.

It makes me wonder: Who DIDN'T notify the author of this otherwise good book that Macromedia would do such a thing?

I'm not knocking the author -- his book deserves 2 1/2 stars (since he did not even touch some critical features of DreamWeaver); but why buy it when the online documentation is so terribly superior?

I read somewhere that DreamWeaver was released to compete against Microsoft's FrontPage 97-98.

Apparently the author was not aware of this fact, or else he would have done his homework and explore the POWER of DreamWeaver.

I am working on a GeoCities web page dedicated to some "tricks" not covered in this book (or anywhere else). If anyone has any questions, requests, or comments, PLEASE email me. I'm here to help.

I'm basically in agreement with the above critique of this book, in that EVERYTHING the authors teach can be found elsewhere -- and more clearly also, elsewhere.

I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting from the online supplements for this book, but what I found there was disappointing.

I THOUGHT the benefit of the printed book in these days of online information was to supply technical information unavailable anywhere else. I STILL believe this, even though this book does not follow this critical rule.

Were the authors unaware that DW 1.2 INCLUDES an online catolog of help files from Macromedia (to the author: just look under the "Help" menu ... I know, I know ... hidden files there).

MANY Que books fulfill what I consider their "obligation" by providing author's "secrets" for an application, under the auspice of a "tutorial" book .... this is NOT one of them.

I'm STILL a big fan of Que, though. Even Babe Ruth had more strikes than hits. Please readers, do not let this poorly-conceived title prevent you from buying OTHER Que titles.

Blllleuuuch !!

It took me only 4 days to finish the entire book, not that it's a thin book, but there are too much fundamental stuff in there that a professional webmaster wouldn't need. And if you know how to use Macromedia's family products (i.e. Director, Flash, etc.), this would not be a book of your choice, because probably there are only two, or three chapters for you to read... As for novices starting out to test out a new product without a little knowlege about tables, frames, and other stuff, this may be the book for you. Same as the other readers, the online source code was disappointedly not there... (6/2/98)

I was a bit put off by the dreamweaver interface until I read "Using Dreamweaver 1.2" ... The book led me thru the steps required to put together some very sophisticated effects, and Dreamweaver, which I found imposing at first, was revealed to be a fantastic tool. Very modest and very powerful. The book opened my minds-eye to the possibilities of the product. It also included an intro to HomeSite and a good HTML ref. ****1/2

If you are looking for a book on Dreamweaver, as of today, this is the only one in publication. It is significantly beter than most Que or Sams books I've gotten in the past, however it comes with no CD of examples and source code, and the web site does not seem to contain the source code the book refers to (As of 6/2/98). (According to the book, the code is supposed to be there) If anyone knows the location of the code for the examples, I would love to know where to get it. Without the source code, this book is around a five, with the code, it would be much more useful and get an 8 or 9. Overall, a good book for learning Dreamweaver, because it puts fourth clear explanations of features of Dreamweaver and how to use them.