Rating:  Summary: Not what I had hoped for corporate IE 6.0 intranets Review: JavaScript is not well organized nor standardized which makes it inherently confusing to work with at an advanced level. But the organization of this book does not help matters. Too often I find myself with book marks in 5+ places as part of researching a fairly basic technique. Some of the examples are overly complex and not real-world. If your customer is standardized on IE 6.0 there are some things missing (contenteditable and document.selection for example). The subtitle "The Definitive Guide" may not be warranted.
Rating:  Summary: Definitely a Definitive Guide - But Is That What You Want? Review: If you're looking for a complete reference on the JavaScript programming language, this is it. This book teaches the JavaScript language from the ground up and includes a very complete reference section.On the other hand, if all you want is to write or understand JavaScript in its most common use - providing a little more dynamic content in web pages than can be done with html alone - the book may be overkill. For example, in addition to the useful sections on client side JavaScript - the JavaScript that you include in your web pages to be run in the client's browser - there are even larger sections that are really only useful for server side JavaScript - as if anyone uses JavaScript on the server side. As an experienced C, C++, and Java programmer, I had to wade through quite a bit of redundant material before I could effectively use the book to answer the simple questions I had. In addition, some critical issues about using client side JavaScript are omitted from the book. For example, there is a chapter on security, but it only covers security issues applicable to the user - that with modern browsers, it's pretty safe for the user to allow JavaScripts to run. Issues pertaining to the security of the web site and the server it runs on - far more important to someone writing JavaScript code - are omitted. The book even provides a very unsafe example of allowing a client side script to calculate sales tax, which if used would make it easy for someone to tell your site he owed less tax than he really did, leaving the website owner holding the bag. It would have been better to include these server security issues and omit the client security issues. Still, this book will let you find the answers to your questions, even if it does take longer than it seems like it should.
Rating:  Summary: A very good reference book, a good learning tool Review: If you have some programming background, this book is pretty easy to follow. My web programming skill was only simple HTML. Then I had a big assignment dealing with HTML forms and a lot of JavaScript. I read this book and played around with it. JavaScript would be pretty easy if you know Java or C++.
Rating:  Summary: Lets be clear about this ... WOW Review: I've been working with JS for some time and have a good understanding of the structure and syntax but this book advanced my skills in the first 3 chapters! Great book for intermediate and even advanced developers who need a review. I also recommend that beginning "scripters" shouldn't shy away from this book. While the instruction is a tad advanced, the foundation given in the book is invaluable!
Rating:  Summary: Must have for any serious JavaScript developer Review: Together with Goodman's books, this is a must have for any serious JavaScript developer. The book is even getting better after each edition and now it's almost a 100% reference. If you really care about JavaScript it's a mandatory reading; it's just not suited to people without some programming background or a decent experience with JavaScript
Rating:  Summary: Must Have Reference, Especially for VB Programmers Review: In order to program the client/browser side of any WEB application one must understand both the brower object model and the JScript language. I'm more then 10 years out of C programming and the Java thing makes me yawn. This book explains the browser object and JScript language in an extremely useful manner. The theory pages do not waste my time and do not insult my intellegence. The reference pages get to the point. VB programmers with no C experience will find this book very accesable.
Rating:  Summary: Superb Reference Review: This is a wonderful reference book. Not for the beginner but the quality examples and the entire demonstrate concept is truly wonderful. This is done without being to fundamental or dry. It covers the basic important appearance of JavaScript that you would expect in any book covering a progress language. The explanation of questions you may have are already answered. The reading goes by quickly and you just seem to understand what the author is saying. I highly recommend this book to all programers.
Rating:  Summary: Superb! Review: I have not found anything to criticize in this book! This newer edition reorganizes the content, separating JavaScript "core" from client-side or server-side JavaScript. While this means that you occasionally have to look in more than one place to find something, I can't think of any way to organize the information that would provide an improvement. Not only is this book comprehensive and complete, but it also gives very valuable information on browser compatibility. It's a staple in my daily web-app diet.
Rating:  Summary: Not for beginners Review: You'd better know what javascript is and how it works before buying this book...... this is not a beginners book. It's written with "code lingo" and it all sounds greek to me. Thank goodness I didn't pay full price because this book was no help at all. I just finished two courses in HTML and got A's in both. I then decided to explore Javascript but this was not the book to buy. I don't know how the reviews I read couldn't have warned us of the complexity of the book.
Rating:  Summary: The Best Yet - Guide and Reference to JavaScript Review: If you can't learn JavaScript with this book you may as well give it up. I have an extensive library of programming books covering a variety of languages and this is easily the best I have ever seen. If you are an inexperienced programmer trying to learn JavaScript this is THE book. If you are experienced and want more depth of understanding, this is your book. As each new concept is introduced, the usual questions which occur to any programmer are answered clearly and concisely. Browser specific issues are addressed. Material is organized well so you can always find what you need. Nuances of the different Document Object Models are covered. This volume is uniquely qualified to be both a reference and a text book. My profession requires that I read extensively, but I almost never write a review. I am compelled to make an exception in this case. This book is so good it simply must receive it's due. "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide" should be required reading for anyone aspiring to write a book on any language. This is the standard by which all other books on the subject could be judged. Four adjetives say it all; readable, clear, accurate and thorough. By all means buy it. It's the best on the planet.
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