Rating: 
Summary: Get Me Another HOT Book!
Review:
This book makes me want the next one. There are over 100 step by step instructions in this hands on training book. It begins with a discussion of the basics, covers some tech issues with PC and Mac files (most cross platform books barely acknowledge the Mac platform), and has tons of files to learn from, play with and use in your own projects. In addition, and this is a great extra, there are many movie files that show you step by step how to complete some of the trickier activities in the book. It's amazingly helpful to watch an expert walk through the steps to a lesson or tutorial, via movies of their own screens.
From the intro and the wonderful companion website, I gathered that these books are written by actual teacher/instructors, rather than computer geeks. well, they actually are computer geeks, but they also are teachers. People with the talent and skill to actually explain and teach concepts in a structured and systematic way. I think this really contributes to the success of this book. Most of the time, the author had already anticipated my questions, and answers them somewhere in the lesson itself.
The entire book is organized into sections that build upon one another, using files and designs built around a snowboarding company. Unlike other books that use a common theme or singe site/topic to illustrate points, I didn't feel like i just learned how to create one specific kind of Flash project. Each lesson helped me understand the concepts behind the steps, so i feel comfortable in taking the skills and techniques into my own projects.
Topics include the interface, drawing, animation basics, symbols, bitmap and vector creation and manipulation, buttons, video and more advanced topics like movie clips, components and forms. It even includes a section on ActionScript basics, which is invaluable to learn if you want to move on in Flash design and creation.
All in all, I highly recommend this book for anyone who either knows a little Flash, but wants more, or for a beginner to Flash creation. With easy to read, straightforward writing and specific content geared to the novice and more experienced designer alike, Flash MX 2004 Hands On Training is one heck of a volume. Like I said, I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, Flash MX 2004 Advanced H.O.T. I'd be willing to bet that any of the other books in the H.O.T. series would be as effective as this one.
Rating: 
Summary: WARNING - Juvenile Subject Matter
Review: After finding the Macromedia training books consistently wanting in terms of their juvenile subject matter and low quality graphics, I purchased this book at a price close to $50. What a disappointment to find out that the sole subject matter used in the training content for this entire book is snowboarding - over 800 pages worth! Further, it is the type of content that could accurately be described as a young teenager's hobby project! Don't get me wrong, I'm from Colorado and I am an avid ski and snowboard fan, however, there is nothing professional about any of the graphic content of this book. It has absolutely no adult appeal or commercial applicability whatsoever. I find that I am forcing myself to slug through the banal graphics and juvenile subject matter just to learn the program. I would submit that the training methodologies are adequate, but that's not good enough to merit the price and scope of this book. I guess I have been spoiled by the Adobe Classroom in a Book series which consistently provide a varied subject matter with professional quality graphics and high quality overall design. The point here is that at this price level, I expect a book to not only show me how the program works, I expect some commercial examples of things that professionals using the product are doing with it and things I can do with it. This is the forte of the Adobe Classroom in a Book titles. This book, Flash MX 2004 HOT - is not in that league. If you're NOT a snowboarding nut, you are NOT in the target market for this book!
Rating:
Summary: I agree well written and the examples work
Review: I agree with those who have said this book is well written. The examples work and the author includes both a startup project, which you complete and a final product to look at if things don't go so well.
For programmers moving to Flash I can tell you that when you take a look at the confusing IDE and then see the way Flash does things your first thought is "This ain't natural". This book makes the transition to learning one more language easier. It's a good way to start flash without feeling frustrated. Once you have the basics down, its on to Action Script.
Rating: 
Summary: Major Problems
Review: I am so sorry I purchased this book! There are many discrepancies I could not believe it. The difference in text verses photo shots made it very difficult to follow along. In books that deal in such detailed information, it is a must that the kinks are worked out before production. As a beginner, I found it impossible to learn with so many problems.
Rating:
Summary: Farrrr better than Training From the Source
Review: I bought the "Training From the Source" Flash MX 2004 book first. Boy, was that book a pain! I had to slog through numerous detailed examples of creating user interface graphics and buttons before ever getting to animate anything. That book is wayyyy too detailed and focused on one application - creating a UI for a "rich application" web site. Also, the book is often inaccurate, especially for Mac users. I was ready to forget about Flash forever.So, I bought this book, and it turned me totally around. I can't believe how much difference a book can make in revealing the beauty of a piece of software. It starts right out with animation, and it is aimed at the right level of detail (at least for me). Also, it has very effective sidebars to thoroughly explain concepts as they come up, so it can be used as a reference (unlike the other book). Thanks, Rosanna!
Rating:
Summary: Thank God
Review: I bought this book after buying the horrible Dummies book for Flash MX 2004.
This book is wonderful - clear, well-illustrated, and makes learning easy.
Bravo.
Rating:
Summary: So inaccurate!
Review: I bought this book from Amazon - geez I wish I looked at it in a bookstore first! I can't believe how many inaccuracies were in this one - from general operating system stuff to the actual tutorials. So many were incomplete or just didn't make sense, all through the book. I really have no clue what these other people are getting at about how great it was. I read these reviews and thought it would be a wonderful book, but I was sadly misinformed.
Rating:
Summary: Great Visuals, Easy to Read
Review: I currently purchased this book for a college animation class. I admit that this is one of the best text books I've bought. Lots of great visuals and lots of information. What I like the most about it is that it covers everything in a simple way. It's not dumbed-down. Its not a text dominant learning manual. Its just very easy to follow and makes learning Flash easy. I picked it up and used it as a refrence. Within 3 days I was making an animation. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Good...if you have the time
Review: I got this book because, after using Adobe PhotoShop and Dreamweaver for a while, I had decided I wanted to design my pages completely in Flash. I had gotten quite a few books on DW and Photoshop and found myself performing many tasks easily after a short while. Unfortunately, I didn't get that out of Flash MX Hands On Training. THat's not to say that the book is worthless. The exercises included with the accompanying CD are good. However, I think the author focuses too much on you completing the exercises rather than explaining to you what you are doing and for what reason. THe author will take you step by step through the exercises but does not provide the proper background to actually do it without the exercises. I found myself repeating the exercises a number of times and still not getting down the basic task. That is, I couldn't do a number of the things even after having gone through the exercises because I feel the author spends too much time telling you what you have to do to complete the exercise. After going through the book and doing almost every exercise, I actually got discouraged and decided not to continue with Flash. However, I decided I would go with one of the other books out there and see what they have to offer.
Based on my experience I would have to not recommend the book.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievably easy
Review: I had been fumbling on my own with Flash not wanting to spend the money on a book that probably wouldn't help me much anyway. I finally broke down and after looking through all of the Flash titles decided on Yeung's Hands-On. To my surprise it made Flash extremely easy and is very well written to take a beginner progressively and coherently through the steps to learning Flash. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning serious web design with Flash.
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