Rating: 
Summary: Savvy, indeed!
Review: Book: Flash MC 2004 Savvy
Author: Evan Watrall and Norbert Herber
Publisher: Sybex
(...)
Web: www.sybex.com
Phone: 510-523-8233
Pro: Easy to understand direct instruction, content progresses quickly
Con: None noted
Rating: 5
Reviewer: Rob LeFebvre
COMPLEX AND FULFILLING
This is the second book I've read by Ethan Watrall, and I have to say I continue to be impressed. Flash MX 2004 (the most unfortunate product name, ever) is a complex, mature program. As the authors state, Flash MX 2004 can be "used to create amazingly complex, interactive products, dynamic and data driven websites and online applications, cartoon serials, online (and offline) games, music videos, music players, instant messengers...the list goes on and on." This book, Flash MX 2004 Savvy, then, takes the reader through the basics of using Flash MX and MX Professional, the new interface, visual techniques for drawing and animation, symbols and text, and runs right on through to more advanced topics, like ActionScript, Audio, Video, and integration with other programs.
MAC-CENTRIC
Now, Ethan Watrall isn't the only author. His co-author, Norbert Herber, is the "mac guy" for the book. Both authors are faculty members at Indiana University. Their writing style is both easy to understand and thorough. As a Mac user, I appreciated the cross platform approach of the text, with key-commands spelled out for both Windows and Macintosh users, along with a variety of Mac screen shots throughout the book.
GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY
Each section of the book (2 - 3 Chapters) ends with a "Hands On" section, where the authors walk the reader through a project that includes the techniques discussed within the content portion of the chapters. (...) Based on scenes and reused graphic symbols, it looks fairly accomplished, I think. The book is full of these kinds of projects, which really helped me feel like I was learning something. Many times, books that are references on a given software application don't impart this same feeling of "getting somewhere."
NOVICE LEVEL
This book is a beginner to novice level guide to Flash MX 2004. It doesn't cover form-based applications, publishing in multiple languages, data binding and web services, nor ActionScript 2.0. As you can see, these are very advanced topics. So, basically,. this book covers anything you really need to know about starting out and actually using Flash. The authors don't spend a lot of time on how to open and save files, or how to manage your computer directory structure. The book progresses fairly swiftly through the first 3 chapters on interface and usage of the basic drawing tools, a topic that I feel gets too much space in many "beginner" books.
MORE THAN JUST A BOOK
An added value to the book is, of course, the CD full of files for use in the Hands On sections, as well as demos of Flash MX 2004 and other Macromedia products. In addition, it has several Bonus chapters, to take your learning further. What surprised me, however, was that the authors ALSO include a web site to go to that enhances learning as well. (...). Finally, the authors provide their personal email addresses, which I find refreshing.
BUY THIS BOOK
I look forward to finishing this book. It's not one I'm going to leave on the shelf for reference; rather, I plan on delving into each content and Hands On section in my own learning of this powerful multimedia tool. I'd recommend this book for anyone starting out their journey towards Flash mastery. It's well written, easy to understand, yet thorough and full of information. It has evenly distributed Macintosh savvy advice, as well as screenshots that look familiar to those that use computers "for the rest of us." Buy this book now!
Rating:
Summary: This Book Has it All
Review: Flash MX 2004 Savvy is an all-inclusive book that will satisfy everyone from the beginner to expert. Flash is a complex program, but Watrall and Herber do and excellent job of breaking things down to their elemental level to bring you up to speed without overwhelming you. Immediately following the introduction, there is a concise explanation of what is new in the latest version of Flash. This is very important to those of us who have worked with Flash before, and want to know right away what new productivity features there are, and what we need to learn to keep current. In fact, the entire book is well organized, with attention-grabbing icons that let the user know if the current feature is new to MX or MX pro.This book leaves no stone uncovered. It covers all of the basics, from simple interface orientation to animation and simple interactivity. From there it goes into intermediate and advanced interactivity, actionscript coding, components, and working with dynamic data. Not only does this book concentrate on the features and functions of Flash, but it takes into account how users actually use Flash. It is interlaced with real world inspirational design models, and task-based tutorials. It has chapters on using Flash to create content for CD-ROM and mobile devices, and how to work with Video in Flash as well. The book also details how to work with other programs like Director and Dreamweaver. They do an excellent job of showing the user how to use Flash in a way that increases efficiency and productivity, allowing us more time to be creative! If you're new to Flash or you are already quite familiar with it, this book is a great learning tool as well as a great reference. If you're looking for a book that covers it all, this is it. It is an excellent book and a great value.
Rating:
Summary: *The* Flash MX 2004 Book
Review: Flash MX Savvy 2004 is easily one of the best (if not *the* best) Flash book on the market today. I actually bought the previous edition (Flash MX Savvy), and was eager to pick up this newest edition as soon as it came out. Not only is it written extremely well & organized amazingly, but it features significant changes from the previous edition. This is a huge deal to me when many new computer books are simply pathetic revisions of the previous edition in which the authors simply when through and updated the software name! This book definitely doesn't fall pray to this problem. Not only does it keep the best of the previous edition, but it also has a great deal of new content dedicated to the new features in Flash MX 2004 & Flash MX 2004 Pro. And, we're not talking about a paragrah here or a paragraph there kind of new content, there are a number of completely new chapters dedicated to new Flash features. On top of that, the authors have added some other really great new chapters - such as one on creating Flash content for the Pocket PC (my personal favorite) and one on working with Flash and Dreamweaver MX 2004. So, here is the skinny, Flash MX Savvy 2004 is an excellent book, hands down.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent kick-start reference
Review: Getting started with Flash MX 2004? Get this book!
As a new Flash user but an experienced programmer / Web developer, I had been looking for a good reference to get up and running quickly with Flash MX 2004 Pro. I started with one book that had tedious step-by-step examples and little background into why things are done a certain way. I then bought this book and on almost every page I found myself saying "Oh, THAT'S why!". I gave the other book away.
This book is very well written. It gets to the point quickly and doesn't linger too long on any one subject. The writing style is clear, easy to follow. and even fun to read. The exmaples are practical in that the authors don't assume that you need to see every mouse click and keypress listed as a "step". Each chapter ends with an online site that exemplifies the subject of that chapter - good for inspiration.
This is not an expert book and only covers ActionScript in passing (fine for most beginners). The CD-ROM includes bonus chapters (useful) and "essential" ActionScript examples and references. Since it is not a complete ActionScript reference it's unlikely to make my collection of essential CD-ROMs, however.
If you are getting started with Flash MX 2004 / Pro I highly recommend buying this book first.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book, Great CD-ROM
Review: I agree with many of the reviews already posted here. I found the CD-ROM to be especially thorough, with Bonus Chapters, Hands on examples, and lots of software demo and eval copies. In a working situation I had a question about curve editing, and I looked in the index of this book and found my answer explained step by step. A rival book did not have a "curve editing" entry in their index, and when I tracked down their explanation, it was not as clearly described or illustrated. Hats off to the Savvy guys, Watrall and Herber.
Rating:
Summary: Flash MX Savvy 2004 - 5 Star Book
Review: I bought the last edition of this book and was incredibly pleased. It was everything a beginner Flash user needed to get up to speed on the program. Now, being a far more expereinced Flash user, I still went out and bought this new eiditon as soon as it hit the shelves. It is still the most useful Flash book that I own. I think the thing that I like the most about the book is not so much the actual core Flash coverage (and there is a lot of that - everything from basic animation to fairly sophisticated ActionScript), but the non-traditional Flash topics: like Flash & Director, 3D Flash, Flash & Freehand (which is a bonus chapter on the book's CD), Flash & Audio Applicaitons, Flash & Pocket PC, etc. There is a lot in the this book that you'll have to search through a lot of other Flash books to find. On top of all of the great topics, the authors have a wonderful bablance between instruction and hands on tutorials. At the end of each section, there is a legnth project tutorial (called Hands On) that lets you take what you've learned and apply it to a real project. This is an incredible balance that you aren't going to find in many Flash books. Finally, and this is something that not a lot of people think about when they are buying a computer book is the quality. The book is printed on really high quality paper. I know this sounds silly, but a top of the other really big Flash books (Flash Bible, etc.) are printed on paper which is one step above newsprint).
Rating: 
Summary: Needs Simplifying
Review: I have never used Flash before but I am very familiar with other graphic programs as well as animation in 3d programs such as 3ds Max. I took it upon myself to learn Flash because of its versatility and infinite potential. When I paged through the first 10 chapters it was a breeze everything was clear and easily understandible. When I got to the section that I bought the book for in the first place (that being animation) I was confronted with many problems when it came to subjects such as using movie clips in your animation and creating buttons that react to them being ckicked. Mnay times I followed the instructions word for word with little or no sccess. Many times the book said I had to jump ahead to chapter 25 or where ever before I could proceed with the task that I wished to learn at that moment. I am familiar with graphic programs so this program shouldn't be a problem for me. Unfortunately, when it comes to the tricky subjects such as inserting, controlling, assigning buttons, sounds, etc to movie clips, this book falls short. Now I am looking in the Flash help files to cross-reference these topics with what is in the book. For beginners forget it. This book is impossible once you get to the animation section. Trust me I am paying the price right now. For advanced users it is probably suitable. Like I said; the first 10 chapters are excellent, after that the thoroughness simply disappears.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect
Review: I own many books about flash and this one is the most complete. Maybe you'll have to go more into certain topicson other books but this is the best end more comprehensive guide I ever read. Very simple and direct, never confusing, good tutorials, covers pocket pc, sound edting and sound design, and is good also if ,like me you want to focus on new features of the 2000 editions. Perfect !
Rating:
Summary: I Can't Believe How Good This Book Is!
Review: I'll admit it, I've been burned in the past. Computer books are so expensive these days, and there are so many bad ones out there that its hard not to get burned. I purchased a copy of a Flash book for the previous version of the program, and was completely disapointed. I had almost given up when I ran across this book in Borders, and got a chance to sit down with it before buying it online. Wow! Is this book ever great. Its really well written and covers more than you could expect. Its a great tool for beginners or intermediate Flash users. My primary reason for buying the book was a little wierd. As I was reading through the intro/forward, the authors actually made me laugh. You know how rare that is - computer books don't make you chuckle (in a good way). So, I bought the book. You should too.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book - Well Worth Picking Up
Review: It took me awhile to get around to buying a Flash MX 2004 book. But, when I finally decided on Flash MX 2004 Savvy by Watral and Herber, I was so happy. The book is great. Its not only really comprehensive, but it doesn't treat you like an idiot like some books. I've got a fair amount of computer experience, but absolutley no Flash experience, and I was so pleased that this book actually treated me like I knew somehting (just not about Flash). I know it doesn't seem like much, but in today's market of hundreds and hundreds of Flash books, its the little things that count!
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