Rating: 
Summary: A comprehensive and "user-friendly" guide to HTML/DHTML
Review: "HTML: The Complete Reference, Second Edition", by Thomas A. Powell Our NST/Engineers company reviewers found this over 1000 page compendium to be an ideal training text and desktop reference for a wide spectrum of web page designers. Individuals working to improve company intranet and extranet communications will be well-served by the examples given of code and scripting followed by what you can expect to see. Professionals seeking guidance in advanced HTML, DHTML, XML, and related internet savvy can expect to increase their understanding of these cutting-edge technologies. We found excellent coverage of the pitfalls of page preparation without knowledge of the differences between popular browser capabilities. The browser versions expected to be in common use for the next few years of Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, WebTV, and a few others, and how to allow for their different interpreting capabilities , is covered throughout the book. Hundreds of pages of appendixes explain what you can and can't do with HTML elements and style sheets. The function, power, and use of Java Script in its several variations are explained with examples. Author Thomas A. Powell, an expert Web consultant and Internet applications teacher at University of California at San Diego, explains the centrality of HTML while predicting changes that XML and other methods may bring in the future. He cites lots of free online Web sites, at all levels, to augment material in the book. We found the writing style, loaded with useful examples and stabs of humor, to be an easy read. This is a body of knowledge that must be understood at higher than an entry level by industrial, academic, and small business practitioners alike who see the need for an effective Web presence.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent coverage for both beginning and advanced users
Review: This book was the first HTML book I ever purchased, and unless a change is made to the language, will be the only one I ever need. I was a newcomer to raw HTML coding before I bought this book, and it has proven to be an invaluable learning tool and reference. The coverage of the language is excellent, and the section on Style Sheets is very in-depth. Also, the appendicies at the end of the book contain complete information on every HTML tag and their associated attributes for quick look-up. Although this book can be a little difficult to get started, once you get past the introductory chapters and into the section on actual HTML code it is very straighforward. It provides many code examples along with the results produced, which in my opinion is one of the best ways to teach any language. I would recommend this book to anyone wishing to learn HTML as a hobby or for business - it covers everything you will need to know.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent - Good for beginners, comprehensive
Review: Before reading this book (this was the required text for a class in HTML), I had some very basic experience with HTML. I found it easy to read and remember the concepts, as they are presented in a straight-forward way, with an emphasis on real-world scenarios. The tips the author provides are valuable... I found myself using them a lot at work and on several projects. Because my previous HTML knowledge was so scattered, reading the book put my thoughts into place and provided a more formal and structured picture of HTML and css. This book also addresses cascading style sheets and is loaded with information. After reading the 1000+ pages, I use this book as a reference, the css appendix is comprehensive, tho I think the layout could have been done better-- some areas are tough to read.
Rating:
Summary: The Title Says it all
Review: I should just leave it at that, but I won't. When I got this book I was completly blind to the world of HTML, but now I have mastered it. This book starts off teaching the basics, like how to start your HTML document with the HEAD and BODY tags, and goes all the way into using HTML tables to design your website and using HTML forms. By the end of the book, I knew everything, and was able to move onto more advanced subjects such as PHP or CGI-scripting. This book is the perfect way to get started if you're interested in pursuing a career in web development or application programming. However, if you are not interested in learning HTML, this book is not for you. It is a complete reference and you need to read the entire book to take advantage of it. If you really want to learn HTML then buy this book, because it will be the first and the last you will ever need.
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Summary: Add Improved Functionality to any Website!
Review: There are still some folks around like myself who prefer to design Websites and pages using raw HTML "coding." Windows Notepad is still my top HTML editor of choice. However, whether folks prefer to "code their own" or use standard HTML editing programs, there are clear advantages of becoming familiar with the basics of HTML programming that will pay dividends in the long run. Not all HTML editors are created equal and sometimes inside knowledge is helpful in the Web development process. HTML: The Complete Reference is a huge 2 1/4 - inch book packed with helpful and important HTML Web design information. Here readers will take in a broad scope of Website programming features that will improve, freshen up, and add functionality to any Website. Learn how to use fonts, colors, backgrounds, frames, tables, layers, style sheets, client-side programming, plug-ins, audio and video clips, and more. Plenty of scripting examples are provided to permit immediate results in the Website design process. This reference book includes all the latest tags, Web browser and programming compatibility considerations, and background information needed to produce outstanding Websites. The book reads better as a reference guide than a novel. However, one can learn quite a bit by simply thumbing through it on a casual basis. A particular Web design feature could leap out from a page and arouse interest that could lead to a great design idea! This book recommended for experienced programmers only, who are well acquainted with the in's and out's of Web design concepts. It's a great reference book to have on hand when a programming matter arises or when some changes must take place to liven things up!
Rating: 
Summary: Complete but Not Good
Review: This is a book that contains all of the answers to your HTML questions but finding them may be a frustrating task. The index is terrible. I tried to use this book for about 2 months before giving up in frustration. I can simply never find the answer to my question! If you know a little about HTML, but are looking for a reference for day-to-day use, this is a very poor choice.
Rating:
Summary: Not a horrible place to start.
Review: I actually bought and read the "The Complete Reference HTML second edition". I'm sure they are similar with some slight additions explaining some newer browser compatibility issues and possible additions to HTML and the use of style sheets. The Second Edition was literally a bad book. My copy broke down and all the pages were falling out in clumps of about 50 pages making it tough to use. But the content of the book is simple. All or most of HTML uses, concepts and tags are explained one by one in a comprehensive manual-type book. Not a great Tutorial type book. Not really for beginners. This is definitly a great reference though. For those who know how to use HTML but need to "checkup" on some things sometimes this book is for them.
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Summary: The only HTML book you'll need
Review: My first "The Complete Reference" book was for Java 1.0. I was so happy with that book that when I went looking for an HTML manual, the first one I looked at was this one. And it's a good thing I did, because it's the only book I ever need to look at for a reference. It really does contain everything I can think I would need to write HTML code at any level of complexity or depth, and I've been writing HTML code since 1994, professionally since around 1997. If you're a beginner, the book spends some time in the beginning teaching you the basics and concepts, everything you should need to get started on your first pages. And if you're a novice or expert, the book will scale to your level of knowledge gracefully, it covers the gamut, even extending into Cascading Style Sheets, Dynamic HTML and a brief introduction to XML (if you need an XML manual you should get one dedicated only to XML, this reference is not complete for that purpose). The title couldn't be more appropriate, as inside the book, there is a complete reference of every single valid HTML tag and attribute you could use, even including explanations for what each attribute means! If you get just one HTML book, get this one. Keep in mind that this book does not cover any WYSIWYG tools for creating HTML pages (such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver). This is just for writing the HTML yourself with a text editor, or to assist you in using the WYSIWYG tool of your choice, as most of them allow you to manipulate the HTML and attributes manually.
Rating:
Summary: SIMPLY THE BEST HTML BOOK I'VE EVER READ!!!!
Review: Despite being over 1,000 pages this book really teaches html in a simple practical way. It has lots of examples for beginners and a great reference for more experienced HTML programmers. If you want to Learn HTML this book is the only book you will need. Once you read it you will ready to read the O'Reily series' JavaScript book by David Flanagan and you will also have a great understanding of CSS1 and some understanding of CSS2. I have read alot of HTML books in my day and this is the most complete of all the books and the easiest to read of all the HTML books I have encountered. It's a hell of a BOOK!
Rating: 
Summary: Good place to start Web development
Review: It is a great book for all new arrivals to the Web development and design world. The book's title doesn't indicate the real content, it is not just HTML, it is an introduction to web design covering HTML, JavaScript, Client-Programming, Server-Programming, CSS, XML, and many other topics. I recommend it to all beginners but wishing to become experts.
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