Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the 2nd Edition
Review: This is a great book but I didn't think it was as good as the previous edition. Firstly I found a few too many errors that would trip up beginners to HTML/CSS. I checked the errata section of the website but not a single error in the book was listed there (at the time of writing this). I can't believe they are unaware of them, especially as this book has been out for several months now. Secondly the author keeps plugging his other book, so much so that he includes an entire chapter from that book here. Although it may of had some relevance I don't think it should of been added, as in my opinion it was clearly intended as a promotion of his other publication. I certainly don't object to being made aware of an authors publications, for instance in a list at the end of the book, but not like this. On the plus side this book does cover HTML exceptionally well, all the expected stuff like frames, tables, layers, forms, links, media types etc are explored. XHTML is also covered but don't expect much, the differences are only in the rules of writing the language, which are explained. Note that there isn't a chapter dedicated to XHTML but you are made aware of the differences between HTML mark-up and XHTML mark-up when necessary. Like previous editions this book does cover a lot of theory, e.g. logical versus physical mark-up, protocols, mime types, parsed html etc. There is also a chapter dedicated to CSS1 and CSS2 which is pretty complete. The CSS2 section includes coverage on the various new pseudo elements and selectors introduced in CSS2. There is also a reference section covering CSS1 and CSS2 at the back of the book, and it includes proprietary properties for Internet Explorer. SSI is also covered in this book. There are also very basic introductions to XML, JavaScript, server side technologies and DHTML. These are more about what they can do as opposed to teaching you them. The reference section has been organised alphabetically this time, so it is much easier to use than previous editions. They include coverage of XHTML, additions to WebTV, JavaScript event handlers and the usual HTML stuff. There are also reference sections for colour codes and character entities. Finally this is the first Complete Reference book I have purchased that didn't fall apart, so there is no need to buy a binder this time around.
Rating: 
Summary: The only HTML book you'll ever need.
Review: The first thing you'll notice about this book is its size, over 1000 pages for HTML, a bit much I first thought. However only the first few hundred pages cover HTML, and it's covered extremely well to. If you have read any other book on HTML then you won't believe just how much has been missed out until you read this book. HTML is much bigger than you would have ever thought. The book teaches you a lot of theory, areas such as logical and physical structure, doctype definitions, media types, encoding types (to name but a few) are explored, and the usual tutorials on tables, frames, linking, image maps, graphics, meta tags etc are all there, but more information is provided. There is also a chapter dedicated to style sheets which covers both CSS1 and CSS2. As HTML 4.0 encourages you to use style sheets instead of standard HTML, it was good to see this chapter. This was my first exposure to CSS and I'm very confident using it now. I don't believe you will have to buy an additional book on CSS. Other chapters include introductions to other technologies like JavaScript, server side programming, XML and DHTML, but these are only basic introductions, do not expect to learn these technologies from those chapters, they just give you a taste. The remainder of the book consists of the reference sections. These throughly cover (among other things) HTML and CSS. The HTML section includes additional tags and attributes specific to each browser, including those for webTv. Character encoding is also covered. I have only two criticisms of this book. Firstly it falls apart in your hands, so if you buy it expect to buy a binder as well. Secondly although the reference section is full and complete it isn't laid out very well. To sum up this book is both a tutorial and a reference and is always on my desk. I also own the third edition of this book but I don't think it is as good as this edition.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not Great reference Book
Review: After looking over many reviews of HTML references, I bought this one. While I'm not diappointed I don't think it lives up to all of the 5 star ratings. Perhaps if you are considering constructing elaborate sites with CSS styles,etc this is a great book. It cetainly gives one an overview of the web but seems frequently light on examples for many of the most frequently used items. If you are trying to learn enough to tweak existing simple sites (my objective) then there is a lot of unnecessary stuff. I have to admit that the tone bothered me as well; it seems the author complained constantly that the web designers were not using HTML "properly" - too many workarounds, etc. Real life doesn't always conform with intent! I use the book as a reference but have found it easier to learn things from on-line sources and real life code.
Rating:
Summary: A Reference Book Worth Having - Any Level
Review: This is a reference book that any web developer, junior through advanced, should have in their arsenal. The coverage of various aspects of HTML is both succinct and thorough. If you need a very readable book that gives you worthwhile content in areas such as HTML, authoring tools, cascading style sheets, frames, JavaScript, etc., then this reference book is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Omissions are there in reference...
Review: I will add to the list of omissions in the HTML reference of this book. The WIDTH property of <TD> is listed to be in pixels but the example shows %age. Maybe not significant but enough to seriously trip up beginners...
Rating:
Summary: A Solid, Complete Reference
Review: The Complete Reference HTML is a solid reference for HTML. It covers HTML comprehensively as well as other issues like server side vs. client side programming, XML, putting together a website. In essence, it is a solid reference with some "How to" information thrown in for good measure.
Rating:
Summary: HTML The Complete Reference
Review: This is a book that I read at home, in chunks of 30-45 minutes a night. I highly recommend this book, as both an introduction to HTML, and as a reference for beginner-to-intermediate programmers. It covers HTML in depth, but also mentions CGI, Cold Fusion, ASP, Javascript, and XML, and the role these technologies play in delivering a complete website. The book contains extensive information about Style Sheets, including an entire appendix devoted to the syntax and parameters for Style Sheets.
Rating:
Summary: Not Good Enough
Review: I bought this book based on the Amazon Reviews and after using it I must disagree with the weight of on-line opinion. Not that it is a bad book. It just isn't what the reviews led me to expect. My main disappointment is the poor structure and organization. It has a thrown-together feel, more like a collection of separate and poorly integrated sections than a single well-organized book. Some examples: Even after marking the page edges it is still difficult to find what I want quickly. The text sections are only average and not at all comprehensive. To learn HTML or CSS, you'd be better off getting a book (or books) that is not trying to be everything at once. And the reference sections are also a disappointment. The main headers do not stand out from the repeated subheadings so one becomes lost easily. There is not enough detail on differences between the major browsers. The CSS "reference" is a mess. It is broken into subsections which disrupt the alphabetical order and is sorely lacking in the kind of detail that is critical to successful style-sheet implementation. As I said, it's not a bad book. It's just not good enough. For total newbies, Castro's QuickStart Guide is far superior. On CSS, try O'Reilly's "definitive" guide. Not sure what to recommend as an HTML reference. I'm going to try Goodman's "Dynamic HTML."
Rating:
Summary: a mystery wrapped inside an enigma
Review: wait, is this really the *complete* reference?
Rating:
Summary: The Only HTML Text You will Need
Review: When learning a new subject, I sometimes find it helpful to begin with a Visual Quickstart or Sam's Teach Yourself, then an intermediate text (if needed), and finally an O'Reilly Nutshell or Wrox Professional to deepen understanding and use as a reference. Powell's Complete Reference on HTML performs the task of all three levels. The first 212 pages, "Web Basics," save beginners the need for an "HTML for Dummies." The next 475 pages provide a well-organized presentation of HTML mechanics including presentation, layout, cascading style sheets, client/server side programming, DHTML, XML, and web hosting. Throughout this material, sample code is presented and explained to illustrate the concepts presented. Finally, 430 pages of appendices provide reference level detail that will remain valuable indefinitely. The later chapters (programming, DHTML, XML) are overview in nature. (ASP is discussed in five pages.) This is appropriate, for each of these subjects requires a text of their own. The overviews are valuable as they present these subjects in the context of HTML and how they can work together. They also give the reader a basic platform from which to study in greater detail. Certainly worth mentioning also are the numerous tips and valuable remarks sprinkled throughout the book. In my case there were several one-line statements worth the purchase price. This book is a well-written and thorough text that a beginner can use to learn HTML and an advanced web developer can use as a reference or to polish up. I can't compare this with others books on the subject. It hasn't been necessary to read any.
| 
