Rating: 
Summary: Covers pretty much everything...
Review: ...except anything that has to do with php. Why? I dont know, but php rules for smaller sites. The author takes no real notice of the immense number of people wanting to integrate php/sql with flash, and instead focuses on java/asp/cgi (probably since flashRemote is mainly designed to work with servers of those platforms - although there are projects to make flashRemote work with php/sql, ...). With a focus on php in the book, the examples could have been even more enlightning since php is really simple to understand even for the uninitiated. This way, serverside scripts could be included in the discussion without laying a heavy burden on the reader.Other than that, this book is great! Great reference/tutorial for any level.
Rating: 
Summary: just BADD
Review: Coming from a math backgroung and trying to learn Actionscript, I have some serious reservations about the mathematical examples in this book. The authors seem to take the most convoluted longwinded routes to make thier points wherever math is involved, and thus cloud the point they are trying to make. Furthermore, they seem to use the old Flash 5 methodology for event handling instead of updating to the newer methodology that is more consistent with OOP. Otherwise, I am still reading this and some other Actionscript books looking for the right fit.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad Math
Review: Coming from a math backgroung and trying to learn Actionscript, I have some serious reservations about the mathematical examples in this book. The authors seem to take the most convoluted longwinded routes to make thier points wherever math is involved, and thus cloud the point they are trying to make. Furthermore, they seem to use the old Flash 5 methodology for event handling instead of updating to the newer methodology that is more consistent with OOP. Otherwise, I am still reading this and some other Actionscript books looking for the right fit.
Rating: 
Summary: Painful reality
Review: Flash is a very powerful development tool that enables me to do some really cool things. But the painful reality is it takes a serious level of commitment and a great deal of time to get to be proficient at all it can do. Using Flash I have produced many eLearning courses, interactions, banners, content pieces, and you get the idea. The Flash Bible series has made it possible for me to crank out all this work and to stay [reasonably] employed during the past two years. If you're wondering how you can keep up with all that's new in MX and still remain productive then you have to get this book. For example, for a long time I was happy making movies without components. I wasn?t even sure what they were. Then I picked up a customer whose application would have been a major pain without them. Chapters 26, 27, and 28 brought me up to speed in just a couple of hours. Flash development is a lot like that. Few of us can know it all. Who has the time to go out and find work, to complete projects on time [and on budget], and to learn all that's new? The Flash MX ActionScript Bible enables me to compete for work I would otherwise not be able to get. Reinhardt and Lott do a very good job bringing all the new features of MX down to earth. Using the table of contents and index it's a simple thing to narrow down and find specific information on what you're looking for. Their explanations are easy to read, understand, and apply. The Flash MX ActionScript Bible is very good to have around. Thanks guys!
Rating:
Summary: 2 thumbs up
Review: Flash MX action script Bible has it all. If you are a fully fledged programmer or a newbie this book is for you. it explains everything you need to know and more. It contains a thorough description of the action script language and a complete reference. I never thought I could go beyong creating buttons and making simple menus but this book took me step by step and was easy to get me where I wanted. I'm still learning a great deal from it and I'll probably keep on learning new stuff from the same book in the future. I bought this book for one purpose, making interactive and complex websites where I can customise everything and add interisting graphical elements. The book teaches you how to access the advanced features in XML, sound control, using LINGO to control flash, making games... The list is very long.
At first I was worried about the size of the book but soon to discover that it's organized in a way that optimizes the learning process. The authors put a lot of effort in explaining thoroughly what every line of code is doing and why it's written and they even thought of including the possible errors you might get if you use the code in a different setting.
I can go on and on talking about all the neat stuff I learned but to cut it short; this books makes flash scripting as easy as riding a bike and takes it a lot farther than you can imagine. I highly recommend it to everyone, even the advanced users.
Rating:
Summary: THIS GUY KNOWS HIS STUFF!!
Review: HOOORAY!! This book and all of Robert's books (and classes!!) are so valuable to any Flash Developer. Whether an artist and/or a coder, the reader will find the information to be clear, detailed and accurate. It's about time someone created such a great useful resource for us "flashers"!! The examples and concepts covered are totally real-world applicable and help the reader conceptualize valuable building blocks of actionScript coding. Being primarily book and self taught one thing I really like is this book fills in the blanks... little details I never fully knew or understood. GREAT to keep on your desk for reference!!
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive reference for intermediate developers
Review: I bought four books to learn Flash ActionScripting, and rate this one second overall for is comprehensiveness and the practical insights that sip through: The author recognizes the initial confusion that is caused by aspects of Flash (such as the difference between Movie Clips and Button objects, the complexity of components) and did a good job of explaining them. Obviously, a book of this size always has some chapters that don't match the reader's skillset or experience, but I found these chapters easily identifyable so skipping them was no issue. My main complaint is the somewhat dated typography and layout. The book "MacroMedia Flash MX 2004 Advanced for Windows and Macintosh" was more of a pleasure to read. But that book doesn't reach the comprehensiveness and doesn't go as in-depth explaining things. As always, computer books become dated before you know it -- I just noticed that the 2004 edition is coming out. Nevertheless, I found the MX version of the ActionScript Bible a very useful and valuable read and reference. If I didn't already have this copy, I'd definitely buy the 2004 version as a must-have for the Flash developer's bookshelf.
Rating:
Summary: Not too bad!
Review: I got this one expecting it to be a little more complete. Definitely had some very worthwhile chapters and helpful information and guidance. However there were consistent and nagging errata. It would have been nice to see this book get slightly more advanced (considering it's concentration just on actionscript and it's huge length), and thorough in widely practiced areas such as PHP.
Rating:
Summary: A comprehensive guide to Actionscript.
Review: I normally try to steer clear of technical books with the words "Bible", "Amazing", "Advanced", "in 24 hours" in the title. This is one book that I am glad I made an exception to that rule for. It is a great reference book that explains the intricacies of ActionScripting and the built in objects that Macromedia provides (many of which Macromedia doesn't even document).
The book is filled with many real world examples, all of which are included on the CD-ROM. With this book and the corresponding Flash MX Bible from the same author, there is nothing you cannot do in Flash MX.
Rating:
Summary: A comprehensive guide to Actionscript.
Review: I normally try to steer clear of technical books with the words "Bible", "Amazing", "Advanced", "in 24 hours" in the title. This is one book that I am glad I made an exception to that rule for. It is a great reference book that explains the intricacies of ActionScripting and the built in objects that Macromedia provides (many of which Macromedia doesn't even document).
The book is filled with many real world examples, all of which are included on the CD-ROM. With this book and the corresponding Flash MX Bible from the same author, there is nothing you cannot do in Flash MX.
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