Rating: 
Summary: Knowledge boost for intermediary Flash developers
Review: (this review is for the first edition of the book dated June 2002)
I enjoyed reading this book, but didn't find it to be the reference I was looking for. I found the first chapters too focused on explaining differences from earlier versions of Flash: These chapters are probably excellent for users upgrading to Flash MX rather than people entirely new to Flash.Also, the authors sometimes are a little too happy with Flash MX, which indeed had many improvements over previous versions but still was lacking in many areas that are now partially fixed in MX 2004. Although other languages are mentioned throughout the book, the authors are very positive about even minor OO improvements in Actionscript that really don't warrant such enthusiasm. Although the authors mention different kinds of application servers, it is clear that their background is mostly with ColdFusion and ASP rather than JSP/Java (which is what we use). Some of the comments on choosing between server technologies don't sound as informed as could be and is very biased towards traditional Macromedia/Allaire-related technologies. In all, I think the book is easily readable, offers good insight into specific features for current Flash developers, and contains some chapters with very useful techniques and knowledge for making effects, animation effects, and even emulating natural world object and their physical behavior. I wasn't looking for such information, however, as I am creating a foundation of Flash ActionScript knowledge to create forms-based business applications. Finally, the authors do a decent job of including references to the Mac authoring platform, but the book is really focused on Windows and uses Windows screenshots exclusively. For the overall purpose of this book, I liked "Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Advanced for Windows & Macintosh" better. It has better screenshots, a nicer format, is more platform-agnostic, and is easier to use as a reference. Chapters 4 through 22 do offer valuable information on specific subjects, however. So I recommend looking at the table of contents and determining from that whether this book is valuable for your specific purpose.
Rating: 
Summary: Hands down the best Flash MX book on the shelf!
Review: Hands down an awesome collection of data that is extremely well laid out and well written. I use this book in all of my intermediate level Flash classes that I teach. I would recommend this book to anyone in the industry looking to further themselves in their trade.
Rating:
Summary: No other book compares
Review: I am still amazed that this book is published and out on shelves and covers what it does. It goes into components, flash remoting, shared libraries, drawing API, and many other features that most MX books are lacking. Flash Remoting alone is a reason to buy this book. I am also pleased to see that New Riders has put out a book that I can consider a desktop reference. It has a quick reference in the back covering Flash MX objects, shortcuts, and more. I would suggest taking a look at the Table of Contents and you will see all the neat things this book covers.
Rating:
Summary: Really a great resource
Review: I couldn't disagree with the below review more. If speaking to the reader in direct, clear English is a fault, I'd like to find more writers with the same problem. I found this book immensely useful in moving my Flash skills forward. No, it's not for beginners - but it doesn't claim to be either. Does it cover every single Flash topic? Of course not. No book does. But what this book does cover, it covers exceedingly well. Would I like even more information? Sure - do you think they'd consider publishing a second volume? I'll be first in line to buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: One for your Flash Library
Review: If you work with Flash as an illustrator, interface designer, animator, and/or developer, this book belongs on the shelf. The number of Flash books on the market is overwhelming. Is this the only book you should have? No, of course not. But it should be part of your collections and a great place to start. The author covers every aspect of Flash MX, beyond the general regurgitation of the help materials that ship with Flash MX. Along with ActionScript: The Definitive Guide by Moock and Grossman, this is a great companion to have handy while you design and develop with MX.
Rating:
Summary: Soups to Nuts book for programming in Flash MX
Review: Inside Flash MX by Jody Keating of Fig Leaf Software provides an advancing bell curve of information to users. Beginners to Flash will be overwhelmed with the information provided but will also discover the incredible power that is carried within Flash MX. Good at Flash programming but not necessarily a mathematics wizard? This book is for you. The intermediate and advanced users of Flash MX will find this book a valued learning tool and resource with a plethora of examples and help in the appendices.
Rating:
Summary: Quick and Engaging
Review: Inside Flash MX is a great book if your looking for a quick and engaging way to learn about the finer points of Flash, or simply want to brush up on your basics. This book is so easy to understand. The language is encouraging and clear without being patronising, and Flash features that I've found confusing in the past (shared library) are made perfectly simple.
Each chapter explains the basic principles behind the topic and then goes on to explore them using practical projects. It's obvious that these projects are written by someone with a lot of experience in Flash because they are constantly dropping hints that you wouldn't otherwise know.
There is also a useful actionScript reference (if this is all you're after you will find a more thorough one elsewhere), and a handy little resource CD that contains all the source material you need for the projects, demo versions of Flash-related Software, and royalty-free sound files. I like this book because it's fun and it inspires me to explore areas of Flash MX that I don't otherwise get the chance to dive into, while at the same teaching me solid methods for designing and developing in Flash MX.
Rating:
Summary: Inside Flash MX works for the Intermediate to advanced user.
Review: It has to be said that there are some good points and some bad points to this new Fig Leaf production. Fortunately, the good out-weighs the bad enough for it to qualify as useful addition to my book shelf. I think perhaps it might be a good idea to get the bad points out of the way first purely because this book warrants more praise than scorn. Inside Flash MX is not a book for a `newbie' who is deciding that it might be "cool to start making some cool animations!". Prior knowledge of Flash is essential before this book comes into it's own. This perhaps is not entirely Fig Leaf's fault as Flash MX is a step above the previous versions and not to be taken too lightly by beginners. There seems to be perhaps a slight mix up in content with the sudden introduction of action-scripting half way through the book where content like Animation and Masking come thereafter. A quick run through, with a slightly easier-on-the-brain reference at the start, to subjects such as how to hyperlink buttons etc., might introduce some of the basic important concepts. Having said all that ... the Fig crew have surpassed themselves with a very nicely rounded explanation of the new aspects of MX. Inside Flash MX very graciously describes new aspects such as the Movie Explorer, Enveloping, a library symbol Use-counter, Auto-symboling, the new interface in general, individual file/folder layering and Action Panel changes. The book also gives precise instruction on video integration into Flash which perhaps is one of the more appealing aspects of MX. One of the best features of this book is the detailed introduction and yet ease of understanding of Object-Oriented design through PHP, Java, XML and others. There is an interesting section on Components and also Server-side applications. Perhaps this is why I would be more inclined to say that this book is aimed at the more advanced intermediate user. For the Intermediate user, the book is the next step in learning of Flash technology and in many ways the evolution of the Flash Bible. Other than the level of knowledge needed to understand parts of this book I would give it a definite recommendation for the slightly more advanced user. Good job Jody!
Rating:
Summary: Caught by surprise!
Review: Lets face it, if you do any programming at all, you know how the cost of reference material can add up. So I take book purchases very seriously almost fanatically and try to research like crazy before I make a purchase. I was on the fence about this book and it took me a while before I decided to get Inside Flash MX. I'm not sorry I did. It's quite different than the majority of the other books I have concerning Flash. It goes into topics that a lot of other books don't delve into. The Drawing API for one, printing in Flash, using Named anchors, scriptable masks, Flash Remoting, and some App. Development to name a few. Some Component stuff also. This is not the book to buy to learn Actionscript. Its really not the book to learn the basics of Flash either. The book really focuses on the more "hidden" or less traveled aspects of the program. It's certainly well written and organized well. It will really help round out your flash reference library. Sometimes I am even surprised myself at how often I use it. It's neither advanced or beginner _level. I give it a 3 1/2 really because it just is.
Rating:
Summary: A Substantive, Holistic Reference
Review: The Fig Leaf Software group has taken an active leadership role in the Flash community for years, pushing the boundaries of what is possible-and then sharing that knowledge with the public at-large, through training, conferences, distribution lists, and more. It is not surprising that Inside Flash MX, a 900-page tome to be released under their auspices is both at the cutting edge of Flash best practices and is also surprising accessible to the non-specialist reader. This book is very well written. As Flash has grown from a simple animation tool to an all-purpose, interactive, database-ready tool, books about it have been stretched in every direction. When you go to write a Flash book, you need to make some decisions; Jody Keating & co made some good decisions. The book provides solid coverage of Flash drawing, animating, masking, and sound techniques, but the book does not wallow in it. Instead, the book moves into the topics that many readers really need (and want) to know about: ActionScript, components, interface building, interactivity, and database interaction. A Flash movie has to look good, but it also has to do something. The book succeeds because it assumes that you won't be satisfied making simplistic animations and formatting text. Even before the ActionScript-intensive chapters begin, the book brings up relevant scripting techniques, showing that designing and scripting are integrated processes in Flash. Too many books (and designers) treat Flash as if it were a schizophrenic program-a design half for artsy types and a code editor for hardcore programmers. But good Flash development has for years been about the marriage of design and code. The needs of each impact the other too much to be handled in isolation. This is one of the few Flash books that understands that scripting is not intrinsically advanced, that some simple scripts are perfectly appropriate for beginners and indeed that they are an excellent introduction to the "hard" side of Flash. One way that the book makes the content comprehensible to those intimidated by code (or other advanced techniques) is through the ample use of tutorials. The CD is packed with exercise files and sample FLAs, and each chapter has one or more tutorials that let you roll up your sleeves and build sophisticated Flash movies. What I liked best about the tutorials is that some of them were ambitious; these are not 4-step tutorials that illustrate an isolated point. They are professional exercises that give you a working glimpse of how it all comes together. Before closing, I'd also like to point out that the book includes a quick ActionScript reference in an appendix. Flash MX does not come with a printed ActionScript manual, so this quick reference is quite helpful. If you are serious about learning how to create professional Flash movies and interactions, you should consider Inside Flash MX, which blends the reference and tutorial styles to optimize learning and mastery.
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