Rating: 
Summary: A real disappointment
Review: This book was a major disappointment, and I am only at page 100 out of 353. I have not purchased many computer books, but it is very poor when compared to the last book I bought, Que's "Using Access 95". The problems are innumerable. The screen shots shown in the book ocassionally change with no explanation on how or why it happened. That would not be so important, except the book often relies on that new look to explain a new function. To follow along, I had to repeatedly change the site to try and match what the book was showing. Some instructions are just flat out wrong. The books says to hold the shift key and drag to select all items. There is no need for the shift key. The book says the "Select a File" button is on the lower left corner of a dialog box. It is on the lower right. Some topics are talked about lightly (i.e., "you get the picture), and others simply passed over completely that other novices tell me are not that hard to learn (i.e., cascading style sheets). There is too much non-usable fill about taking a break, waking up next morning to get started, etc.. More than anything else, I become frustrated because the information is sometimes incorrect, confusing, illogical, and inconsistent in depth. Add in screen shots with changes that do not always correspond to what the text says, and you find yourself scratching your head more often than not. If there is one overall impression I get, it is that no one ever actually "road tested" the book before it went to print. I have to believe there would have been lots of feedback on improvements. I have to use HotMetal Pro at work, and the book that came with that software is actually quite good, and markedly better than this book, even though Frontpage is easier to use. Overall: Not Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A real disappointment
Review: This book was a major disappointment, and I am only at page 100 out of 353. I have not purchased many computer books, but it is very poor when compared to the last book I bought, Que's "Using Access 95". The problems are innumerable. The screen shots shown in the book ocassionally change with no explanation on how or why it happened. That would not be so important, except the book often relies on that new look to explain a new function. To follow along, I had to repeatedly change the site to try and match what the book was showing. Some instructions are just flat out wrong. The books says to hold the shift key and drag to select all items. There is no need for the shift key. The book says the "Select a File" button is on the lower left corner of a dialog box. It is on the lower right. Some topics are talked about lightly (i.e., "you get the picture), and others simply passed over completely that other novices tell me are not that hard to learn (i.e., cascading style sheets). There is too much non-usable fill about taking a break, waking up next morning to get started, etc.. More than anything else, I become frustrated because the information is sometimes incorrect, confusing, illogical, and inconsistent in depth. Add in screen shots with changes that do not always correspond to what the text says, and you find yourself scratching your head more often than not. If there is one overall impression I get, it is that no one ever actually "road tested" the book before it went to print. I have to believe there would have been lots of feedback on improvements. I have to use HotMetal Pro at work, and the book that came with that software is actually quite good, and markedly better than this book, even though Frontpage is easier to use. Overall: Not Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding book. Best weekend I ever spent (I need a life!
Review: When I bought the software for Frontpage 2000 I knew NOTHING about web site design, and certainly nothing about Frontpage. When I bought the program, I also bought one of those 1100 page exhaustive (so I thought) tombs about how to use the program. I got about three chapters into the big book and decided that I didn't know what the heck they were talking about. Now, I'm no dummy. I'm pretty good at following directions, but I just didn't get it. So I went back to the bookstore and bought "Frontpage 2000 in a Weekend". I knew I was in safe waters after the first chapter. Wagner and Callihan do an excellent job of making the whole process of site design simple and painless. By simply following their tutorials I learned everything I needed to know to get amazing results ouf of the program. And just in a weekend (just as promised). As I continue to work in Frontpage, I occasionally come across a question I can't answer. I usually turn to the 1100 page giant first (I guess because it just LOOKS like it ought to have all the answers). But many times the solution they present is covered just as well or better in the Weekend book. My reccomendation: If you're just getting started wiht Frontpage, save the $45.00 on the big books and pluk down a quarter on "Weekend". It's money worth spent.
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