Dreamweaver for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: I sure was glad to find this book.
Review: Being new to Web design, I sometimes feel like a true "dummy" when I'm trying to get the HTML to do what I want it to. This book was written to my level and made lots of things easy to understand. For example, the author explained exactly when to use JPG vs GIF and how to use tables to arrange graphics. She also helped me understand transparency -- when to use it and how. I certainly recommend Warner's Dreamweaver for Dummies to any other Web site neophytes.

Rating:
Summary: I sure was glad to find this book.
Review: Being new to Web design, I sometimes feel like a true "dummy" when I'm trying to get the HTML to do what I want it to. This book was written to my level and made lots of things easy to understand. For example, the author explained exactly when to use JPG vs GIF and how to use tables to arrange graphics. She also helped me understand transparency -- when to use it and how. I certainly recommend Warner's Dreamweaver for Dummies to any other Web site neophytes.

Rating:
Summary: Great beginning introduction
Review: I did not need this book. Dreamweaver is a relatively easy program to get through the basics, which is the extent of the content in this book. After a couple of hours, I had finished all of the content and I was not even sweating. ;->

This book is a nice introduction for those who need one. If you are a full fledged programming type, you would be best to look elsewhere. This book does not cover enough of the advanced material to make it worthwhile.

However, it is nicely written for beginners to HTML, who are starting out with Dreamweaver as their first editor. It is also a great book for those who find Macromedia's methodology to be similar to learning a foreign language, as I do.

What the book covers: 1. The Dreamweaver application and its windows. 2. WYSIWYG editing and the HTML editors bundled with the program. 3. Basic DHTML and how to design for multiple browsers. 4. Coverage of the many nice features, including pre-loading of graphics, add "rollovers" and a basic idea of moving sites to Dreamweaver from other HTML editing programs. 5. HTML features like tables and frames. 6. Cascading Style Sheets. 7. An intorduction to the author's ideas on good web design and optimizing a site.

What is missing: 1. Advanced features like creating your own behaviors and objects. 2. A thorough explanation of how to use Dreamweaver alongside of other HTML programs. For example, it would be nice to note that Dreamweaver can work very nicely with FrontPage. Use FrontPage for management and Dreamweaver to add sparkle.

Overall, this book is nice if you are beginning to work with HTML or do not have the time to experiment with Dreamweaver. It is also nice for those who need a little boost on the easy way to create DHTML effects and create these pages in a manner that works with all 4.0 browsers, while offering support for non-DHTML browsers as well. If you are looking for something more advanced, I would look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Poorly edited copy spoiled an otherwise decent introduction
Review: The content is a fine introduction to the basics, as a previous reviewer remarked. Within 3 hours though, I had dumped the book and was well beyond its scope just by exploring the trial copy of the software (included).

However, I do have one huge complaint. The author and publisher have no business charging the cover price for a book they haven't bothered to spell-check or proof read. I found countless spelling and grammar errors (sometimes several on the same page) in my copy. In a technical book, where I tend to read every word, I find this very distracting.