Dreamweaver 4 f/x and Design

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time!
Review: Another reviewer said it best: "The directions and files provided for the sample projects are THE WRONG FILES! Also, they confusing and inadequate. This is -- by far -- the worst computer book I have ever read. I only wish I could get a refund. Buyer beware!" DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY! I WON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS AUTHOR (or so-called author) EVER AGAIN!

Rating:
Summary: My favorite Christmas present!
Review: I received a copy of this book from my employer for Christmas. I had been putting our web site together and even though I had a basic sense of how Dreamweaver works, I was struggling to do things that I knew had to be easier to do. This book and its projects were just "what the doctor ordered" and the site's been falling together quite nicely now that I know the more effective ways to make Dreamweaver do its job. I even felt brave enough to try using Flash, just from the comfort-level this book gave me with Dreamweaver. I feel very empowered, and I have Ms. Ulrich to thank for it! If you need to learn Dreamweaver and want to do more than just basic stuff, you need this book. And don't wait for Christmas or your birthday and hope someone gives it to you!!

Rating:
Summary: Ignores Mac users - pretty shoddy
Review: It wouldn't have been so bad had they titled this book "Dreamweaver 4 f/x for WINDOWS", but they didn't do that.

Everything in this book is PC-centric. All keyboard shortcuts, the CD (there was at least one file that wouldn't open in my Mac) and all instructions. The author takes pains to give step-by-step instructions for certain tasks, like "Go to your C Drive", etc. etc. This information is utterly *useless* for the Mac user, since no such instructions are given for the Mac platform. It's like the Mac doesn't exist in the author's universe. Sorry, we do exist, and we do buy Dreamweaver books. Really!

It is true, many functions are identical in Mac *and* PC, so a lot of the step-by-step instructions given in the book will be the same on either platform. But not all functions are the same. And it does begin to grate after a while, to see that apparently it never even occurred to the author to aknowledge this. So, if you are a "newbie" Mac user and really need step-by-step instructions for *everything*, be warned. DON'T BUY THIS BOOK! It is certainly NOT meant for you.

I paid a lot of money for this book. I expect that I should be able to use every bit of it. I am utterly astonished that the publisher and author did not try to cater to as many potential customers as possible. It would have taken very little extra effort to make at least some feeble *stab* at acknowledging Mac users, (on the CD, at least) but no such attempt was made. Why? Doesn't the author realize that many Mac users are design-oriented, and are big Dreamweaver users? Why alienate even a small portion of your potential patrons? I am confused. I have bought *many* design-related software books (for Photoshop, etc.) and never, NEVER have I seen one neglect the Mac contingent. Never.

If Macromedia didn't care about the Mac platform, they'd have never developed a Mac version of Dreamweaver. Too bad the author of this book forgot that.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite Christmas present!
Review: Laurie Ulrich's book was just what I personally needed, and professionally, I recommend it to my students (I teach web design) and have used it successfully in class. Most Dreamweaver books show you how to use the features and then leave it up to you to find good ways to put the software to work. This book takes a better approach, and shows you how to use Dreamweaver from a designer's perspective. Each feature of the software is demonstrated with practical and attractive examples of how the feature can be used to create good looking and functional web content.

The book's color pages (a group of glossy full color pages in the middle of the book)shows that the author is really an artist and designer, not just someone who happens to know how to use Dreamweaver. As a teacher, this appeals to me, because I know the value of real experience in the classroom, and it's just as valuable in books!

I use the book in Intro-level web design classes, and in advanced classes as well, so I recommend it to people who are new to Dreamweaver as well as to people who know the software pretty well but need help in how to take what they know and use it to make attractive web sites.

If more people read this book, the web would be a much better looking place!

Rating:
Summary: disappointing in all respects
Review: The front cover of the book says this is a "Guide to Advanced Design Features" and the back cover rates the book as "User Level: Intermediate to Advanced. I don't believe that is an accurate description at all.
The examples have designs that may have looked okay 6 or 7 years ago, but I think they are just terrible. The directions and files provided for the sample projects are confusing and inadequate.
This is -- by far -- the worst computer book I have ever read. I only wish I could get a refund. Buyer beware!

Rating:
Summary: great tips and techniques for MAC and PC users
Review: This book got my attention because I saw the color images in it; the author created really good examples of how Dreamweaver can be used to design both beautiful and functional web pages. I'd been using FrontPage at work to do web design, and had Dreamweaver on my Mac at home, and have decided that Dreamweaver is a much better tool. This book has really helped me master Dreamweaver, and some of the ideas I've gotten, even though they're harder to put to use in FrontPage, have even helped me at work.

One of the other reviewers said the book left MAC users out, but I disagree completely. I use a Mac at home and that's the only place I have Dreamweaver installed (but I'm trying to get them to switch to it at work, where we have PC's). I didn't have any trouble using this book with my MAC, and wasn't put off at all by the author's using a PC when she wrote the book. It doesn't make a difference at all.

I recommend this book to anyone who uses Dreamweaver in a PC or MAC platform, and to anyone who wants to improve their web pages. The ideas and tips in this book will help make your pages better looking and better working too.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference
Review: This is a excellent source for either novice or intemediate Dreamweaver users. This book not only describes how to do certain steps, but it demonstrates it to you also. Great job Ms. Ulrich!!!