Rating: 
Summary: It's the only option...
Review: ...for the time being that is. This book is okay to get you started but it does lead to other questions that the book doesn't get into. I found the books web site sample applications weren't all working which was frustrating to say the least. As far as getting started, you probably could do just as well with the on line tutorials at the Macromedia web site. I did find the step by step instructions on setting up the server very helpful and much more complete than the documentation that shipped with the FCS software. In that sense it made the book worth the price yet I am waiting for better books to arrive. I would agree with others that this book was rushed to publication but at least its available. FCS is supported with Director MX but I guess this is so new the book didn't get into it.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good Resource for getting started with FlashCom
Review: After reading the last review, I felt I needed to post a comment. I am not sure where Ms. Madison is coming from, my experience after going through this book was much different. I found the exercises quite helpful with understanding new concepts with the technology. The examples presented in the manual were very "light" in their explanations where this book is quite detailed, and builds the projects up in a way that is comprehensive, and easy to follow and understand. All the code listings are available on the book's website, and even live working examples too. I did notice one missing code sample, but I am sure the author will have that available soon. I give the book a 5-star rating, for its easy-to follow approach, and its level of detail. I hope this review responds to Ms. Madison's clearly un-reflective review of this book. It is a great investment, and I love the price - I wish more computer books were priced this way.
Rating:
Summary: This book is required for serious FlashCom developers
Review: All I can say is that I totally agree with Kevin Towes. Anyone who feels that there is another book out at the moment that is better than this could be the reason why there aren't any inspirational FlashCom work out there. This is the foundation. Nothing else compares with it. Forget about the typos and work to make the projects in the book work for you. I have, so there is no excuse. Great work Kevin!
Rating: 
Summary: Typos and Errors and Ommissions, oh my!
Review: Because this book, for the time being anyway, was essentailly my only option, I bought it. If you have any programming experience what so ever - especially any experience programming ActionScript, you will find this book tedious, repetative and slow moving. It tends to repeat itself every couple of pages and provide no truly useful figures or images, but is chock full of erroneous code and typos. I'm looking forward to replacing this book as soon a a new one on the topic can be found, and I would suggest it ONLY if you truly need some reference material on FlashComm now.
Rating:
Summary: Typos and Errors and Ommissions, oh my!
Review: Because this book, for the time being anyway, was essentailly my only option, I bought it. If you have any programming experience what so ever - especially any experience programming ActionScript, you will find this book tedious, repetative and slow moving. It tends to repeat itself every couple of pages and provide no truly useful figures or images, but is chock full of erroneous code and typos. I'm looking forward to replacing this book as soon a a new one on the topic can be found, and I would suggest it ONLY if you truly need some reference material on FlashComm now.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing else was available when this book was released
Review: bugs are to be expected but they're not nearly as bad as having no books at all. There's more books on the way but for now, if you want to get started with Flash Communication Server, get this book. It will get you started in the right direction and within hours you'll be building apps from scratch.If you aren't very good with actionscript or you're looking for examples that you can use, "out of the book," chapter 16 may let you down. If you're a programmer and you have a web browser, you'll be able to find fixes for any bugs in the book through listserves. From this designer's perspective the examples worked great and helped me build several apps that are still being used today. Great job Kevin, get the site updated for the folks that can't figure out the bugs. Oh, and thanks for taking the time to make the book work for designers and not just programmers. aloha,
-Brent
Rating:
Summary: Terrible Terrible Terrible
Review: Don't believe the 5-star hype above about this book. I bought this book since it was the *only* source on flashcom and unfortunatly it currently still is. The code and examples presented are very rocky, full of errors and difficult to understand. I just about gotten half way through the book and I am utterly disgusted. Even though it may fill in a few blanks about flashcom, the fustration, confusion and frankly the price of the book is just not worth it. I feel foolish as I figured since I am a 7 year veteran of Flash and have extensive programming experience that I could hack through this book even though it had poor reviews. I thought perhaps it may be of some value to my study of flashcom. Boy was I wrong, its not even a decent reference. Don't support incompetent authors/publishers by shelling out your money for this one.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible Terrible Terrible
Review: Don't believe the 5-star hype above about this book. I bought this book since it was the *only* source on flashcom and unfortunatly it currently still is. The code and examples presented are very rocky, full of errors and difficult to understand. I just about gotten half way through the book and I am utterly disgusted. Even though it may fill in a few blanks about flashcom, the fustration, confusion and frankly the price of the book is just not worth it. I feel foolish as I figured since I am a 7 year veteran of Flash and have extensive programming experience that I could hack through this book even though it had poor reviews. I thought perhaps it may be of some value to my study of flashcom. Boy was I wrong, its not even a decent reference. Don't support incompetent authors/publishers by shelling out your money for this one.
Rating:
Summary: not recommended at all
Review: I *was* excited to get this book - it is one of the first books out on the subject. After using Flash for years, and using MX almost exclusively since its release, I was anticipating jumping into Flash Communication Server once a book came out on the subject. I was looking forward to see something "real world" beyond the documentation. But surprise, surprise. This book gives you very little more than what is already free when you get the software. And get this - the documentation has fewer errors than this book has! Now that's bad. This book is apparently written by one of the foremost members of the Flash community (or so he calls himself in the book). So I was looking forward to some expert advice on the subject - but honstly, I couldn't find it anywhere in this title. This book is so full of errors -- there is sometimes even several errors on the very same page! Some irritating things like semi-colons after include statements. Code that causes whole examples not to work properly. Nothing to be found in the errata area to clear things up. Cannot seem to get a reply from the author to find out. And more "poor form" all around to shake a stick at. I'd like to see something that goes beyond what's free, teaches you some (good) code, uses good form, and gives you some real world "oomph" and relevant. This book does none of the above, and I do not recommend it at all. Not only that, but it is a small book, and in around the most expensive out there.
Rating:
Summary: No Stars! Don't buy this book
Review: I bought this book, because one of the chapter authors told me that the type of application I was trying to build was covered extensively in the book. What a mistake. This book is confusing, full of mistakes and the exercises have errors in them, leading to a very frustrating learning experience if you aren't already a Flash MX guru. Do yourself a favor and pass on it.
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