HTML: Your visual blueprint for designing effective Web pages with HTML, CSS, and XHTML

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Visual (May 27, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 076458331X
ISBN-13: 978-0764583315
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8 x 1.1 inches







HTML

Welcome to the only guidebook series that takes a visual approach to professional-level computer topics. Open the book and you'll discover step-by-step screen shots that demonstrate over 130 key Web page creation techniques, including:
Adding images to a Web page
Formatting text
Developing and linking to anchors
Creating an image map
Constructing rules for style sheets
Adjusting text properties
Creating forms, check boxes, and radio buttons
Using format tags
Validating your code

Offers professional-level instruction in Web page design in a unique visual format, with most tasks demonstrated on self-contained two-page spreads
Key tasks covered include setting up a Web page, reducing image resolution, creating radio buttons, adding a hit counter, creating an inline frame, and adding an embedded sound
High-resolution screen shots accompanied by succinct explanations clearly illustrate each task, while "Apply It" and "Extra" sidebars highlight useful tips
Companion Web site features all the code that appears in the text-ready to plug into the user's Web pages

User Review:
I bought this book because I wanted to learn CSS and, apart from this being the only book in my local store that covered CSS, I thought learning HTML and XHTML would be a bonus. The fact that the book covers the whole lot is a very good idea, the execution, however, leaves much to be desired.

I am currently up to page 88, so this is not a review of the entire book, but I felt so strongly about warning people I had to write now. I am already looking on Amazon for alternatives.

1. Errors: There are errors in the text and the images, some more serious than others, that can leave you confused and scrambling around various resources for answers.

2. The visual style is the only saving grace behind this book, because it's only through the pictures that I can understand what's going on. The copy itself is like reading a bad technical manual.

4. The approach seems utterly uncohesive and at no point do you actually feel you're progressing towards building anything. Each page reads as if they took their appendices and simply explained them, rather than building up a more profound understanding of what is essentially learning a new language.

This series of books has some very good consumer feedback, and I am sure other titles are very good, because the idea behind the format is essentially a sound one, but it really looks as if a minimum of thought and care went into producing this one and I cannot recommend it to anyone.

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