Rating:  - As always a great product from QuickStart
I have used QuickStart books for a number of years to get into/get started with new technology and software, and they have consistantly impressed. This book keeps up the tradition. I highly recommend it. A great resource for anyone getting into, or improving their knowledge of JavaScript. Go buy it, you won't be sorry.
Rating: - Great "How To" and "WHY"
I am one of the most impatient programmers on the face of the earth. In fact, I have been in professional services for years because it takes to long to realize results with traditional programming. Web development has sucked me back into the fray, and I enjoy the immediacy of the langugages involved. Code it -- look at it! Works perfectly for me! However, I am now a senior analyst, and nothing in my job description calls for these skills.
As the new director of technology (website guru) for my professional association, I found myself at a loss. I know HTML, and a smattering of java, but knew nothing about PHP, CSS, real JAVA programming or MySQL, which are the basis for our group's website. I took over in January of 2006, with a major symposium scheduled for March 2006. Everything and it's grandmother needed to be released on that site, which had been neglected over the past year (the old DOT was sent to Iraq!). In short order, I needed to know it all and do it all. This same review will be used for the Java and PHP/MySQL books. THESE BOOKS ARE A LIFESAVER! From building forms in HTML (I had never had to do this before), to creating style sheets, to writing java code to manipulating the MySQL database with PHP files, I have found the instructions so clear and easy to use that when I am in a hurry, I can just do stuff. Later, I can go back to the book to understand what I did, how it was actually done, and why it was successfully. When I really take my time, the tutorials are invaluable.
Obviously, I recommend this book. Novices will be led gently by the hand; the more experienced will find better ways of doiing things, and the impatient can get it done quickly. Excellent deal.
Rating: - Great condition. Arrived quickly.
I had no trouble with this transaction. The book arrived in new condition ahead of scheduled arrival time. Thanks.
Rating:  - A bit disappointing
The only reason I chose this book was because of the price, and I guess you get what you pay for.
This book is for beginners, but it is still extremely elementary. The amount of interesting information is very limited. It covers the basic elements and tricks with Javascript, but nothing with much depth or significance. The book is littered with empty columns, and extraneously repetitive HTML code in examples.
Even for beginner, the example codes - while providing simple functionalities - look more complex than they need to be. Things that can be comfortably coded on one line gets expanded into its own function doing more than it really needs.
That said, for absolute beginner, this can be a non-intimidating starter guidebook, but be prepared to get another book to do anything more than superficial Javascripting. Things it does cover include syntax, image rollovers, form validation and regex, and some DHTML.
Ultimately, where this book lost two stars is in its failure as a referenceable book. It is simply much too difficult to find things you need inside the book. Even if you know what you want to do, and you are in need of a particular line of code, you will have to leaf through pages of stuff.
It does have a redeeming feature, which is a pretty complete table on Javascript objects. It also has a 7 page CSS2 reference.
Javascript can get very tricky and complex fast. I'm getting another book.
Rating: - Fair attempt, but misses several core items.
The material is covered using examples which are often too printed to small to read. Also, the DOM (Document Object Model) which is the core for using Javascript professionally is all but ignored.
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