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Message from Dean - May 8th 2007
I am currently testing out a new version of the APF Bridge Component - If you notice any errors within this demo store please drop me a line.
Rating:  -
First off, I give this book a three, not because I don't think it's worth reading, but because I think there's a big missing part. I'm nearly finished reading it and working through the tutorials. Like everyone else has said, the book is very easy to read and pretty easy to follow. But in order to help readers better understand the skills and concepts, I think the author needs to challenge readers to apply what they learn in sort of workbook format. In completing the tutorials, you're presented with lots of skills and concepts, but unless you're already doing web design on your own, it's challenge to figure how to apply the skills to your own work.
After I complete each tutorial, I would go back and try to further understand what I just did. I have started my own little practice website where I'm trying to apply some of what I learned from the book.
So instead of the author spending pages and pages before each tutorial explaining concepts, it would be better to have readers practice on say a mock site. They could be given instructions for an assignment and then check their work against the finished page in the download. This approach would challenge readers to go back and apply what they learned. Maybe the author could produce some sort of workbook to go along with this book.
Also, I think some of the chapters could be supported with online video tutorials by the author. Again, at times the author presents lots of material and though it's easy to read, it's not always easy to understand.
Other than that, I do suggest working through the book. Also, I would suggest for those readers who are new to CSS, you should definitely do the work in one of the CSS editors that the author suggests in his book. Doing the tutorials in Notepad or TextEdit is not as good as doing them say with TextMate or Dreamweaver.
Finally, I would suggest that if you're new to HTML/CSS, don't start with this book. Start with HeadFirst: HTML and CSS. If I hadn't read that book first, I would have been lost in this one.
Rating:  -
This is an extremely well-written book that teaches sometimes complex techniques in a way that is easy to follow and understand. What's more, the tutorials actually work the way they're supposed to, without bugs, so you actually get a good learning experience by doing them. I've recommended this book to a number of people, the one person who bought it is going through the book now and loves it.
Rating: -
I've read a few CSS books in the past and haven't been pleased at all. When I tried some of the examples in those books, it hardly ever worked like the book said it would. Most of this was caused by browser incompatibility. Now this book, explains the way things should work and then tells you how to get around some of the browser incompatibilities. And it explains it in plain English. I've been a web developer for 13 years, so some of the things are elementary to me, but it still was worth reading for the way that it explains CSS. I've actually put off learning CSS as I am mostly a ColdFusion programmer and rely on our graphic designers for CSS, but there are those times where you need to understand why CSS is acting the way it does and this book goes a long way in explaining that. It has made my life easier, now maybe I can buy a CSS reference book and know what they are talking about.
Rating: -
I read this book cover to cover and I found it to be a pleasant read. This book explains CSS in great detail. I liked the author's presentation style. With every chapter, he introduces specific styles, gives example(s) with relevant screenshots of browser display and finally ends it with a tutorial where the reader can see the same in action. It seems to me that this is a very good way to learn something new. The book covers a lot of ground and where applicable presents the differences between browsers for the same set of styles. Specific hacking strategies for IE browser are also included. Another nice feature about this book is that it includes links to external sites that have sample code - I found this to be very useful. There is lot of good information about CSS on the internet, some of which the book does not cover but it points you in the right direction. I will recommend this book to beginners and intermediate users of CSS. This book has impressed me so much that I certainly will not hesitate to buy another book by this author (provided the topic is of interest to me). Deserves Five Stars!!!
Rating: -
The author did a great job of covering all of those items many developers use in their CSS but may not have had the time to review in detail. His book reads well and does a good job of reviewing what's supported in many current browsers, plus what "hacks" may be needed to continue to support IE 6 and below. Very well done ...
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