Hey! Who are you calling a Dummy!
Written: Jan 07 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice Price! Great Cheat Sheet! Easy to use size.
Cons: Hard to locate answers to specific questions; sometimes too advanced for us "dummies."
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| readnbead's Full Review: Deborah S. Ray and Eric J. Ray - Html 4 for Dummie... |
My HTML needs tend to be on the simple side, so in looking for a print based guide, I naturally thought of the “Dummies” series of reference books. The HTML 4 for Dummies Quick Reference seemed to be the perfect book, both content wise and price wise.
The book is packaged very nicely, in fact. It is a compact 5.5 x 8.5 inch format, with a nice spiral binding. My favorite feature is the Cheat Sheet which is printed on a sturdy, heavy paper, and is perforated for removal. The “cheat sheet” contains the html numbers for 216 consistent and reliable colors for use on your web pages. This is a fantastic reference to have, if you haven’t got them all memorized!
This reference book is sectioned into the following parts:
Introduction The introduction covers the book’s organization, and basically how to use the book. It will give you a general idea of what you can and can’t get from the guide.
Part I: Answering the Basic Question about HTML: This section covers some HTML basics, then goes more in depth into creating HTML documents. There is also a discussion of editors, browsers, FTP software and Image-editing software.
This topic is covered in only 3 pages, so don’t expect an intensive treatment of the subject! On the other hand, it does give a basic overview of these topics, and is an excellent starting point. Volumes of information can be found for any of these areas, if further information is needed.
Part I continues with the basics of publishing an HTML document, and some other good ideas, such as borrowing ideas and taking it one step at a time.
Part II: Creating an HTML Page This section covers many types of tags, and how to include them in your document. Examples are the HTML, HEAD, TITLE, META and BODY tags. In addition, it discusses the use of tags to make headings, paragraphs and lists, as well as emphasizing text and setting off text.
Part III: Spinning your HTML Web This section covers links, URL’s, and the information you’ll need to link parts of your website together, and to the Internet as a whole.
Part IV: Using Images in Your Web Pages Everything you need to know including choosing colors, download speed issues, size, alignment, spacing and more.
Part V: Making Effective Web Pages Learn about tables, line breaks, e-mail links, backgrounds, and the use of text and link colors.
Part VI: Serving HTML to the World A discussion of servers, counters, forms, lists and other items.
Part VII: Framing Your Site All about frames, links and targets.
Part VIII: Developing Style Sheets Just what it says! Learn how to embed and link style sheets.
Part IX: Developing Your Web Site: Putting it All TogetherThe final wrap up you’ll need to get a grip on this HTML thing! It covers content, organization, home pages, navigation tools and testing your web site.
The book has a nice, organized structure, which SHOULD make it easy to find what you need. However...
If you’re like me, the only time you really use any html is when you’re writing an Epinion, constructing your “About Me” page on eBay, or just fooling around with a free home page! For that reason, I would have liked this book to be even SIMPLER than it is! I think what I really need is just a series of lists and cheat sheets, with the most commonly used tags for a document. You’ll find that, and much more in this quick reference guide by “the dummies” people.
While the book is very handy and useful, I do think it is a bit complex for the newbie, as I’ve had trouble locating the answer to simple questions in the book, such as “how the heck do I center this graphic on the page?” I’m sure the answer is in there, it’s just hard to locate!
Nevertheless, HTML 4 for Dummies is a good choice for those who are starting down the road to building a home site or personal web page. Just remember, practice makes perfect! Armed with the book, creativity, the willingness to experiment and perhaps even a mentor (!) you should be able to get your first page up in no time!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
readnbead
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Reviews written: 70
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Teacher, mother of 2, wife. Opinions on games, household, travel, restaurants, family, computers and more!
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