Horrible book
I bought this book from BarnesNoble hoping to get off to a reasonable start on learning XML. What I discovered is a
complete jumble of repeated ideas, technical jargon, incomplete explanations, and lack of examples. I have read many
"For Dummies" books in the past and they were all very good. I don't understand how this one actually made it thru to
the publisher. The "For Dummies" series must be cutting costs or undergoing new management or something. I actually
came on Amazon to warn other people about spending money on this book. And I found a whole load of people beat
me to the punch.
If you are still considering buying this book, please read this word-by-word quote taken from the very FIRST INTRODUCTORY
chapter of this book. The author is ATTEMPTING to explain what an attribute is: (An attribute is one of the most fundamental
ideas in XML. Here is his explanation.)
(Taken from Chapter ONE: XML Basics - Getting to Know XML)
"Attribute: In XML, a property associated with an XML element that's also a named characteristic of the element. An attribute
also provides additional data about an element, independent of element content."
Uhh...okay there. I've programmed in several other languages before and this explanation just plain sucks for someone
who's never written a word of XML. It sounds like something I read out of my CS textbook when I was in college.
Anyways, if this excerpt from the book isn't enough to convince you what a piece of garbage it is, maybe the
40+ reviews posted earlier than mine will.
Guided Tour of XML Tech
If terms like "the new web" and acronyms like RSS, SOAP and SMIL are showing up on your "need to know" radar screen with increasing frequency; if you're not quite sure what the alphabet soup is all about and haven't a clue where to begin; if you've heard the XML hype but aren't certain what, if anything, it has to offer you, this book is for you.
Written in the signature tongue-in-cheek "For Dummies" style, "XML for Dummies" guides the reader on a tour of XML and its satellites. It covers the basics in enough depth for you to grasp its power and possibilities without overwhelming with too much detail. Its goal is to introduce the reader to the XML family; clarify its parts, their purpose and how they fit together; identify software tools for dealing with these technologies; and provide extensive resources for further education. Its global approach succeeds in these.
XML alone is not difficult. The authors go to some length to lower the intimidation factor by clearly explaining XML basics and following up with an introduction to DTDs, Schemas and XSL(T). They don't make the mistake of trying to turn a beginner into an XML pro, however, and wisely provide a list of links and books which cover these subjects--which are more complex than XML itself--in depth. The book is extensively cross-referenced, so if you find yourself trying to remember a particular point covered in an earlier chapter, there is sure to be a helpful cross-reference note within the explanatory text.
For the more business-oriented, there are step-by-step instructions on producing XML documents with the MS Office 2003 suite. Those who are primarily web-oriented can skip these sections, however, without any loss of continuity.
I came to the book with a basic understanding of XML and DTDs (though that certainly isn't necessary), but I had a lot of questions about some of XML's other aspects: Schemas, XSL(T), XForms, RSS, SOAP, etc. The book answered those questions and gave me a whole list of references for further study. Whether you're a complete novice or an inquiring mind not sure what aspect of XML to pursue next, "XML for Dummies" offers an accessible on-ramp to the XML highway and a roadmap to help you get where you want to go.
Excellent Intro to XML
This book makes for a very good intoduction to XML, it points out the basics, and thats all you really need to know, XML is very simple. Most the critics who gave this book low reviews, were looking for a book on XML web services, and such. Please do not expect to learn that from this book.
Buy the 3rd Edition!
Unfortunutely I purchased this book without scanning further for the other volumes of this book.Great book but too old as it includes no information about Schemas or Web Services. However, the same book title, but the 3rd Edition is worth buying.
Should be Called XML Jargon Instead
The author may know his stuff. In fact, he may know it too well to teach it, as this book is full of terms and acronyms that are used within the text before being fully explained. You'll find yourself re-reading everything four times, trying to remember the difference between elements and entities, XSL and XML. Clearly the author loves the new technology and wants you to as well, but he doesn't explain it very well. Get XML Step By Step from MS Press if you want to actually learn this stuff.
(49 reviews)
