Good, but outdated
This book is pretty good for someone who wants to learn the basics of the process of web design as well as plenty of useful tidbits of information.
However, the main problem is that this book is in sore need of an updating. For example, the author uses Internet Explorer for Mac which was discontinued over five years ago. Or there are references to Macromedia software programs (which are currently owned by Adobe) and so there will be some differences in current versions. Also, in this day and age when open source software like Inkscape and the GIMP are options, they should at least have some mention. The status of current Mac OS X-available software, as well as other modern tools and software programs for that matter, are also outdated. Other basic info, such as the support level for PNG, the existence of SVG, common screen sizes, current Mac screen resolutions, new HTML technologies, current printer prices and features, etc., are outdated, so take everything with a grain of salt, and make sure that you already have some basic knowledge of modern technology.
Nevertheless, although I have bought several Dummies books relating to building websites, this is my favorite. It's fun to read, very understandable, and is IMO indispensable for someone who wants to design a really good website.
For coding, though, there is only limited information. The W3Schools website or special books for HTML/CSS/PHP/Java are needed for that.
And a note to the author: "Lorem ipsum" is not Greek. It is written in a non-classical form of Latin used for what is called "Greeking". Let's hope for a 3rd Edition, huh?
Solid
This book is very solid. It does not emphasize HTML, etc., but is good for more general ideas about what makes sense for layout of pages, etc.
Great, Until I Got Lost....
Let's face it, if you've chosen this book, you admit to having little to no knowledge about web design. In other words, you admit you are "dumb" when it comes to the topic, and hope that the author understands you need to start from point zero and go to one-million by the end of the book. This author did a pretty good job in the first half of the book. I actually started a little website on my computer and was learning the "html" language feeling good about my brain accepting the new in-load of material. Then suddenly, half-way through the book the "basics" seemed to turn into the "real" material as if the reader should know by now what "1 + 1" was and that now it was time to move to quadratic equations. I tried to read over and over what she was attempting to convey, and do what I was supposed to on my little website. Something about the type of software use and the multi-dimensions in cyberspace that I was to grasp didn't grasp me at all (or I didn't grasp it but it slipped out of my hands). If you don't get the concept on page 1, you should not proceed to page 2. So when I encountered this "block" I never got passed it. The book is still waiting for me to figure out the second half.....like I'll need a face-to-face class to get to that point, and the reason why I bought the book was to avoid an expensive class. I would re-name this book, "....for Intermediates" instead of "Dummies".
Good Colorful Pages
This book was a good beginning to learning how to plan and implement a Web site. This book is absolutely not for individuals who are looking to get some design or development skills because it solely acts as a tool to help with Web site project management and implementation.
Because every site should undergo these steps, this is a great book for those who are just beginning to get into Web design and creation. For those pros who want to look back at maybe something that was missed, this book will not help out too much, but could give a refresher on what is a good practice.
I will say though, this book does gloss over many topics, so in order to get the best out of it, when it references a computer program or task that you might not understand, I would do a little more research before going farther into the book.
An example is that it references Microsoft Project several times. If you are new to project management and just want a site with some pictures on it, this is where it begins to get a little technical, but not too much that you aren't able to grasp the basic concepts of site design and implementation.
I like the fact that this book drills best practices and proves why they are called best practices for Web design. I would recommend it with very little reservation, but that's just me...
AIN'T FOR NEWBIES!!
I've always resected the "Dummies" for their simplicity, however, this book is strictly for "near" or wannbe professionals! I do not reccommend this book for the people who want to build their own websites.
