| | |  | Computer Security | Home » » DHTML Utopia Modern Web Design Using JavaScript & DOM | | | | | | | Description: | | "Create Killer Websites Using the Power of Modern JavaScript" DHTML Utopia is an easy-to-follow, step-by-step tutorial that will show you how to make your websites more slick, dynamic, and usable.
Add dynamic interactivity to your website with DHTML by combining the power of JavaScript, Cascading Style Sheets(CSS), and the Document Object Model (DOM) to achieve bulletproof, accessible, standards-compliant, and aesthetically pleasing results that work on all browsers. - Build fancy DHTML effects that can be instantly reused in any project
- Learn to code accessible JavaScript that won't trouble older browsers
- Make search engine friendly, multi-level, drop-down navigation menus
- Create usable forms that auto-complete, just like "Google Suggest"
- Build dynamic web applications using remote scripting techniques/Ajax
| | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Stuart Langridge | | Paperback:
| 318 pages | | Publisher:
| SitePoint | | Publication Date:
| June 08, 2005 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0957921896 | | Product Length:
| 9.2 inches | | Product Width:
| 7.08 inches | | Product Height:
| 0.72 inches | | Product Weight:
| 1.24 pounds | | Package Length:
| 8.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 7.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.8 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.3 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 21 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 21 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 56 found the following review helpful:
New things happening with JavaScriptJun 11, 2005
By Brett Merkey
In the past year I have seen some impressive yet close to incomprehensible scripts that show a new direction in JavaScript. We can find syntax and approaches so different from the standard practice most of us implement. Unfortunately, the scripters who have grasped the new techniques have shown little interest in explaining the new approach. Their examples published on the Web have a "show-offy" character that do little to communicate or proselytize.
For that reason, I was eager to study this book since it promised to deal with some of the new approaches, including the syntax. I have learned a lot from the author who early on made pains to keep me running apace. Regretfully, the author seemed to be less and less concerned with keeping me with him as the book progressed. The first 4 chapters were the clearest.
Part of the problem was mine. Since the book did not seem to be organized in a linear fashion, I skipped Ch. 5 on animation. I design Web applications so I associate animation with script kiddies and popup ad makers. Ch. 6, on form validation, was up my alley but following the author was painful because he kept referring to a variable "fV" that was defined with a self-referential, bizarrely nested syntax. Only at the end of the chapter did he mention that Ch. 5 first used this syntax. I had to go back to the previous chapter to get a clue. But only a clue because that chapter never really tried to explain why this extremely unconventional approach was used.
The author early on tries to make the case that his approach is better than the conventional one. I *think* I agree but as the chapters progressed, he made less and less effort to prove anything at all. I was very disappointed in this. I also did not like the odd way the braces in the scripts were handled. Because he did not line them up well, it was difficult to tell when a section of a script began or ended. The author recognized this in some cases by putting in comments:
} /* end 'if' */
} /* end 'for' */
It would have been better to match braces visibly. Yes, code alignment is a matter of taste so I cannot really hold that against him.
Some examples did not work quite as advertised. The type-ahead dropdown script did not work at all in Windows Firefox and worked only erratically in IE.
I liked the way the author oriented his examples to user-centered design. Ultimately, the key to the best implementations of JavaScripting is not the syntactical approach but how the functionality fits into the usability of what you are doing.
21 of 23 found the following review helpful:
 Avoid this like the plagueFeb 20, 2006
By Jon Hanlon
This is without doubt the worst book on DHTML/Javascript that I've ever read. The author tries to be cute, funny and authorative but ends up just plain painful. The examples are over-long and artificial, and would be difficult to incorporate into a real world application. The author peppers the book with snazzy shots like "It's the modern way!" but rarely explains the benefits of the methodology he's pushing, and glosses over any shortcomings.
For instance, in discussing regular expressions he provides a simple expression for a telephone number, then points out that it's seriously flawed. But it's "suitable for our discussion" so onward we press, and a correct solution is never provided. Bad luck if you were after such a beast. (Footnotes abound - often just URLs to now broken links - so you have to wonder why he couldn't have provided the solution at the bottom of the page.) The part on Ajax is a joke - he just plugs in an out-of-date version of the Sarissa library and never scratches below the surface.
Beware.
17 of 18 found the following review helpful:
Advanced, but terseJun 23, 2005
By Jack D. Herrington
"engineer and author"
There is some great cutting edge stuff in here. If you know what you are doing already and want to get a jump start into Ajax then this is a good book for you. My problem with it is that the text relies too heavily on the code to convey the message. Which means that the book is better for advanced readers. I also would have appreciated some more emphasis on what works cross browser and how to handle older browsers.
13 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Learn some cool techniquesSep 02, 2005
By Michael Bodily
Like a lot of the other reviewers, I found the first few chapters the most helpful. If you are willing to completely ignore non-DOM compliant browsers (which we should all be migrating to anyway) then there are some cool techniques that you can learn here.
The only bit I don't like about this book is that you often get yourself into something without really learning much about it. If you've never been exposed to regular expressions before, then you might find it difficult to adapt his cool rollover techniques to other uses... for example using regular expressions to dynamically change the className of a div tag, for example.
Same thing with objects. After he introduces them, he doesn't do to much to explain to you how to use them to your full advantage. He gives you a quick overview and you say to yourself "this is cool stuff", but it would be hard if you've never been exposed to objects in javascript to adapt this knowlege towards other applications within javascript.
The book isn't tremendously long, and so part of the reason for all this might be the target length of the book. Nonetheless, he throws you a bone with a bit of gravy, but if you're trying to find the steak, you're outta luck.
BUT! If you can grasp onto the concepts, then this book is a definate eye opener. I have been able to leverage his examples in many pages at my work thus easing my overall programming burdon. I have found that many of his scripts take a bit of set up to get working, but they all fulfill the promise that after you get them up and running you can geniunely plop them onto any other page and they will work. Pretty cool stuff.
Michael Bodily
Mission Viejo, CA
19 of 22 found the following review helpful:
Good amount of up to date techniquesJun 17, 2005
By Foti Massimo
It's refreshing to finally see similar books hitting the market. There is a strong need to cover a modern approach to JavaScript programming, many old hacks aren't required anymore and this book showcase a good amount of up to date techniques. The whole book is 100% practical oriented and assume previous experience with client-side webdeveloping. Organization among the chapters is somewhat lacking but the examples are usually quite easy to follow. I especially appreciated how the author try to follow standards as much as possible, but he keeps a pragmatic attitude when the need arise.
See all 21 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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