Dynamic HTML: The HTML Developer's Guide 1st Edition

Good how-to guide for quick applications of DHTML. Good use of sample code. However, some techniques are dated because this book is a few yrs. ago. Good base intro.... Not a comprehensive reference book to DHTML. For that, get Dynamic HTML Definitive Guide by Goodman, O'Rielly. Recommend as a great primer to DHTML.

Jeff Rule has addressed the issues that many professionals nowadays encounter, DEVELOPING a cross-browser website that maintains the look and feel as well as the functionality using DHTML. I found this book to be an excellent resource and the code included in the text to be very helpful. Good Job Jeff, I look forward to more books from you.

This book is a how-to-do-it manual of DHTML. The preface and first 2 chapters give some very interesting background into what DHTML is, how it was developed, and why developers have to work so hard to make pages cross-browser compatible. Subsequent chapters discuss mouseovers, transitions, resizing graphics, pull-down menus, drag-and-drop, animations, and sequencing. The author assumes that the user has a basic knowledge of the components of DHTML: HTML, cascading style sheets, and JavaScript. He gives the complete HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code for each example, together with a brief description of how each chunk of the code fits together. Users who are not familiar with all the components of DHTML may find the descriptions too terse to follow.Unlike many Web designers who assume they can dictate to their users what browser and platform they must use, Rule has had to go out of his way in his work for the Discovery Channel to make his designs work on all conceivable browsers. For this reason, he devotes a great deal of energy to explaining differences between browsers and how to make each task work on different browsers. The usual structure for each chapter is first a brief introduction to the task (such as animations), a description of what the task does, technical limits, underlying technology, and finally examples. The examples section always includes separate sections for how to make the design work in Internet Explorer, in Netscape, and cross-platform.The actual example scripts are not as clear as they could be. They are all presented in courier-bold with line numbers and no indentation. Although this certainly makes them easy to distinguish, they can be rather fatiguing to read.One very useful feature of the book is its glossary, where technical terms such as "object detection" or "sprite control" are defined in clear language. The book has also a companion Website where sample code can be downloaded.

After seeing all the five star reviews I thought this must be the book I needed - how wrong I was. I'm a seasoned web developer needing a really chunky tutorial on DHTML, and this book ain't it. Jeff kicks off with a general intro to CSS and the DOM - ok but not brilliant, better info exist on the web. Then things go downhill. All his DHTML applications are mundane at best (image rollovers, weedy pull downs) or downright obscure at worst (MS channels). Code is NOT explained line by line and you are not left with the feeling you can do it yourself. As long as you want to add Jeff's example into your pages then you're golden, if you want to learn the underlying principles and then develop your own stuff...forget it! And despite the blurb it ain't cross platform, its two scripts and some detect. Shame on you.

I cannot speak too highly of this book, nor of its accompanying Web Site. I run my own Web Site and, although an amateur, I found HTML and JavaScript reasonably manageable. I confess, however, that I baulked at moving on to DHTML for 4- and 5-level Browsers. It all seemed just too daunting - until I discovered Jeff Rule's excellent 'Dynamic HTML'.The book is beautifully presented and written, and, unlike so many computer and internet textbooks, avoids jargon and that ever-so irritating teenage juvenile style! Moreover, I found it all accessible, and the concepts are built up slowly and sensibly. A key feature is the careful dissection of the Scripts as you move along.The book is absolutely superb on cross-browser and platform problems between Netscape and Internet Explorer (which are too often ignored by Web Masters) and this make the Scripting highly practical. I also found the Scripts to be of genuine value and not just 'nerdy' inventions, especially those dealing with animations, drag and drop, transitions, filters, and menus.The publishers are also to be congratulated on producing a clean, unfussy, adult text, with a simple use of bold and tables. There is a helpful Glossary and two final Chapters on 'The Future' and 'Dynamic HTML Authoring Tools', such as 'Dreamweaver'.All in all, therefore, a model text. The supporting Web Site is just as helpful and is likewise highly recommended. And it all works! Not an Alert anywhere!Thanks to Mr. Rule for a book which genuinely helps the amateur Web Page designer, but doesn't insult her/his intelligence.Philip Stott, London, UK

One thing I liked about this book is that it introduced me to many concepts in HTML and interactive webpages that I did not previously know. This book is easy to read, and easy to follow. This is a great book for intermediate web developers. This book really got me thinking about cool ideas to make my webpages more interactive and more exciting. This book does do a good job of providing explanations on coding for Netscape, as much as you can do that. I was dissapointed that many of the URL demos listed in the book are no longer working URL's. Some topics didn't go into as much detail as I would have liked. This book doesn't make a great reference book, but then I suppose it's not supposed to be. This is overall a great book, and I recommend it for anyone who wants to add more spice to their webpages