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Summary: The Return of the Least Weasel
Review: When a book is as good as this one, later editions can't improve it; they can only update it.That's what this one does. The second edition of Jennifer Niederst's comprehensive reference on web design now takes account of HTML 4.01; the stuff on browsers takes account of Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and Netscape 6. And what else is there to say? Just like the first edition (but with a handful of additional topics and updates to the existing ones), this volume provides a thorough "desktop quick reference" on the entire spectrum of web design -- a general introduction to and overview of the Web itself; authoring using HTML, cascading style sheets, and server side includes; graphics (GIF, JPEG, and PNG formats, colors, and animation); multimedia (audio, video, Flash, Shockwave, and introductory Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language); and advanced topics like JavaScript, DHTML, XML, XHTML, WAP, and WML. The appendices still provide easily-thumbable tables of HTML elements, attributes, tags nobody officially likes anymore, proprietary (i.e., browser-specific) tags, a chart showing which browsers support which CSS features, and all the special characters you can use in HTML (you know, &#these; &#things;). And you probably also already know who Jen Niederst is; if not, go read my review of her book _Learning Web Design_, which you should buy first anyway if you're new to the subject. Anyway, she's a terrific writer with intimate knowledge of all the little details you need to know in order to do web design effectively; guides just don't come any better. You know all of this already if you have the first edition. If not, then all you need to know is that this is an updated version of -- no contest -- the best available single-volume reference on web design, written by -- no contest -- the person best qualified to write it. It's complete; it's accessible; it's well-designed; it's O'Reilly. Oh -- and the "least weasel" is the species of weasel pictured on the cover.
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Summary: The most useful web development reference available
Review: (Review of 1st Ed.)
Web Design in a Nutshell is well organized, the index is excellent, the writing clear, and there are plentiful examples of the various concepts discussed. It contains charts covering almost every set of function/browser compatibility, as well as reference tables for everything from colors (including an excellent discussion on the use of websafe colors) to ASCII elements. It covers the basic elements of web design, ranging from basic design principles to browsers and types of displays; basic html elements to image formats; and Cascading Style Sheets to JavaScript and basic server background. In four years of building web sites, this is the best overall reference I've found. It summarizes the basics well enough to be a good overview for the beginner; covers a wide array of web elements to help the intermediate user expand their knowledge; and is an excellent quick reference for the experienced. If I could have only one web development book on my desk, this would be it. (Comments on 2nd Ed.)
Still the best single-volume reference for developers. Niederst has added sections on DHTML, XML, XHTML, WAP/WML, updated information on browser compatibility, added to the information on graphics, audio/video, Flash, etc. There is also more information on accessibility, internationalization, and servers. The Design Principles section has been expanded, while other sections, especially under "html", have been broken out into smaller segments with their own side tabs. The character entity chart has been moved to the back as Appendix F, and the CSS compatibility chart, html elements, depreciations, and proprietary codes appendices have been enlarged. As with the 1st Ed., the index is excellent. The new organization is logical, but if you're used to the 1st Ed. layout the changes may take a little getting used to, as many things aren't where you left them. For example, the color code chart has been moved from near the beginning to the middle of the book in a special section on "Color in HTML". While it doesn't cover every web development topic as thoroughly as a shelf full of specialty books would, Niederst has culled the most important information and used it to create an excellent (updated) quick reference. Especially handy for contractors and people who find themselves working on the road.
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Summary: A reference for all seasons
Review: If you design web sites, even just for your own personal use, this is a book to keep by your computer. In it you'll find the answer to just about any designing problem you face. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of web design is how to make a site not only attractive but accessible to a variety of browsers and to have it look the way you want it to in each. Niederst begins there. She explains browsers (most people seem to use Navigator rather than Explorer)and a variety of design strategies. To design for the lowest common denominator (for instance), splitting the difference or something for everyone --the choice is yours. Chapters are divided into Designing for different browsers, for a variety of displays, Web design principles, a guide to the server. She includes a great overview of HTML, tags, text, links and adding images, tables, forms and frames. Under graphics she explains GIF, JPEG, PNG and teaches designing graphics. There's also lots of information on animated GIFs, audio, interactivity and javascript. In a section titled Emerging Technologies she explains cascading style sheets, DHTML, XML, embedded font technology and internationalization. In the appendixes you'll find HTML tags and elements, list of attributes, deprecated tags, proprietary tags and CSS compatibility. This book is basic and thorough, but it's going to have to be revised for Windows XP. That aside, it's a useful reference because it's easy to find information and Niederst seems to be able to anticipate problems, explain them and provide useful solutions. So far the answer to every question I've had has been easy to find in this book. I give it the highest recommendation. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I've recently decided to reserve those for exceptionally beautiful writing.
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Summary: Outstanding Material (slightly outdated by now though)
Review: Let me get this out of the way first: The information in this book is somewhat outdated by now. I wish there was a more current edition available. With that being said; I found the information in this book to be most helpful. For the topic that it covers, it is the most efficiently comprehensive reference I have found. it provided me with a great understanding of things to consider when developing for the internet and also provided many examples/tips for tackling common webpage design problems. I felt the book was laid out very well and as a reference, I have had no trouble finding information when I have needed it. I found this book to be very easy to read and understand. My hat's off to Jennifer! Very nicely done!
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Summary: Great reference
Review: I've used this book more than any other technical book I've ever owned. It's always by my side when I'm doing a large amount of HTML and CSS development. It's extraordinarily organized, and I refer to it constantly. The only reason I can't give this title five stars is that by my rating system it's not absolutely essential reading for technical leaders. There are other books that have the same reference material as this one; however, none of them do as good a job conveying it. I own the first edition, and it's since been updated. (I need to by the new edition myself.) You should strongly consider getting The Web Design CD Bookshelf CD-ROM which includes a paper and electronic edition of the second edition plus electronic editions of five more great O'Reilly titles. Having this as an eBook on your laptop would be an incredibly useful resource.
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Summary: Must have html reference
Review: I purchase a lot of books. Most don't survive long on my bookshelf, and end up being placed in a box or stacked. This book is one of the few that has survived on my bookshelf because it is a worthwhile reference to have around. Even though I avoid taking web jobs, I sometimes need to generate some html on occasion. As a result, I often find myself wondering what the hex value of a particular color is, or need some obscure tag. That is when I reach for this reference book. The information is well organized, well written, and still useful long after I purchased it. Recommended.
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Summary: Great Book
Review: I bought this book because I haven't updated my HTML reference for several years and usually I trust the O'Reily authors. Considering whole books have been written on Cascading Style Sheets, (I recommend the one by Steve Callihan) it's not surprising that there's not much of substance here. The rest has proven itself time and again and saved countless hours as well as provided needed insights. Well done!
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Summary: Good reviews are no fluke
Review: I bought this book based on its great reviews, and read it cover to cover. The information is very well organized, well written, and useful. I would give this book to anyone who does web work.
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Summary: Excellent introduction but it is time for the next edition.
Review: If you are a beginner putting together your website or even an intermediate web designer, this book is a must-have desk reference. If you are an advanced user, you can probably still benefit from this excellent book on web design. This second edition has been out for over two years and probably due for an overhaul. A few additions are needed to make this book today's definitive desk reference for Web Design (as it was at the time of original release). What's missing in this edition? Coverage of the .NET framework and related language like ASP.NET and VB.NET, ActionScript from Flash MX, PHP and MySQL would be very nice. With the explosion of so many handhelds to the technology market, it may be time for a section on the web design principles as applicable to this unique sector. Recently, there has also been a lot of focus in the areas of search engine optimization and marketing principles applied to web design. It would be good to see a couple of chapters on this subject too. Other than what is mentioned above, this book covers almost everything you can imagine in the web design world - 32 chapters ranging from accessibility to internationalization and cascading style sheets to JavaScript. I benefited tremendously when I first bought this book two years ago and still refer to it once in a while. Overall, this is currently one of the best books on the market to quickly ramp up on web design (till the next edition comes out). Good luck!
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Summary: Never tease a weasel...
Review: I teach web design at a well-known art college in Chicago, and this is the book that I use for my class. This book is good for people of all levels, and explains things clearly and concisely. The cross-reference of "what works in what browsers" is invaluable, albeit a bit outdated (when will the 3rd Edition come out? Soon I hope).
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