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Rating: 
Summary: Have your cake and eat it too.
Review: As the WWW becomes more of a multimedia environment, it's easly to lose sight of the simplicity that made it so useful in the first place. Form often eclipses function, with graphic whiz-bang trampling basic usability.
Web Designers are divided when it comes to Flash...some see it as a proprietary tool that diminishes website accesibility and encourages splash over substance. Others see it as a welcome extension to a medium built for information that is woefully lacking in graphic capabilities.
This book gently introduces the two camps, demonstrating how the graphic and interactive firepower of Flash can be weilded with an eye toward usability...it offers techniques and demonstrations, simultaniously instructing the user how to use Flash as a tool while introducing basic fundamentals of user-centered design. It's a great book for new Flash designers looking for some intermediate how-to, as well as a contextual reference for experienced Flash designers who want to make better design decisions.
Rating: 
Summary: Am I too stupid or it is the book too abstract to read?
Review: I bought this book because its fine printing and attractive title. As I brought it home and read the details of this book, I found out I was wrong. The whole book seems to designed for those who have excellent logical thinkings. The author try make his own graphic charts to explain the deep side of the Flash usability. The problem is, it makes the flash even complicate after reading it. If you are a person with strong Logical thinking you may enjoy this book, and if you think you are not, just don't waste your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Finally a 'Flash' book for Designers ...
Review: I truly liked the honesty and the humanity of Skip Intro ... I am a graphic designer and 'Flash' was always something too complicated for my liking ... But I was surprised by how simple the authors made it appear to me ... The sidebar author notes gave me quick and great insights throughout the books and the simple notes made for a quick reading of chapters ... You also can 'skip' around the book quite easily to focus on what you need answers for ... And the BIG PLUS to me was, of course, the visual aides that helped each and every step they talked about ... There is even a great deal made to humanize examples by profiling real experiences and real people ... Overall, I truly enjoyed reading the book, but what made it worthwhile was that I acquired throughout the reading not only concrete explanations of how to design with 'Flash', but also I took with me great little honest advices on its true usability, especially what to do and what not to do ... FOUR STARS ...
Rating:
Summary: A good flash application book for the "real-world"!
Review: Instead of just showing how to do super cool tricks, the authors teach functional techniques that lead to ease of use for the end-user.
Rating:
Summary: A must read!
Review: Skip Intro is a must read for the serious web designer, whether a seasoned and experienced veteran, or an excited, inexperienced novice. Interface design is the most important element in creating a website that is easy to navigate, enjoyable, entertaining,, and keeps users coming back making it "Sticky". Poor interface design can bounce the user straight off your site and into your competition's. Correctly used, Macromedia Flash is the most powerful authoring tool for efficient and effective web design. Skip Into comprehensively covers the philosophy of effective design (the why) and the specific graphic and scripting required to implement (the how). Expect a well-worn copy of Skip Intro at the desk of leading web designers, and take note fellow educators--this is a must read and know for our graphic design majors. A great plus - developers will create reusable tools that will simplify your life and improve your users' navigation experience.
Rating:
Summary: Sense and sensibility
Review: SKIP INTRO
Michelangelo Capraro and Duncan McAlester
PUBLISHER: New Riders
REVIEWED BY: Barbara Rhoades BOOK REVIEW: User-friendly Flash projects! Isn't that the ultimate goal for any web designer? Skip Intro" is the book that will help a web designer do just that. The authors uphold the KISS theory (keep it simply stupid) and ask that you know your clients, market, users and goals of the site. Each Chapter begins with a quote from a person (real or animated!) or proverb to get you into the feel of what the chapter will teach. Hierarch, tool tips, tabbed windows, flexibility and finally less clutter and more usability are all discussed in this 14-chapter book. It comes with a CD, lots of reading and some graphics displays to explain what they are talking about. The writing is clear and definitions are included in the chapters to make sure you know the technical terms they are discussing. There are also side notes from the authors to help clarify the discussions. Is Flash what you need to brush up on or pick up an extra pointer or two? Then add "Skip Intro" to your library.
Rating:
Summary: Flash!
Review: SKIP INTRO
Michelangelo Capraro and Duncan McAlester
PUBLISHER: New Riders
REVIEWED BY: Barbara Rhoades BOOK REVIEW: User-friendly Flash projects! Isn't that the ultimate goal for any web designer? Skip Intro" is the book that will help a web designer do just that. The authors uphold the KISS theory (keep it simply stupid) and ask that you know your clients, market, users and goals of the site. Each Chapter begins with a quote from a person (real or animated!) or proverb to get you into the feel of what the chapter will teach. Hierarch, tool tips, tabbed windows, flexibility and finally less clutter and more usability are all discussed in this 14-chapter book. It comes with a CD, lots of reading and some graphics displays to explain what they are talking about. The writing is clear and definitions are included in the chapters to make sure you know the technical terms they are discussing. There are also side notes from the authors to help clarify the discussions. Is Flash what you need to brush up on or pick up an extra pointer or two? Then add "Skip Intro" to your library.
Rating:
Summary: Sense and sensibility
Review: What a relief to finally find a book on technology that is well-laid out, simple, clear and easy to understand and, dare I say it, even fun. Isn't this what interactive design should be about; focussing on the users' experience rather than demonstrating how clever the flash designer is. I think this book does a great job in terms of its content and its actual design and layout. It represents the maturing and professionalism of the industry.
As someone who employs interactive designers I found this book very useful in helping me select and work with designers and agencies who will produce workable and functioning sites that look great and provide the right experience for the user without alienating them.
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