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Summary: Java Script Professional
Review: Good book but was disappointed because it did not provide more details and examples of using CGI/Perl with Java Script. Seemed to be promoting the sale of ScriptEase Software.
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Summary: Enormous¿ Accurate, insightful and specific
Review: I am your typical Web architect. Not really a pro, but knowledgeable enough to make me one of the best people in my company to work with consultants and do a certain amount of pre-visualization and early prototyping. My project is to get an Intranet/Extranet completed using either Microsoft or alternative products. I have to research and oversee (with others) implementation of both visual design and user functionality, for client (Intranet and Extranet clients) and server ends (including administrative tools).I know the tools I "want" to use and the strategy I want to take, but I need some hard facts and intermediate to advanced descriptions of implementations. This book has what I need. Facts. Loads of example scripts. Analysis of using Java and Javascript. Analysis of extending application functionality through standalone script interpreters. Security issues. Client issues (for all relevant browsers) Server issues (for all relevant servers). Awesome. Definitely the fruit of an enormous (there's that word again) amount of expertise and trial and error development. If you have a little bit of knowledge about Web technologies (graphics, databases, servers, browsers and plug-ins), and have some familiarity with programming principles (best if you've taken a programming course or studied on your own for a few months) this book will be the glue that ties it all together for you. Part reference guide, part bible, and all relevant.
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Summary: Nonsense from "A reader from USA".
Review: I came back here to get Harry Yeh's email to thank him for his recommendation of this book, but felt I had to respond to the anonymous reviewer's comments. This is by far and away the most definitive reference on any scripting technology I've ever come across! I'd recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Of course "Clib.puts()" isn't discussed on page 22. Use of the C library is discussed much later (as it should be). And as for the side effects of the Comma Operator, an example follows directly after it's mentioned! Its clear that the reviewer hasn't read the book. I've been reading this book for the past three weeks and have discovered and learnt more than I did in the previous 2 years.
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Summary: Only for intelligent people
Review: I found wrox books quite informative. Being a web professional, these are the kind of books I want to buy. If you monkey around, and don't have education regarding the art of programming, you might not grasp the concepts presented in this book. It's not meant to be a code source book - find that in the javascript reference. This is to fully understand the concepts of JavaScript. If you are a beginning programmer, you might be better off purchasing a sams teach yourself book. Start with the blah blah in 10 minutes. then get the 24 hours. 21 days is a waste. When you get bored with sams teach yourself, come to wrox for detailed books regarding computer languages.
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Summary: Poor structure and littered with errors
Review: I managed to get through little more than half of this book before I got disgusted with it and put it away for good. I found that this book was poorly structured, jumping from topic to topic without fully discussing it in a meaningful manner. The author(s) would simply say, please view chapter 3 for a details. That doesn't help if you want a reference or to learn in a progressive manner. I am already an expierenced javascript programmer, but there was a few functions that I wanted to revisit, so I see programmer to programmer professional javascript as the title and I thought this was exactly what I needed. During the reading of it I found errors, granted minor, but if a novice were reading this they'd be even more confused that I was. All in all, this book was useless. For those who a real reference guide as well as some simple examples (as I did)I can strongly recommend Dynamic HTML - The definitive reference from O'Reilly press. Unlike this book it was broken into sections dealing with HTML, javascript, DOM and CSS separately, rather than scattering the languages randomly throughout each chapter. Again, if you are a novice, please, please do not get this book. Hell, even if you are relatively good with javascript, I would urge you NOT to consider this one.
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Summary: Superb second book on Javascript
Review: I started learning Javascript with the O'Reilly book 'Javascript' (the one with the rhino). It was a good intro, but left me hungry for more. Enter 'Professional Javascript' from Wrox. From the sample chapter at www.wrox.com I knew this was going to be a great book. I definately helps to be already familiar with Javascript. The basics and syntax are covered in a single chapter. The authors reveal huge amounts of information in a tight, well-constructed format that enlightened me in a very efficient manner. I cannot believe how much I've learnt from this book. The best thing about this book is that they don't consider Javascript to be a 'toy' suitable only for building flash into web pages. This attitude is best expressed in the chapters on browser configuration using Javascripts and server-side Javascript. The only criticisms I have are the poor reference section (what's the point of telling me the String object has a substr method if you don't also tell me the parameters?) and the constant references to 'magic' processes -- that's condescending. The O'Reilly book 'Javascript' has an excellent reference section. The Wrox guys should really take a look at it. However, I'm prepared to overlook these minor flaws. This isn't a reference book -- it's a darn good technical manual with succinct examples and a good balance between praise and criticism of the major browsers. If you want to take Javascript beyond flashy animations and build real applications you need this book.
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Summary: Great tightly packed source.
Review: I thought this book was quite all right. Although it says professional, anyone with high school level of programming knowledge will be able to pick things up quite quickly. It covers all the basics of js then goes onto telling us how to implement it over the web client and server wise and then some. For those who never done it this book will also explain how to build an online store. Authors made a great job at collecting all the necessary information you would otherwise have to collect yourself on the web or other peoples sources. I used it to move from writing my asp in vbscript to jscript, which seems to be a much better alternative and is a joy to work with. I'd recommend this book to anyone who does any web related stuff where js could be utilized. Its will be also helpful for anyone who will make a jump to another c based language such as php, c# or java.
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Summary: Excellent Javascript resource.
Review: I was a die-hard O'Reilly fan, but this book really changed my mind. I find Wrox press books to be even more comprehensive, filled with excellent examples. This book makes no exception. The book covers all of the basic Javascript functions, plus intermediate/advanced application examples. These examples are not fluff either - they are well coded examples that really give you an idea of how to use advanced javascript functions. Interface programmers bordering on web application development will definitely benefit from this book. Well written enough to read-through (good luck) and easy to search through the index. Excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Javascript resource.
Review: I was a die-hard O'Reilly fan, but this book really changed my mind. I find Wrox press books to be even more comprehensive, filled with excellent examples. This book makes no exception. The book covers all of the basic Javascript functions, plus intermediate/advanced application examples. These examples are not fluff either - they are well coded examples that really give you an idea of how to use advanced javascript functions. Interface programmers bordering on web application development will definitely benefit from this book. Well written enough to read-through (good luck) and easy to search through the index. Excellent.
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Summary: Am I supposed to be learning Javascript?
Review: I've got a real problem with this traditional-computer science approach of learning all about variables and structure but nothing that you can actually use. I had to actually RETURN this book, because it was such a waste. Little examples or real code, make it only good in "theory" and not in practice. You can do MUCH better. Look, books don't seem to be doing a very good job. If you want to learn Javascript, goto Yahoo.com and search for Javascript tutorial. I've just tried a few, but in an hour or two I've learned 20x as much as trying to read the book.
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