Rating: 
Summary: weak presentation
Review: The organization is confusing, and the book does a poor job differentiating between schema and non-schema based DTDs. The examples mix both styles and is confusing. Schema DTDs are not even standardized yet either. Not enough real world DTD examples with corresponding XSL files.I have yet to see one good XML book, so this one has good company.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this book
Review: This (like others have mentioned) was a low-point for the "Dummies" books. I am a web developer (ASP, javascript, etc) that is just getting into XML and bought this book for a simple intro to XML. This book is **NOT** easy reading, Ed Tittel is all over the place. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE BOOK IS THAT HE REPEATS HIMSELF AD INFINITUM -- for example, he explains the rules of a proper XML tag at least 6 times through the book. I read it twice and concluded this -- you are better off with any 0ther XML Book or just surfing the various tutorials out there.
Rating: 
Summary: May be useful as a reference
Review: This author seems to have a talent for taking a simple concept that could be explained in a few paragraphs and making an entire chapter out of it. At many points I felt like I was reading a bad term-paper hacked together at the last minute where the student just rambles on about lots of irrelevant factoids to fill up space.
For example: there is a basic XML document giving the recipe for a bean burrito that is used throughout the book which the author seems to revel in re-printing at the beginning of almost EVERY chapter with comments like "You may be getting heart burn from seeing this recipe by now." It's funny when it's repeated the first few times but by chapter 15 (if you haven't pulled your hair out yet) you have memorized the burrito XML document anyway and are getting angry about all the trees that were killed to re-print it 20 times.
Steer clear of this one, there are much better XML books out there.
Rating:
Summary: Uhm... no.
Review: This book didn't ring my chimes.... the examples were not fully explained and there seemed to be gaps in the theory. Big thumbs down.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Intro to XML
Review: This book makes for a very good intoduction to XML, it points out the basics, and thats all you really need to know, XML is very simple. Most the critics who gave this book low reviews, were looking for a book on XML web services, and such. Please do not expect to learn that from this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Intro to XML
Review: This book makes for a very good intoduction to XML, it points out the basics, and thats all you really need to know, XML is very simple. Most the critics who gave this book low reviews, were looking for a book on XML web services, and such. Please do not expect to learn that from this book.
Rating:
Summary: A dummie book for real dummies
Review: This is a book for dummies that will still be dummies after reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Dummies won't stand it either!
Review: This is definately NOT a good book. The authors are too busy using the word COOL! In short, this books keeps on talking how COOL XML is, but does not cover a single complete application example explaining XML's use. Consider reading it, if offered for no cost!
Rating:
Summary: Zero Stars Would Be More Appropriate
Review: This is my first book from the "Dummies" series. It may be my last. Did no one edit this book for outright mistakes? Did the authors actually believe that this book would encourage ANYone to pursue XML? The only thing this book encourages me to do is find some better book on the subject. Very disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: What happens when you're too dumb for a dummies book?
Review: This is one time I wish I'd looked at Amazon before buying a book, because I would have known not to. Despite my title, I am not a dummy, but I did not find this book easy to understand. What would have been very helpful is even a CLUE of what you actually USE XML for!
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