Rating: 
Summary: Solid 4 Star Flash MX Book
Review: Flash MX Savvy is a great book. It has all you need when learning Flash (or wanting to get ahead in Flash). Its got detailed coverage of basic and intermediate topics, ActionScript, Flash & audio, and secondary topics (like integrating Flash with other programs). The book is written well (the author's friendly and easy going personalities really come through) and organized perfectly. the only real complaint I have about the book (which isn't really a complaint, but more of a "what I would like to have seen" sentiment) was that there weren't _enough_ projects. I would have liked to have seen a common project running through the entire book (or at least sections of the book). Don't be mislead, the book has lots of hands on projects (infact, they are actually called Hands On), but they are located at the end of every section, and are sort of standalone.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is a Flash MX Standard!
Review: Its funny, I actually ran across a review of this book in the October 2002 issue of Computer Arts. They gave it 5 big stars, so I got intrigued and picked the book up. Y'know, if they could have given mroe stars, I bet they would have. Flash MX Savvy is incredible. It cover so much, and does it in a really accessible way. The authors seem to completley know what they are doing (both as teachers and as Flash users). I can't tell you how happy I am with the purchase. In particular, I was especially pleased with the Actionscript coverage. It was pretty comprehensive as well as very accessible from a non-programmers standpoint. I also really liked the fact that after teh end of each section, there was a pretty respectably sized project that you could do in order to try out the skills you'd already learned. On top of all of this, the book looks great. I know that may seem a little silly, but if you spend a lot of time looking at a book, you want it to look good. Besides that, its laid out in such a way that getting to the info you want is really easy.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, good start
Review: If you would like to learn flash then this is a good book to start. With all the different titles out there, I believe that this comes clostest to being 'savvy'. It covers a lot of important concepts that you would need to get started like simple drawing, amimation, sounds, and a good intro to action script (if you don't know much about scripting then this maybe a hard concept to understand, MX has a simple interface of click and drag, but on the 2004 verison, the option was taken out).
Like all complex program, flash is a 'bottoms up' program where you need to learn the simple concept first, then from it build up a more complex movie. I brought this book with a Flash class I'm taking at my college of env design. It really helps when there is an instructor to help with the common questions. But, since I missed most of the class, I found this book to be very helpful. Nevertheless, I wish there were more 'hands on' chapters.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Flash MX Book
Review: There are so many Flash books out there, its sometimes pretty scary trying to pick the right one. With Flash MX on the scene, not there are even more. I've found with most Flash books out there that they either expect you know everything or they treat you like a child. Flash MX Savvy fills the gap inbetween. The authors treat you like an intelligent adult. They don't talk down to the reader and they don't talk over the reader's head. Flash MX Savvy's content is great! It starts out by teaching you all of the basic Flash skills. From there, it goes on to cover more intermediate topics. I was especially impressed with the Actionscript coverage which wasn't too complicated or too simple. By the time I had gone though all the Actionscript chapters, I was suprised how easy it had been to get a leg up on some stuff that I had been really intimidated by before I bought the book. So, if you are looking for a great Flash MX book that will stick with you as you progress in Flash, Flash MX Savvy is definitely the one to buy.
Rating:
Summary: The Everything Book
Review: When I first got this book, I was surprised at how much information was in it. It's got all of the necessary overviews and descriptions of all of the features and capabilities of Flash MX, plus a lot of extra real-world information. It's got a lot of useful information on how to use Flash with other applications, how to develop CD-ROM presentations, and a TON of information on using Audio in Flash. This is a great reference book. If you are a beginner to intermediate Flash user, and you want a book that covers the gamut fairly well, this is your book. If you are looking for a book on advanced actionscripting or object-oriented programming, this book is not for you. However, it never hurts to have a book like this on the shelf. It has a lot of valuable information, is neatly laid out, and the writing style is friendly and easy to follow. It also has a lot of real-world examples and Hands-on tutorials that bring depth and interest to the book. Overall, a good buy and a fine addition to my library!
Rating:
Summary: Impressive Flash MX Book
Review: I gotta admit, I was totally impressed by his book. Its written great. Its an easy read. The topics/chapters are well planned out to gently ease you into beginner topics, and then onto more intermediate stuff. I loved the extra chapters that went beyond the program to deal with working with Flash and other programs (such as audio software, Macromedia Director, Macromedia Freehand, etc.) I also loved the entire section dealing with Flash and audio. The CD had a ton of extra stuff: lots of demo programs, all the example files used in the book, and even a bonus Dreamweaver/Flash chapter. It was really clear to me that these authors not only know what they are talking about, but also love teaching. If you buy this book, you won't be sorry
Rating: 
Summary: User UNfriendly
Review: Congratulations! You've made learning Flash about as difficult and tedious as possible. This book is hard to read and hard to follow. PS: 10 color pages in a book about Flash is a little ironic isn't it?
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book
Review: I know Macromedia has announced that new versions of Flash are going to be coming out soon, but that doesn't mean people should turn away from Flash MX Savvy...lets face it, its easily one of the best Flash books out there. Just look at the reviews! Its rare to see a book with so many positive reviews (and so few negative ones). So, it isn't just me, other people have benefited from this book also. So, now for the review. First off, the book is beautifully put together. Its printed on super high quality paper - which is definitely a plus over some compuer books that seem to be printed on the cheapest paper in the world so that the publisher can make an extra buck. The content is extremely well organized. The autors seem like they put in a heck of a lot of time coming up with the best progression of content for those who might not have had previous flash expereince before. Not only does the book cover the basics and intermediate topis, but it also covers a slew of other topics that you migt not normally find in other books: Flash and audio (there is a whole section of the book dedicated to this), Flash and Director, Flash and Freehand, etc. Each section of the book is topped off by what the authors call a Hands On project, in which you get to take the stuff you've leanred during the previous chapters and apply it to a project of some sort. This is somehting I definitely like...the babalnce between instructions and practical application. Many other computer books are either all instruction or all practical application. The balance tha is acheived int hsi book is just perfect. The bottom line is that Flash MX Savvy is a great book.
Rating:
Summary: Great book! I learned a ton!
Review: I read through most of the book, and then got started with my website. I took all the information from the book and tried to put it to use in my site. Whenever I got stuck somewhere I just referred back to the book and it was easy to find what I was looking for to get my site the way I wanted it. I am just making a home page for fun and it still isn't done, but to get an idea of the things you can do after reading this book you can look at my site here: ... .
Rating: 
Summary: Jury is still out...
Review: A seasoned graphics professional seeking to learn Flash MX, I researched the tutorial books on the market and this one came across highly rated. I'm only about a quarter of the way through and already starting to question the book's credibility. To start, the first eight chapters describe every menu option in the most BORING fashion, and finally in Chapter 9 the hands-on part begins. One of the exercises ("creating a motion-tweened animation that follows a path") seems faulty in instruction as I've tried it four times with no success. Also, the accompanying CD is missing files referenced in the book (eg. the flying_saucer.swf AND Chapter 9 files don't exist). I've used Linda Weinman's Hands-On-Training series to teach myself Dreamweaver and several other programs, and I'm sorely missing her prolific use of screen shots. Much of the instruction so far in this book lacks the supporting visual components I expected (and need). I'm also mortified at the numerous type-os and misspellings. My knee-jerk conclusion is that the writers didn't employ a copy editor, nor did they ask a Flash newbie to walk through and use the book before publication. I've invested the money and I do believe this book has some merit, so I will proceed. And, If I find redeeming qualities, I will post a follow-up. So far I'd caution people that this is not the best way to learn FlashMX.
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