Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Classroom in a Book by Adobe Creative Team
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Book Reviews of Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Classroom in a Book
Book Review: awesome
Summary: 5 Stars
Its awesome. I like 'Adobe Dreamweaver CS4' Book. Its very helpful and practical. Actually all the series- 'Classroom in a Book' is great resource of learning.Book Review: Good book if you already are familar with the program
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of those books that can be very useful for some readers and over the heads of others. I had a little (very little) knowledge of HTML, nothing of CSS and some experience with amateur-level web design programs when I got this book.
While the lessons were well-planned and informative, they did not feature the depth of information that a beginner like me needed. I learned features and techniques but not what made them work. Also, many of the more basic program features are vaguely mentioned in passing. Other information was simply over my head as a newcomer to the program.
I can see that this book would be extremely valuable to someone who has used Dreamweaver before and wants to get up to date on the latest changes in the program. I think that someone with HTML and CSS experience under his or her belt could also get a lot of good information.
As for me, I bought Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML and Dreamweaver CS4 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)). The former filled some gaps in my coding knowledge and the latter provided a rather thorough tour through the program designed with the newbie in mind. (It should be noted that knowing how to code is not essential for using Dreamweaver but it sure makes things easier.) Once I finish these titles, I will probably return to Classroom in a Book.
This title is good for: People with HTML and CSS experience or with Dreamweaver experience.
This title is not good for: Complete newcomers to web design. Try one of the books listed above instead.
Book Review: Quick way to learn how to use the new features
Summary: 4 Stars
I have used Dreamweaver a LOT since version 3, and I always love to have the newest version. For the last few releases, Adobe/Macromedia have worked hard to keep a consistent UI, so it has been necessary to find out what is new and how to best use it from some other source. I prefer books to online tutorials, as I look at the screen too many hours a day already, and find reading to be relaxing.
I use Dreamweaver exclusively in the code view, and love the code completion and find and replace features. This book helped me find out about the new split code feature, which allows you to see different parts of the same file simultaneously, a feature I have always been jealous of Emacs and Vim users for. This version also incorporates Subversion, which is a HUGE improvement (sadly, version control is not covered in this book). Previously you would have to use Eclipse if you wanted source control in your editor.
I particularly liked the Spry coverage. I prefer jQuery, but Spry is great for someone sticking to the design view of Dreamweaver who wants to add modern js to their screens. I also liked the Photoshop Smart Objects coverage, and the fact that all the layouts they cover are CSS based, even the forms.
As usual in a cover-it-all intro book, I have some issues, such as the authors not pushing you to use the title attribute in your links, but all in all, I think this is a really useful book that can appeal to many different level Dreamweaver users. At 270 pages it is nice and thin too - a quick read.
Book Review: Good Overview of Dreamweaver CS4 Basics
Summary: 4 Stars
Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Classroom in a Book
The book is composed of a series of 11 lessons and comes with a disc that includes the work files to complete them. The lessons were manageable in approximately the time stated. Most chapters are an hour or under to complete. A good sampling of Adobe Dreamweaver CS4's basic techniques were covered. The lessons take you from defining a site in Dreamweaver right up to publishing to the web. Some of the skills covered in the book were creating and applying CSS including how to keep divs from overlaying each other, navigation, images, templates, forms, tabbed and accordion pages and inserting flash videos.
I would classify myself as a web design hobbyist, not a beginner but by no means a seasoned professional. Although it didn't offer a lot of background information, for me this book was well worth the time it took to work though the lessons. It clarified a few points I had been having problems with and I ended up with a better understanding of Dreamweaver. Though the book is not well designed for first time beginners it would be great for those who are just a step above that level and for those who would want a basic refresher. If you fit in one of those categories, Dreamweaver CS4 Classroom in a Book might be just what you need to polish up and pull all your skills together.
Book Review: Great Overview of DW CS4
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a neat little book. it's hardly a one-stop shopping trip to all things Dreamweaver, but it's a very solid approach to getting started. Admittedly, I have some background in this, but I sat down and read the thing cover-to-cover, all at once and understood every concept without doing the actual lessons (I'll go back and do them later with someone in my studio who is just getting started). The fact that it's very colorful is nice. Most of the rest of the CS4 Classroom in a Book series has many inspirational examples of creative uses of the Adobe products (clever photos, illustrations, designs, motion graphics, etc). This book's examples are not all that sexy. But, if they were a little jazzier I would have rated it as 5 stars. I guess if you knew absolutely nothing about web design and development this Dreamweaver book might not be for you, but Dreamweaver is popular with professionals so maybe it is expected that it's readers might not be among the entry-level users.