Beginning JavaScript (Programmer to Programmer)

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Paul Wilton

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Pages: 767 (Paperback)

ISBN: 0764555871

Pub: John Wiley & Sons

Pub date: 2004-05-11

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 93196

Editorial Review:

Javascript is the only scripting language that runs in all the leading Web browsers, making it an essential part of the Web developer's tool kit. The language itself is not especially difficult to learn, but it becomes more challenging when you include related topics such as HTML forms, dynamic HTML and cross-browser compatibility. Beginning JavaScript, which is suitable for beginning or intermediate programmers, covers all these topics and more to provide a complete Javascript handbook.
Early chapters cover language basics, such as data types, functions, conditions and loops, string handling, and programming with objects. The authors explain how to control the Web browser by programming its object model, and how to combine scripts with forms. There is a guide to debugging with Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer, and a chapter on using cookies to store user preferences.

A substantial part of the book is focused on Dynamic HTML and how to write scripts that control the content of the page. There is a clear explanation of the DOM (document object model), as specified by the W3C Web standards group. Finally, there is a look at extending browser capabilities with ActiveX controls or plug-ins, and server-side scripting with Active Server Pages, including database access. Several appendixes offer a language reference and object models for Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator 4.0. Sadly Netscape 6.0 is not covered, but it is not quite as bad as it sounds since Netscape 6.0 closely follows the official DOM. --Tim Anderson

Reader Reviews:

If you don't get it after this, give up! (20/20 people found this helpful)

If you know nothing about JavaScript but want to, this book is for you. You couldn't ask for a more gentle approach to the language. The author has gone out of his way to teach you the language without intimidating readers with technical jargon. Programmers will find it possibly over simplified but it does say BEGINNER on the cover.
You may find an alternative equal, but you will struggle to find a better book for first timers!

There's a reason why it says "Programmer to Programmer" (38/40 people found this helpful)

at the top....it's a book for serious programmers, not for people who want to do rollovers. People who want to do tricks with JavaScript but not actually learn the language are better off sticking to JavaScript sites that give the tricks away for free. This is a book for people who are SERIOUS about actually LEARNING JavaScript. It can move quickly in parts (loops) but provides plenty of examples for people who have absorbed the material. I'm a budding developer myself and added this book to my library because it is, simply, THE book if you want to learn JavaScript. Since it is a book for programmers, however, it will include a lot of terms used by programmers and is not a book of tricks for people who want to make their own personal sites look cute. I'm a programmer for a major UK corporation and every single E-Comm developer on my team has this book. They're a crack team of developers...extremely talented...and they all use this book and recommend it highly. That speaks volumes for the quality of this book.

OK book but not stellar (7/25 people found this helpful)

One thing I do like about this book is that the author makes a great effort to go for cross-browser compatibility, despite the fact that his background is entirely in MS software (VB, no less). But I'm an experienced programmer and this book was too wordy and not precise enough for me. There are things I want to know about a language which aren't here and too much that I already knew from C, PHP etc.

Brillant book, could not have done without it. (3/3 people found this helpful)

I bought this book in order to develop an Intranet site. As a beginner I though this book would only be a first step then I would have to get a more advanced book, not so. I was able to complete most of my programming (connecting to databases and adding expert-like features) in quick time. This book is more than just a beginning.

too complicated not enough examples (2/24 people found this helpful)

I didn't think much of this book. All I wanted to know was how to have link to add favourites and to use thumb nail images to control a larger display. I didn't find the book much use for that! It would be better if there more examples. I prefer the Sams books

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