DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model

A good sound treatment of DOM Scripting, but one glaring error and a huge amount of wasted space - apart from a wide blank left margin used only for page numbers, the *whole* of a code sequence is repeated many times as it is built up (instead of e.g. putting the final complete code at the end of the section). The worst offender - the very useful addLoadEvent function (not his own) is repeated time after time, instead of being put into an appendix of frequently used functions. Also, on p154 of the 2005 edition there is a completely erroneous discussion of node structure when attempting to extract the value of a text node, which is only partially corrected in the online errata (the whole paragraph needs deleting urgently). Also, some very odd CSS rules are used to style his "image gallery", with list elements *twice* configured to appear horizontally vertically. Try downloading his example coding - you can delete quite a lot of the CSS without affecting the layout. But if thoroughly proof-read and corrected for a new edition, this would be a very sound introduction to JavaScript and the correct approach to DOM scripting.

Probably the best book on JavaScript - Doing it properly! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Since I started observing web standards and trying to produce websites that were accessible to the widest possible audience I've tried to avoid JavaScript assuming my sites wouldn't be accessibly to those users with screen readers or JavaScript turned off.

Jeremy Keith, from Brighton's web consultancy Clearleft, explains how to write good, clean code that degrades gracefully in this fantastic book. Starting at the beginning with the history and basics of JavaScript, he steers you comfortably through best practices and real world, useful examples. Whatever your technical ability you can soon become proficient with writing your own JavaScript and you'll soon be ready for his next book - Bulletproof Ajax

Ignore Yorkshire UK's comment..! (6/6 people found this helpful)

I'm so glad I did as it nearly put me off buying this book. It's not platform nor browser dependent, the examples contained therein work in every major recent browser as their support of the W3C DOM is pretty robust(which can't be said for CSS of course). The book's ethos is the complete opposite of writing browser-specific non-standards code making me wonder whether said reviewer actually read the book properly...

As others have said, it's fairly low level but having bought an O'Reilly book on JavaScript, which was way too technical and dry, I found this has really given me a leg up to learning more complicated code than markup and styling languages. It introduces concepts slowly nad explains them well so you gradually build up your knowledge. I'd highly recommend it.

Best start for a non programming Designer (2/2 people found this helpful)

I found this book an amazing read in that, firstly it is readable rather than a manual. Secondly, it is immensely easy to understand for those who haven't done much in the way of coding. This is what makes this book a must buy for those designers who value progressive web design. I imagine the average developer/coder type could learn a lot from it to with regards to hooking their code to progressively built web pages.

It's ok but ... (15/21 people found this helpful)

ADDENDUM:::BIG WARNING::: This book appears to be IE and Windows platform dependent. If you are interested in writing Javascript that is cross platform and cross browser compatible I suggest you look elsewhere. I don't seem to be able to dump the star rating I originally gave it but in this day and age ... writing a book that doesn't recognise that 15% of all users do NOT USE IE and Windows ... well ... need I say more.

I saw this book being recommended to someone else and thought I'd give it a go. I haven't read all of it yet but, having coded in Javascript heavily around 2000 it hasn't hugely taught me anything I couldn't have figured out. Guess it's saved me the blood sweat and tears of finding out the hard way though.

I think I would have preferred a reference book rather than this instructional book. I find it's a bit low-level for me but i can see it would be a good book for a non-programmer or someone just starting out.

DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model

Jeremy Keith

Reader Reviews:

Good on the whole - but far too much padding! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Probably the best book on JavaScript - Doing it properly! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Ignore Yorkshire UK's comment..! (6/6 people found this helpful)

Best start for a non programming Designer (2/2 people found this helpful)

It's ok but ... (15/21 people found this helpful)

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