HTML and XML for Beginners (Cpg-Undefined) [Paperback]

What I learned from this book was a great deal of information I had never seen before. The author simple approach, yet abundance of information make this a first rate job. The author takes you on a web journey in a step by step layout without overcomplicating any one topic.

Starting off with the HTML essentials like formatting, images, hyperlinks, maps, tables, forms and multimedia you then move on to other topics like CSS, DHTML and special effects to spice up the average web page.

XML, XSL and XHTML round out the end of the book with style, allowing the reader to be able to use the information as you follow along. Although eh book should have been in color, this will detract little from the overall value of the book.

There are plenty of screen shots and the step by step instruction make learning at your pace easy. One thing that does need to be added is a cd-rom with practice files rather allowing for time to work with the areas.

The author covers material in manageable portions, then displays the code, again in manageable portions, and follows up with easy to understand explanations that review the topic. This brilliant cycle is repeated through out the pages of each chapter. What is significant is that he puts all the code snippets from the chapter together at the end to show the reader what the end result is. And the reader can even follow along with a text editor to see his/her own work! The code is clean, the examples are easy to understand and the author is consistent. Bravo!

On the other hand, there were one or two topics that left me wanting for more information but I was readily able to facilitate my hunger by browsing the web. All in all, this book was a huge help and I recommend it supremely.

Swoon... I needed a quick fix book that would explain enough about XML and XHTML for me to go in and manually convert the Composer-generated HTML code for XHTML compliance. I also needed to be able to use a checking tool to verify that the altered/upgraded code would pass the test.

Thank goodness for Michael's book. My first bonus was discovering that Netscape 7.1 actually generates HTML 4.1 code, which is basically current. My second bonus was finding that Michael has a very readable style and gets to the point quickly. To be honest, I just speed scanned the vast majority of the book and used it as a reference guide while I dove in almost immediately to perform the XHTML conversion.

The way MM explains things, the conversion was a very simple process, and the icing on the cake is that he explains how to use the WC3 Validator online free checking service, which allows you to safely and simply upload your source code for a given web page, and have it checked in real time. One cute bonus from the Validator site is that when your code passes the test, you can download an icon indicating that your code for that page is XHTML 1.0 Transitional compliant.

I'm sure there are many good books out there of a similar nature, but for me, this book by Michael Morrison works for people who just want to get in there quickly and do it. Like many busy men and women, I don't have time to read War and Peace, and MM appears to understand that need for speed and clarity.

Finally, while there is some breezy humor and a very friendly feel to the book, it does not descend into the infantile 2 cent jokes and puns that some books have been known to contain.

Excellent.