Computer Media
Rachel Singer Gordon -- Library Journal, 2/1/2006
ANDERSON, ANDY & STEVE JOHNSON. Macromedia Flash 8 on Demand. QUE. 2005. 539p. ISBN 0-7897-3469-9. pap. $34.99.
ENGLISH, JAMES. Macromedia Flash 8: Training from the Source. Macromedia Pr: Peachpit. 2006. 398p. ISBN 0-321-33629-1. pap. $44.99 with CD-ROM.
KERMAN, PHILLIP. SAMS Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours. SAMS. 2006. 612p. ISBN 0-672-32754-6. pap. $29.99.
VOGELEER, DAVID & OTHERS. Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Unleashed. SAMS. 2006. 840p. ISBN 0-672-32761-9. pap. $49.99.
Macromedia has dropped its “MX” naming scheme and reverted to version numbers; Flash 8—in both Basic (formerly Standard) and Professional versions—is the latest release in its wildly popular software. Flash has evolved from enabling basic web animation to enabling graphics, animation, video, interactivity, and applications, and all libraries should invest in updated guides. For beginners, Training from the Source covers only Flash Basic; each chapter is a self-­contained lesson that begins with an outline, estimated completion time, and a list of lesson files that build toward creating an entire Flash site. A straightforward guide appropriate for all libraries. The more thorough Demand covers both Basic and Professional, preparing readers for the Macromedia Certified Professional Program Flash 8 developer and designer exams; specific exam content is identified by a logo and objective number. Full-color labeled screen shots and step-by-step instructions accompany each technique, while “Timesaver,” “Did You Know?,” and See Also tips add information. Nicely illustrated and laid out, this beginning to intermediate guide is recommended for all libraries. For beginning to intermediate users, Teach Yourself follows the typical SAMS self-study format, with each chapter comprising an hour-long lesson on a given technique, including “Try It Yourself” step-by-step instructions, chapter summaries, Q&As, quizzes, and exercises. Points are well illustrated with screen shots and figures. A clear introduction for all libraries. Unleashed, for intermediate to advanced users of the Professional version, covers more advanced techniques like integrating XML and Web Services and using PHP and ASP with Flash; a lengthy appendix serves as an ActionScript reference. Experienced users will appreciate good coverage of new features in Flash 8 and of the new ActionScript 2.0; recommended for medium and larger libraries.
ANDREW, RACHEL. Build Your Own Standards Compliant Website Using Dreamweaver 8. SitePoint. 2005. 335p. ISBN 0-9752402-3-4. pap. $39.95.
BRUCE, BETSY. SAMS Teach Yourself Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 in 24 Hours. SAMS. 2006. 514p. ISBN 0-672-32753-8. pap. $29.99.
MEADHRA, MICHAEL. How To Do Everything with Dreamweaver 8. Osborne/McGraw-Hill. 2006. 460p. ISBN 0-07-226238-9. pap. $24.99.
RUVALCABA, ZAK. Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 Unleashed. SAMS. 2006. 1020p. ISBN 0-672-32760-0. pap. $49.99.
Dreamweaver 8, the newest version of Macromedia's widely used web development software, remains popular, and libraries need to furnish current guides. Teach Yourself covers creating static sites with Dreamweaver (those seeking coverage of dynamic page creation or other more advanced tools should instead look at Unleashed, below). A self-study guide for absolute beginners, it includes quizzes, exercises, Q&As, and step-by-step instructions to help both new Dreamweaver users and those new to web design in general get up and running quickly. Topics range from getting started with the interface to using Dreamweaver's site management capabilities. Appropriate for all libraries, but supplement with more thorough guides. Also for beginners, How To Do Everything focuses mainly on basic web sites but includes limited discussion of dynamic pages and SSI programming. New v.8 features are highlighted throughout, and straightforward step-by-step instructions make this a useful purchase for all libraries. For advanced beginning to intermediate users, Build Your Own centers on using CSS (especially v.8's new unified CSS features) and XHTML to produce standards-compliant sites. It pays special attention to validation and accessibility issues, outlining how to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standards and use the Dreamweaver and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) validators to check documents—and explaining why standards are important. Clear prose and the accessibility focus make this a useful purchase for all medium and larger libraries. For intermediate to advanced users, Unleashed includes the same basic page creation information as the other series titles but also moves into using Dreamweaver for team collaboration and integrating Flash and Fireworks. Thorough and clear, this is a great purchase for larger libraries.
COLOMBO, GEORGE & CURTIS FRANKLIN JR. The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting. QUE. 2006. 240p. ISBN 0-7897-3455-9. pap. $21.99.
HERRINGTON, JACK D. Podcasting Hacks: Tips and Tools for Blogging Out Loud. O'Reilly. 2005. 428p. ISBN 0-596-10066-3. pap. $24.95.
If 2004 was the year of the blog, 2006 may well be the year of the podcast. Podcasting, a form of recording and syndicating audio programming over the Internet, is rapidly gaining in popularity, and libraries may want to consider purchasing a guide or two on the topic. Absolute Beginner's Guide lives up to its name, giving new and wannabe podcasters the background they need to start and create listenable shows. From an overview of podcasting and how it works to processing, posting, syndicating, and promoting content, it covers all the basics. A nice feature is its attention to content and thinking about what to include before getting in front of the mike, rather than focusing entirely on technical details. Recommended for all libraries. For advanced beginners to intermediate podcasters, Podcasting Hacks covers a lot of the same ground a bit more thoroughly and also goes into more advanced territory by addressing topics like videoblogging and using Perl scripts. Although it follows the typical Hacks format of presenting numbered hacks at various levels, it provides more of a basic overview than other titles in the series, tackling both how to find and listen to podcasts and how to create your own. Nice background on creating good content, ideas on taking your podcast to the next level, and technical savvy make this a great choice for medium and larger libraries.
