Web Design: The Complete Reference

by Thomas A. Powell

Book Overview

Brings together core theories behind web design and practical examples for designers of various levels. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0072122978
• ISBN13: 9780072122978
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media
• Length: 872 Pages
• Weight: 3.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.1" x 7.6" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Invaluable!

This book is absolutely wonderful! Anyone truely interested in web design will benefit greatly! The author is very knowlegable in the web medium and gives extensive detail into some of the most important and least looked at areas of design... the design itself! That's right, this book won't serve as a complete HTML guide. The book does talk a lot about HTML, it's stucture and propoer use and functure as well as gives lots of code examples. Same for javascript. But this book is mostly geared towards design issues. Where do you but the navigation bar on a website? How big to make your buttons? How should you organize the site? What are the steps to creating a web project? What kind of site models could you use? How to best use the web technologies available to create usable content.The book emphasises a balance between form and function and talks a lot about usabillity, something that is of utmost importance in making interactive media. This book will guide you through the thinking behind interface desing concepts and aesthetic issues as well. Easy to read and superbly written, this book is great! Some other reviews have displayed a dislike for it's focus on design principles and concepts instead of code the underworkings. While the book will infact give you good examples of use of HTML and Javascript as well as tons of info about these technologies (and brief intros) it was not meant to be a code manual. The name is "web DESIGN: the complete refrence"... if you want a code primer or refrence or beginners guide to making simple web pages get a different book. This book however gets you thinking about the issues of desinging usable websites that you probably never considered and that up until now, many books have been completely ignoring.

Great Reference with lots of topics

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but frankly it's turned out to be one of the best purchases I've made lately. I've been the most happy looking at the huge number of topics it covers. It is true that at times it is much more theory based than how-to, but it covers just about everything a Web designer encounters from usability to technology to project planning issues. For a small designer like me it tied a lot of loose ends together. After having used it for a few months I'd say it tends to be the strongest in site design and usability and the weakest in how to make buttons in Fireworks or more mundane tasks that my boggle a beginner Webmaster. Yet I use it all the time because I can pretty much look up information on any topic a client hits me with like search engines, JavaScript pro-cons, usability, servers, etc. I won't get 100 pages on each subject but I get more than enough to help me answer my questions. I can't say that's why I bought it but its turned out to be probably my most dog eared book. If you are going to buy a Web Design book to have around once you know the ropes and you are beyond the how to stuff, I can't say there is any other choice on the market. In that sense I guess I really have to give it 5 stars. If there were other choices maybe 4 since I will say that I would have liked some color stuff actually in color and some more graphics stuff, but fortunately the Lynda Weinmmen books I had covered that very well.

Center your desing in the user

This book doesn't help you very much in the design of web pages. It helps you in the design of web SITES. After reading this well structured book you will be capable create a structured web site in a few easy steps.If you want to build dynamic, simple and user centered web pages you must read the rules and ideas this book gives you.It covers almost every basic aspects of modern web building without getting into very complicated explanations. You can learn CSS (including some of those little effects you nowadays see in almost every website), HTML, XML.For professional looking web site without "Las Vegas effects" and things like that, buy it, read it and practive its concepts. Really 5 stars !

Excellent Book, Good Coverage (Breadth and Depth)

Excellent book, written in plain English without the techie talk, lots of great examples, good breadth and depth. Although one of the links to online resources referenced in the book (page 40, specifically) is not accurate, I found most of them are accurate and available, for example the one mentioned in page 55. As for the missing/inaccurate link, I email someone at Powell Internet about the problem and they responded with the correct link within a couple of hours. Prompt reply and excellent customer service! If you are not sure whether this book is for you, check it out [on their website] and see for yourself. This web site provides an overview as well as the first chapter of the book online, along with some cool demos!

Complete reference is the word.

More and more companies are using the web for e-commerce, e-business and e-learning. You have been tasked with the job of designing a web site that will not only build a client based but will also make your company stand out in the cyberspace community, where do you turn for the one book to guide you through it all?Start by purchasing the WEB Design: The Complete Reference and begin to unlock the power of the web and the potential of unlimited customer base sales and support for your personal company or the fortune 500 mega power. This book has everything you need to create one of the most dynamic web sites.In this 850 plus page encyclopedia of web design, you'll learn about core design issues, how to setup a site navigation and organization. You find information about page design and layout. You be given tools for adding images, creating form, menus and other web related items.The book delves into web technology like HTML, CSS and XML. Also included is detailed information about Java Scripting, PERL and other web languages. Read about web technologies like CGI, Active X and other plug-ins and you'll be creating new pages and site in no time flat. The book has a plethora of pictures, diagrams, tables, charts and most importantly coding examples making sure you understand the concepts completely. I was impressed by the amount of information included in the books and also by the accuracy and detail of the information. The author also includes real world tips and tricks so you can see how everything fits into place. You will need a basic HTML and web design background as this book is more towards the high intermediate and advanced group. About the only shortcoming is no CD-rom with the usual freebies like banners, bullets and pre-written plug-ins and scripts. Still overall a very good value for the money.