Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to (X)HTML, StyleSheets, and Web Graphics

The books cover the basics of HTML design. However, you can learn many things about the intermediate topics in Web design, XHTML, CSS, etc. It's a "must" in your Web Design bookshelf.

As from the title, i am a beginner of HTML & CSS. I am reading books to help me have a better understanding of web design when i go to learn Dreamweaver & Flash. If you have read my other review on "Sams Teach yourself HTML & CSS" I bought these two books & i am rating them against one another on how well i learned something since they are the only two books i have read at this time. Because it is alot of info, i will indicate the pros & cons of this book:

Pros of this book:
1. The book is in color compared to "HTML & CSS in 24 hours".
2. The exercises are fun & there are alot in this book.

Cons on this book:
1. I think this book hardly covers any area compared to HTML & CSS in 24 hours".
2. This book is over priced 4 what better quality you get out of the 24 hour book"
3. Her appendix on code in the back of the book is only 2 pages long, thats a joke compared to how much code is out there & the 24 hour book has 10+ pages of code to help you out.
4. The chapters arent laid out well.


Overall, compared to most books, i think this book was ok by only the excerises that were in the book & it to be a decent hands on book. Do i think this book is 4 beginners, yes, but it only scratchs the surface. If you want a good reference guide, i would recommend "HTML & CSS in 24 hours" because when it is rated between those two books, the other book is soooooo much better, read my review on it to help you better.

Great product. In many cases, ``beginner's'' guides are no such thing -- just a place 4 the author to show off their knowledge, but provide little of value to the reader. This book is an exception. Love the step-by-step instruction, practice exercises, additional tips. Have recommended this book to my co-workers

1. If you are already a Web Developer with knowledge of HTML, Form, URL etc, then this book wont add anything more to your knowledge.
2. Most often Web Developers (not Web Designers) lack knowledge about image/icon creation, CSS, DOCTYPE types, XHTML etc. This book gives a good explanation of those concepts.
3. The best part of book is the Part III (chapter 11 to 17) that explains the concepts of CSS. Anyone who liked 2 & 3 will also like Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML (Head First) that seems to be structured similarly & provides similar knowledge.

This is an excellent resource to learn modern W3C-standards-compliant web design from the ground up. It is up-to-date , well organized, well written, & easy to follow. By the time you're done with it, you will be well on your way to being able to call yourself a web designer with a straight face. My only complaint is that the book is physically fragile & the binding completely falls apart even with moderate use. And given how great this book is in all other respects, mere "moderate use" is pretty much out of the question - this will be your constant companion as you take your first steps in web design.

Everything you need to know to create professional web sites is right here. Learning Web Design starts from the beginning -- defining how the Web & web pages work -- & builds from there. By the end of the book, you'll have the skills to create multi-column CSS layouts with optimized graphic files, & you'll know how to get your pages up on the Web.

This thoroughly revised edition teaches you how to build web sites according to modern design practices & professional standards. Learning Web Design explains:

• How to create a simple (X)HTML page, how to add links & images
• Everything you need to know about web standards -- (X)HTML, DTDs, & more
• Cascading Style Sheets -- formatting text, colors & backgrounds, using the box model, page layout, & more
• All about web graphics, & how to make them lean & mean through optimization
• The site development process, from start to finish
• Getting your pages on the Web -- hosting, domain names, & FTP

The book includes exercises to help you to learn various techniques, & short quizzes to make sure you're up to speed with key concepts. If you're interested in web design, Learning Web Design is the place to start.