Reviews for CSS Pocket Reference (Pocket Reference (O'Reilly))

1. A pocket-sized quick reference

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, May 12th, 2009

   This book is useful primarily because of its handy size. You can take it anywhere - an internet café or a library, for example - where you might want to do some CSS and it provides a handy quick reference.
   
   The early part of the book covers basic rules and there is an index at the back. In between, starting a third of the way down page 33 and ending on page 120, you'll find all the selectors with their pattern, a brief description and brief examples. The information is presented in a clear and easy-to-understand manner but you certainly couldn't use this as a training guide. You might spot one or two unfamiliar things that look as if they could be useful but you're not sure. In such cases, you might need to surf the net or look up a full-sized book to find out more.
   
   As a quick reference guide, this pocket-sized guide is ideal, but don't expect any more of it than that. There are plenty of other CSS books, including some from the same publisher, that give much more extensive coverage. Those books can tell you a lot more but they won't fit in your pocket.
   
   Note that since I bought this book, a revised third edition has been published.

2. Simple but comprehensive.

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, March 12th, 2006

   It starts with a VERY brief explanation of CSS selectors, inheritance, the box model, inline model, floating, positioning and the table model. Note that these don't substitute in any way the text in CSS, The Definitive Guide.
   Then comes the CSS 1,2 and 2.1 properties reference, with the properties, values and their meaning. A very brief example is given for the property but it is only a snippet showing a selector using that property, nothing more. It is easy to search and, is small enough to be carried anywhere without causing much hassle.
   It has the 10% that allows to do 90% of the work and is extremelly usefull to have around when writing Style Sheets.

3. Perfect sized handy guide, a must for quick reference

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, March 12rd, 2006

   I am writing this with respect to the 2nd edition that was published in july 2004 and is still the current edition now (Mar 2006).

   For a simple and clear guide this book takes some beating. The layout is concise with descriptions and examples as in all O'Reilly reference material. What really makes it a winner is the compact size and the compacy price to match.

   As with all internet based technologies this book may have aspects that have been added to functionality-wise that is in store for the next edition but never the less for the people out there who don't have a photographic memory for snippets of code this book stands in perfectly.

4. Excellent but very terse guide

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, November 12th, 2005

   If you are used to HTML but not the formatting rules of CSS then this book will not teach you CSS but once you are over that relatively short learning curve and understand the principle this book answers the simple question of what properties are available to you without the overhead of carrying around endless bulky tomes on formal definitions of CSS 1 and 2.

   There are problems with this. It took a long time to update to cover CSS2 - but you may choose to stick to CSS1 for compatibility. It hasn't got an index but it's so short you can probably find most things with a quick browse. It won't teach you CSS - but it doesn't claim it will. If you accept those limitations and need CSS but not the tutorial then keep this book to hand.

5. Superb reference !

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, March 12st, 2005

   Excellent buy for anyone who wants a quick, concise reference for CSS2 & CSS2.1. It gives good and simple examples of how to use the selectors with all their corresponding properties. Very easy to look up as it's all alphabetically listed.