Reviews for JavaScript in Easy Steps

1. Annoyingly un-easy. Avoid at all costs

   Rated 1 out of 5 stars, January 12th, 2010

   It sells itself as JavaScript in easy steps, but unfortunatly this is one of the worst books on the subject I've had the misfortune to buy. The method is confusing, incomplete, and, contrary to its tag line, not easy to follow. None of the scripts I've tried have worked, and none of the chapters lesson give what should be a fairly bog standard offering: the resulting script. For example,the chapter on enlarging thumbnails has 7 steps: each one goes back the former, but gives no clear description of syntax, or format. All it would have taken for this book to have been useful was a summary at the end of each lesson showing the built script in full. Utterly useless to a novice JavaScript writer, and completely miss-sold. How this ever got by a competent editor is beyond me. Avoid at all costs.

2. Does exactly what it says on the (cover)

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

   I now need to use JavaScript in my job, so I wanted something which would give me a basic understanding before I delved deeper. This book fits the bill admirably - I had heard of JavaScript, but I had no real idea what it did or how it did it. Now I understand what a powerful tool it can be, but with great power comes great responsibility...sorry, been watching too many Spiderman DVDs! Seriously, if you, like me, are a total newcomer to JavaScript, this is an ideal place to start.

3. No good

   Rated 1 out of 5 stars, June 12th, 2009

   I got this to add stuff to my website.
   It gives examples of what words to write in a html page to get, for example, a welcome message.
   The instructions are unclear, not in a logical order and not accompanied by screenshots of what the finished lines of text should look like.
   If you struggle through and follow the instructions (and of course proofread your text- vitally important) the resulting web pages do not produce any effects. (well not in Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari anyway). If you are especially thorough you may go back inserting/removing spaces between the characters where the layout in the book is not clear. You get the same result.
   The editor of this book should have tried to do the examples before he passed it to the printers.
   
   Frank

4. Terrible book that explains nothing

   Rated 1 out of 5 stars, February 12th, 2009

   I first bought the xhtml book from this publisher and was completely disappointed with it and quickly resold it to a second hand book shop. Then I made the mistake of getting this book. Javascript in easy steps is not a book to learn Javascript period. It covers some basic ground but not alot else. It has more fluff than actual programming content and I'm actually a little surprised that I see any good reviews here at all.
   
   If you want to learn Javascript, get something from 'Reilly or Sitepoint.

5. Through book, not for the beginner

   Rated 3 out of 5 stars, July 12th, 2004

   Although this book is in easy steps I found that a little previous knowledge is needed, or good. it can be used by the complete beginner however.

   It gives a good, if a little brief, overview of javascript with lots of working examles for you to try. It does only give the barebones though and so is not a comprehensive read.