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DHTML Books in general
by jennikitten
DHTML stands for 'dynamic hypertext markup language', which sounds scary but is actually just a common form of coding used across the web to structure and add functionality to websites. The difference between HTML and DHTML is mainly that DHTML is code more focused on interactivity and making websites more 'fun' and easy to use, rather ... than being related to the core design and structure of them.
There are many, many books on the market that cover all aspects of web design, HTML, DHTML, PHP, JavaScript and about a million other things. In the DHTML category you can get all kinds of books ranging from quick guides to huge tomes. They are often coupled with other aspects of coding, for example CSS or JavaScript.
This review aims to argue that buying a book on DHTML is completely pointless. Starting at around £20 for a decent book, it's a pretty big initial cost and the paperback market tends to try and take advantage of those wanting to teach themselves, and students who have been told to buy the books. This is because a lot of formal programming, coding and designing for the web is based on ridiculously inflated costs of classes, materials and to some extent programs (although debatably the latter are sometimes worth the money).
As well as the ridiculous costs, the physicality of a book is very impractical for coding. This is because you have to bend and crease pages and spines to even get these big heavy books to sit properly - and most likely it will end up flipping to a different page or closing by itself anyway as you're trying to type. This is true of most books unless you get a stand, which isn't always practical and adds to the cost yet again. Creasing and damaging the spines also ruins the book's resale value (that's if you want to pay ridiculous amounts of postage to the person you sell it to).
You might argue that if you need the information, then my previous two points are irrelevant. Well, that's not quite true. The internet, handily available at your fingertips, will provide all the information and far more than any book (at least a year out of date anyway) will offer. Don't understand a section? Find another website to explain it to you. Have got really close to coding something but not got it quite perfect? Ask at a forum. All this stuff and more - including pre-written scripts, tools you never knew existed, snippets, tutorials, live help and more is all available for free via Google. And with no creased books or small type in sight. It's also incredibly useful to be able to copy and paste text instead of laboriously copying it from a book. You can always print out or bookmark a page you find especially useful or need to refer to a lot.
One of my favourite DHTML help websites is dynamicdrive.com, because as well as lots of free tutorials, snippets, a great search engine and easily understandable text, I also find it much more inspiring than dry code in a book. You can see how things interact on the page, find out if the code does what you want it to, and it's very easily accessible. Often DHTML books just tell you what they used and what they think you should know - which usually has very little relation to something in particular you're trying to achieve.
So whether you're intending to learn yourself or just pick out bits of code you need, you don't need expensive books for it. Save the planet, and save your money.
In summary:
- Everything you could possibly need you can get for free by searching the Internet
- The books are expensive, waste paper, are difficult to physically work with and are at least a year out of date
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Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling in General
by ktbainbridge
Over 10 years ago now when J.K. Rowling started the Harry Potter series, noone could have imagined how strongly it would grip the entire world.
Each book lasts a year and chronicles Harry Potter, the orphan's school year at the magic school Hogwarts. The books increase in legnth from one year to the next and are written with ... great detail and complexity which has gained Ms Rowling critical acclaim.
The books have since been made into films and each and everyone has become huge blockbusters and the DVDs have made their way into almost everyones books shelves. We are just waiting for the last one to come out, as the film makers cannot keep up with the writing! The actors (including Daniel Radcliffe) get older and older, but are still kept for use in the films.
A lot of reviews I have read have said the books are suitable for all ages. I have to disagree slightly with some parts of this. There is generally a few action scenes and baddies in each story, and this can be scary to youngsters. Also some of the story is extremly complax, so the younger viewers may not be able to follow this, but will still be bowled over by the magic and drama that unfolds.
Worth a read/ watch.
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Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling in General
by Princess97
Harry Potter was written by J. K Rowling. I would definitely recommend buying them for your children, nieces, nephews and even try reading them yourself! They are available at a discounted price on Amazon and the whole series is a bargain.
They are the perfect gift for everyone, if not the book then surely the DVD. The Harry ... Potter series has been very well planned out. From the beginning to the end, you can tell the author has done a lot of planning as the story fits together 'magically'.
Harry Potter is a orphan wizard, his parents were killed in what he thought was a 'car crash' but on his eleventh birthday, he finds out that they were really killed by the evil wizard Lord Voldermort. You may think that you are too old for Harry Potter, but honestly, you're not. So don't be afraid to try them out!
The final book, 'Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows' wraps up the whole series and also includes 'Nineteen Years Later' which is set in the future and no surprise 'Nineteen Years Later'!
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