HTML, XHTML, and CSS, Sixth Edition (Visual Quickstart Guide)

Of course, Elizabeth Castro manages to write books that not only speak to those who are already fluent in HTML, but are good for newbies too. She makes it a breeze to create sites that are visually stylish and technically sophisticated without the expense of buying an editor.

Among the topics covered in her new book, HTML for the World Wide Web with XHTML and CSS: using the (relatively newer) structural tags (like doctype and div); correctly using older tags (like p and img) that have been modified in XHTML; writing XHTML so that formatting is done by the style sheets; writing those style sheets (cascading style sheets, a.k.a. "CSS"); creating a variety of layouts; and dealing with tables, frames, forms, multimedia, a bit of JavaScript (including mouseovers), WML (for mobile device displays), debugging, publishing, and publicizing your site.

As with all Visual QuickStart Guides, this one features clear and concise instructions side by side with well-captioned illustrations and screen shots that show both the source code and the resulting effect on the Web page. The index is extremely detailed, making this a great reference.

Also great for reference are the outstanding appendices. The first is an extensive list of tags and attributes, indicating which are deprecated and/or proprietary and on which page they are discussed. A similar appendix shows CSS properties and values; given the future of Web coding, this chart alone is worth the price of the book. Other handy charts cover intrinsic events, symbols and character Unicodes, and an expanded color chart that goes way beyond the virtually archaic Web-safe palette. All of which makes this a definite must-have for every Web designer's bookshelf. --Angelynn Grant

Product Description
Need to learn HTML fast? This best-selling reference's visual format and step-by-step, task-based instructions will have you up and running with HTML in no time. In this completely updated edition of our best-selling guide to HTML, Web expert and best-selling author Elizabeth Castro uses crystal-clear instructions and friendly prose to introduce you to all of today's HTML and XHTML essentials. You’ll learn how to design, structure, and format your Web site. You'll create and use images, links, styles, lists, tables, frames, and forms, and you'll add sound and movies to your site. Finally, you will test and debug your site, and publish it to the Web. Along the way, you'll find extensive coverage of CSS techniques, current browsers (Opera, Safari, Firefox), creating pages for the mobile Web, and more.

Visual QuickStart Guide--the quick and easy way to learn!

• Easy visual approach uses pictures to guide you through HTML and show you what to do.
• Concise steps and explanations get you up and running in no time.
• Page for page, the best content and value around.
• Companion Web site at www.cookwood.com/html offers examples, a lively question-and-answer area, updates, and more.

Elizabeth Castro has written HTML for the World Wide Web to provide Website designers of all skill levels with the latest ground-breaking HTML, XHTML, and Style Sheet tags. She presents a variety of sample scripts and illustrations to assist designers to create dynamic Websites. Whether the designer uses a commercially available HTML editor or works from scratch, this book will provide new and exciting programming options that can be put to immediate use!

The book is written in a clean, concise, and straightforward manner, cutting through the mountains of writing that weigh down most other books. After providing some brief Website design tips, Castro moves to the heart of the book, programming tags. Available programming tags are clearly presented and discussed, and accompanied by sample scripts and illustrations of their actual use on the same page. No need for page flipping here to see what each tag can accomplish.

Are you interested in putting some exciting programming features to work? Elizabeth Castro suggests that beginners read through the entire book and follow strict HTML guidelines when at all possible. Although her book is intended to be a strict HTML resource tool, it can also serve as a Website design guide that will offer quick design solutions to meet the growing demands of online publishing for a variety of users.

Castro recommends that Websites be designed simply, fast-loading, and accessible to those using a variety of browsers, platforms, and monitor settings. According to Castro universality is key. Her pet peeves are overpowering backgrounds and unwanted, unsolicited, self-loading obnoxious sounds! A convenient fold-out color chart at the back of the book identifies a selection of available Website colors. Other charts include listings of tags, special characters, and helpful Web development tools.

This is a top-rated book. Keep it within easy reach of your computer while designing Websites. It's extremely easy to read and thumb through to find the tag scripting and other information you need when you need it. Feel free to highlight text on pages, to fold the corners, and to insert bookmarks. Have it on hand. It's absolutely one of the best HTML guides available. Highly recommended!


Excellent reference for beginners & advanced users   February 4, 2005
Java Cup
10 out of 10 found this review helpful


I have an honest confession, I'm a programmer, but I had no idea how to code HTML for some time. I first tried HTML for Dummies, but it was of no use. Then after reading the reviews, I tried this book and now I'm glad I did. This book has helped me to get up to speed in my web development projects. It's a great book to start with and also an excellent quick reference for those who already know HTML.


Just like the web   March 5, 2005
ekino
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

It works just like the links in the web, eg: forgot about how to add an image in a page, then go to page xxx. the instructions are short and precise. there are also useful tables that I look up a lot when creating a page. So there's no need to flip pages when I forgot the css or html tags. There's also pictures that accompony the instructions, which is quite useful.


CSS rocks!   September 23, 2005
Joy Wandrey (Springfield, KY USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

This is a great book for getting your coding skills up to speed! If you don't know the difference between html, xhtml, xml, sgml,& css then this is the book for you. Gives current standards throughout, and is clear and easy to use. It is a required textbook for a class I am taking, and has become my new favorite web-coding/design reference. Contains many clear and well-explained examples, and will allow you to hand-code like a pro.