Dreamweaver CS3 for Windows & Macintosh

I read the other reviews and had to comment. This book is NOT a technical manual, nor a step-by-step on how to design websites. Rather, it is a COMPANION book on how to use DreamWeaver. If you are familiar with other Adobe products, then you will appreciate that DreamWeaver maintains many similarities. If you are NOT familiar with Adobe products, then you are in for a major learning experience! Let's get one thing straight right off the bat ... DreamWeaver is a highly complex program that is NOT meant for just any [dingbat] one to pick up on a whim and design the "perfect" website. You actually have to know how to read and understand (X)HTML, you can't just plop a site together without knowing this. Just because you CAN use the WYSIWYG interface doesn't mean you can do that exclusively. If you are used to using FrontPage, then you have a RUDE awakening when it comes to the difference between that and DreamWeaver. This book was the required book for the class in Web Design with DreamWeaver that I enrolled in (at an actual school) and completed very successfully. This book is EXACTLY what the title states: a "quick start". It in no way ever implies that it is anything other than that! It is there as a gentle nudge. It is NOT there as a guided class! AND, it NEVER EVER states that it teaches CSS ... NEVER!! Maybe you thought that "CS3" was the same as "CSS"?? If you are looking for an entire "class in a book" strictly on DreamWeaver, then I recommend the "Missing Manual" by O'Reilly and/or the "Classroom in A Book" series from Adobe Press. If you are looking for a book on CSS (cascading style sheets), then you want the "Head First" series entitled "HTML with CSS & XHTML", or the Visual Quick Start book entitled "HTML, XHTML & CSS" ... DUH!! I mean, really - make sure you buy the correct book for what you want to learn! If you don't, then DON'T BLAME THE BOOK!! I use this book as a reference quite often, and to remind myself how to do certain functions in DreamWeaver. It has a great index, and the appendices are very informative. Also, the website is as complete as it can be. They give you the links for the resources in the book. There is only one "errata" that relates to using a Mac, and it's listed on the site. About emailing ... they specifically say to READ THE FAQ'S FIRST. There is a disclaimer about them NOT being able to answer each and every email on page xiv of the book - so quit griping about that! Read the FAQ's, or get a teacher! [such a freakin' whiner you are M.F.Summy.] I wish people would THINK before posting a negative review. There is value in every book. Before you buy it, look through it either online or in a book store! Whether you bought the proper one for your needs is NOT the book's fault! Grow up!

Visual Quickstart guides are great both for learning and reference As a dreamweaver buff, I use this guide for reference pretty much, but it is great for both. I just bought more of this outstanding series.....

I love these Visual QuickStart Guides. I have them for all the Adobe design software. I don't read them, just dip in and out when I need something. I'm swapping over from Go Live to Dreamweaver and this book is a must have reference because it shows where things are... where the properties are, the CSS details, etc. Love it.

This is the fourth book I've owned in the Quickstart series (all relating to Adobe design products or their predecessors) and find it to be an excellent series. Each book has been thorough and well-organized without being wordy. As for the negative reviews about this book: it's worth keeping in mind that no publisher is going to stake its reputation (and bottom line) on an incompetent author. Rather, books (and series) are written with a specific agenda. This book is meant to serve as a concise guide and reference manual and is not a tutorial: if you're looking for step-by-step exercises, look elsewhere.