Project Cool Guide to XML for Web Designers

I'm a web designer. I know CSS, HTML, and a whole load of stuff, but I wanted to learn XML and XHTML. It was recommended in other books I checked out that I should learn XML first because XHTML uses XML for it's formatting. So, after skimming through some XML books, I found this one and what an awesome book it was! I've read it- every single page, every word, and wrote a complete set of notes for my personal use on DTDs, entities, namespaces, etc. The best thing about this book is how easy-to-read it is. Other books are huge or they're technically to advanced for me to undderstand. Everything about this book is just right: page number, explanations, langauge... It's so down-to-earth (not to mention the examples are fun). I checked it out from the library and now I'll be looking for more books by this wonderful author! Because of this book, I know how to use XML and now I'm learning XHTML for effective web design. A MUST buy for *WEB DESIGNERS*

Don't be swayed by the negative review up there at the top - If you're a programmer you should probably check out something from O'Reilly, and you should read the name of the book before you buy it. This book is aimed squarely at *web designers* and is intended to be an overview of the subject with just enough technical and spec information to get you started.I'm halfway through the book, and I highly recommend it for anyone on the web design side of the industry who's interested in XML but not really familiar with what it is or the fundamental roots of HTML. The book goes over what XML is and what it isn't, how it compares to HTML, how it relates to CSS and XSL, potential applications for XML, DTD's, the W3C recommendation process, and lots of other related information.I find these many different angles quite helpful, because my perspective is limited by comparison; HTML, JavaScript, and graphics occupy the bulk of my time, and I never would have thought of some of the considerations and advantages of XML brought up in this book.If you're a web designer, buy this book. If you're a programmer, go look for the O'Reilly book!

If you want to know what XML is and does before you dive into its technical end, this is a great book! The author presents this complicated topic in a way that makes it simple and understandable.

...UNLIKE that god-awful "XML for Dummies" book which was a dreadful let-down. This book was very readable and clear. I can only hope there will be another edition with more information about XSL once the specification begins to solidify. In spite of the title, you'll get a lot out of this great intro to XML whether you're a web designer or not.

Becoming involved in XML can require considerable investment of time and energy in learning a myriad of existing and proposed technologies. Instead of just plunging into the syntax and semantics of XML, the author takes the time to explain the history and potential of this important new topic. We get to meet and hear from the key players who have worked so hard on its development. Only when fully prepared with this background, do we get into the nuts and bolts of XML, XSL, DTDs, HTCs, etc. Unlike other XML books, this one approaches the topic from the point of view of the Web designer and developer, not from that of the veteran SGML user.