XML: A Beginner’s Guide
May 5, 2010 by BPELforum · 5 Comments
Product Description
Essential skills for first-time programmers! XML: A Beginner’s Guide will teach you the fundamentals of XML programming. You’ll learn to use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), XHTML, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), and Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL).
This Beginner’s Guide is Designed for Easy Learning: Modules: Each programming concept is divided into logical modules (chapters), ideal for linear learning
Goals: Each module opens with the specific programming skills you’ll have by the end of the module
Ask the Experts: Q&A sections throughout
1-Minute Drills: Quick self-assessment sections to check your progress
Annotated Syntax: Example code annotated with commentary that points to the particular technique illustrated
Projects: Coding exercises contained in each module that build on one another, from simple to complex
Mastery Checks: End-of-module reviews that test proficiency using multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and simple coding questions
This is an excellent introduction to the XML basics. The book i swell-organized and the writing is clear & easy to follow. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs to get up to speed quickly with XML, or who needs to quickly teach it to others.
Rating: 5 / 5
This book is a good read for someone fairly experienced in HTML and aquianted with Web application development who wants to add XML to his or her skillset. It does a fairly good job of explaining to what I feel is a satisfactory level of depth the various topics covered. Downside: alot of theory and concepts but not enough examples. If you are looking for a workbook, something with exercises to practicaly apply what you have learned, this is NOT it. BEWARE: the code examples in the “projects” section is RIFE with typographical errors. Obviously, the proofreader of this book is not a programmer as he/she missed ALL of the typos. This is especially frustrating for beginners as it breaks the pages and causes hours of frustration which could have easily been avoided. Better off to rely on the online examples provided on their download site.
Rating: 3 / 5
The author, Dave Mercer seems to have a very good grasp on the content. The mastery questions at the end of the sections are written as may be found in a normal conversation on the subject…this is very helpful. I found myself often asking these same questions while reading the book. Readability was in a slight technical tone and having some background in coding would help while reading this book. I wish that the publisher would have made the address for the online website more obvious for the exercises that the book contains…perhaps on the front cover next to the “free code online” statement. All in all I would recommend this book.
Rating: 4 / 5
The book does a good job with explaining topics such as using XML as a database and using DOM to interface with XML. It is also a good book if you work in the Microsoft web technologies (ASP, VBScript), since many of the examples use ASP and VBScript to interface with the XML document.
However, I had to give it only three stars because it is not really a book for people new to programming, as this book advertises. A reader does need some kind of programming basics to understand some of the topics. Also, I think that the book glosses over the basics of XML. Even though the more intermediate topics like using XML as a database are explained well, a reader that is brand-new to XML could easily get lost because not enough emphasis was placed on the basics.
If you do work in the Microsoft technologies, and you want to learn and work with XML, then buy this book AFTER reviewing the free XML tutorial on [website]
Rating: 3 / 5
just a warning- don`t be convinced by the “free code online” offer- they don`t give you a website, and if you do track it down from the publisher, you`ll discover its painful to use- that combined with the mistypes in the text and its a basket case.
other then that, the book is clear enough, but how can you learn a language without practice?
Rating: 2 / 5