Dave Thau! - The Book of JavaScript, 2nd Edition: A Practical Guide to Interactive Web Pages

"The fastest way to killer JavaScript chops!"

" The Book of JavaScript shines.... [It's] an outstanding model for teaching language by example."

The first JavaScript I remember writing was a routine to change two frames at the same time. I was the production specialist for HotWired, and it was shortly after frames and JavaScript debuted, well before there was documentation for either. Fortunately, it was also well before Internet Explorer 3.0 appeared on the scene, so I only had to make sure my JavaScript worked for Netscape 2.0. Even so, without a reference book to point out where possible pitfalls could be or answer simple questions such as how to set variables that JavaScript would like or how to make different windows talk to each other, it was one hell of a challenge. And it was deeply satisfying when I got it to work correctly.

When Dave asked me to do the technical review of the second edition of The Book of JavaScript , I couldn't have been more pleased or honored. The deep satisfaction I felt when I wrote those first JavaScripts and they worked correctly, and the deeper satisfaction I felt as more and more browsers were released and I figured out how to write cross-browser and cross-platform JavaScript, are the same feelings I got when I read Dave's explanations and examples. He describes what a piece of code is going to do and how to think about it, then lays out an example of code that makes sensewhether you're a seasoned programmer or entirely new to JavaScript. On top of all that, he takes a practical approach to programming, he's able to explain complex problems in a way that doesn't make them sound daunting, and when you're done covering each topic, you feel like you've earned the knowledge. That's rare, and it's really, really refreshing.

Since the first edition of this book was published, there have been a few advancements in JavaScript, most notably the advent of Ajax. Ajax is a concept that makes even a few professional programmers' heads spin, but (not surprisingly) Dave manages to break down what Ajax is and what it isn't, explains when it makes sense to use it, and shows you how to do it.

If you're new to JavaScript, you winyou couldn't ask for a better person to teach you how to program. If you're an old hat at JavaScript and you're looking for a refresher course or wondering how to take advantage of Ajax, you win too.

Happy coding!

Luke Knowland

Interaction Designer, Six Apart

San Francisco