The book is made up of a series of code samples that illustrate a particular task or function you'd want to accomplish in a web page. For instance, in the Forms And Validation chapter, the authors discuss why you would want to use JavaScript to do form validation. They then start out with a simple script to show how you'd set up a validation script for a form. After that, they start to build out the different validation edits that should catch invalid data. At the end, they recap with the complete script they just walked you through. The advantage to this style is that you are learning by doing real-world examples. And when finished, you have examples of code that you can refer back to in the future when you need similar functionality.

Another important thing to understand about JavaScript is how to use it to work with the object model of the browser, such as windows, forms, images, etc. Much of this information is interspersed within the chapters that are teaching you how to do things with JavaScript. I would have liked to see a chapter devoted just to the browser object model. However, given the intended audience (beginning web developers), it could have been a little too confusing to break that out.

For Notes/Domino developers, you'll find a lot that will be immediately useful as you start developing Domino web applications. Once again, the form validation section will help you to understand how you can use JavaScript to do your form validation instead of making round trips to the server to edit the Domino form using @Formula language. You will have to work a little harder to translate some of this into the Domino development environment, however. Since Domino translates Notes design objects into HTML "on the fly", you may never end up coding

I would compare this book's offerings to fast food: it all comes prepared, and the most you'll have to do is squeeze some ketchup on top of it. You won't be stepping into the kitchen.

I found JavaScript Programming for the Absolute Beginner, by Andy Harris, much better for learning javascript concepts and syntax.

Although the example codes are simple, once you get the basics, you can easily create your own scripts using the techniques taught in the books and interwine them with your own imagination.

The xbStyle object presented at the end of the book really helped. Although its a little outdated (xbStyle.js has been split into 2- xbStyle.js and xbDOM.js). But the API's are still the same, except now they are more specific(being split into xbDOM[contains methods like xbGetElementById() ] and xbStyle[object] and all.

Overall, this terrific book will put you on the 'exponential' road to javascript success. It did to me

In the PREFACE it even says that "the examples are designed to be applied immediately in web pages, so explanations focus on the key features and discuss how the scripts can be modified to suit individual needs". It's true. From the beginning of this book you are diving right into the material, and can even apply some of the codes to your existing web pages. The material presented is VERY EASY to follow. It talks about the language from the very basic foundation. It gradually introduces you from the basic foundation to the more advanced functions.

This book is also from the O'Reilly Web Studio. From whom I also own other books for Web and Multimedia design and programming.

In the PREFACE it even says that "the examples are designed to be applied immediately in web pages, so explanations focus on the key features and discuss how the scripts can be modified to suit individual needs". It's true. From the beginning of this book you are diving right into the material, and can even apply some of the codes to your existing web pages. The material presented is VERY EASY to follow. It talks about the language from the very basic foundation. It gradually introduces you from the basic foundation to the more advanced functions.

This book is also from the O'Reilly Web Studio. From whom I also own other books for Web and Multimedia design and programming.

Aimed at beginning to intermediate scripters, DWJ2 skips the dry stuff and dives right into practical real-world examples of useful scripts you can easily add to your own pages. Everything from simple descriptive links and remotes, to frames, form validation and arrays, through sniffing, rollovers, personalization through cookies, and more advanced topics are covered.

A brief DHTML chapter follows, with some simplified examples of drop-down menus (non-hierarchical), sliding tabs, and scrolling layers with clipping, useful for news feeds.

The advanced chapter covers object-oriented scripting and shows how to create a quiz to test your readers. Relational select menus (2-level) illustrate using two-dimensional arrays nicely.

I especially enjoyed the section on cross-browser style objects, where the authors demonstrate the use of Netscape's xbStyle object. xbStyle is a simple abstraction layer that removes the complexity of accessing style properties. Using xbStyle you can grab, hide, and move layers without worrying about implementation details of specific browsers.

The coolest thing about xbStyle is the layer grabbing technique. xbStyle implements a W3C-like document.getElementById() method for 4.0 browsers! For these older browsers, xbStyle redefines this method, to make its use seamless for scripters manipulating layers (DIVs). This example demonstrates the leveraging power of a well-executed API. This book is a good intro by example to JavaScript.