Cascading Style

Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition
$39.95
Note that there are at least 3 editions of this book. Check for the latest edition if you want the latest.

Pro CSS and HTML Design Patterns
$44.99
I'll admit, this book has great potential. I like texts that try to tackle specific programming concepts individually, without bogging the reader down with excess concepts that haven't been discussed yet. There are far too many CSS books out there which either a.) don't include adequate examples, or b.) have multilayered, 10- to 20-page examples which are excessively complex (and yet many of these books claim to be written for beginners!).

But while the conceptual organization of this book is great, I think it falls flat on its face in practice.

My biggest gripe is simple: For a cookbook-style text to work effectively, you must have recipes which are complete and usable. And the vast majority of the examples in this book are not. Most are akin to a cake recipe which states, "Add 2 eggs, 2 cups of flour. You know the rest."

But I found that, all too often, I didn't know the rest. The author consistently omits code that he describes as "non-essential rules." In some cases, these rules are CSS declarations that are repeated in many examples - e.g., background and border rules.

But in other instances, there is more critical information that is omitted, both from the CSS and HTML sample code... and the only way to figure out how the code is *supposed* to look is to download the sample code off the author's site. These source code files might reveal parent s which are omitted from the book's code, as well as additional positioning rules (especially for absolutely-positioned elements) which, again, are simply not included in the book's examples - yet are critical to the functionality of the examples.

In some cases, there is no HTML included at all - so it is up to the user to either fill in the gaps, or else to download the source code off the site - code which, once again, does not come close to matching the code that's printed in the book.

Again I say, if this text aims to provide reusable design patterns, then these designs should be complete, or at least very close to complete. There are far too many code samples in this book (the vast majority, in fact) which don't render to look anything like the accompanying images.

I'm pretty certain that these omissions are largely intentional on the part of the author. After all, he admits in many cases that he does this to limit the sample code to a single page. But what good is brevity if it comes at the expense of usability? What good is a short code sample if it doesn't even work?

This book has a lot of potential, but it needs to be re-written so as to be more accessible to, and directly usable by, its readers. Hopefully the next edition will be better.

STYLES 'S Beer and Ale Cascading Pub Wall Clock
$24.95
9" Black Plastic Wall Clock. Brand new in box. Precision quartz movement operates on one AA battery (not included). This is not a lighted clock.

Dazzling Elegance: Sterling Silver Celebrity Style Open-work Cascading ovals Dangle Earrings with CZ Diamonds
$89.97
You have a masterpiece to indulge your flair for the classic and fashionable with this exceptional design that takes a standard and creates an absolutely stunning rendition of art in fashion. These awesome earrings are crafted from pure .925 Sterling Silver and enriched with a glowing Rhodium Plated Finish to create a rich White Gold tone. Delicately linked together, the Oval Openwork frames are encrusted with Pave set Diamond accents that highlight the finely etched work on the oval links. These awesome earrings will add an instant dash of glamour to every casual and dressy outfit you choose. You have a great gift to keep family and friends happy and close for every occasion. These earrings are designed for pierced ears and have easy to wear friction back, butterfly posts with stoppers to ensure safety. Dimensions: Length: 1 3/8 inches x Width 1/2 inch and the combined weight of the earrings: 4.40gms. This includes a Money Back Guarantee, Gift Box and Free Shipping.