JavaScript

Learning JavaScript, 2nd Edition
$34.99
I am trudging through this book right now, and as a beginner who has no prior experience with JavaScript, I can tell you that this book isn't for the beginner. I've gone through a few examples and typed in the code as written and found that a few of the examples don't even work. I'm sure that it was written using some sort of word processing software, so what made it so hard to copy and paste the JavaScript code into a file to check to see if the code actually works? Also, I don't understand why the examples are so complex. After reading and rereading the script examples, I can usually figure it out, but having to do that is why I say that this book is not for the beginner.

The good part about this book, is that I am actually learning the material. The "test" questions at the end of the chapter range from simple to intermediate, and I can answer all of them correctly. I just wish it was a bit easier to read for us beginners.

JavaScript(TM) Step by Step
$39.99
I'm learning. The book is very helpful. I'll meed other books to learn more completely. Book-on-CD is an excellent feature.

JavaScript: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition
$26.99
Dear Beginner,

This book is an excellent beginner's book for learning JavaScript. You can tell by the plethora of positive reviews it has received on these pages. I bought this Second Edition in August of 2008, and am re-reading it now to brush up on my JavaScript as I prepare for an online JavaScript class that I'm taking.

There are a handful of minor typos in this book that aren't worth mentioning here, that aren't mentioned on the book's author's website's "Corrections" page--compared to one glaring typo, I guess you could call it, on page 405 of the book, that I think you should know about.

That's where there is a script called "Putting It All Together," that changes the first letter of a person's first and last name, that they enter into a "Prompt" box, to either a capital "Z" or a capital "W," depending upon what that first letter might be.

The problem is: the script doesn't work! I know. I spent several sleepless days and nights getting the same incorrect results as I repeatedly typed the script into my Text Editor.

Rather than going into a long explanation as to why the script doesn't work: how about I make an analogy for all of you Beginners out there--who are thinking of buying this book--as to the problem with the script, and how the problem can be easily fixed! That way, by the time you get to page 405, you won't be slowed down in what is an otherwise fast-paced introductory book for learning the JavaScript scripting language.

Here goes: The script's logic is: If something isn't equal to "A," then do "B," else do "C." But that can't work! The script can never get past "B." The correct logic is: If something is equal to "A," then do "B," else do "C."

By the time you get to page 405, this last paragraph will make perfect sense to you!

Here's the corrected script for you to peruse while you ponder your purchase. By the time you reach page 405, this script will seem like child's play:

Revised Page 405 Script That Works









If you use the "Look Inside" feature for this book that Amazon provides, and type in "page 405" into a little box you'll see, you will be taken to the script itself on page 405, where you will see the way it was erroneously printed onto that page.

Using Amazon's "Look Inside" feature just now, I found that the same suspect script is also on pages 431-432 of the original edition of the book, JavaScript: A Beginner's Guide, published in March of 2001, and on pages 360-361 of the latest edition of the book, JavaScript: A Beginner's Guide, Third Edition, that came out just last month!

This points out the importance of typing in every single script and example you come across in this or any other computer book you may be studying, and opening up what you typed in your browser...because otherwise, you'll never know for sure what code works and what code doesn't!

Good luck,

Bennie

Object-Oriented JavaScript: Create scalable, reusable high-quality JavaScript applications and libraries
$39.99
Coming from a background dominated by statically typed languages, this book has really helped solve some of the mysteries of JavaScript. The hands-on, tutorial style is very effective. The examples are both simple and insightful. My only complaint is the book's index is inadequate.