Comments on: Review: The Book of JavaScript, 2nd Edition: A Practical Guide to Interactive Web Pages

By: Brett Merkey

Brett Merkey — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 22:36:51 +0000

I think you were much too kind to “The Book of JavaScript.” I don’t have your aversion to negativity so I uploaded a short review to Amazon. It was not worth a long review.

Anyone who writes their name with an exclamation point better show me some good stuff, not a re-hash.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 21:58:51 +0000

I have been trying to learn javascript for years, and I always come out with something that doesn’t work.
Unfortunately, I saw the book when it first came out and I thought, “Oh great, maybe this is actually what I finally need to learn javascript!” I had his first edition, and I thought that the revision would include DOM scripting, something that notoriously never seems to work for me. Unfortunately, it just seems like the exact same thing as the first. I thought that he would get out of document.write() after mentioning it, but it continues to be used throughout the book.
One thing that I can say positive about it is that if you are aware of unotrusive, progressively enhancing javascript, but are still learning it, it’s kind of cool to write this code and then change it step by step to be more modern and less 90’s.
I really want to find a book that blends thau’s style of complete code examples (as opposed to the broken up between text style) and reasurring tone with DOM scripting, Ajax, and unobtrusive js/progressive enhancement.

By: James Edwards

James Edwards — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:49:23 +0000

This is disappointing to hear - not that you didn’t like the book, but that you felt you had to write about it like this.

I really feel there is no excuse these days for failing to consider best-practise and accessibility when writing about JavaScript - it really isn’t rocket science, but it does take some thought and care, and from the sounds of this review, thought and care is exactly what’s missing from this book.

It’s a damn shame, and frankly, it makes me a little angry - because there are always new coders, new people learning the ropes for the first time, and if those people are being taught techniques and approaches that are dangerously wrong and unsuitable .. well it just ends in more chaos and problems for users; more people being locked out; more people staring at their browser going “WTF!?”

I applaud you Christian for being brave enough to write like this - it can’t have been easy to be so polite!