By Larry Anders, Librarian, Tampa PC User’s Group
larryanders@msn.com
First, let me tell you that in the past I have written several articles reviewing software and hardware, but to my knowledge, this is my first book review. I’m flying blind here, so maybe you shouldn’t expect too much.
When I saw that this book was available for review I immediately volunteered to do it because I was interested in finding out what was new in the next version of FrontPage. I have been using FrontPage since Microsoft decided to develop this type of software, and since reading New Webmaster’s Guide to FrontPage 2002 (NWG) I have purchased my upgrade to FrontPage 2002 (FP2002). Not to say I purchased my upgrade of FP2002 because of reading NWG. I would have upgraded anyway because I think FrontPage is the best program out there for creating and maintaining a web site. Now, on to the book…
The subtitle to NWG is "The Eight Steps For Designing, Building, and Managing FrontPage 2002 Web Sites." Furthermore, the book’s cover quotes the Wall Street Journal as saying "it aims at mainstream business rather than techies or raw novices." I hate to start out this way but I strongly disagree with the Wall Street Journal’s assessment. I think this is a terrific book for anyone wanting to learn about creating a serious web site. (By serious I mean something other than a family picture album.) And you don’t have to be interested in developing just a business related site to get something out of this book.
I was disappointed to find that, for the most part, the book dealt with overall techniques applicable to web sites in general and not just FrontPage. The authors, Jason Gerend and Stephen Nelson stated that they felt one problem with most books about FrontPage is that they are only about FrontPage. Duh! Maybe that’s why they are books about FrontPage. You think? Well, if that is what they think, then their book certainly is not wrong. They could probably have titled the book "New Webmaster’s Guide to Designing, Building and Managing Web Sites – with a few applications relating to FrontPage 2002." But then again, they probably wouldn’t sell as many books with that title.
Don’t get me wrong. I think it was a very good book on how to build a web site and do it right, but I was misled by the book’s title. If you’d really like some good instructions on how to develop a web site here are the eight steps suggested in the book:
1. Determine your web’s goals
2. Lay your foundation
3. Collect and organize your content
4. Create your web site
5. Create your pages
6. Polish your pages
7. Add interactivity to your web site
8. Deploy your web site
NWG is well worth its $24.95 list price and is probably less expensive if purchased on-line. There is a lot of good information in this book that someone new to web site design, or a seasoned designer, can find helpful. But don’t expect it to give you all the ins and outs of FrontPage 2002. You’ll have to purchase a book about FrontPage 2002 for that, or read an upcoming article of mine on what’s new in FrontPage 2002. u