Non-Designer's Web Book, The (2nd Edition) by Robin Williams

by Robin P. Williams

While the second edition of The Non-Designer's Web Book won't answer all of your technical questions about the inner workings of the Web, it explains most of what a beginning designer needs to what the Web is, how it gets to your computer, how to use it, and, most of all, how to design for it. Any artist can tell you that you have to know how a medium works to get the most impact from working in it. A basic understanding of how the Web works enables the good designer to create the most effective sites. This book thoroughly discusses the different kinds of graphics that are used on the Web, when to use one over another, how to make the most of text styles, and how to design navigation systems.

The comparisons are the best stuff here--good design vs. bad design, why designing Web pages is different from designing printed pages, and why a site looks terrific on one monitor but terrible on another. Two chapters on properly preparing graphics and setting typography for use on a Web site describe how to avoid obvious mistakes that would make your work look amateurish.

Not limited to design, The Non-Designer's Web Book shows how to get a site up and running, register the domain name, and add it to search engines. After the design is finished and implemented, the site has to be uploaded and updated; this is explained, too.

If there is one fault with this book, it's the lack of information on specific authoring tools. The barest overview of the current crop of tools appears in chapter 3, "Just What Are Web Pages, Anyway?", but a discussion of why you should choose one package over another is absent.

Don't let that fault stop you from buying this book, however. Plenty of magazines regularly have Web authoring tool "shootouts." What the magazines don't do, and what The Non-Designer's Web Book excels at, is tell you how to make well-designed pages. If you're going to build Web sites, for either personal or professional use, but you have no clue where to begin, start with this book. It's easy to read, devoid of confusing jargon, and full of dos and don'ts to help you avoid common snags. --Mike Caputo

Genres: Design, Reference, Web, Nonfiction, Art, Computers, Technology

Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Robin P. Williams is an American writer of computer-related books. She is particularly known for her manuals of style The Mac is Not a Typewriter and The Non-Designer's Design Book, as well as numerous manuals for various Mac OS operating systems and applications, including The Little Mac Book. Williams has also spent years studying William Shakespeare, and in 2006 issued her book Sweet Swan of Avon: Did a Woman Write Shakespeare? in which she proposed the writer Mary Sidney as a candidate in the Shakespearean authorship question.

Reviews

[Julie Bozza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific introduction to the subject, which would be great for anyone who's new to the whole shebang, or for a techie who is learning about design, or for a designer who is learning about websites.

I learned a few things, didn't agree with a few things, but was generally impressed. There's lots of good information here, and - importantly! - Williams & Tollett don't only explain WHAT but WHY. Not only does this help understanding, but it also helps you then adapt and apply the understanding to your own projects.

Nicely done.

[Bryan Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent design teacher Robin Williams joins John Tollett for this helpful and easy-to-read introduction to creating attractive web pages and sites. The version I picked up at Half Price Books was the second, and in the decade since it was published things have changed a bit. The references to Netscape were quaint, but the near-obsession with file size seems less crucial now than it did in 2000. The tips for better aesthetics and organization – on the other hand – were both timeless and useful. I’ve already begun using some of the book’s tips in my work.

[Shane C · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series is so very fantastic!!

[elena]

im counting textbooks because this was a tortuous mandatory read from a professor who clearly has no mercy🥰 therefore it goes towards my goodreads goal

[D.w. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few books by Robin Williams (though I should like to read some by the other R.Williams) and I always find them full of information. They give me insights into my use of the computer that I had not thought of, or refreshers that I need.

The usefulness to me is apparent as I look back at the book and see how much I dog eared items to search on the web, or need to remember for my work. The book, as the title states is for us non-designers who are building web pages. I have built quite a few and of course I remember what a

is. But to show why it is good to choose one alignment. To use sliced image maps, and so many other items makes this work a needed and cited reference on my shelf. In face I actually had read a few years ago the 2nd edition and had been telling other non-designers to get it. Finding there was a third edition slightly more current (One a year please Robin to keep up with the changes in coding and programs) I thought a reread of parts of 2 and now all of 3 was in order

So, we come down to it. Should you get it. Yes if you are a web page designer, creator, builder. Have anything to do with web pages. Will I or you reread it. Yes again. This is a very useful, well written tome with great examples throughout. Well worth the money, time and effort you will put into it.

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

After having been wowed with the Non-Designer's Design Book, I thought this one would blow my mind. But it didn't. It was basically just a rehashing of the same principles, with a lot of rudimentary information about website design that seemed straight out of 1998.

Does this mean I'm not as much of a non-web-designer as I thought, or that the author just needs to get with the times?

I don't think we will ever know...

[Altug]

It is a decently written book for non designers as the name suggests, not only telling what to do but also explaining the answers of the designing questions as they popped in your mind. I think it is worth for the investment. It might be a good revising book for people who knows about designing and such but needs to refreshen their designing skills.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've never made a website before or just need a refresher course on basic web design and design principles, this is a good place to start. Not only does it have practical, technical information, it gives you a good foundation for thinking like a web designer.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was useful to me designing my first website along with HTML5 Step by Step. I used that for the code and this to stay within good design standards. It was very helpful and clear to someone very new to web design.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book taught me to use layers and Dreamweaver and honestly without it I would've been screwed for my Sr. Project which was to create a website for a local business. So I'm really grateful to this book for that reason.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of this book was very basic, but I still learned things from it. The basic parts were very basic. This book would be helpful for someone who has never built a website and would like to learn.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim's York Pub Guide owes much to this! Read and studied, autumn 1999.

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

The vast majority of this book was focused on explaining the basics of the web and giving outdated advice. But there was one chapter on basic design principles that was useful to me.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

A basic book on creating, designing and posting a website.

[Bebe Four · Rating 2 out of 5]

2+

[Joelendil · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very helpful in setting up a website in a way that is useful and aesthetically pleasing. The software operation instructions, however, are horribly out of date.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't got around to finishing for some reason.

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent guide to principles of web layout, but the process is getting really out of date.