Beginning HTML with CSS and XHTML: Modern Guide and Reference

by David Schultz, Craig Cook

In 1999, I bought a book about the web. This brave and still relatively new world had caught my interest, and the pocket-sized Rough Guide to the Internet featured four or so pages of rudimentary HTML. After about three hours I had built a web page and linked to another one. This first web page looked awful, but I was excited. Later that day I somehow managed to upload it to a domain, and I realized I had created a website—an actual website. So naïve was I back then that I assumed I’d need to leave my home computer on in order for other web users to see my pages! How amazed I was at work the next day when I successfully called my little website up in front of the boss. So, I decided to buy another book, called Learn HTML in a Weekend. It was a very long weekend. This and other preliminary books taught me a lot, but much of it badly; my code was littered with font tags, frames, and tables for layout. CSS had not really taken hold back then. In the beginning, we used HTML to do all the hard work because we didn’t know any better. This difficult, limiting, and weighty approach to building websites was born out of HTML’s generosity, it being a rich language with early specifications offering rather too much scope for abuse. I can accept that now, but I’m unsure why so many recent books still preoccupy the reader with ill-advised and outdated techniques that can be achieved much better and more easily with web standards. I care about how people learn to build websites, and I know it can be impenetrable for beginners. Equally, I worry that many professionals are still ripping off clients with shoddy workmanship. This is why I’m so happy to introduce this book. David Schultz and Craig Cook understand that building websites is a craft, and with Beginning HTML with CSS and Modern Guide and Reference they bring you years of experience condensed into an enjoyable, carefully structured reference focused on responsible, powerful HTML, CSS, XHTML and even JavaScript—the perfect introductory package. You’ll find a wealth of practical examples that you can actually use. As a stickler for top-notch code, I’m especially impressed that everything within validates as HTML Strict (which you’ll learn more about soon) and that David and Craig have ensured all methods work cross-browser and will stand up to whatever twists and turns the Internet takes next. You are embarking upon a great adventure, but you have in your hands the best possible map and two expert guides to hold your hand. Soon you’ll reach your destination and will be waxing lyrical to anyone who’ll listen about your grasp of web standards, wondering why the old boys still work with their outdated methods. Mighty explorers, this book will tell you all you need to know.

535 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

- For the former professional wrestler "Dr D. David Schultz" click here
- For the Hamline University professor and expert on government election law, economics and all things political. David Schultz click here

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

A "competent" introduction to HTML, Javascript and CSS. It presents the basic information well, but I suspect any eager student would soon want to go beyond the walls of the Table of Contents.

In this case, "From Novice to Professional" should be interpreted as: "From Novice to Not-so-novice"

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Potential book for web development class. Book is a solid foundation on developing a website and students could really follow this book to create a site. The pacing felt good. Also a chapter on the basic of javascript. Could work well in addition to or as a continuation of Elizabeth Castro's book. Would need to supplement with more meaty book on CSS and javascript.