Comments on: “PHP Solutions” tops Digital Web’s favourite books of 2006 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:06:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mark http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-11793 Mark Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:33:22 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-11793 I just wanted to say thank you for writing this book. Finaly, I get it. I must have read at least 5 php books before I found yours, and all I got from them was how to echo hello. PHP Solutions was very easy to understand. I can now go through some of the open source scripts that I have,and I understand what they are doing. I've even made some improvements on a couple of them. Thanks again I just wanted to say thank you for writing this book. Finaly, I get it. I must have read at least 5 php books before I found yours, and all I got from them was how to echo hello. PHP Solutions was very easy to understand. I can now go through some of the open source scripts that I have,and I understand what they are doing. I’ve even made some improvements on a couple of them. Thanks again

]]> By: David http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-11444 David Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:10:30 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-11444 Yes, you can get an electronic version by following the "Buy as eBook" link on the <a href="http://www.friendsofed.com/book.html?isbn=1590597311" title="Go to the PHP Solutions page" rel="nofollow">book's page on the friends of ED site</a>. Yes, you can get an electronic version by following the “Buy as eBook” link on the book’s page on the friends of ED site.

]]> By: Donald Andrews http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-11442 Donald Andrews Fri, 21 Sep 2007 22:20:47 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-11442 Is PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy available for sale in digital form anywhere? I am disabled and can use digital books more easily. Is PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy available for sale in digital form anywhere? I am disabled and can use digital books more easily.

]]> By: Caroline Schnapp http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-3712 Caroline Schnapp Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:57:49 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-3712 <blockquote>The secret of good technical writing is to put yourself in the position of a complete beginner. <b>What sort of things would seem odd to such a person?</b> What sort of mistakes are they likely to make? And how would you rectify them?</blockquote> And since the writer is not a beginner, it’s quite a gift (or a muscle to develop) to gain that mental perspective on the language and software. You are very good at this. The way you explain the how and the why, I feel intelligent when I read you. I never think : “why is he telling me this, lol, it is so obvious, this is not for me.” Because if you’re writing about something that I already know, you’re phrasing it a way that brings even more clarity, and order. I just didn’t recognize your 'plume' in chapter 7. Thank you very much for your excellent advice.

The secret of good technical writing is to put yourself in the position of a complete beginner. What sort of things would seem odd to such a person? What sort of mistakes are they likely to make? And how would you rectify them?

And since the writer is not a beginner, it’s quite a gift (or a muscle to develop) to gain that mental perspective on the language and software. You are very good at this. The way you explain the how and the why, I feel intelligent when I read you. I never think : “why is he telling me this, lol, it is so obvious, this is not for me.” Because if you’re writing about something that I already know, you’re phrasing it a way that brings even more clarity, and order. I just didn’t recognize your ‘plume’ in chapter 7. Thank you very much for your excellent advice.

]]> By: David http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-3690 David Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:57:24 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-3690 Yes, Caroline, well spotted that Chapters 7 and 8 weren't written by me. Is it that obvious? :) I don't know why the chapters were divided up between different authors the way they were. The book was originally written by Sham Bhangal, who has a very good teaching style. However, he was too busy to undertake the rewrite for Flash 8, so Kris Besley and Eric Dolecki were drafted in to do the job. Eric had to withdraw for various reasons, so I took over his chapters. Since most chapters are self-contained, it didn't really matter. However, coordinating the Futuremedia case study became a bit of nightmare. We discovered just before the book was about to go to the printers that two vital sections had been left out. Fortunately, we spotted it before it was too late. Good luck with your own writing. The secret of good technical writing is to put yourself in the position of a complete beginner. What sort of things would seem odd to such a person? What sort of mistakes are they likely to make? And how would you rectify them? Yes, Caroline, well spotted that Chapters 7 and 8 weren’t written by me. Is it that obvious? :)

I don’t know why the chapters were divided up between different authors the way they were. The book was originally written by Sham Bhangal, who has a very good teaching style. However, he was too busy to undertake the rewrite for Flash 8, so Kris Besley and Eric Dolecki were drafted in to do the job. Eric had to withdraw for various reasons, so I took over his chapters.

Since most chapters are self-contained, it didn’t really matter. However, coordinating the Futuremedia case study became a bit of nightmare. We discovered just before the book was about to go to the printers that two vital sections had been left out. Fortunately, we spotted it before it was too late.

Good luck with your own writing. The secret of good technical writing is to put yourself in the position of a complete beginner. What sort of things would seem odd to such a person? What sort of mistakes are they likely to make? And how would you rectify them?

]]> By: Caroline Schnapp http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-3642 Caroline Schnapp Thu, 08 Mar 2007 03:45:59 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-3642 Reading Chapter 7, not chapter 8 (Flash book). Reading Chapter 7, not chapter 8 (Flash book).

]]> By: Caroline Schnapp http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-3641 Caroline Schnapp Thu, 08 Mar 2007 03:42:07 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-3641 Thanks!! :) I am now reading chapter 8 of Foundation ActionScript for Flash 8. It's a small world. Almost all great (computer!) books come from Friends of Ed or Apress these days. I don't think you have written this particular chapter but it's very well written nevertheless. I am all over the place these days : learning php (half way through 'php solutions', I have to show a picture on my web site of how many post-it stickies I have in that book... so far), developing a couple of modules for Drupal CMS (probably prematurely), and doing all kinds of graphical stuff too, and now back in Flash and getting a refresher on objected-oriented programming while trying to sell an e-book on Dom Scripting. Haven't sold one copy yet, I am just giving it away, but that's fine. Keep on the great work. Writing technical stuff with the aim of making it all sound so simple is hard work (for me!). Thanks!!
:)
I am now reading chapter 8 of Foundation ActionScript for Flash 8. It’s a small world. Almost all great (computer!) books come from Friends of Ed or Apress these days. I don’t think you have written this particular chapter but it’s very well written nevertheless.
I am all over the place these days : learning php (half way through ‘php solutions’, I have to show a picture on my web site of how many post-it stickies I have in that book… so far), developing a couple of modules for Drupal CMS (probably prematurely), and doing all kinds of graphical stuff too, and now back in Flash and getting a refresher on objected-oriented programming while trying to sell an e-book on Dom Scripting. Haven’t sold one copy yet, I am just giving it away, but that’s fine.
Keep on the great work. Writing technical stuff with the aim of making it all sound so simple is hard work (for me!).

]]> By: David http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-3616 David Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:48:13 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-3616 Yes, I can talk while Chris is looking. ;-) The book I'm working on is a major rewrite of <a rel="nofollow" title="Go to book's description" href="/dreamweaver8/" rel="nofollow">Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8</a>. Adobe will be making an official announcement about Dreamweaver and other new releases on 27 March, so I'll be able to say more then. How major a rewrite? I've written about half the book so far, and almost all of it is new. A lot of what remains to be written will be a revision of the existing book, so I would say that 60% to 70% of the book will be new. PHP still plays a central role in the book, but it's not just about PHP this time. Some of the new sections come from new features in the next version of Dreamweaver. Other parts come as a result of feedback from readers, plus monitoring web forums to see what issues people need to find answers for. Yes, I can talk while Chris is looking. ;-)

The book I’m working on is a major rewrite of Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8. Adobe will be making an official announcement about Dreamweaver and other new releases on 27 March, so I’ll be able to say more then.

How major a rewrite? I’ve written about half the book so far, and almost all of it is new. A lot of what remains to be written will be a revision of the existing book, so I would say that 60% to 70% of the book will be new. PHP still plays a central role in the book, but it’s not just about PHP this time.

Some of the new sections come from new features in the next version of Dreamweaver. Other parts come as a result of feedback from readers, plus monitoring web forums to see what issues people need to find answers for.

]]> By: Caroline Schnapp http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-3552 Caroline Schnapp Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:26:08 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-3552 <blockquote>Both Apress and foED are thriving, and I’m currently writing another book for them...</blockquote> Can we have a hint on what that book will be? A charade? A forensic clue? Anything? Can you talk while Chris Mills is looking ? :) Would love to know. You are great writer David.

Both Apress and foED are thriving, and I’m currently writing another book for them…

Can we have a hint on what that book will be? A charade? A forensic clue? Anything? Can you talk while Chris Mills is looking ? :)

Would love to know.

You are great writer David.

]]> By: Chris Mills http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-3426 Chris Mills Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:50:23 +0000 http://foundationphp.com/blog/2006/12/22/php-solutions-tops-digital-webs-favourite-books-of-2006/#comment-3426 Yes, we definitely still exist - cheers for supplying the details David ;-) If you've got any further questions about our books Dave, feel free to ask, at editorial [at] friendsofed [dot] com. thanks, Chris Mills Editorial Director friends of ED Yes, we definitely still exist – cheers for supplying the details David ;-)

If you’ve got any further questions about our books Dave, feel free to ask, at editorial [at] friendsofed [dot] com.

thanks,

Chris Mills
Editorial Director
friends of ED

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