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Official Netscape Javascript 1.2 Book: The Nonprogrammer's Guide to Creating Interactive Web Pages, Second Edition, by Peter Kent and John Kent and under the Netscape Press umbrella, offers fairly complete coverage of the JavaScript language. If you are already familiar with Java, you'll only have to bone up on the basic user interface functions (alert, prompt, confirm), the basic JavaScript objects, (window and document) and their methods, and a few new string-handling functions (dealing with generating HTML and specifying fonts). If you are starting from a background in C, however, you'll need to become familiar with the different syntax for I/O and string manipulation, the limited object hierarchy, and a different event handling (which will be found to be easier than C++ and much easier than the Windows SDK).
Unfortunately, while all the topics are laid out in logical order, there aren't enough examples for nonprogrammers to really learn programming from Netscape JavaScript 1.2, and the explanations are too wordy for the book to serve as a convenient review or reference for the experienced programmer. This deficiency is not remedied by the incluson of two full-size applications -- an area code directory and a telephone directory. Such applications should be run on the server in a language capable of processing large data files. Netscape JavaScript 1.2 faithfully chronicles the efforts and pitfalls connected with shoehorning these applications into the limited capability of JavaScript (which like its heavyweight cousin, Java, can't easily process files because of security restrictions), but the result is neither inspiring nor educational.
Experienced programmers will be interested in the advanced features, and those which are new to JavaScript 1.2: LiveConnect (for interfacing with Java Applets and plug-ins), matching regular expressions, signed scripts (described in the book only in general terms, with a URL given to lead you to more information on the subject), and topics which are mostly Netscape enhancements to HTML (e.g., LAYER, which enables switching displays without changing pages, STYLE, the ability to group: font, alignment, blink, color).
You can expect annoyances in any book which tries to be all things to all readers. In this book, that includes teasers with several features appearing in code examples before they are actually explained and tables that don't have captions or numbers. Also, the absence of an object-methods hierarchy chart leaves you wondering why, for example, the open method of the window object has an entirely different syntax from that of the document object. And unlike the more programmer-focused books on JavaScript, there is no attempt to describe the possible interfaces with the Microsoft competition, VBScript and ActiveX.
Official Netscape JavaScript 1.2 will be most useful to someone who urgently needs familiarity with the latest features introduced in JavaScript 1.2, who already has some familiarity with both HTML and Java (or C), but does not need complete proficiency.
-- Peter Gottlieb
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Explanation of ERCB rating scale: No stars = unacceptable, 1 Star = marginal, 2 Stars = average, 3 Stars = above average, 4 Stars = exceptional.
JavaScript, The Definitive Guide, Second Edition, by Flanagan (O'Reilly & Associates, 1997). Like most O'Reilly books, this one provides the proficient programmer with the most efficient way to learn the subject and the best reference manual. Unfortunately, it has only two pages on the new features of JavaScript 1.2, a deficiency that will presumably be remedied in the third edition.
Using JavaScript, Second Edition, by Wooldridge, Morgan, Reynolds, Honeycutt (Que, 1997). This book is for the serious student who wants lots of examples to chew on. It doesn't claim to be full JavaScript 1.2, but does have extensive discussion of some of its most important features, including LAYERS, STYLE. It also has extensive instructions on getting along with VBScript and ActiveX.
JavaScript 1.1 Developer's Guide, by Danesh and Tatters (sams.net, 1996). Covers the same material as Using JavaScript in a somewhat more professional style, but, as the title indicates, lacks the new features of JavaScript 1.2. Presumably, this will be shortly remedied by a 1.2 edition.
JavaScript for the World Wide Web, by Gesing and Schneider (Peachpit Press, 1997). For the reader who wants familiarity fast, and doesn't need the new JavaScript 1.2 features, this little book is the most efficient route.
JavaScript for Dummies, by Vanderveer (IDG Books, 1997). Like most books in the "Dummies" series, this one is more satirical than informative. If you appreciate this genre for recreation purposes, you may pick up a few phrases to amaze your friends and confound your enemies.