120 of 125 people found the following review helpful:

Very disappointing., June 13, 2008

I am a photographer who has put off building a website because I simply didn’t know where to start and I can’t afford to hire consultants to set one up for me. I finally got a basic website up and running using the free Jalbum templates until I can build a fully custom and comprehensive website of my own. I bought this book because it looked like it would be useful in helping me achieve that goal but it has turned out to be a disappointment. Although Janine Warner explains things very well so that even a newbie can understand what she is saying, the book itself will not give you the information that you need to build your own website unless you have Dreamweaver. This book should really be called “A Basic Introduction to Dreamweaver for Dummies” because the heart of the book assumes that you have that application program. I don’t have it and I don’t know if I will ever get it or even want it. But even if I had Dreamweaver, there’s a problem because the author tells you that the book is not intended to give comprehensive information about Dreamweaver either and that you should buy her book on Dreamweaver for that.

HTML? It mentions HTML in passing but, again, it tells you to get an HTML book if you need to know more about that subject. Same with CSS, etc. So this book is really just a overview of website building for people who have Dreamweaver but if someone had Dreamweaver, they would be better off buying a much more comprehensive book on that subject.

The book does have some useful general information about getting a domain name, hosting service, etc., but even that is very limited and and you can find even better information for free with a simple Internet search. In short, this book has very little information about actually building a website without Dreamweaver and it doesn’t have much information about building one WITH Dreamweaver.

For some reason, it also has a chapter on building Podcasts. I didn’t read that chapter because I bought this book to help me build a website, not a Podcast. As far as I’m concerned, that’s an entirely different topic and it wastes more space in this book that could be used to go into HTML and other more relevant subjects. If I wanted a book on building Podcasts, I would buy one. I have no idea why the author included a chapter on building Podcasts in a book supposedly about building websites unless she also sells an expensive DVD course or book on that subject as well. It almost seems like the author made an effort to avoid offering solid and useful information about actually building a website and that she got side-tracked onto unrelated subjects.

This book also goes into editing pictures with Photoshop Elements. In my opinion, that’s just wasting even more space on off-topic information because picture editing is another totally different topic. And, like Dreamweaver, the information she gives about PS Elements is very minimal so one would have to buy another book about PS Elements if they want to know more. Janine may sell a book or DVD course on Elements too. I use Photoshop CS myself so I just ignored her PS Elements stuff but that meant yet another chunk of the book was wasted. I would have liked to see more information on HTML in its place. Of course, you do have to know how to edit and optimize pictures for most websites but, again, that is another topic for another book. A book on building websites should ideally stick with building websites, not basic picture editing using a program that most people probably don’t even have.

If you go to the author’s website, you begin understand what the real purpose of this book may be. She sells many expensive DVD courses that, supposedly, actually teach you what this book should have taught you but doesn’t. It almost seems like the purpose of this book is to get you to buy Janine’s other books and DVD courses, not teach you how to do what the title suggests it should do.

I also noticed numerous errors in the text, which seems odd because in the beginning of the book, Janine mentions several times how important it is to edit and proof-read things. Here’s just one example: On page 56 in the paragraph numbered “4,” when discussing image optimization, Janine writes, “Notice that the size is reduced from 1.59MB to 407MB.” She meant to write 407KB, of course. Errors like this are not a big deal but they could potentially confuse someone who didn’t know any better and was trying to follow along. I noticed quite a few of that type of error and there were probably some that I didn’t notice. But this type of book is short-lived and readers can generally expect rather poor editing and proof-reading so this can be excused. However, with a technical subject, it could cause problems for the reader. If Janine herself had simply taken an hour or two and proof-read the book, she would have caught those errors.

One other thing:…

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]]> http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-257 Hotlips4000Returns Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:31:53 +0000 http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-257 fantastic video! ;) fantastic video!

]]> http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-256 grapesofbaath Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:20:58 +0000 http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-256 Very good video. Covers everything clearly and succinctly. Very good video. Covers everything clearly and succinctly.

]]> http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-255 Tozzywozzy Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:54:50 +0000 http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-255 3:33 - looks good lol Makes me laugh when he says this :P 3:33 – looks good lol Makes me laugh when he says this

]]> http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-254 imjustpassinthru Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:42:58 +0000 http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-254 They hired an out of work disc jockey to do this video. Lucky for Lowes they got a good one. They hired an out of work disc jockey to do this video. Lucky for Lowes they got a good one.

]]> http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-253 hotheroe Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:47:56 +0000 http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-253 hmmm. they said you need teflon tape in the beginning, but i never saw it used. maybe should have gone on the water supply line connections ;o) . good video though hmmm. they said you need teflon tape in the beginning, but i never saw it used. maybe should have gone on the water supply line connections ;o) . good video though

]]> http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-252 swdw973 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:26:14 +0000 http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-252 A little more how to and a little less advertising please A little more how to and a little less advertising please

]]> http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-251 jsblgb65 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:04:56 +0000 http://DIYMVP.com/how-to-replace-and-install-a-kitchen-sink-do-it-yourself/#comment-251 He's smiling because he works for Lowes and not Home Depot, or worse: 84 Lumber. He’s smiling because he works for Lowes and not Home Depot, or worse: 84 Lumber.

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