From the book lists at Adware Report:

 All information current as of 01:31:58 Pacific Time, Tuesday, 8 March 2005.

XML for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide

   by Elizabeth Castro

  Paperback:
    Peachpit Press
    October, 2000

   US$13.59     

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Editorial description(s):

Amazon.com
The Visual QuickStart Guide series from Peachpit Press is known for boiling topics down to the essentials, and presenting them in an engaging and efficient way, to get the reader up to speed quickly. In applying this model to XML, author Elizabeth Castro had her work cut out for her.

Fortunately for her readers, Castro has identified successfully the core components of XML, and presented them in a streamlined way. This book doesn't tackle any of the advanced elements of XML technology, such as SOAP, SAX, or integration with the Document Object Model (DOM). Instead, it focuses on teaching the basic nuts and bolts of creating XML documents, styling them, and defining their structure.

This book moves at a fast pace. Document Type Definitions (DTDs), for instance, get only 30 pages of coverage. This tight format comprises simple examples that illustrate commands and concepts, instead of pages of text. The pages are presented in a two-column format, so that code fragments can be placed (wisely) side by side with the step-by-step explanatory text. Each topic example is supplemented with one or more useful implementation tips.

For a true grasp of XML and all of its potential, you'll need to follow up this introductory tutorial with more reading on the applications of the technology and case studies. But this little book is a great way to learn the basics of XML in a weekend. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered:


Book Info
(Peachpit Press) A beginner to intermediate level tutorial for using XML for the Internet, using pictures instead of verbal explanations to teach concepts. Designed to get the reader up and running quickly. Softcover.


From the Back Cover
Web-maven Elizabeth Castro, who has penned Peachpit books on HTML,Perl and CGI, and Netscape, now tackles XML--an indispensable toolfor creating personalized, updated content for each visitor on yoursite. Whether you build Web pages for a living or you're taking on anew hobby, XML for the World Wide Web contains everything you need tocreate dynamic Web sites by writing XML code, developing custom XMLapplications with DTDs and schemas, transforming XML intopersonalized Web content through XSLT-based transformations, andprofessionally formatting XML documents with Cascading Style Sheets.The real power of XML lies in combining information from varioussources and generating personalized content for different visitors.Castro's easy-to-follow graphics show exactly what XML looks like,and her real-world examples explain how to transform and streamlineyour Web-site creation process by automatically updating content.


About the Author
Elizabeth Castro is the author of the four best-selling editions of HTML for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide. She also wrote the best-selling Perl and CGI for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide, and the Macintosh and Windows versions of Netscape Communicator 4: Visual QuickStart Guide. She was the technical editor for Peachpit's The Macintosh Bible, Fifth Edition, and she founded P‡gina Uno, a publishing house based in Barcelona, Spain.


Book Description
Web-maven Elizabeth Castro, who has penned Peachpit books on HTML, Perl and CGI, and Netscape, now tackles XML--an indispensable tool for creating personalized, updated content for each visitor on your site. Whether you build Web pages for a living or you're taking on a new hobby, XML for the World Wide Web contains everything you need to create dynamic Web sites by writing XML code, developing custom XML applications with DTDs and schemas, transforming XML into personalized Web content through XSLT-based transformations, and professionally formatting XML documents with Cascading Style Sheets.

The real power of XML lies in combining information from various sources and generating personalized content for different visitors. Castro's easy-to-follow graphics show exactly what XML looks like, and her real-world examples explain how to transform and streamline your Web-site creation process by automatically updating content.




Reader review(s):

Another industry standard from Elizabeth Castro, November 6, 2000
With over 60 new books on XML set for release in the year 2000, it seems like another XML book would not be that big of a deal.

Well, that might be true if it were an XML book from anyone other than Elizabeth Castro and Peachpit Press.

Castro, the author of two other bestsellers, HTML for the World Wide Web and Perl and CGI for the World Wide Web has the rare gift of being able to take extremely complex subjects and render them into understandable terms for just about anyone. In her newest book, XML for the World Wide Web, Castro scores a direct hit in being able to convey the ins and outs of XML and all of its aspects in a way that makes it unique, usable and useful.

Castro tackles Schemas, DTDs, Namespaces, XPath, Xlink, Xpointer, XSLT, CSS used with XML and just about everything else being discussed, implemented, debated, planned or argued in the constantly changing world of XML. That's not unusual for an XML book. However, Castro actually pulls it off extremely well, resulting in a very very very good book for those about to immerse themselves in the complexities of XML. That is unusual. Many XML purists will point to Simon St. Laurent's "XML:A Primer" and Benoit Marchal's "XML by Example" as being definitive "first XML books." I would agree, to a point. I have both of those and they are indeed excellent 5-star books but I honestly think that Castro's book will be more digestible to more people not well-versed in XML.

Critics, if any, might argue that XML for the World Wide Web is too basic or doesn't cover this topic in extreme detail that way or this way. That's not the point of this book. If you are already working in XML, you'll probably have a shelf full of advanced Wrox or Que or O'Reilly books on XML anyway that are very detailed. No, this book is truly for those just starting out who want to or need to actually learn XML and how to use it. And in that capacity, it succeeds on a grand scale.

Castro's HTML for the World Wide Web, now in its 4th edition, has become an industry standard. It can be found in every bookstore across the US and in many many college classrooms. Her Perl & CGI book accomplished the same thing for its target audience. I think that it can be said that XML for the World Wide Web will achieve the same lofty status, becoming the third jewel in Castro's triple crown.

I have no gripes at all with this book. But, I do have one suggestion that doesn't detract from the excellence of this work. In XML for the World Wide Web, Castro devotes Appendix A to XHTML. My only suggestion would be that perhaps she should instead consider making the 5th Edition of her HTML book an XHTML book, since HTML 4.01 was superseded by XHTML 1.0 almost a year ago. But again, that's only a suggestion.

In conclusion: XML for the World Wide Web...great price, great book, future standard!

I recommend it highly to those in the early stages of their XML careers.

Left hanging, January 28, 2001
I normally don't like to purchase a book until I've thumbed through it at the bookstore first, but after reading the reviews given to this book, I figured this is one time I couldn't go wrong (this is one time I should have judged the book by its cover). I have minimal XML experience, with no real coding or design time with it under my belt.

My first impression on recieving the book was disappointment, as the cover read 'This Visual Quickstart Guide uses pictures rather than lengthy explanations'! Upon opening the book, I was rather disappointed to find this was true....fully 1/2 of the book (the innner half of the page, on almost every page) is filled with either white space, or code 'snippets'. No where in the book (though you can get it from the website, though that kind of defeats the purpose of my buying the book