Peter Gasston

I am not a programmer, so to be honest, a lot of the more complex code was beyond me----like the matrix section which requires a knowledge of trig. I was a design major, and didn't take that much math. I could figure it out if I really wanted to. But that is the key concept...do I really want to? Maybe sometime in the future. Still it is nice to know what is out there in the future and what is and will be possible in the future.

There is an appendix that gives websites that have more explanations and applications of some of these codes. For instance, I can't see why I would use the he 3D features, unless I had a particular cut-out image I wants to make "pop" out of the page. Maybe the websites will give more compelling examples.

Still is it nice to skim through this book and have an idea of what is possible now and what is coming in the future. I also know where to go to get more information on the possibilities of how to use it all more effectively.… (mehr)

The Modern Web
Peter Gasston
ISBN: 9781593274887
Publisher: No Starch Press
Released: April 2013
Pages: 264

As the pace of change in the Web domain keeps accelerating, working Web developers, all of us but especially freelancers, struggle with finding the time to: 1) work; and 2) not get too far behind the technology curve.

This book was written to help with that struggle:

“[T]his book is a snapshot of current, new, and near-future features in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and related technologies, with a bias toward those that are best for building sites in the multi-device world.”

The book begins by describing stuff that’s in a fairly advanced state of deployment, for example, elements introduced in HTML5 and WAI-ARIA properties, then moves through the spectrum to things not quite loose in the wild yet, like Web Components and CSS Variables. The author assumes some proficiency with Web technologies, sparing the busy reader long introductory explanations.

You will get a lot out of this book — in fact, I think you will get the most out of it — by first reading it through without concerning yourself too much with the plentiful code samples and implementation details. You’re unlikely to encounter a more articulate and engaging mid-level overview of the future of the Web platform anywhere, and the opportunity to gain a sense of how it all meshes by a quick read-through should be seized. You can re-read what is most timely for your current project, and then follow the links to further reading for more detailed and up-to-date information.

There is a good bibliography and suggestions for further reading appended to each chapter, and the references are gathered together again near the end of the book.

I found a lot in this book that I knew about, and more that I had never heard of, and came away with some confidence that I know where the technology is heading. I highly recommend this book for working Web developers.… (mehr)

I was provided access by O'Reilly Publishing to an electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Peter writes the book as if you already have experience using and understanding basic CSS concepts and HTML, so if you're looking for a book to teach you CSS then you'll want a different guide. If however, you want a book that shows you some of the features of CSS3 you're in the right place. Peter has been writing about CSS3 for over 5 years and and in this book he covers some features of CSS3. Each chapter covers a new feature of CSS3, how to use it in clear and easy to understand code to follow, and which browsers currently support the feature. Some of the features covered include media queries--which is useful in designing websites for both full screen and mobile use; using gradients with color backgrounds; and 3D transformation, such as having an image rotate around an axis. The book is also accompanied by a website for future updates and an appendix with online resources to use, learn, and test CSS3.

I really like how this book is written and laid out. Peter does a good job of explaining in simple, easy to understand language what's going on with the feature being discussed and how to replicate the feature using the code provided in the examples. He walks through it step by step, explaining it in simple easy to understand language--no deciphering of incomprehensible technical speak here. While he can't highlight every feature, Peter has chosen the ones that are likely to be most useful at this time (and are the most developed/accepted), such as media queries for mobile use, the transitions and animations, gradients, etc. The appendixes are also helpful as one covers what features are supported by what browsers (even though this duplicates what's at the end of the chapters it's nice to have it one place) and an appendix on various web tools that help you generate code as well as test it.

Even though not all of the features can be used at the time, its still a useful book and a handy reference to have around. Highly recommend it.… (mehr)