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HTML5 For Web Designers (A Book Apart #1)
by
Jeremy Keith
The HTML5 spec is 900 pages and hard to read. HTML5 for Web Designers is 85 pages and fun to read. Easy choice.
HTML5 is the longest HTML specification ever written. It is also the most powerful, and in some ways, the most confusing. What do accessible, content-focused standards-based web designers and front-end developers need to know? And how can we harness the power of H...more
HTML5 is the longest HTML specification ever written. It is also the most powerful, and in some ways, the most confusing. What do accessible, content-focused standards-based web designers and front-end developers need to know? And how can we harness the power of H...more
ebook
Published
by A Book Apart
(first published 2010)
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Mar 13, 2013
Chad Warner
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
web-design,
non-fiction
I found this very short HTML5 primer too shallow. It barely scratches the surface of HTML5, but I suppose that was the intent. I enjoyed the fact that it describes the creation of HTML5 in more detail than other HTML5 books I've read. Keith’s writing style is entertaining, and I laughed out loud a few times. Overall, I preferred Introducing HTML5 (my review) and Teach Yourself Visually HTML5 (my review).
HTML5 Design Principles
• "Support existing content" and "Do not reinvent the wheel": be back...more
HTML5 Design Principles
• "Support existing content" and "Do not reinvent the wheel": be back...more
How often do you laugh out loud while reading about coding standards?
(a) All the time!
(b) Exceedingly rarely, but I'd like to.
(c) Never. I hate laughter.
If you answered a, I'm afraid of you. Please keep away.
If you answered c, I'm afraid for you. Come here; you need a hug.
Otherwise, this book's for you. Jeremy Keith presents a history of the evolution of HTML5 in a terse, satiric tone that makes this book a must-read for anyone hoping to gain a greater familiarity with HTML5.
The book is the f...more
(a) All the time!
(b) Exceedingly rarely, but I'd like to.
(c) Never. I hate laughter.
If you answered a, I'm afraid of you. Please keep away.
If you answered c, I'm afraid for you. Come here; you need a hug.
Otherwise, this book's for you. Jeremy Keith presents a history of the evolution of HTML5 in a terse, satiric tone that makes this book a must-read for anyone hoping to gain a greater familiarity with HTML5.
The book is the f...more
May 09, 2012
Eugene Kravtsov
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
web-development,
html
Nice primer on HTML5 for those already familiar with previous implementations of hypertext mark-up specs. This is not a tome of thorough reference, nor an introduction for beginners (author lists several resources in the end of the book for those seeking either). This small book (under 90 pages) is designed for experienced developers interested in basic information on what adoption of a new standard would mean for them.
Author starts with brief history of mark-up languages, starting with SGML up...more
Author starts with brief history of mark-up languages, starting with SGML up...more
This is the first eBook that I've read cover-to-cover. The publishers say that they want the books to be short enough to digest on a plane flight from New York to Chicago. (More on their innovative publishing model here.) Their claim holds up. I plowed through this on my iPad before even getting out of bed for coffee one morning. When I was done, I understood all the important elements of HTML5 that distinguish it from previous web standards. But more than that, I was entertained. Keith is a sma...more
I had pre-ordered this book and received it yesterday - it took me just over an hour (the duration of my commute into NYC) to zip through it. Based on this, my quick review.
The book is a slim 86 pages. Given the amount of detail in the HTML5 spec, this may seem lightweight. And in fact the author does spend the first 2 (of only 6) chapters discussing the history and process behind the creation of this spec - which further unsettled me. BUT.... once you get to Chap 3 (Rich Media) through 6 (Web F...more
The book is a slim 86 pages. Given the amount of detail in the HTML5 spec, this may seem lightweight. And in fact the author does spend the first 2 (of only 6) chapters discussing the history and process behind the creation of this spec - which further unsettled me. BUT.... once you get to Chap 3 (Rich Media) through 6 (Web F...more
A useful introduction to the power and the pitfalls embedded in HTML5. The historical synopsis of HTML5 and its predecessors is both succinct and enlightening, and possibly one of the funniest I’ve read.
While Keith expertly handles where to get started, he’s also quick to point out where to get off. Some aspects of HTML5 are not for every browser. Yet. Some still have hoops to jump through ‘in committee’ and others require fallbacks, which are also covered in light detail.
Beyond the interesting...more
While Keith expertly handles where to get started, he’s also quick to point out where to get off. Some aspects of HTML5 are not for every browser. Yet. Some still have hoops to jump through ‘in committee’ and others require fallbacks, which are also covered in light detail.
Beyond the interesting...more
Excerpt from "What I've Been Reading - HTML5 for Web Designers."
"As a Web guy whose exposure to HTML and CSS has come exclusively from the routine hacking of free WordPress templates, HTML5 for Web Designers dives into the subject at my level - highlighting the changes and features of code that could change how the Web is organized and developed. Even better, it does so in a way that's akin to the 'spreading the gospel' model of Web talk - 100% devoted to letting the reader understand the code.
D...more
"As a Web guy whose exposure to HTML and CSS has come exclusively from the routine hacking of free WordPress templates, HTML5 for Web Designers dives into the subject at my level - highlighting the changes and features of code that could change how the Web is organized and developed. Even better, it does so in a way that's akin to the 'spreading the gospel' model of Web talk - 100% devoted to letting the reader understand the code.
D...more
Really decent, quick overview on what's to come with html5. (Finished it in about 2 hours) Covers much of the basics and what we can and cannot do so far. Billed under A Book Apart, "Brief Books for people who make websites.", this book is exactly that. Enough information to et your feet wet and ready to jump in to learn more.
This is also one of the first books on html5 to make it to the market as well.
Nicely designed, however a big quark that drives me a bit bonkers is the spine on the book....more
This is also one of the first books on html5 to make it to the market as well.
Nicely designed, however a big quark that drives me a bit bonkers is the spine on the book....more
This is a wonderful book. It doesn't attempt to teach you HTML from scratch. It's intended for people who've been working with HTML for a long time and just need to know what has changed in HTML5. It's concise, readable, and informative. Best of all, it's funny. Jeremy Keith writes about web design with obvious affection, even when it's exasperating: "Internet Explorer has special needs." "It would be inaccurate to say [the XHTML 2 spec] was going nowhere fast. It was going nowhere very, very sl...more
Mar 24, 2011
David Hall
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
web-graphic-design
I had previously read 'Introducing HTML5 by Bruce Lawson, so I knew the main details and issues surrounding HTML5 implementation. When I heard Jeremy Keith was writing a book, I was excited, as I found him to be an incredibly engaging writer.
This book is a quick breakdown of the most important features of HTML5. What it isn't, is a thorough reference guide.
It is a great introduction for beginners, as it is brief and concise. I'm not entirely sure how much advanced HTML5 users will get out of it,...more
This book is a quick breakdown of the most important features of HTML5. What it isn't, is a thorough reference guide.
It is a great introduction for beginners, as it is brief and concise. I'm not entirely sure how much advanced HTML5 users will get out of it,...more
Il a un format "livre de poche", mais il a tout d'un grand !
Les informations sont précises et pratiques. Certe, il se limite aux balises HTML5 propres à la mise en forme de pages web, mais il n'y a pas tromperie car c'est annoncé dans le titre. Si j'avais encore des doutes sur l'utilisation de l'HTML5, ils ont été balayés en 2 jours de lecture.
J'ai apprécié l'historique de HTML, et l'humour de Jeremy Keith (assez bien traduit, même si ça tombe un peu à plat en français)
A la lecture de ce livre,...more
Les informations sont précises et pratiques. Certe, il se limite aux balises HTML5 propres à la mise en forme de pages web, mais il n'y a pas tromperie car c'est annoncé dans le titre. Si j'avais encore des doutes sur l'utilisation de l'HTML5, ils ont été balayés en 2 jours de lecture.
J'ai apprécié l'historique de HTML, et l'humour de Jeremy Keith (assez bien traduit, même si ça tombe un peu à plat en français)
A la lecture de ce livre,...more
I have been writing HTML for a long while and I'm familiar with the glacial pace of the W3C. For that reason I simply ignored the ongoing progress toward version 5 of HTML.
I should have waited longer. This book was well written and easy to understand for those with a basic understanding of HTML as it is now. Unfortunately a lot of the whiz-bang features working their way into HTML5 aren't supported well enough to implement. A lot. Reading this was kind of like propping your friend up on your sho...more
I should have waited longer. This book was well written and easy to understand for those with a basic understanding of HTML as it is now. Unfortunately a lot of the whiz-bang features working their way into HTML5 aren't supported well enough to implement. A lot. Reading this was kind of like propping your friend up on your sho...more
Well worth a read, and it's quite easy to finish in a sitting.
While some of the descriptions of the semantics of past and future tags had me talking to the book out loud in a mild rage (That's what semantics are for, right? Rage?), I think we can all agree that this book is the easiest way to get up-to-date with the current state of the hottest technology on the web. I feel like I now understand (or will once I continue to reference my sticky-note arrows) the new structural (and "sectional") tag...more
While some of the descriptions of the semantics of past and future tags had me talking to the book out loud in a mild rage (That's what semantics are for, right? Rage?), I think we can all agree that this book is the easiest way to get up-to-date with the current state of the hottest technology on the web. I feel like I now understand (or will once I continue to reference my sticky-note arrows) the new structural (and "sectional") tag...more
«HTML is the worst form of markup except all the others that have been tried.»
El capítulo clave es el que trata sobre la semántica del HTML5 (quinto capítulo) y nos invita a aprovechar sus nuevos elementos estructurales. Aunque algunos de esos elementos, como article y section, sean tan similares que la interpretación personal se torne aún necesaria al momento de usarlos. De todos modos, hay que enfocarse en organizar el contenido correctamente con el apoyo semántico del lenguaje. Y finalmente,...more
I am very excited for HTML5. My experience with web design began in March 2004. I was young(er than I am now), and I decided to make a personal website on GeoCities. It was a gaudy affair that reflected my lack of design skills and made use of notorious elements like <marquee>. In the years that followed, I learned about web standards and accessibility. Now my websites still reflect a lack of design skills, but at least they're accessible! So I'm happy that HTML5's specifications are being...more
so readable with a wonderful sense of humor: "After HTML 4.01, the next revision to the language was called XHTML 1.0. The X stood for “eXtreme” and web developers were required to cross their arms in an X shape when speaking the letter. No, not really. The X stood for “eXtensible” and arm crossing was entirely optional." - chapter 1
Even though some parts about javascript API and the new element went a bit over my head (i'm not a web designer by trade), the writing was clear and informative.
Even though some parts about javascript API and the new element went a bit over my head (i'm not a web designer by trade), the writing was clear and informative.
A quick overview of the development of web markup standards provides the perfect context for this guide's goal to draw designers into the HTML5 mindset. Too little of the spec is currently supported by browsers so far to make an exhaustive reference (which this is not) of much use to most if not all designers. However, Keith gives examples of the new markup becoming available and explains its motivating principles in order to help designers start thinking in HTML5 in preparation for the transiti...more
A rare reference book that is successfully short enough to read cover-to-cover while engaging and teaching you the entire time. It won't replace more comprehensive materials but it provides the right level of context and information to help explain what this HTML5 business is all about and highlight many of the key features, tools, and best practices. As a programmer I wanted more information about the ways HTML5 changes web applications, but that's not the intended purpose of the book.
A short review for a short book. As the name implies, HTML5 for Web Designers covers all of the essentials of HTML5 including a short history of the HTML (and XHTML) standards. Jeremy Keith has an engaging writing style and the book rarely drags or feels dull. However, this style also means that the book will not serve well as a reference book.
Worth reading for any web developer/designer but if you've been keeping up to date with HTML in general then don't expect it to be revolutionary.
Worth reading for any web developer/designer but if you've been keeping up to date with HTML in general then don't expect it to be revolutionary.
Aug 01, 2010
Dave Emmett
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
web designers, web developers
First of all, this book is beautifully designed.
But more importantly (or is it...), it was an incredibly helpful read on how to start using HTML5. I really enjoyed the chapter on Semantics (Chapter 5), where Jeremy Keith talks about the nitty gritty details about what the difference between an article and a section is, and other pressing issues I know everyone else has been worrying about too.
I have a feeling this is going to be a useful reference book for years to come.
But more importantly (or is it...), it was an incredibly helpful read on how to start using HTML5. I really enjoyed the chapter on Semantics (Chapter 5), where Jeremy Keith talks about the nitty gritty details about what the difference between an article and a section is, and other pressing issues I know everyone else has been worrying about too.
I have a feeling this is going to be a useful reference book for years to come.
While this is a rather short read for the new HTML5 specification, it does help make it easier to understand what is coming with HTML5. After all, Jeremy Keith wrote it, A Book Apart published it, and it's format is right inline with A List Apart.
It doesn't take long at all to get through, and I recommend that any developer with a little bit of free time sit down and read it. You won't be disappointed.
It doesn't take long at all to get through, and I recommend that any developer with a little bit of free time sit down and read it. You won't be disappointed.
There are too few technical books which are user-friendly and this book is one of the few. It is fully loaded with good narration, keeps the reader intact and makes sure the reader understands the concepts of HTML5 and best practices. It also tells the technical details, the in's and out's with ease.
This book is first to be picked for any web developer or anyone who needs a tour with fun of HTML5
This book is first to be picked for any web developer or anyone who needs a tour with fun of HTML5
I love the author's writing style.. here's an example
"Suppose there's an evil bastard out there who hates the web and all who sail her. This person probably doesn't care that it's incredibly rude and stupid to embed an audio file that plays automatically. Thanks to autoplay attribute, such malevolent ambitions can be realized."
Tone of book is casual, engaging & straight to the point.
"Suppose there's an evil bastard out there who hates the web and all who sail her. This person probably doesn't care that it's incredibly rude and stupid to embed an audio file that plays automatically. Thanks to autoplay attribute, such malevolent ambitions can be realized."
Tone of book is casual, engaging & straight to the point.
Great introduction to what HTML5 is and how to start using it today. Having heard the term HTML5 tossed around a lot over the past year this book finally presented it in a concise and useful format. This isn't a technical deep dive but instead clearly outlines what HTML5 adds and provides plenty of links to find out more. Definitely spend the hour a quick read through requires.
I think this would have been a good book for me to read when it first came out, but now it provided no new information or techniques that I do not plan to ever use. It did validate one thing that bothers me. I always wondered why it was not more efficient when calling for scripts and css (so much text that could be cut down). I guess the developers were thinking as I have.
I really don't want to be a party pooper, but I must say that I learned more about HTML5 by reading a couple of blog articles on the subject here and there. The only new things I actually learned is that the anchor element can now act as a block-level element, some new form features, the function of the "scoped" attribute, and the new content models.
I would suggest you to save your money, and instead find some online sources on HTML5, or just read Mark Pilgrim's free e-book that covers the same...more
I would suggest you to save your money, and instead find some online sources on HTML5, or just read Mark Pilgrim's free e-book that covers the same...more
Great quick read summarizing the history of HTML, its philosophy, and the major additions to the spec that web designers would care about: semantics, web forms and rich media.
Being a software developer by trade, I was hoping for a bit more, but this book does a great job of getting one started on the HTML5 path. It takes about an hour to read, so you really can't lose.
Being a software developer by trade, I was hoping for a bit more, but this book does a great job of getting one started on the HTML5 path. It takes about an hour to read, so you really can't lose.
Great information about HTML5 as relevant for designers: what's different, what's new, how to implement, how to ensure compatibility. The tone is casual but informative, and Jeremy Keith obviously knows his stuff. Be aware that this is a slim volume - if you're looking for an in-depth, dirty-hands guidebook, you'd be better off with something else. But for a designer looking to get familiar with HTML5, this is a good place to start.
"HTML5 For Web Designers" by Jeremy Keith was the first book published by A Book Apart and does a good job at setting the tone for this series of useful books from the folks behind A List Apart. Jeremy does a good job at touching on key information such as obsolete tags, accessibility concerns, form enhancements, and semantics. What I was hoping for more of, was how to best begin using HTML5 today. There's a small section at the end of the book called "Using HTML5 Today", but it didn't provide m...more
The book is MUCH shorter than the spec. The author has a clear writing voice, and explains things well. Unfortunately, I'm a geek and was involved in the HTML5 Working Group for a little while, so I already knew most of what the author was talking about. On the up-shot, I was able to read this on a single flight from Omaha, NE to San Jose, CA.
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Jul 13, 2010 09:55am