s which are omitted from the book's code, as well as additional positioning rules (especially for absolutely-positioned elements) which, again, are simply not included in the book's examples - yet are critical to the functionality of the examples.
In some cases, there is no HTML included at all - so it is up to the user to either fill in the gaps, or else to download the source code off the site - code which, once again, does not come close to matching the code that's printed in the book.
Again I say, if this text aims to provide reusable design patterns, then these designs should be complete, or at least very close to complete. There are far too many code samples in this book (the vast majority, in fact) which don't render to look anything like the accompanying images.
I'm pretty certain that these omissions are largely intentional on the part of the author. After all, he admits in many cases that he does this to limit the sample code to a single page. But what good is brevity if it comes at the expense of usability? What good is a short code sample if it doesn't even work?
This book has a lot of potential, but it needs to be re-written so as to be more accessible to, and directly usable by, its readers. Hopefully the next edition will be better.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
You *can* code HTML/CSS deliberately!Jun 21, 2009
Many programmers I know don't bother to learn HTML and CSS, disdainfully shrugging it off as "not really programming". Seriously - that is no excuse to do it badly!
This book might change a programmer's mind. Certainly, markup is still markup, but this treatment of HTML/CSS is - well - awesome.
Most CSS/HTML code I see employs the "programming by coincidence" model. Add a rule here to fix something that doesn't quite work there, use a negative margin here, maybe a browser-specific hack there. In the end, it works. It might even look pretty good, but invariably, the result is unnecessarily bloated.
Pro CSS and HTML Design Patterns makes it possible to code deliberately. It provides a solid fundamental understanding of how elements and rules interact, and especially how the same element or attribute will behave differently in different environments.
In several cases, it has saved me hours of trying to achieve something which simply cannot be done in the current specification. At the same time, it has provided enough information to find a different approach that does work.
The book is very systematic, and while it is a great read cover-to-cover, it functions very well as a reference volume. The 'patterns' format (name/problem/solution/pattern) makes it very easy to locate the exact information you are looking for.
The author focuses on browser compatibility, and accessibility to screenreaders. I have been disappointed only once - when I thought 'accessibility' included those who do not use a pointing device. But that is more of a javascript question than CSS/HTML, and therefore falls outside the scope of the book.
Summary: Buy this book. Read this book. I mean it.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
The book I turn to for CSS and HTML problem solvingMar 11, 2009
This book is not one to read from cover to cover to contemplate the academic possibilities. For me, this book has become the prime muse for CSS and HTML problem solving. I have about half a dozen CSS and HTML books on my shelf, and whenever I have a problem (with CSS and HTML this is all too often) this is the book I tend to turn to first and last, and generally after some contemplation I am able to solve the problem. Other books have tended to frustrate me with their verbosity and lack of information.
I would recommend that you also look at the companion website when solving problems using this book - not only does this allow you to play with code, but I also found that the book did not exactly show what was required to make some things work.
all in all, the book and website are a very good package to have at your ready when doing CSS and HTML
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
CSS dictionary Dec 24, 2008
Pro CSS and HTML Design Patterns by Michael Bowers is an incredible resource and toolbox for any level web developer. Whether you are just beginning with CSS or are of a professional status, this book has something to offer. With over 300 different design patterns, this book is the perfect resource to solve just about every problem you face. There are patterns for every aspect of your site, and their modular nature give you the potential to combine several of them to create some very unique websites. All of this comes with the added bonus that each of these design patterns have been thoroughly tested in all major browsers. There is great attention to the details throughout each of these patterns.
Because most patterns are not given context or application within a broader design, this book is not for beginners. However, it is a well-written reference book for the professional Web designer's bookshelf and it is a useful resource for them..
Topics Covered in this book
* HTML Structure
* CSS Selectors and Inheritance
* Box Models, Extents, Properties
* Positioning Models in detail
* Styling Text
* Spacing Content
* Aligning Content
* Blocks
* Tables
* Column Layout
* Layouts - these are very well applied combinations of patterns that include Javascript, CSS, and HTML
* Drop Caps
* Callouts and Quotes
* Alerts
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Pro CSS and HTML Design PatternsOct 10, 2008
This is the book to buy for those who want to take it to the next level. So many great thing about this book. If your a novice and want to step-up your design prowess this is the book for you. One review said - "Pro CSS and HTML Design Patterns is just that, a huge guide to each and every HTML and CSS combination you could possibly think of.." I say - very well said.. It's limit-less... I love it!! Wicked!
based on 29 reviews
