Think you have to be a technical wizard to build a great web site? Think again. For anyone who wants to create an engaging web site--for either personal or business purposes--Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual demystifies the process and provides tools, techniques, and expert guidance for developing a professional and reliable web presence.

Like every Missing Manual, you can count on Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual to be entertaining and insightful and complete with all the vital information, clear-headed advice, and detailed instructions you need to master the task at hand. Author Matthew MacDonald teaches you the fundamentals of creating, maintaining, and updating an effective, attractive, and visitor-friendly web site--from scratch or from an existing site that's a little too simple or flat for your liking.

Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual doesn't only cover how to create a well-designed, appealing, smart web site that is thoroughly up to date and brimming with the latest features. It also covers why it's worth the effort by explaining the rationale for creating a site in the first place and discussing what makes a given web site particularly aesthetic, dynamic, and powerful. It further helps you determine your needs and goals and make well informed design and content decisions.

Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual includes a basic primer on HTML, working with JavaScript, and incorporating services like Paypal's shopping cart, Amazon's associate program, and Google AdSense and AdWords. It delivers advanced tricks for formatting, graphics, audio and video, as well as Flash animation and dynamic content. And you'll learn how to identify and connect with your site's audience through forms, forums, meta tags, and search engines.

This isn't just another dry, uninspired book on how to create a web site. Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual is a witty and intelligent guide for all of you who are ready to make your ideas and vision a web reality.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 39 Ratings

Great resource but beware of sites recommended within the pages - 2009-10-27
Reviewer Rating:
What's GOOD: A must have for any beginning web site developer. I continue to find this book an excellent resource as I develop my website.

What's BAD: Beware of sources/websites within the book. I did a lot of additional research on hosting solutions as recommended in the book and initially went with aplus.net (who is featured in the book also). After working on my site and looking at some other features I wanted to take advantage of, I canceled the aplus.net hosting solution and went with another provider. Needless to say, it has been 25+ days since the cancellation and aplus.net has not processed the refund (it's still "pending"). Shame on the author and publisher for including references to a company with such POOR business practices.

In plain english - great for newbies - 2010-01-19
Reviewer Rating:
As a novice when it comes to creating and designing a website, I found this book (along with Dreamweaver CS3) a great resource. While it does include the technical details, I wasn't left feeling completely inept for not knowing all the jargon. I would recommend highly to someone just beginning the process of building their own website.

Missing Manual is informative - 2009-12-09
Reviewer Rating:
The book is in good condition for a used library book and shipped quickly. I should have looked at the copyright because it's a bit out of date, but for my purposes, I don't think it will matter. This is my first "Missing Manual" series book, and I would definitely try another topic in the series.

Creating Websites - 2009-11-30
Reviewer Rating:
This book is great for beginners and novices to learn the fundamentals of Web Design along with enough bells and whistles to keep you learning for a long time. I'm not completely ignorant of programming but think even a total beginner would be comfortable using this book

Great! - 2009-10-05
Reviewer Rating:
Bought this book for a coding class (learning HTML and CSS) and its great! very informative, easy to follow. I'll definitely keep it as a reference after the semester is over.

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Internet/Online

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Internet/Online > Introduction/Overview
Internet/Online > Web Design