Excerpts

This second edition has been redesigned from the ground up to reflect and respond to many of the suggestions the author has received since the first edition was written. It has also been rewritten to accommodate the new Internet concepts that have been developed since the first edition was released. This edition has many new pedagogical and content features: The page design and layout are completely new, with many eye-catching graphics features for section and example headings. Abundant figures and screen captures have been included to illustrate concepts. Each chapter begins with a goal, a set of objectives, and a list of section titles; and ends with tutorials, FAQs, a summary, a progress checklist, and problems. Many chapters have a "Quick reference" section at the end that summarizes software use (Part I of the book), syntax of XHTML tags (Part II), and JavaScript syntax (Part III). Each section has at least one pedagogical tool, be it an image insert, a figure, a table, an example, a tutorial, an FAQ, or a piece of advice. These tools make it easy to follow and understand the material and minimize the need to thumb through pages in order to find material. Each example and tutorial in the book has three pedagogical elements that inspire interactivity and deeper understanding. "Code explained" describes what particular code lines and sections do. "Discussion" provides insight on why certain segments of code are written the way they are. It also provides tips on running the code and cites pitfalls to avoid. "Hands-on" asks the reader to extend the existing code to accomplish a new task. This element is a confidence builder, as it is hard to write completely new code during the learning process. Each example focuses on one chapter concept only, while each tutorial combines a few chapter concepts together to provide a more practical application. Concepts are explained first and then applied, using many existing software tools in one place, so that the reader can have a conceptual overview and can compare the available tools. The "FAQs" are organized by chapter sections and serve as a stimulus for discussion. The "Blackbox" (summary) section is tightly integrated with the chapter material. It lists the section and example numbers where the corresponding detailed information can be found. The "Check your progress" section is tightly integrated with the chapter sections. It can serve to focus group discussions in class or as a review for exams. The text is written in an easy-to-follow writing style. All topics are covered with great attention to both depth and breadth. The book covers three essential elements of today's Web pages: the Internet, XHTML, and JavaScript. The book covers four major leading browsers: IE 6.0, Netscape 4.8 & 7.0, Opera 7, and Crazy Browser 1.05. The book covers seven major leading e-mail tools: Eudora, Hotmail, Outlook Express 6.0, Yahoo! Mail, Netscape 4.8 Messenger, Netscape 7.01 mailer, and Opera 7 M2. The book covers three major leading HTML editors: FrontPage 2002, Composer 7.01, and AceHTML 5.0. The book covers two leading servers: Apache server version 2.0.45 and Tomcat server version 4.1.24, both from the Apache Software Foundation. The rationale behind this edition is simple, but effective: We need to provide a comprehensive and complete source of Web knowledge for students to be able to learn the basics that allow them to be proficient in client-side technologies. These technologies include Internet literacy, XHTML, and client-side JavaScript--three essential elements that one begins studying in order to understand the Web and Web pages today. As the Web matures and its users become more sophisticated, both students and instructors should continue to find this book useful as a single source for all their learning and teaching needs. The purpose of this edition is to present the fundamental concepts of the Internet and its scripting tools (XHTML and JavaScript) in a generic framework. These concepts and tools are supplemented with examples, tutorials, and problems to provide readers with hands-on experience so that they can master the concepts. The book strikes a delicate balance between subject depth and breadth, and between generic and practical aspects of the Internet. As an example of the book's coverage of depth and breadth, the text covers the basic topics pertaining to the Internet and its effective use in daily tasks such as e-mail and searching, as well as all aspects of client-side XHTML and JavaScript. As an example of its coverage of generic and practical aspects, the book always relates the generic concepts to their use in technology, software, and practical applications. For instance, the book discusses the generic concepts behind e-mail tools and then overs the details of seven popular tools today, including e-mail clients and Web-based mail. Another example is the use of XHTML editors: After covering the generic aspects of XHTML, the book presents some of the commonly used HTML editors and relates their user interfaces to the raw XHTML. This book fills an important need in the market. Students need a book that explains the subject matter in a simple, yet comprehensive and coherent, way, with ample examples and hands-on tutorials. As a matter of fact, this book's approach is a response to the nature of surfing the Web: If surfers do not find what they need on a Web page in about 30 seconds, they move on to another one. So, if a Web site does not offer visitors concentrated services and information, it loses them. This book offers concentrated knowledge to its readers so that they can find what they need very quickly. Students can also use the book's companion website, located at http://www.prenhall.com/zeid , to download the source code for each chapter and can use the chapter's multiple-choice questions to study and prepare for exams. Instructors need a book that provides them with ample topics, examples, tutorials, problems, and pedagogy. For example, the instructor may use the examples, tutorials, or exercises in a lab setting. Or the instructor may use the "Blackbox" (summary) section at the end of each chapter as the basis for class discussion and review to prepare students for exams. The instructor can also access the book's companion website to download a complete set of PowerPoint slides and all the book's source code, or to use the online test bank to prepare quizzes and exams. A solutions manual accompanies the book as well. Moreover, instructors who wish to have only portions of the book, such as individual parts or selected chapters, can do so through custom publishing--a request that Prentice Hall handles with ease through its sales representatives. The book covers three topics: Internet literacy, XHTML, and JavaScript. If you cover the three topics in one course, use the book as is. If you cover each topic in a separate course, order one part per course through Prentice Hall's custom-publishing service. Why should instructors use this three-part volume instead of three separate books? Consistency in style, format, and pedagogy is the reason. This consistency significantly increases the ease of using the book for both instructors, who must prepare the material, and students, who must learn it. Reducing the overhead of preparation and learning allows both instructors and students to devote their scarce time to using and learning the material instead of weaving through page after page trying to follow and understand three styles of three different books and authors. With the three parts of this book, instructors and students know what to expect and where to find it. Professionals, who are usually pressed for time, need a book that they can use for self-teaching purposes. They also need a book that provides them with answers to specific questions they may have when developing websites and Web pages. With this volume, professionals can tap into the "Blackbox" (summary) and "FAQs" sections for quick consultation. In fact, many of the questions in the "FAQs" sections of this book are questions asked by past students and professionals. The book is organized into three related parts. Part I covers the effective use of the Internet. This part develops the basic skills required for using the Internet. While many readers have been using the Internet for a long time, Part I formalizes this experience. Part II discusses, in detail, XHTML and Web-page design and development. Part III covers client-side JavaScript. This organization is beneficial in accommodating different course requirements and reader backgrounds. Those who want to focus on XHTML can also use the early chapters of Part III. Those who want to focus on JavaScript can use Part II as a review. As stated previously, if instructors or professionals want only portions of the book, the solution is custom publishing. As in the first edition, the problems section is divided into two parts: exercises and homework. The exercises can be used in a lab where class time is limited. The homework problems are designed to be more extensive, and some of them are open ended in nature, as students have more time outside the classroom to do them. I am indebted to all the people who helped directly and indirectly to improve this book. I would like to thank the following reviewers (of both the first and second editions) for their valuable comments, suggestions, and advice throughout the project: Floyd LeCureux of California State Unidersity at Sacramento, Harold Grossman of Clemson University, Rayford Vaughn of Mississippi State University, Scott Henninger of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Michelle Ratliff Lee of Saute Fe Community College, Patricia Gregory of Anne Arundel Community College, Denny Czejdo of Loyola University, and Hayden Schultz of Northeastern University. There is no doubt that their suggestions have influenced and enhanced this book. I would also like to thank all my students and colleagues who contributed to both editions of this book in many ways through seminars, discussions, and courses. Special thanks are due to the following former students who gave me their generous permission to use their work in this book: Janet Beaudoin, Debra Buchanan, Ted Catino, John Daley, Cindy Desmond, John Doyle, Roger Eames, Lisa Evans, Walter Frank, Adrian Goneau, Linda Haviland, Anatoli Kurkil, Regina Lagakos, Tim Martel, Rick Mashburn, Tom Medlar, Lissa Pierson, Stephanie Rogers, Margery Rosenblatt, David Shadmon, Suzanne Sigman, John Trainor, Donna Waugh, and Paul Wikstrom. I also would like to acknowledge the following readers of the first edition who informed me of typos and errata: Mohamed Assim, Lass Hellvig, Donna Mistal-Houle, Bob Sherman, and Arnold Worsley. Thanks are due to the Prentice Hall staff for its patience and professional help. The valuable experience and vision of Petra Recter permitted the successful completion of the manuscript. Her e-mail messages and phone calls kept the project moving, and her coordination of the review process ensured the reception of valuable feedback in a timely manner. I would also like to thank Marcia Horton for her support of the project. In addition, I greatly appreciate the efforts and support of Kate Hargett in finishing the review process and the project. I would like to thank Camille Trentacoste and Lakshmi Balasubramanian for helping with all production issues as well. Many thanks are also due to Jessica Fitzpatrick for editing the early chapters of the book and providing very valuable feedback and suggestions. Last, but not least, very special thanks are due to my family and friends, who supported me from start to finish with their love and encouragement, which are greatly appreciated. IBRAHIM ZEID Boston Excerpted from Mastering the Internet, XHTML and JavaScript by Ibrahim Zeid All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.