[WEB4LIB] Help wanted - Choosing a book! (fwd)

[Margaret Escherich]

Kristin -

Here is some advice from a friend of mine in the computer technical book 
industry.

-Margaret Escherich
 Oakland Public Library
 Oakland, CA

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 12:52:43 -0800
From: Simon Hayes <simon at glasscat.com>
To: Margaret Escherich <esche_ma at oak2.ci.oakland.ca.us>
Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] Help wanted - Choosing a book! (fwd)

If the question is which did they heard about, then it is the siegal book,
the second one. It was/is a HUGE seller, from our friends at hayden.  It's
a little dated now, but in many ways it was the first design book for web
sites.

Which does not mean it is not without it's problem and idiosyncracies.
Within the web design community much of the advice is suspect. For
instance, siegal's theories include the use of an entrance and exit
"tunnel" on all web sites. You've seen these things: you go to a web site
and get just a single page, which morphs into another. You don't get to
the "main" page of the site for a little while.

Many people think this is insane as it defeats the whole purpose of
hypertext and ignores the principle strengths of the medium.  there are
other things too, like his whole division of web sites into first, 2nd and
third generation sites. The truth is that as a document designer siegal
was an unkown.  Before he wrote killer he made fonts for a living. But on
the other hand it's easy to see the criticisms of his book as so much sour
grapes from designers who did not pounce on the web as quickly as he did.
It's impossible to argue with the success of his book or the effect his
ideas have had on the early days of web site design. Today though, it may
be fair to say that killer is reaching the end of it's run, and may become
dated quite soon.

I believe siegal was involved in the first book too, either as a co-author
or series editor. With any one-off like killer that does well, a whole
series of killer books are bound to follow. This interaction book is one
of those. Sales on the rest of the killer series have not even come close
to creating killer, the original.  I don't know much about this
interaction book, but it is an important topic. A number of books have
been published on the idea, but few have done well. It's a complicated
subject, and one that the market en masse does not appear to be ready for
yet, more is the pity.

There is a book by Roger Black on web site design, also from hayden, I
think. If the person is looking for a sophsiticated look at advanced
design topics, that is probably the one, as Black has more design
credentials than just about anybody alive.  If the need is more for a
friendly, beginners look at web site design principles and techniques, a
little more hands on, then the best bet is Robin Williams' "The
Non-designers Web Design Book" by Peachpit press. Easily the best web
design book for beginners.

/s

> hey babe- what's your advice on the following?
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 06:45:56
>-0700 (PDT) From: kristinh at lv.is To: Multiple recipients of list
><web4lib at webjunction.org> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Help wanted - Choosing
>a book!
>
>
>
> Hello Web4Lib people, I would very much appreciate your help here.  I'm
>told - one of those - if not both - are excellent - Which one do you
>recommend?
>
>Creating Killer Interactive Web Sites : The Art of Integrating
>Interactivity and Design Andrew Sather (Editor), et al / Paperback /
>Published 1997 ISBN: 1568303734
>
>Creating Killer Web Sites, Second Edition David S. Siegel, David Seigel /
>Paperback / Published 1997 ISBN: 1568304331
>
>I would be greatful for any comments.
>
>Kristin Osk Hlynsdottir
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>-- Kristin Osk Hlynsdottir Information Architect Landsvirkjun - The
>National Power Company Haaleitisbraut 68 103 Reykjavik Iceland Tel:
>+354-515-9111 Fax: +354-515-9116 e-mail: kristinh at lv.is Web:
>http://www.lv.is/enska
>
>Member, International Webmasters Association http://iwanet.org/
>
>******************************************** Hold fast to dreams, for if
>dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. - Langston
>Hughes
>
>
>