Ten Web design experts showcase Web page design and development techniques with cascading style sheets (CSS), scripting, and Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML) in this collection of case studies and tutorials. The ten chapters that comprise the book are divided into three sections.
The first and longest section consists of five chapters demonstrating various techniques for Web page layout, mostly with CSS. In chapter 1, Simon Collison demonstrates techniques for applying sophisticated presentation and style to available content. In chapter 2, Dan Rubin shows how to devise a similarly sophisticated presentation for content generated by a content management system not under the control of the page designer. Ethan Marcotte follows up with a description of how techniques based on the exploitation of multiple-class values can be used to produce custom styling while keeping markup simple. Andy Clarke traces the design-to-prototype path using a simple fictional site. In the last chapter in this section, Jeff Croft describes several uses of portable network graphics capabilities to produce graphic effects such as watermarking and color-changing icons.
The second section consists of two chapters, and deals with print media techniques adapted for Web pages. Chapter 6, by Mark Boulton, is a short discussion of grid-system (for example, newspaper-like) design for Web pages, and contains a brief discussion of fundamental principles followed by an example of their use in designing a typical Web page. Chapter 7, by Rob Weychert, discusses typography for text elements in Web pages, also proceeding from a short discussion of selected fundamentals to a demonstration with a sample Web page.
The final section contains three chapters describing selected scripting and CSS techniques. Chapter 8, by Ian Lloyd, shows how to print selected portions of a Web page. In chapter 9, Cameron Adams demonstrates techniques for dynamic and adaptable layouts, that is, layouts capable of adapting to different screen resolutions or that can be customized by the viewer. Finally, Derek Featherstone demonstrates scripting for accessibility, and discusses issues that arise in scripting and CSS when Web pages are viewed using assistive technologies.
Knowledge of CSS and scripts is necessary in order to understand the techniques. This book is suitable for designer-developers who have some experience with the basic principles and technologies of Web page design and development, rather than beginners desiring to learn them. Code for the examples is available on the publisher’s Web site. The techniques are both intriguing and useful; every chapter contains some effect/technique combination that is both aesthetically elegant and potentially useful to the Web page designer-developer. I particularly recommend chapters 8 and 9, on sectioned printing and dynamic layouts, for the potential utility of their ideas.
This is the kind of book one reads through once to assimilate possibilities and implementation tips, and then keeps handy for future reference. The biggest complaint I have is the unfortunate use of a variety of background colors and images for pages. The effect is undoubtedly striking and appears novel and appealing at first, but it quickly becomes tiresome, especially when page colors and images interfere with the readability of the text. In addition, a little more attention to human factors and usability considerations for Web pages would be a welcome improvement to what is ultimately a fine resource for designer-developers of Web pages.
