Sebastopol, CA--"I've read a lot of Flash books," says Robert Hoekman, Jr., "and one thing I've noticed is that they tend to offer instruction out of context. A typical book will cover each major piece of Flash in one chapter instead of integrating the subjects to create a more effective learning experience." In his new Flash Out of the Box (O'Reilly, US $29.95), Hoekman delivers an innovative user-centric introduction to Flash MX 2004--and makes the process of learning Flash intuitive, logical, and, most of all, fun.
"It occurred to me one day," says Hoekman, "that everything that can be done with Flash can be done inside of a single shape: a box. The 'Out of the Box' concept is intended to inspire the reader to think outside the proverbial box by first studying what comes inside of it." In Flash Out of the Box, Hoekman has his readers dive straight into the Flash box so they quickly become intimately acquainted with every nook and cranny of it.
"This is not another how-to book; it's a when, why, and how book," says Hoekman. He admits that Flash MX 2004 comes with a higher learning curve than any previous version, which is to be expected when technologies develop and evolve. "So now, more than ever, it's important that one book provide all the essential information, presented in a logical way so that each and every reader can get the most out of Flash right out of the box."
Flash Out of the Box opens readers' eyes to all the amazing projects possible with Flash and includes everything they need--even trial software--to create and publish Flash content for the Web, for handhelds, and for CD-ROM. New users will learn the basics quickly so they can start accomplishing their goals while more experienced programmers and developers (ActionScript or otherwise) will easily master the design aspects of Flash.
Each successive lesson and hands-on exercise anticipates and builds upon readers' needs, capabilities, and questions as they evolve from Flash newbies to budding experts. They'll learn to animate, work with video, load external assets, draw, mask, modularize, and many other essential Flash techniques. "Get Out of the Box" sections help them leverage the skills they've already mastered and accomplish more than they thought possible.
With this entertaining, conversational, task-oriented guide, readers will feel like they're learning Flash from a trusted and knowledgeable colleague, not a textbook. They'll learn a lot, they'll learn it fast, and they'll get to put it to use in projects in a flash.
Additional Resources:
- Chapter 3, "Your First Animation"
- More information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bio, and samples
- A cover graphic in JPEG format
Flash Out of the Box
Robert Hoekman, Jr.
ISBN: 0-596-00691-8, 236 pages, $29.95 US, $43.95 CA
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