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The O'Reilly series of books has become know for it's very through presentation of complicated technology subjects. But it is the ability to communicate clearly on complex issues has made this series of books indispensable for those of us in the IS world. In my opinion this book, "JavaScript Application Cookbook", has earned a place on the top shelf with other well-known O'Reilly books.

Those of us that work with JavaScript are always looking for some solutions to tough problems. I am currently volunteering my time to create a web page for my son's middle school band. Being conversant in HTML and Java Script I was looking for an opportunity to review this book as a way to kill two birds with one stone.

This book is not intended to be an instruction book for beginning programmers. It assumes that you already know JavaScript. (If you are looking for one of those I would highly recommend "Web Development With Java Sever Pages" by Duane Fields & Mark Kolb.) This book is a compilation of several useful JavaScript samples. But this is more than a collection of code samples. The author reviews the important functions within each sample and discusses them.

Chapter One: The Client Side Search Engine Want to add the ability to search your web site for a relevant page? Then this app is for you.

Chapter Two: The Online Test Want to have the end user take a multiple test on the web page then here's the boilerplate you can use.

Chapter Three: The Interactive Slideshow Displays images on a web page in a loop fashion, etc.

Chapter Four: The Multiple Search Engine Interface Allows you to add a text box on your web page that then goes out and searches the web for relevant hits on user selected search engines.

Chapter Five: Image Machine A code sample that makes it easy to create image rollovers.

Chapter Six: Implementing JavaScript Source Files This chapter has the reader create a library of functions that can be reused over and again in JavaScript development.

Chapter Seven: Cookie-Based User Preferences Using cookies to allow the user to customize your web page.

Chapter Eight:: Shopping Bag - The JavaScript Shopping Cart Walks you through creating a client side shopping cart application.

Chapter Nine: Ciphers In JavaScript Allows you to encrypt messages to be un-coded by only those that have the key.

Chapter Ten: Cyber Greetings - Drag & Drop E-mail Create an e-mail and drag & drop images from a preselected list onto the background.

Chapter Eleven: Context Sensitive Help Create an on-line help application.

Summary: There are some books you buy, read and then throw in the back of the garage. This book is collection of timely problem solvers that has earned a place on my desk as I develop my own web site. The only draw back I saw with this book is that it does not come with a CD-ROM. But the code in the book is downloadable from an O'Reilly website and as long as that stays up it is an acceptable substitute. If you're attitude is "You can save the theory for panel discussions, just give me some code samples and I'll take if from there", then this book is for you.

About Smarter Distribution

Bob Boyles started his strategic consulting business in 2001 and has focused on the change that technology is forcing in the supply chain and how independent distributors can not only respond to that change but also maximize the return they are seeing on their investment. Bob has spent a significant amount of time as an Installation Consultant for several of the big name software companies in the distribution market. Working with hundreds of distributors across the country on installing, upgrading and utilizing their software.  Bob also worked as Corporate Systems Manager for one of the largest electrical wholesalers in the country as that company moved from a completely manual operation to an on-line real-time system.   

Bob is a graduate of Appalachian State University (BS - 1981)and University of North Carolina at Greensboro Graduate School of Business (MBA - 1985).  

©Copyright 2002, Robert S Boyles, Jr. All rights reserved. This article cannot be reprinted or reproduced in whole or in part, without the express written permission of Robert S Boyles, Jr.