This book is a great introduction for Javascript and also for those who know basics of javascript. The book is clearly explained and feature a lot of examples, but unfortunately after the DOM chapter it doesn’t show the output of scripts, but as those are specific on browser and is easy to figure the output.

The books is separated in two parts, one which talks about ECMASCRIPT and features are available on majority of browsers (and their differences).

The second part features advanced features of browsers like drag & drop, XML, Web Services and so on. Unfortunately on this parts are very specific on browser, but the book also works through it to make common objects in javascript.

The main lack is of course AJAX (even it’s discussed not as AJAX briefly in chapter 17), but is comprehensible since the book is from 2005 and the term AJAX was coined on 2005. He propose a method to achieve a bit similar of ajax with hidden frames; by the way this kind of method should be avoided in programming, I said this because I’ve found recently written articles which propose the same; this technique was fine when there was no AJAX developing but now only look as a rusty method to simulate AJAX (and is harder to control).

The author now have written recently a book of AJAX (Professional Ajax, 2nd Edition (Programmer to Programmer)), which surely is worth of read.

In conclusion, this book is excellent to learn and deploy your Javascript skills, but I think the book should be readed deeply until the DOM chapters, later chapters should only take as basic information, since are parts have changed a lot since AJAX.

Professional JavaScript for Web Developers (Wrox Professional Guides)

I read at Innovations this article: Web 2.0 Security Fears Deserve Attention, about the potential harm can cause API’s to create a new harms in terms of spam and getting information of users and their friends.

But surely spam on Social sites is nothing new, I recently received a Philippine Scam on a books site based on the Nigerian Scam, even with their lowest rate of hit they are also harmful.

But in fact what is most harmful to process that social information and send emails / messages faking your friends ID, that kind of spam gets a great hit rate (about 72% versus 16% of not social spam), this is concluded on the article: Social Phising (pre-print paper), also the article points to several interesting results, among them Denial of the attack has been successful, this make phising very effective because of few reports which can be prosecuted.

I Agree on Innovations article (which also pinpoints the article of Social Phising) that the only prevention is not legal enforcement (which can help to prosecute) or close social sites but education about the problem.

This excellent book will provide you a good introduction to myths, is not about myths properly but to theories about myths: purpose, possible origin and interpretations.

The introduction states very clearly:

“Let me be clear from the outset: this book is an introduction not to myths but to approaches to myth, or theories of myth, and it is limited to modern theories”

The book do a research on the main authors which have provide some approach to myth after explain each one views about myth it provides also a critic.

The book is separated in eight chapters some of them are short due several myth approaches are reviewed earlier and only in the chapter are connected to other approaches.

The part of Myth and psychology (chapter 6) have a interesting information not only about myth on psychological terms but also on fathers of psychology’ main concepts.

Myth: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

I recently finished reading this excellent book.

Even the first part not clearly explained like other books, the personas chapter is very good to present this good resource. It worth to keep in mind this phrase: “I think our users want this“, which is a common idea in developing / designing I’ve found between several people I know.

The second part keeps you engaged and the third part is very good since as the concepts are already explained the author can connect it through commonly used deliverables: Site Maps, Flow charts, Wireframes, Screen Designs.

The author try to advise some of the deliverables could be outdated in a short term due the fast developing in dynamic web sites, but I think rather to been outdated they will be adapted in newer models. The Software engineering field still using several techniques and ideas from the start of this field some decades ago and only have polish many of their techniques and models (of course also have developed new techniques and models like UML).

Without doubt a book to read and ground several concepts that are of daily use in usability working.

Links:

• Book at Amazon
• Official Website (not recently updated)

At last I’ve uploaded the last Photos from the short travel to Tochimilco, I’m thinking into go next year a travel through several churches on Tlaxcala state and border La Malinche, and I hope to soon upload all the photos taken on this Day of the Dead.