Reader reviews

A useful guide. The examples assume a particular environment, but that is fixable.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

The clearest explanation of web graphics I have come across.

I read this over a couple of weekends alongside a small side project, which turned out to be the ideal way to approach it. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

Decent, but uneven. Some chapters are much stronger than others.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. Borrow it first if you can, or at least check the table of contents carefully before buying.

This is the one to get if you are serious about artificial intelligence.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with artificial intelligence.

Strong content, uneven pacing. I would still recommend it.

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

The clearest explanation of graphics I have come across.

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.