Straightforwardly practical, with speed as the by-word, this hands-on guide focuses on the best practices for constructing both interactive and static web sites. While explaining core concepts clearly and thoroughly, so that beginners have a solid conceptural and technical foundation, it cuts through the clutter that might slow down a beginner tackling a subject as vast as web design and a tool as robust as Dreamweaver. Dreamweaver 8 Design and Construction emphasizes learning by doing, with short, task-oriented chapters that demonstrate theory by presenting design solutions and explaining the principles that make them work. Plenty of screen shots, illustrations, and sample layouts accompany rapid prototyping techniques for site production.

Marc Campbell has been building web sites since 1997-for everything from comic book fan communities to state government portals and e-commerce applications. A Macromedia Certified Dreamweaver Developer and beta tester, he has taught web design to students at all levels and has written eight books on the subject.

Sidebars in Dreamweaver 8 Design and Construction allow readers to decide how deeply they want to delve into the subject. "Best Bets" offer bottom-line recommendations for those who want to skip the general discussion, while "Behind the Scenes" sidebars provide more in-depth looks at particular topics for those who want more detail. Absolute beginner or faux debutante, you'll learn proven procedures for quickly building Dreamweaver sites.