Has anybody here read the book "ppk on JavaScript"?
http://www.quirksmode.org/book/

It's from 2006, and written by Peter-Paul Koch. Over the years, I've
found some useful information (mostly compatibility tables and
cross-browser tests) on quirksmode.org. On the other hand, the examples
from the book are available online, and they don't convince me.

The first example (a character counter for text areas) requires a
non-standard "maxlength" attribute on textarea elements and uses
innerHTML to create content.

The second example (a form validator) uses browser sniffing
(userAgent.indexOf), "document.write('<style>.blah", "new Object()", etc.

I didn't read any further after that.

Now that I've seen it on the desk of a co-worker (who hasn't started
reading it yet), I was wondering if anybody here has any comments about it.


- Conrad

On Oct 14, 7:44*pm, Conrad Lender <crlen...@yahoo.comwrote:

Has anybody here read the book "ppk on JavaScript"?http://www.quirksmode.org/book/
>
It's from 2006, and written by Peter-Paul Koch. Over the years, I've
found some useful information (mostly compatibility tables and
cross-browser tests) on quirksmode.org. On the other hand, the examples
from the book are available online, and they don't convince me.
>
The first example (a character counter for text areas) requires a
non-standard "maxlength" attribute on textarea elements and uses
innerHTML to create content.
>
The second example (a form validator) uses browser sniffing
(userAgent.indexOf), "document.write('<style>.blah", "new Object()", etc.
>
I didn't read any further after that.
>
Now that I've seen it on the desk of a co-worker (who hasn't started
reading it yet), I was wondering if anybody here has any comments about it.

AFAIK, PPK is well known for this knowledge on browser quirks. Most of
his site articles and indeed the book display the effort he has put in
documenting the browser issues which most of the people face during
their *javascript* development and provides solution to them. But as
far as Javascript in terms of in depth explanation on how prototypes
work, what exactly is the different between 'Number type', 'Number
object' and 'Number value' etc. seem to be missing from the book.

But given that 80% of the posters here are looking for things which
are pretty well explained in that book, it is a good intro book; much
better than 'javascript: The good parts' since it focuses on real life
problems and not nitpicking. Maybe it would be simpler if I say I am
putting it in league with the book 'javascript: The definitive guide'.

/sasuke

On Oct 14, 10:44*am, Conrad Lender <crlen...@yahoo.comwrote:

Has anybody here read the book "ppk on JavaScript"?http://www.quirksmode.org/book/
>

Likely somebody has.

It's from 2006, and written by Peter-Paul Koch. Over the years, I've
found some useful information (mostly compatibility tables and
cross-browser tests) on quirksmode.org. On the other hand, the examples

Yes, his site is useful.

from the book are available online, and they don't convince me.
>
The first example (a character counter for text areas) requires a
non-standard "maxlength" attribute on textarea elements and uses
innerHTML to create content.
>
The second example (a form validator) uses browser sniffing
(userAgent.indexOf), "document.write('<style>.blah", "new Object()", etc.
>
I didn't read any further after that.

Good call.

>
Now that I've seen it on the desk of a co-worker (who hasn't started
reading it yet), I was wondering if anybody here has any comments about it.

From what you have mentioned, throw it away.