Flash CS3: The Missing Manual

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Flash CS3: The Missing Manual

Authors: E.A. Vander Veer and Chris Grover
Format: Paperback, 527 pages
Publisher: Pogue Press (May 25, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0596510446
ISBN-13: 978-0596510442

Review by James Pyles
June 22, 2007

This isn't the first Flash CS3 book review I've written so I have an idea of what to look for in a text on this topic. The other book, published by Adobe Press, received some less than complementary reviews on Amazon based on the report that steps were missing, keeping the reader from being able to adequately learn the technology. This point has been contested since I've heard from the author and his review of the book found no such flaws. While I thought the Adobe Press book was pretty good all and all, it's time to find out if this "Missing Manual" can rival or better...stand above the competition.

The authors are both "Missing Manual" veterans so I know they are familiar with the style and format of this series, but for the most part, their background is based in Microsoft solutions. Since Adobe is a different breed of cat, will their expertise stand up? I have no reason to doubt this, of course. It's not like someone who knows Microsoft products can't also be well versed in the software offerings of other vendors. And as far as I know, Flash does what no other software can do... Microsoft not withstanding.

This book starts out the way all "Missing Manuals" start out; by introducing the product in general, defining what's new in this particular incarnation, defining the basics, and defining the "MM" series. The intro doesn't tell you who the audience of the book is (at least it didn't tell me), but the section "Flash CS3 Professional for Everyone" suggests that anyone who is interested in Flash animation for the web should read this book. After all, the tag line for the series is "The book that should have been in the box". If I buy a toy for my kids (or myself), I expect the manual in the box to tell me how to put it together and use it.

As helpful as the "Missing Manual" series is, you won't find a companion CD in the book containing a free or trial copy of Flash. You're just going to have to buy it from Adobe yourself. The idea is that, if you need to learn Flash CS3, you'll either already own a personal copy or your employer will have installed Flash on your work computer. In fact, you won't find a CD with this book at all unless you are counting "The Missing CD" at the back of the book (look on the inside of the back cover and you'll "find" it).

But wait! What's this? The "Missing CD" is..."missing"! Usually when you go to the Missing Manual site and look up the book in question, you'll find a missing CD icon to click on that will take you to a page just loaded with relevant free downloads. Such was not the case here. Just in case my eyesight failed me at a crucial moment, I clicked on the Missing CD-ROMs link found on the home page. There's an alphabetical index available so I clicked on "F" for "Flash". All I found was a reference to Flash 8. Unless I'm doing something wrong, it seems that the Missing CD is not only missing but it doesn't exist.

I don't think this is an issue of proprietary software being involved since all of the Microsoft Missing Manuals I've reviewed have come with such online support. I'm at a loss to explain the lack of such material for this book. I'm sure it would have been useful. Nevertheless, onward and let's see what is covered in the hardcopy content.

At this point, if you are familiar with the Missing Manual series, you could almost write the review yourself. The book is written for beginning to intermediate Flash CS3 users. If you've never used Flash before, fear not. This book talks to you. If you are a Flash superguru, you might find this book a bit limiting but then again, if you are that familiar with the product, you probably know everything you need to know about it, right? If you are like most web developers and you live somewhere inbetween beginner and "Mr. (or Ms.) Know-It-All", Vander Veer and Grover have written material for you, too. Just blow by the Flash 101 chapters and select the areas you need to focus on.

If you want a complete tutorial to all things Flash, you can read this book cover-to-cover, submerging yourself into the world of Flash CS3. If you just need a reference for certain processes or individual tasks, the table of contents or index will serve you as well. The bonuses include an installation and help guide in Appendix A and a very useful Flash CS3 menu guide in Appendix B.

Once again, kudos to Pogue and company for producing a very fine manual "that should have been in the box". I miss the "missing CD" and "really" advanced Flash users will need to supplement their knowledge with other sources, but beyond that, Vander Veer and Grover have written another great user guide.