Although JavaScript looks like Java with many similar capabilities and common operators and expressions it is an OO based scripting language developed by Netscape for creating dynamic web pages. JavaScript source code is embedded in HTML pages and interpreted by the browser (Java code is compiled and executed by the Java Virtual Machine).

This is not a 'traditional' programming text. It assumes readers are web page designers used to HTML (but not programmers) who wish to add functionality to their web pages. It looks at a facility or effect to be added to a web page and shows you how to do it (explaining the operators, statements, etc. as it goes along). For example, Chapter 1 starts by modifying a HTML page so when the mouse is moved over a link a message is displayed in the status bar, i.e. adding some JavaScript to detect the onMouseOver event and then setting the window status appropriately. The second example is a script which detects the time of date and changes the web page contents. The book continues in this way creating new windows, remote control, creating frames, implementing functions, using arrays, dynamic images, etc. There are plenty of useful programs which the text discussing each line in detail. The problems of customisation are discussed allowing one to detect the browser, the platform and what plug- ins are available, i.e. so the web page can adapt to the clients environment.

A useful book for the web page designer who does not wish to tackle Java programming but wishes to make pages adaptable and dynamic.