How to Use This Book

If you read the book from cover to cover, you'll find many technical tidbits in unlikely places that you'd miss if you judge a hack by its title alone. For those who prefer to pick an interesting hack from the table of contents and dive right in, be sure to skim the remaining hacks to see what you might be missing. Be sure to read through the chapter headings regardless of whether you are a newbie or an expert in a given topic, as you're sure to find something both useful and interesting at almost every turn.

If you want to get some quick ideas for new directions in your designs, the first four chapters look at the core techniques that affect the look and feel of a site, such as drawing, animation, and effects. Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, and Chapter 8 revolve around media and content, so visit them for inspiration and information pertaining to 3D, text, sound, or UI elements. Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, and Chapter 12 cover specialized topics such as browser integration, optimization, and security (plus a healthy dose of ActionScript for good measure). You should peruse them for answers to question like, "How do I center the Flash Stage in the browser?" or "Someone ripped off my site design! How can I prevent it from happening again?"