Customer Rating: 
Summary: Beginner to Expert with one book
Comment: We're using this book in my Page Layout class at College and it's one of the best "text books" I've ever used. Deke provides lots of extras on the CD to help visualize the steps and end results quickly. He also gives many details as you work through the lessons to get you to an expert level as quickly as possible. I'll look for the One-on-One books for future software training and especially Deke's books.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I am so happy to have found this book and DVD lesson
Comment: I have needed InDesign Training for a very long time. It is the only program the agency I work for is allowed to use, but I live in the middle of nowhere and have been unable to attend classes. This book and 2 hour DVD lesson totally has gotten me up to speed on making page layouts. I only wish I had bought it from Amazon instead of Barnes and Noble, I would have saved $15. At any rate, get this book. The best thing about it is that the author uses PRACTICAL examples for doing things. Most computer books expect you to know things already. Well, I didn't know squat. Now I do. The author runs you through simple examples, getting more and more complex with functions, until you have it down. I love that! I loved this book so much I ordered his Photoshop book too since I need to learn that program. So, if you bought InDesign CS2 and need help from the get go, GET THIS BOOK FIRST!
Customer Rating:
Summary: If it wasn't for Deke....
Comment: I would never have tackled InDesign CS2 without this book. Deke lays it out, so to speak, in every way. Do-along lessons, The DVD and the large pictures showing you what it should look like create a visual safety net. You almost can't go wrong. The book lessons are so clear and Deke takes you through every way to do a thing in each lesson. If you're a keyboard freak there are keyboard shortcuts galore, include Deke Keys which you can install with the lessons. I am more of a mouse person and Deke makes sure to outline all the ways you can use the mouse to access pallets and work with graphics and text. Deke is enthusiastic about the software but brutally honest about it's few shortcomings. Best of all, he takes you through the trickiest parts of the learning process and manages to be funny all the while. I always love Deke's lesson plans. Instead of using a stuffy business format for the sample documents he presents you with projects like Little Pupper Friend's Cookie Recipe or Professor Shembops 1970's pop music quiz. It all feels less intimidating. Another good thing is the way Deke explains things for those of us who have been using PageMaker or QuarkXPress. Adobe InDesign CS2 One on One is a wonderful way to learn. The book is great for design people who are not particularly "techie". Still, InDesign CS2 is not for sissies.I know this sounds nutty, but I feel like Deke is right here with me every step of the way.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Enough with the shortcuts already
Comment: I bought this book because of the extensive amount of instructional video that accompanies the written text. It was something I was looking for in an instructional book - and I didn't find another book with 2+ hours of video. However, after only completing four of the chapters I cannot help but be bothered by the fact that the author has an awful habit of telling you ever possible shortcut configuration for every function. He spends an inordinate amount of time explaining all the shortcut possibilities which is very distracting when you are trying to follow along with an exercise. It's great to know all these handy shortcuts, but if you are just starting to learn InDesign (and I'm guessing here) you initially just want the basics. This approach really slows down the process. Unfortunately, these "shortcut digressions" seem to continue throughout the book. The video content (and the book content) probably could have been reduced by about 30-40% if he didn't labor about every possible shortcut every other sentence. In all fairness the book does contain a lot of content, but I am kinda disappointed by the video. They could have made this potentially excellent book truly excellent if they made an appendix of all these shortcuts rather than cram every option into every exercise. Very distracting.
Customer Rating:
Summary: How to Desktop Publish
Comment: Using plain language and a no-assumption approach, Deke McClelland succeeds in teaching a very difficult concept to just about anyone. You do not have to know anything about desktop publishing, typography, layout, color, or special effects let alone anything about ANY Adobe program to read this book. If you want to learn about any of these concepts, you will enjoy the quick, indulging read as well as be shocked at how easy Mr. McClelland makes this entire industry seem yet keeps you checked into reality onto how expansive it can be.
Pros:
- Easy to read
- Covers the entire program
- Assumes nothing
- Teaches very well
Cons:
-Repeats some things a little too much but that might be because this is geared towards everyone.
Overall:
This is an excellent book for any designer wether you are in publishing or not. Check it out.
Summary: Beginner to Expert with one book
Comment: We're using this book in my Page Layout class at College and it's one of the best "text books" I've ever used. Deke provides lots of extras on the CD to help visualize the steps and end results quickly. He also gives many details as you work through the lessons to get you to an expert level as quickly as possible. I'll look for the One-on-One books for future software training and especially Deke's books.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I am so happy to have found this book and DVD lesson
Comment: I have needed InDesign Training for a very long time. It is the only program the agency I work for is allowed to use, but I live in the middle of nowhere and have been unable to attend classes. This book and 2 hour DVD lesson totally has gotten me up to speed on making page layouts. I only wish I had bought it from Amazon instead of Barnes and Noble, I would have saved $15. At any rate, get this book. The best thing about it is that the author uses PRACTICAL examples for doing things. Most computer books expect you to know things already. Well, I didn't know squat. Now I do. The author runs you through simple examples, getting more and more complex with functions, until you have it down. I love that! I loved this book so much I ordered his Photoshop book too since I need to learn that program. So, if you bought InDesign CS2 and need help from the get go, GET THIS BOOK FIRST!
Customer Rating:
Summary: If it wasn't for Deke....
Comment: I would never have tackled InDesign CS2 without this book. Deke lays it out, so to speak, in every way. Do-along lessons, The DVD and the large pictures showing you what it should look like create a visual safety net. You almost can't go wrong. The book lessons are so clear and Deke takes you through every way to do a thing in each lesson. If you're a keyboard freak there are keyboard shortcuts galore, include Deke Keys which you can install with the lessons. I am more of a mouse person and Deke makes sure to outline all the ways you can use the mouse to access pallets and work with graphics and text. Deke is enthusiastic about the software but brutally honest about it's few shortcomings. Best of all, he takes you through the trickiest parts of the learning process and manages to be funny all the while. I always love Deke's lesson plans. Instead of using a stuffy business format for the sample documents he presents you with projects like Little Pupper Friend's Cookie Recipe or Professor Shembops 1970's pop music quiz. It all feels less intimidating. Another good thing is the way Deke explains things for those of us who have been using PageMaker or QuarkXPress. Adobe InDesign CS2 One on One is a wonderful way to learn. The book is great for design people who are not particularly "techie". Still, InDesign CS2 is not for sissies.I know this sounds nutty, but I feel like Deke is right here with me every step of the way.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Enough with the shortcuts already
Comment: I bought this book because of the extensive amount of instructional video that accompanies the written text. It was something I was looking for in an instructional book - and I didn't find another book with 2+ hours of video. However, after only completing four of the chapters I cannot help but be bothered by the fact that the author has an awful habit of telling you ever possible shortcut configuration for every function. He spends an inordinate amount of time explaining all the shortcut possibilities which is very distracting when you are trying to follow along with an exercise. It's great to know all these handy shortcuts, but if you are just starting to learn InDesign (and I'm guessing here) you initially just want the basics. This approach really slows down the process. Unfortunately, these "shortcut digressions" seem to continue throughout the book. The video content (and the book content) probably could have been reduced by about 30-40% if he didn't labor about every possible shortcut every other sentence. In all fairness the book does contain a lot of content, but I am kinda disappointed by the video. They could have made this potentially excellent book truly excellent if they made an appendix of all these shortcuts rather than cram every option into every exercise. Very distracting.
Customer Rating:
Summary: How to Desktop Publish
Comment: Using plain language and a no-assumption approach, Deke McClelland succeeds in teaching a very difficult concept to just about anyone. You do not have to know anything about desktop publishing, typography, layout, color, or special effects let alone anything about ANY Adobe program to read this book. If you want to learn about any of these concepts, you will enjoy the quick, indulging read as well as be shocked at how easy Mr. McClelland makes this entire industry seem yet keeps you checked into reality onto how expansive it can be.
Pros:
- Easy to read
- Covers the entire program
- Assumes nothing
- Teaches very well
Cons:
-Repeats some things a little too much but that might be because this is geared towards everyone.
Overall:
This is an excellent book for any designer wether you are in publishing or not. Check it out.