I have no trouble buying a book for Dummies when it come to my lack of skills with the Adobe design programs and am happy to take any help I can get. And while this all-in-one book covers all of the programs from InDesign CS4 to Photoshop CS4 to Dreamweaver CS4 to Flash CS4, it is at least somewhat helpful in navigating the programs. Unfortunately, I run into the same problem in this text as I have with others available online- a lack of adequate information to tell me if this is an appropriate guide to one who is new to the Adobe programs. They all tout themselves as the perfect tool for beginners, but the reverse is usually true. Either that or I am an unredeemable dummy.
I find that if I read carefully through the chapters of each program I am interested in, I can understand the basic nature of that program. But when I want to do specific tasks, I can not get that information. For example, when I wanted to draw a line across the top of a page, I had to use the right terminology- a "line" is a "stroke". But I had no way to know that until informed by a friend who uses an earlier version of InDesign. Now I want to isolate various objects in a picture to add to a new document and hope I have found the proper page and program to do that with my Dummy book.
Chapter headings and index appear to address most issues, but the finer points of design are unavailable to me without the appropriate terminology and how various applications are applied. I have an extensive design background with a twenty-year old vocabulary and these programs are written in a new language. I have the most trouble navigating from one task to another, applying tools in the proper manner, going from Index to chapter in hopes of solutions. Sometimes I find them, sometimes I don't. At least this book helps me navigate the logic behind the programs if not the nuances. I welcome any information about helpful texts for beginners from those conversant with these programs, especially InDesign CS4. Luan Gaines/2009.
