August 2006 Archives

At another blog I saw someone comment that they'd been looking for a list of what is new in the 5th edition of JavaScript: The Definitive Guide. I guess I haven't blogged about this yet. If you were looking at the book in a bookstore, you'd just turn to the Preface and read the section titled "What's New in the Fifth Edition". But if you're considering an online purchase, you can't do that. So, here's what I say about the new edition in the preface:

In yesterday's post, I promised to stop plugging my new book. But I've got a copy in my hands now, and I just can't stop myself. This post will contain only trivia, without links or exhortations to BUY IT NOW!

The first thing I noticed about 5th edition is that it is thinner than the 4th edition. Apparently it is printed on thinner (also noticeably whiter) paper than the 4th edition. Rest assured, however, that this new edition is longer (and better) than the old. The 5th edition is 10% longer (in page count). It has 92% more examples (125 examples instead of 65) and the new examples are 169% longer (lines of code) than the old ones.

But here's my favorite fact about the 5th edition: if you count the regular numbered pages, the roman-numeral preface pages, and the unnumbered filler pages at the back, the book is exactly 1024 pages long. One kilopage: I couldn't be prouder!

The 5th edition of my JavaScript book is finally shipping! (From amazon.com, anyway. Amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk don't seem to have it yet.) Interested?

1. Read a sample chapter.
2. Study the examples.
3. Order it from Amazon: see the ad in the left column.

I think this is the last time I'll plug my book on this blog!

O'Reilly has posted a PDF file of Chapter 21, JavaScript and XML, from my book

This chapter shows you how create, load, parse, serialize, transform and search XML documents using JavaScript. It includes a portable HTML templating system like IE's data island stuff.

Examples for this chapter, and all chapters of the book are also available.

I'm told that the book will be in bookstores by the end of the month. And you can pre-order it from Amazon today:

My JavaScript book has been sent to the printer! I'm told it should be in bookstores by the end of the month. You can always pre-order it, though:

Meanwhile, you can get your hands on the examples from the book now.

Douglas Crockford, creator of the JSON format, has moved it through the RFC process of the IETF, and JSON is now officially RFC 4627.

See the JSON website if you don't know what I'm talking about.