An improved script editor (with a visual interface), a revamped library interface, a new Undo feature, powerful run-time effects, breakthrough motion-graphics capabilities—these are just a few of the reasons Web designers are raving about the newest version of their favorite Web tool, Macromedia Flash 8. Whether you’re a beginning user looking for a good introduction to the topic or a veteran user seeking a convenient update reference, you’ll find what you need in this task-based guide. Using simple step-by-step instructions, straightforward language, loads of screen shots, and a plethora of readily accessible examples, author Katherine Ulrich shows you how to create engaging interactive content for the Web with Flash Basic 8 and Flash Professional 8. From basic vector graphics to animation with motion tweening and beyond, this inexpensive, easy-to-use guide promises to get you up to speed fast on the most important application in your design toolbox—Macromedia Flash 8.

Excellent Resource
Great book--really helps me understand the concepts in Flash. Just in the first couple of chapters I knew alot more about the tools in flash and why I would use them.

Somewhere between basic reference and step-by-step guide
I had to buy this book as it was used for a beginner’s course on Flash, but I was very disappointed - not so much with the course but with this book. It tells you how to use this tool and how to use that tool, but never tells you WHY. Like, ok now I can convert to a MovieClip, but why would anyone want to do that, and so on and so on. If you know a bit about Flash, I guess you can easily dig up something in this book if you forgot how to motion tween or something - but then, as a reference guide as well, pretty much any other book on Flash is more thorough. Basically: this book is very superficial - I guess to not overload the novice - but then, it doesn’t explain you much either. For the experienced Flash-user looking for a reference guide, look elsewhere.

It’s a lookup book
Everyone who uses the Visual Quickstart Guides should be informed: they’re lookup books, resources, not step-by-step how-tos.

It’s a lookup book
Everyone who uses the Visual Quickstart Guides should be informed_ they’re lookup books, resources, not step-by-step how-tos.

Not so helpful
If you know your way around most toolbars, this book won’t teach you much. It has been written for people who haven’t used any complex software before. I had to buy the book for a course on Flash, but was disappointed when we covered most of the book in the first day. Easy to understand for a complete beginner. May be useful then.

No lessons - "this is how you use this, this is how you use that..."
I bought this book to learn Flash...and I was dissapointed. There are no lessons, it’s pretty much a user’s manual. "Here is the brush tool and this is how you use it. This is the fill button and how you use it. Now, draw a line as mentioned in section 2." If you like learning a program function by function, then this book is for you. I’m going to exchange this book for sams teach yourself Flash 8 as it has lessons and you learn to use the program as a whole.