Accessories

Do not use alone
This book is good, but only so far. As a step-by-step tutorial it works, just be sure you use the CD that comes with it (there is no website where you can down load the code from the CD). I had some problems with the Flex 3 Builder (Pro) not running the code I entered by hand so I had to use the supplied code to move on. The next problem is that from Lesson 17 on, there are 26 Lessons, you have to run Cold Fusion on your system and everything is based off of what you'd do when connecting to Cold Fusion Based Server. As I plan to be accessing server side functionality using PHP this does me very little good.

On the positive side the first 16 Lessons got me along far enough that I got a good leg up with the Flex 3 Bible and flex 3 Cookbook.

Great for starters of Flex. Not Obeject Oriented Programming.
This book is written well and explains concepts for the person that hasn't used Flex Builder before. They do not spend any time explaining good OOP practice, though. So if you have no experience in that you may want to get a reference manual for good OOP practices. Very cool book.

This is the best book on the market
If you want to learn Flex 3, this is the best book I have read so far. This book will give you the basics so you can continue your learning through practice. I doubt there is a single book out there that will teach you everything there is about Flex 3 and ActionScript 3. This book will walk you through each exercise holding your hand in the process. The best part...there is a CD with all of the files included!

The best way to learn any language to is write code. You will do a lot of code writing with this book. The step-by-step approach is fantastic. While there are some errors, you can quickly figure out what it should be and fix it.

You will not learn all about ActionScript in this book. You do learn some, but you will need an book devoted to ActionScript 3 to get all you will need. This goes for all Flex 3 book written.

Overall, this book was extremely well written and laid out. I have always enjoyed the series "Training from the Source" and this book delivers. This is easily the best Flex 3 book on the market today.

Great book
Adobe Flex 3: Training from the Source is an update to the extremely popular Adobe Flex 2: Training from the Source. Authors of the book not only revised the earlier version of the book but also added a few chapters on features such modules, the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR), and the advanced DataGrid component.

If you are new to Flex 3, this book will guide you through the process of developing a complete application (an online grocery store) using Adobe Flex Builder 3. This book provides you with all the tools you need to get started. But be aware that to make the most of this book, you should at the very least understand basic web terminology. This book is written assuming that you are comfortable working with other programming languages such as Java, .Net, PHP or ColdFusion. This knowledge let you better understand many comparisons and analogies made to server-side web programming.

If you are more advanced Flex developer you can still find this book compelling. You will especially like to focus on new Flex 3 topics which are discussed in this book. There are many places inside "old chapters" which were updated or extended to reflect changes and improvements available in Adobe Flex 3.

I am a Flex Developer. Although I have read the Adobe Flex 2: Training from the Source book I have also read Adobe Flex 3 version of the book and I do not regret it. It has been worth spending my time on reading. I especially liked new parts on creating modular applications and profiling Flex applications.

If you learn best by doing, this is the book you need. I definitely recommend this book.

Your best starting point for everything about Flex 3
Adobe Flex 3 Training from the Source is a kick-start guide to learning the revolutionary "web 2.0" capabilities this present and ever-growing technology provides. Authors Jeff Tapper, Michael Labriola, and Matthew Boles establish clear, step-by-step tutorials and application development that are clear and easy to absorb no matter the scope or scale of coding.

What's best in the 26 lessons is the gradual build-up of skills--each lesson carefully stretching previous chapter's elements and taking them to a new level of programming and extension. This build-up and repetition of skills helps to solidify concepts, syntax, and best practices while never becoming redundant.

Whether readers come from an existing Flash/ActionScript background, an application designer needing additional coding skills, or as a total newcomer to OOP concepts and Rich Internet Application development, Training from the Source is the finest start.

Without a doubt, this book steps up to the challenge of introducing and showcasing the amazing capabilities Flex 3 has to offer and opens a door to endless possibilities for all involved in the design, development and deployment of Internet-base applications.