Macromedia Authorware 6: Training from the Source

Macromedia Authorware's accessible, icon-based development environmentmakes it a favorite of developers who create sophisticated interactiveprojects, from multimedia presentations to computer-based trainingprograms. Whether you're new to Authorware or upgrading from a previousversion, Macromedia Authorware 6: Training from the Source providesexactly what the title promises: project-based lessons modeled onMacromedia's own training courses.

With Macromedia Authorware 6: Training from the Source, you learnthe basics of Authorware by doing. The hands-on tutorials that form thecore of this workbook and CD-ROM package take you step-by-step throughreal-world interactive projects. Each lesson covers a specific topic, suchas adding motion and sound to your project, working with templates andknowledge objects, and incorporating Flash and XML into your projects. Thisedition of the book covers what's new in Authorware 6, including the "onebutton publishing" feature. The CD-ROM holds all the files you need to workthrough the lessons, plus a full-featured, time-limited version ofAuthorware 6.

This book does take you in bite size steps through the use of Authorware. But as a trainer, I find it enormously confusing in its organization, in the information it leaves out and in its inconsistencies.

A quick example: the end of the second chapter shows you how to create within the software the sections for your course, and the pages within each of those sections. It then shows you how to open one of those pages and tells you that you'll learn to put content onto that page in the following chapter.

But the following chapter shows you creating content in completely different windows located in a completely different part of the software than the windows you were looking at when the previous chapter left off.

Bottom line - - I sat with this book for three days, did all of the tutorials in the first seven chapters but still did not understand where to begin to create a course from scratch on my own.

Full of far too much 'tech talk' the book needs to teach people how to use Authorware to create courses, etc. from a blank slate NOT from pre-created sound, text files etc parked in specific places that you are easily guided to. I will still need a much better written text, or some classroom instruction, to get my project out the door.


I Like the Book - Thorough Explanations   April 7, 2003
 2 out of 5 found this review helpful

The authors do what I feel a good instructor should do - they move systematically from chapter to chapter expanding on knowledge gained in previous chapters, giving lots of explanations as to why you need to do things a certain way. This builds confidence and competency with the software. I am new to Authorware and feel this book is giving me a firm foundation for thoroughly understanding the software.

I recommend the book to anyone starting with Authorware without reservation.


Not a Reference Manual   October 20, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

If you're looking for a comprehensive Authorware manual this is NOT the book. If you want an introductory series of step-by-step guided tutorials it's OK, IMHO.

I have been using Orson Kellogg's Ver 5 book in the classroom and for on-line teaching. I like it because the students can work at their own pace and leaves me free to offer personalized guidance. My students typically finish the book exercises in 5-6 weeks (about 25-30 lab hours). It provides objectives at the start and end of each chapter and has a few multimedia development tips sprinkled through the book (though not nearly enough).

If it has a weakness as a learning tool, some students do the steps but do not retain what they have just done. I need to provide challenges throughout the semester to get them to think on their own. Once students have done the exercizes the book is useless because it has no reference tools. It lacks appendices for common variables and system functions, for example.

I agree with the previous writer that it fails to come even close to unleashing the power of Authorware. As a classroom tool I may continue to use it because every student at every level has been able to use it successfully.