Review by Dave Edmiston

This was the first Learn by Video series course that I’ve used, and I’m very impressed with the production. For the most part I’m impressed with the content too, although the introductory level was frustrating at times.

The course provides a good introduction to the CS5 user interface, the Flash tools, file types, and managing the timeline. There’s also a very basic chapter that introduces ActionScript (AS3), which is the coding language used to create complex logic in a Flash application. The AS3 material is extremely basic–too basic in my opinion.

Again, I like the production of this video package. The videos can be played in Windows, Mac, or Linux. There are also MP4 versions of the video files, in case you want to view them on a portable device (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, etc.). This is helpful if you want to view the videos and work hands-on on your computer, although the small screen would be difficult. The DVD also includes a collection of asset files that correspond with the lessons.

If you are a visual learner or don’t prefer thick technical books, then this video course would be a good low-cost alternative. Don’t expect to be a Flash expert when you complete this course, but at least you’ll understand the basic concepts.